Part Two
About mile nine I decided I was going home to find my next half.
Really? That's so inspiring Megan. I could feel my body working, I felt strong.
Nice! Im addicted to feeling strong and finding out what my body can do. I did walk parts of the biggest hills but Im okay with that.
Yeah! You're not a ridiculous perfectionist like some of us on this thread. 
It's not you Nancy. 
It's me. No, it's you! No, it's me. There were very few people cheering along the way.
Oh. 
Then mile ten, oh mile ten. Did I hit the wall? Maybe. All I know is that was the point I became aware of every part of my body and not in a good way. The blisters that formed on both my feet, my cal muscle that protested every step and the feeling that I was hot and cold. (Dehydration?) I questioned if I was under prepared but I dont think I was.
Yeah, so not a perfectionist. Lucky you! I reminded myself all I had left was a 5k, I can do 5ks!
SO SMART! You're so smart at mind games. Right on par with my workouts where I see my not good looking legs in the mirror or I can't do another rep (vanity and exhaustion are true friends) and say, "At least you got legs - move them now!"
Then I had one of those reminders that it could be worse. I passed a house where a woman probably in her 60s was sitting outside with a boy probably around my age who was obviously severely handicapped both physically and mentally. She was cheering everyone on and assisting him in clapping for everyone, it had me near tears.
Yep, that'll do it. At the last water stop theyd run out of water completely so I obviously kept running. A half mile after I passed the water stop I saw a golf car driving cases of water bottles back to the stop. Too late for me, I wasnt turning back. There are hills, portions of the race in the woods, parts where we ran by nice houses that I can see in my head still. There are moments I can still remember. Im sure some of that will fade but Im sure some of it will stick with me.
As I approached the finish line
Oh la la LALa lala laI tried to kick it up a notch but my left calf muscle was so bad at this point that I could barely lift my leg.
Geez.A friend of mine was there to see his wife run and I hear him cheering for me. Just as I crossed the finish line I saw my mom, sister and cousin. I know its weird but all I could think was I need to get my shoes off, I need these off.
So smiling. (I had considered at mile 12 just running in socks my feet were rubbing so bad.) I got to my family and I took off my socks and shoes to put on my flip flops, my feet were ugly. On either foot I had a blister roughly the size of a quarter. My mom got one look at them and my gimpy left leg and ordered me off to the first aid station.
A mom! Oh but first I went to get a bottle of water
a nice, refreshing
. hot bottle of water. They struggled with water at this race. At the first aid station the guy seemed almost afraid to touch me. He taped on an ice pack to my calf and covered my blisters for me. (And ordered me not to try to slice them open.)
Well that's no fun !!! Kidding. Kind of. He was working so hard not to touch me the ice pack stayed on for maybe two minutes. While we were there some girl came up who was throwing up again and again. They told her to drink Gatorade but he problem was
there was no Gatorade to be had. I had brought my own bottle and my mom asked if she could give it to the girl, I said of course. The poor girl looked so grateful and sick.
Geez again. I cant help but thinking this is connected to the lack of water. We then walked to the other side of the field so I could pick up my finishers medal. (I find it horrible the medals were at the far side of the field from the finish. I dont know why but that really bothered me.) Then we found our way to the food tent. Orange, banana, bagels and two types of granola bars, my mom made me take one of everything to make sure I had food.
A mom. We then found a grass spot to just hang out while I nibbled on food and relaxed a bit, we also waited for my friend and his wife. They finally met up with us and we all just talked for a bit. My friend gave his wife flowers
Nice. and my mom teased him that he made her look bad.
We headed back to our hotel then so we could check out and go home. When we got there I was packing up my stuff and my sister was giggling. She told me to go lay down for a bit. When I went to my bed there was a little pink gift bag sitting there. I opened it and my mom and sister had bought me a little running sneaker charm for my chamilla bracelet.
What great timing. We headed home not long after that. When I got home I spent all day just relaxing and watching movies. I also registered for a 5k. (The one Im doing this weekend where I will see Erika!) Over all it was a great experience despite the hills and lack of water. My time was 2:34 which was slower then Id hoped for at first but Im happy with it now that I look back on how hard it was.
Good for you Megan.
Now Ive deliberately left parts of this story till the end. First is that this whole race was to benefit Crohns and Colitis. I did not take part in their fundraising events for this race because Ive done a race the past two summers to raise money for them. (My brother has Crohns disease so its a cause thats close to home.) They had tons of runners who raised money and were running as teams. They had teams from D.C., Ohio, Boston, New Jersey, Virgina, all over. Every area team brought a coach with them and the coaches were amazing. They cheered for everyone! They would cheering you along as you passed,
Nice. they would tell you how far you were to water or the finish. They did have a cookout for just the people who raised the money for the charity which was too bad but thats the way it is. I think I was just craving a cheeseburger after the race!
And so
the part I saved for last. Im not sure about other people but I think a lot when I run. I thought about a lot of people while I was on this run but I literally thought about all of you, each one of you. Advice youd given me ran through my head, the challenges youve all face on the fitness journey and in general, how you were all supportive no matter what. I would think about you all when I was feeling slow and know that youd all be telling me time doesnt matter, just finishing is a big accomplishment. I cant tell you how much of a presence you all were during this race. You were like my invisible cheering squad. I know I might sound dramatic but thats how I am.
That's lovely Megan. Thank you. I've so enjoyed all your running. I LOVE ME A RACE!!!! Just someone elses. 
Running is not for me.
So thats my loooooong race report.
No it was PERFECT. I think I crammed all the details I could into it, sorry about that!
Me literally seconds after I crossed the finish line, my mom insisted we needed a picture. The clothes I'm wearing are my brother's. They're the official gear of the Boston University women's ice hockey team. (My brother works for them.)
Me with my mom, she's come to every race but the ones I did in Disney.
Wow that's great to have so much support from your family.
Me and my sister in front of the Bruin's hummer.
And of course, the bling.
Bling. I love seeing the bling.
period left the building yesterday. That certainly wasn't helping. ) *sigh* Vacation is hard!
I have no idea. 
My car is filthy, but I've felt too guilty to wash it. So, I'll park in the driveway today and let mother nature give her a bath! 
Yeah Megan! 
