Woke up this morning and legs felt better. Still regretting doing that workout on monday. Jillian Michaels is so hardcore! I decided a few weeks ago to go ahead and do the marathon. I haven't been training at all. Since the Ironman I had NO desire to do anything. About the end of July I decided to start running again. well mid august, my infamous IT band started to hurt. So, I decided to just ride my bike and forgo the marathon. There is always another year! Well my neighbor and friend Breanna (who just had a baby and 2 surgeries in the last 3 months) decided to do the marathon. She is an AMAZING triathlete, but this was her first marathon. So I decided that I would do it with her. We ran a few times. I think her longest run was 10 miles, mine was like 12 ish. The morning of the race woke up. Ryan and Breanna and I rode the bus up together. A few days before the marathon Breanna was having doubts about finishing the race. She told me that she was running with her phone, and was probably going to call her husband to get her at half way. (I was totally ok with that, but if I wasn't going to do the whole thing with her, I just decided to do my own thing). This race was fun for me. I was NOT nervous one bit. I didn't care what my time was, I was just gonna run off of FEEL! I had NO expectations....I loved it! I just finished using the porta potty when the race began. I jumped in and started to run. I actually had no idea if I was in the front pack or back. I just started to run a pace I liked. I saw a few friends pass me. Cheri and Jaime Egbert. So I realized I was in the front of the pack. These are fast girlies...so I slowed way down! Around miles 8-14 I kept wondering WHY is this considered a downhill course...I was going a gradual uphill for 5 miles and it was sooo HARD. I just kept plugging away, but was waiting for the downhill! Around mile 16ish, the 3:35 pacer past me.... good heavens. I didn't even know that I was running that pace. It did feel good, I wasn't overly tired. I just felt it in my legs. I tried staying with them until about mile 19ish. Then decided it was just to much to keep running that pace. My legs were so heavy...I had energy...but legs so heavy (this is wear I was cursing Jillian Michaels name oh ya, and mine for trying to go a faster pace on NO training!) At this point I was about mile 22ish. The 3:35 pacer was out of view, but I decided to just keep plugging away and maybe I could get in the 3:40 range. I just wanted the race to be over!! My IT band started rubbing BAD....but I thought if I walk, its just going to prolong this torture, so I kept plugging away! At the top of Diagonal st is Ryans moms house. I ran past and said HELLO. They wanted me to stop to take a picture. I actually probably would have, but I was afraid I couldn't get my legs going again. I knew if I could just bare with it for 2 more miles...I would be soon done! Crossed finish line at 3:44. Yeah I was DONE! I am pleased with my time considering my LACK of training. My quads and hips are so sore. I don't think I have even been this sore from a race in my life. I didn't feel tired mentally, it was all physical! Later someone told me that I missed qualifiying for Boston by 4 minutes. I was like, NO I missed it by 9 minutes. Since I am 33, I was to get under a 3:35. They told me that this time is good until 2014 Boston RACE. and in 2014 I will be 35 yrs old, So I only needed under a 3:40. What!!!!! how come I dont pay attention to such important details... Oh well, I am totally happy with my race and have no regrets, I think I did great especially with no training. It actually made me excited to train for a marathon again in the future, cuz maybe I could do even better! And althoug it was fun. Maybe next time if I don't train, I will just run it for fun and not try. I am gonna regret life for the next week or so... I am terribly sore! | 