Rock N Roll Marathon!!

Karen & I prerace!

WOW!! All I can say is WOW!! Yesterday I completed my first marathon (26.2 miles) in San Antonio. 30,000 runners signed up for the 1/2 or full marathon. Let me tell you a little about the race and events from yesterday. Special thanks to Josh Miner for pushing me along during training and helping me be accountable for my running. Also, thanks to Karen Ivy- you were an awesome running buddy yesterday. I know I could not have completed this huge challenge without you two!

Wake up at 5:30am the head to the starting line off Broadway & Mulberry at Lions Field. Just imagine 30,000+ people at 6am. There were porta potties everywhere and even longer lines! Prior to the race TEAM 413 had a devotion and pray time. Then it was time to line up in the corrals. There were 31 corrals with each holding 1000 runners . . . talk about invasion of personal space! The race started just past 7:30 however I did not cross the starting line until after 8am! At the beginning of the race there were a lot of spectators cheering us on and live music along the race from various bands. Just past the starting line was the Pearl Brewery- built in 1883. Then just past mile 2 was the Alamo- the most famous landmark in Texas! Then at mile 6.5 was San Pedro Park & Springs- it is the 2nd oldest public park in America. (The oldest public park is Boston Common). Then we ran through downtown and at mile 8-9 was the King William historical district. It was cool to be running next to these awesome houses and the residents outside cheering us on. At mile 10 we past Rosario's which is located in the Blue Star arts district and is home to amazing Mexican food. Then onto mile 11 running past the Lone Star Brewery which dates back to 1884. Then it was down Mission Road running first past Mission Concepcion at mile 12. Next was Mission San Jose at mile 14 and at mile 17 was Mission San Juan. After that is just determination that carried me to the finish. Around mile 23 I was able to see the Tower of Americas and I knew we were getting closer to the finish. Miles 22-26 just plain sucked! It was getting to be pretty hot and humid out and lacking in spectators cheering us on. The finish was located at the Alamodome but there was a hill at the end. Who's idea was that?!? To have a hill located at mile 26.1- totally NOT a fan of that hill. Even though I thought I was going to pass out from exhaustion I was able to finish strong and beat my goal time of 5 hours!! I finished in 4 hours 54 minutes.

As far a future races and marathons . . . yeah the jury is still out on that. Running a marathon and completing it was a life goal that I had. I am proud to stay that I accomplished it but as far as running that distance again I am not too sure. I think half marathons are more reasonable just from a training perspective and definitely more fun! Today I am sore especially in my quads and my feet hate me. I am pretty sure I am going to lose 3-4 more toenails too! (Yeah I know probably more info than you wanted to know but its true).