Current Weight: 156
Starting BMI: 27.7
Current BMI: 24.8
26.2 miles. I officially ran a Marathon before I turned 30! Yesterday was the Chicagoland Spring Marathon that Amanda and I have been working towards since January, and SPOILERS I finished.
Preparations started the night before as Chris and I set out everything I would need for the morning (so I wouldn't have to think too much). Coffee pot set up, toaster out, pan on the stove, even two slices of bread and an egg set aside so all I had to do when I woke up at 4:45 was crack the egg, put bread in the toaster, and flip the switch on the coffee (okay, I guess I had to cook the egg as well, but seriously, I was half asleep). After eating my carefully planned breakfast I went to take my shower, it wasn't until the ice cold water hit my hand that I remembered the hot water heater in our apartment doesn't turn on until 6am. I contemplated jumping in for a quick rinse off anyway, and then thought better of shocking all my muscles right before the race. I settled for washing my hair in the sink instead. After getting dressed, and sliding off my brace, Chris and I were off (yes, he came to see me off even though he loves to sleep in and all but one of the photos you'll see in this post were taken by him, THANKS CHRIS!!!!!)
We arrived at the race, found a place to park and I immediately texted Amanda, but as soon as we started walking towards the race Amanda spotted us. The timing could not have been more perfect.
Amanda is a true true friend, who wanted to run training runs, and the marathon with me EVEN THOUGH she TOTALLY could do it faster than me (I'm not mentioning this to down play my own successes, but just as a simple fact, she's been running longer, and she is faster. And that's REALLY okay). I do my best NOT to compare myself to her, and I think sometimes she feels that I'm somehow feeling bad when I say "you should go ahead without me, I can't" but I don't. Yesterday as we ran together after mile 14 I was pushing myself SO HARD, not only were my legs tired, but my lungs burned, and my heart rate was way up. Amanda on the other hand could have pushed her heart rate up (I know, because I asked). After a couple miles of speeding up and slowing down, we hugged and she flew! My Nike app hit 17 miles (it was about .1 miles off at the time) and I remember shouting after her "You're almost at Mile 17! You GO GIRL!".
No longer trying to keep pace with my partner meant that I walked more, and ran slower, listening to my body. And it soon became clear that this was the best thing for both of us. From mile 17-18 we passed each other a couple of times (the course doubled back on its self) and shouted words of encouragement. From 18-19 I could see her in the distance (I was sending so many good vibes your way) from there she faded into the distance. I am so AMAZED at that woman's speed. YOU GO GIRL!
for the next 7.2 miles pushed myself to edge of my breaking point alternating running, run-walking (kinda walking with a spring in my step) and speed-walking, I MIGHT have been able to go a tad bit faster, but had I pushed myself any harder not only would my lungs be more tired today, but I'm sure I would have done some lasting damage to my knee. I felt really good about continuing to push even though I contemplated calling my husband and making him pick me up. I felt STRONG. Several Sherifs, and course guides shouted such good words of encouragement, I even saw a few girls who had run the half marathon that had a friend running the full so they had driven to cheer her on a couple places on the course who shouted "you're awesome flower girl!". They made those moments of self doubt fade away and made those last miles memorable. However, there were a few encounters that made me feel like what I was doing was less than AMazing (Amanda-Melissa-azing).
At two of my final water stations the people manning them were just sitting, chatting, and didn't hand me water, or even acknowledge me. At one of them I had to completely stop and ask which cups were water. This was SUCH A CONTRAST to the beginning of the race where the volunteers shouted encouragement and handed you a nice full cup of water. Then, just after the final water station there was a car blocking my path forward to the high-way and I got super disoriented and had go back to the volunteers to find out if I needed to go straight or turn. In both of these instances I ended up feeling like I was somehow inconveniencing the volunteers by taking so long. Talk about a buzz kill.
After the highway I rounded the corner and who do I see??? My handsome husband (who I didn't expect to see until the finish line) and along with his encouragement (to which I responded that I couldn't possibly run the full rest of the way) he got some REALLY GREAT ACTION SHOTS (click to enlarge). I waved to my in-laws and rounded the last corner.
The feelings of failure (yes failure) quickly left me as I listened to the cheers of everyone who had come out to cheer me on. Amanda, her Husband Mike, Sheri, and Pat all stuck around to see me finish. Chris' brother and Parents were also there clapping and smiling. And of course my dear sweet Chris. Everyone let me hug them, even though I was super sweaty, and after a few moments of talking, I was no longer feeling like a failure but like the winner I really was. 26.2 MILES. I did that. Thank you EVERYONE for all the kind words, and for all the support. It meant (and still means) oh so much.
30 Things To Do In My 30th Year Progress (COMPLETED):
1. Train for, and run a full marathon (05/18/14 YES!)
2. Run another half marathon.
3. Go to Disney world
4. Continue on my weight lose/healthy journey and blogging the details (focus on more than just the numbers).
5. Get a whole new hair cut/look.
6. Work with a personal trainer.
7. Give up Caffeine for 30 days.
8. Go on a vegetarian diet for 30 days (I've always wanted to try, I don't think I could be strict for long, I love bacon far too much, but 30 days, I can probably pull off).
9. Read 12 Books (you may begin suggesting books... NOW!).
10. Make homemade pasta at least 6 times this year (what?! it's a LOT of work!).
11. Learn to make perogies.
12. Learn to cook scallops at home (actually cook them).
13. Get a promotion, or a new job, do not settle for staying in the same role for yet another year.
14. Make bagged lunches a habit again.
15. Visit Sarah.
16. Hang out with Patrick on an occasion that isn't his Birthday or a holiday.
17. Make more time for my friends.
18. Hang the posters and art prints Chris and I have brought over the last YEAR.
19. Make window treatments and pillow covers for my living room.
20. Develop and honor a cleaning routine (rather than cleaning things when they start to look gross, THAT'S TOO LATE!).
21. Add strength training to my weekly routine (this kind of goes along with the personal trainer, but this is supposed to be a more permanent fixture in my life).
22. Eat breakfast every weekday for a month.
23. Get in 74 ounces of water a day for 30 days (they say 30 days is long enough to make something a habit, we'll see).
24. Plan out and shop for an entire week of meals at once. Give Chris a full week off from planning or cooking any meals.
25. Actually get together with my sister Lisa (how many times have we said we would??? This is the year!).
26. Make some actual progress on the Children's book I'd like to write/illustrate (yep, I have a whole concept, and rough design, but I need to finalize character designs and actually rough out the pages).
27. Revamp my wardrobe.
28. Make bread from scratch.
29. Buy a new bike (go on some long rides with Chris).
30. Track my food intake for at least 30 days (again, hoping to make it habit!)