Completed the Austin Marathon

Here is how I felt run/walking 26.2 miles...
I was nervous/sick to stomach and anxious to get started
I waited around for the start...and then I waited with my group for the crowd ahead us to clear the way
I got a cramp the first minute in my stomach, ease up after three minutes
Then my left ankle hurt, then that eased up
I started with a 4 minute walk and then a 1 minute run up hill
I took one hill at a time, then later took one minutes at a time
I felt good for the first 11 miles maybe 13 miles
Then I realized I have a blister forming on my feet, the right foot worse then the left
I was tired, exhausted, hurting, and plugging away the miles
I was excited after mile 18 because it was one more mile I hadn't accomplished before
YEAH 19
YEAH 20
YEAH 21
YEAH 22
YEAH 23
YEAH 24
YEAH 25
YEAH 26
YESSSSSSSSSSS FINISH LINE!!!!!!!!

So I had a pit crew aka my mom and dad who where there to support me and give me anything I asked for. I looked at the start line for them, but didn't see them. I looked for them at mile 2, but didn't see them. I knew for sure that I would see them at mile 6. I saw my dad and he told me mom wasn't feeling well so he drove her home. I was still in good spirits and aware of my surroundings. I requested a half of a cliff bar. My dad and I said see you in 6 miles. I saw him at mile 10.8 because the course had a cut off time and he needed to know if I made it threw that. He passed me a water bottle and I drank that quickly. I asked watchers on the side of the road if they could recycle the bottle if I passed it to them, they said sure. By that point I was ahead of my group and never saw them again.

The next time I saw my dad was mile 16, my mom had join him and she said she was feeling better. I scream 200 yards away that I needed a half of a cliff bar. As I approached I said you need to meet me in 2 miles with salt pills and water. I remember that from 10.8 to 16 miles was too long of a time period and I had no way of getting a hold of him to get to me sooner than that. I remember telling myself he will be there I just have to keep going until you see him. I was getting a headache, I think because it was so hot. I remember closing my eyes when I walked and ran due to being tired. When I made the statement 2 miles, it was all I could think of handling. My feet were feeling like blisters were forming and I was hurting. As my mom told me later she was worried I wouldn't make it and pass out on the course because of my eyes closing. [note: police and EMS golf carts drive the course back and forth to make sure no one is down]

My dad meet me a little after mile 17 (my mom waited in the car across the highway) with Advil and salt pills and water. I remember run/walking down this stretch of road and seeing a red shirt looking like my dad's, but it disappeared and I thought he had left, like he missed seeing me, but I was just seeing things. I also had a time card for a 6 hour 30 minutes finishing time in my shorts and it was hard to focus on the numbers to see what it said, it took me a little to get down the numbers. I remember saying to him I have blisters. He was like you want to stop and rub some cream on them and I was like no. He said meet you in 2 miles, I said good.

During the next 2 miles my blisters had gotten worse and my right foot popped and stung, but I keep plugging away. I saw my mom and dad right before mile 20. My mom had a water cloth to rub my face, I told them about me blisters, I got water and half a cliff bar. My mom later said I perked up a little, so she wasn't as worried. My dad thought that I was going to start walking the miles, but every time he meet me I was on the same pace and I was still doing the run/walking (3 minutes walking 1 minutes running). Right before we separated and meet in 2 miles my dad talked to me about my pace and how I was keeping it. He also put numbers out there and some other stuff, but I have no memory of what he said except you are going to finish this before the cut off time, which was 2pm. We agreed to meet in another 2 miles. All I keep thinking was I have already gone so far. I was looking so hard for Duval street (I have train on it so many times in the past 6 months, I know the hills and the streets), I knew that if I got on Duval I would know where I am and then the end was near. I got some extra energy somewhere, do I know where? Nope.

I do remember receiving a high 10 from a little boy in a spider-man costume or maybe it was spider-man. ha. He gave me the encouragement to keep going. It was nice to have the spectators still out after so long of a time. I mean this was like hour 4 or 5, the fast runners finished 2 to 3 hours ago. The next meet up was mile 22, I remember always getting water, and wiping my face with a cold cloth, I think I got a half of a cliff bar. During the the 2 mile stretch, I realized I had rub raw under my arm and after every water station there was medic stations with Vaseline. I gave a rubbing signal to one guy who caught my understanding. I was to tired to communicate long sentences. I said I can't see it can you put it on and he did. He asked if I needed the other side, I said no. I said thank you and left. Right before the water stop, it felt like my skin from the popped blister flipped over (it didn't come to find out), but it stung and hurt worse. I keep going.

Before I meet my parent for the last time at mile 24. I got excited after mile 23, I had reached Duval. YEAH DUVAL! I knew there was no way in hell I was NOT finishing this thing. Ohh Duval. As I worked my way down Duval, there was a point I saw ahead that they were stopping runners because of traffic. I thought maybe I would get there and wouldn't be stopped, but it didn't happen. The policemen was like we have to ease traffic up. So I stopped and swayed. He was like you okay, do you need to sit down. I was like if I sit down I won't get up. I hadn't stopped this hold time, just go, go, go. I was like jello a little. He finally let me threw and I kept going. I saw my mom and dad told them about the policemen, they gave me water, a wet cloth, and gummy bears. They said see you at the end. I said ok. As I headed to the home stretch.

The final 2 miles were hot. I remember just plugging away. I knew the first hill I went up would be the last hill I went up. I put my head down and walked it. I don't remember feeling it like the first time I went up that morning 6 hours ago. As I reached the top the mile 26 marker was there and I knew I needed to run it. So I headed down 11th street turn right into home stretch down congress. One more block. I saw my mom and dad cheering. I tried to smile and look happy crossing the finish line. I stopped my watch 6 hours 18 minutes and 10 seconds. I had done it. I ran/walked 26.2 miles and I didn't die nor did I DNF (Did Not Finish). I didn't cry, I didn't collapse, I just kept walking received my metal and walked to the side waiting for my mom and dad. They hugged my sweaty body and congratulated me. I was hurting.

I don't think it really has hit me yet, I can tell you that my body knows that I did 26.2 miles. It is sore, tired, and hurting.

Enjoy the picture below, taken by my dad during and after the race.

Mile 6, feelin' good...hanging with my group (from left to right: John, Suzy, Myself, and Ingrid (who is a very fast walker))


We made it to the split in time(had to be there before 10:15 or they routed you to the half marathon pace we got there at 9:45 roughly)...Mile 10.8.


Home Stretch...I am running it in. NO WAY I AM WALKING IT! Few moment later...


I received my metal and congratulations from my pit crew aka mom and dad. An what do you get when you mix, 6 hours 18 minutes and 10 seconds of run/walking, a hot day starting at 60 degrees and a high of 80 degrees, and sun in Texas....


A nice sunburn...whooo and a ouch.

WHIPPED IT, BEAT IT, CLOBBERED THE 26.2 MILES WITH BLISTER, SORE MUSCLES, AND A SUNBURN AT THE END....COMPLETED!