26.2

I still can’t believe it happened.

Did it go as I thought, nope not at all. But it was the best, most challenging things I have ever done.

So lets recap. First, Aubrey and I needed throw away clothes since the start would be cold. So we went to good will. But all the sweats were going to cost us about $15 bucks. So we decided to try Wal-Mart.

There we found adult cow footie pjs. Since the marathon was 3 days before Halloween, and we are dorks, we decided they would be our outfits!

We had spaghetti and hit the hay early. We had a 4:15am wake up call!

Metro at 5am, and a creeper in the background

He made it!

He wasn’t exactly excited

There we go!!

Waiting nervously

startline

Walking to the start!

And we were off!

Aubrey and I ran together the first 3ish miles, until I lost her on a hill and I stopped to potty! She ended up having an amazing race and kicked that marathon’s butt!

I felt great for the first 10 miles! I saw a friend around mile 9 and he ran with me a little way. Then I saw my crew around mile 10.

Isn’t mom cute?!

Then the Sh** hit the fan. My legs started cramping up. Like I’d be cruising along, happy and then all of a sudden almost fall over with cramps. Like massive charlie horses in my calves. So painful. I would limp along and stretch it out and then run again. This started around mile 11, and never stopped. I honestly wasn't sure I would cross the finish line!

At the half

This was at about mile 16. This was at a part of the course that is a small out and back, on the out part, I had a bad charlie horse as soon as I saw them. Dad and Eric ran over, dad rubbed my legs and Eric listened to me cry that I wouldn’t finish! They kissed me and sent me on my way!

 

This is how they spent their time waiting til the next spot to see me. Seriously, they were bored and tired and their feet hurt, but the few times I saw them were what kept me going.

The course was nice, I really enjoyed running along the mall and seeing all the monuments and the capital.

 

I caught up to them at mile 21, they went over the wrong bridge, giving them about a 2 mile walk to the finish. (I still had farther to go )

I knew Lindsay and Ray were waiting in Crystal City, but I wasn’t sure if they would still be there since I was over an hour past my projected time I told them I would be there. But they were! Seeing them was the added fuel I needed to finish.

At mile 24.5 this guy came up and handed me his flag and told me to run it past the Marines standing there to get them fired up. So I did, it got me fired up too! Good thing because mile 25 was EMPTY. Everyone was at the finish. It was a hard mile!

Soon I saw 26, and started up that last hill. I was so relieved to cross that finish line.

( I probably should buy this pic)

As I hobbled my way down the finishers chute, I started tearing up. I couldn’t believe I had done it. When the Marine put that medal around my neck I just started sobbing! It was the best feeling ever. Every single time someone told me congratulations, I would start crying and say thank you. I DID IT!!

I finished, in 6 hours and 15 mins. about an hour and 15 mins longer than I expected. Bummed about that, but so glad I did it!

Bestest and I with our medals!

Signs on the door when we got home!

Just a few of the signs mom made! She was a rockstar!

Monday, Aubrey and I got massages, and then I headed back to VA to try and beat Hurricane Sandy. Poor Aubrey was stranded at my parents house for 2 days without me because of her!

I am not sure anyone knows just how much it meant to me that they got up at 4(or earlier), took the metro in to the city, stood around for hours, walked miles and miles, just to cheer me on. I have said thank you a hundred times, but it doesn’t feel like enough.