DISCLAIMER: This post is all over the effing place, and is extremely long, so if you're going to read it, do me a favour and read the entire post. I may add more later, but for now, I'm spent.
Alright, so I've been back home for a couple of days now, and my luggage is finally home to (don't ask), so I've had time to reflect on what I've done, and am ready to share some of the details with you.
Honestly, this whole experience has been a hell of a lot harder than I thought it would ever be. I'm not just talking about the run, but I'm talking about the training, the fundraising, the putting my social life on hold at times, the leaving the woman I love behind while I went to Hawaii last week, the sharing a hotel room with what could have been a psycho serial killer, but actually turned out to be a really cool guy, and has become a new friend...thank goodness for that.
Anyhow, all that I've felt about this journey, and pretty much every emotion I've ever felt in my life came out on that race course last Sunday. I laughed, I cried, I swore (surprise!), I sang, I talked, I ran, and I even walked a little. It's amazing how much of a mental game running a marathon is...I would have never expected some of the things to come out that did. I thought a lot about many different things, but for the most part I thought about my father, and more specifically my relationship with my father. A lot of emotion came from my thoughts of my dad, however, I'm not going into any detail here as it's a conversation that's between us...when it happens. I don't have many regrets from my life thus far, but I definately wish that he was there to meet me at the finish line as we had originally planned, because he's been just as much a part of this as me and although he wasn't with me physically, it felt like he ran that entire race with me, because he did...in my head, and in my heart. He is the reason I took this task on, and he is the reason why I finished. Last night I finally went to see my parent and have dinner with them for the first time since I'd come home. When I got through the door I took my finishers medal from around my neck and put it around dad's. I told him that this was our medal, and I really hope I have the balls to explain that to him one day. Anyhow, seeing him wear that medal through dinner and while we were looking at pictures afterward felt almost as good as crossing the finish line.
Anyhow, I'm not too sure if that even comes close to explaining the mind fuck I went through on the course, but it's all you're going to get.
As far at the physical test that running this marathon was, well that I can explain a little better. I was feeling really really strong until mile marker 19, but by this point I had already ran over 20 miles (I'll explain). For some reason my body started to fight back...hard, and I had to change my game plan. I knew then, that I wasn't going to make 4 hours, even though I was on pace at the halfway (13 mile) mark. I ran to the next water station, then walked through it, then ran to the next one and walked through it. I continued this pattern until the last water station, which I skipped as I could see the finish line and got excited and all I wanted was to get there, but it was still about a 1/4 mile away. I was running towards the finish line, but it didn't seem to get any closer. I wanted to giver', but my body had had enough and simply wouldn't give me any more juice, although I did find the energy to wipe the snotsicles from my nose, raise my arms triumphantly and smile (I think)...after all you gotta look good for the camera right?!?!
Anyhow, my quads felt like they we're shredded, and I just couldn't stop moving my legs out of fear that once I stopped moving them, I wouldn't be able to start moving them again. We took a bus back to the hotel, and I couldn't even sit. Walking up and especially down stairs for 3 days after the marathon licked (fill in the blank...I choose hairy horse nuts), and I had to spend most of the day after the marathon stretching and trying to get my legs ready to surf (which went extremely well). It hurt a lot...that's the bottom line.
I've said it before, and I will say it again. Running that marathon was the single most difficult thing I've ever done in my entire life, but I might just give it another go, although the jury is still out.
If you're planning on running a marathon, don't make the same rookie mistakes I made. Don't weave in and out of the crowd at the beginning. I managed to log over an entire mile by doing this, but it was hard not to. There was 30000 people there, and it was almost impossible to run a straight line.
Don't drink too much the morning of the race...I had to stop to pee twice...that's never happened in training.
Don't line up in the womens porto-potty line by mistake. The guys line moves way faster, and there is better ways to spend your time before a race, rather than waiting to take a shit.
The final numbers...
Clock Time - 4:29:08
Unofficial Chip Time - 4:23:42 - This is unofficial as it came from my gps watch due to the fact that the chips didn't work because of the shite weather.
Placed 3241st of 20693 total finishers
247th of 1130 males aged 25-29
Approx. $7500 dollars raised for the Canadian Diabetes Association
Again, thanks for being a part of the journey. I couldn't have done it without you.
Will
