The RACE REPORT!
Time the hotel alarm was set for: 4:45 am
Time I woke up: 1:02 am
Time I got up: 3:13 am
Line up for start: 6:00 am
Total number of runners: 20,000
Time the gun went off: 7:00 am
Time lapsed before we even moved one inch forward: 10 minutes
Time lapsed before crossing the STARTING line: 17 minutes
How I felt when I started running: not great. my back and legs were achy. great timing.
Who I was running for:
First time I thought "there is no freaking way I'm going to finish this race": mile 1
How far off pace I was by mile seven: 15 minutes
Why I was so off pace: Not sure. The first few miles were so congested it was hard to actually run. I can also say, in hindsight, I was just too conservative. I could have picked it up but I was holding back big time.
Steepest hills on the course: between miles 6 and 10
Lowest moment: Mile 10 1/2
Why it was my lowest moment: so tired, so far to go, dizzy
Moment when my mood brightened: seeing my mom, brother and sister waiting for me at the mile 12 marker
Secret weapon: my sister Liesel who jumped in and ran with me from mile 12 to mile 17 and completely turned the race around for me.
Point at which I knew I was going to finish the marathon: mile 15
When I felt most like a rock star: When my brother jumped into the race at mile 17 to videotape me while running backwards in front of me.
What I ate along the way: 1 chocolate GU, 4 packets of Luna Moons, 6 mini Luna bars, handful of pretzels, 2 orange quarter, 1/2 banana
What I drank: cups of water and gatorade every 2 miles
How many times I stopped to pee: 0
Most surreal: the miles between 18 and 23 sort of ticked away as if I was in some auto-pilot mode... the part of the race I'd anticipated to be the worst was just not that bad
Best idea: putting my name on my race shirt. Hearing "Looking strong Emilie!" just never got old.
Time I had hoped to cross the finish line: 5:30
Where I was at 5:30: about mile 25 1/2
How I felt during the last 1/2 mile: like every molecule in my body was firing, every hair on my body was standing up straight, and all I could hear were screams and cowbells ringing. It was everything I could ever have hoped it would be.
Actual finish time: 5:38
How I feel about that: I'll take it, but there is lots of room for improvement
What was waiting for me at the finish line: A San Francisco fireman with my Tiffany necklace in a little blue box:
My mom, Liesel , Chris, aunt Ellen and uncle Dickie, flowers, a box of tissues (Liesel), a finishers shirt, and piles of food.
Luckiest person in the world: me
How proud was my mommy:
How many blisters I had on my feet: 0 (but I checked)
How much money was raised by this race for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society: $14 Million
How I felt right after: like this
How I feel today: fantastic
Will I run another marathon? Yep. But it won't top this one.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Nike Women's Marathon: October 18, 2009
Posted by Emilie at 6:25 AM
Labels: Dad, race reports, Team in Training, travel
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
13 comments:
great post! great job! great pics! great job Team Brand! Way to rock the second half!!
Great post! Let's just make sure that next time we register for one of these marathons we tell each other ahead of time.
trying soooo hard not to cry. not working very well. at work now, lots of people in the office, and i'm blubbering over my computer. you are amazing and beautiful. what a wonderful with your did for the world, for your dad, for yourself.
xo
Oh my land, that picture with your sister got me weepy! Amazing. And to think that yours is one story among ALL of those women with their own inspiring stories..
Congratulations doesn't even cover it ... your post brought me to tears, and I just hope that you know how inspiring your journey to that day is. You rock beyond words - for sure.
Well done! You made me cry! Kudos on this entries style! Very nice idea for telling the nutshell version!
Oh Emilie by the time I finished reading I was sobbing. What a wonderful thing you did!! And you did it for all of us in Kaus name. You are amazing and wonderful.
You are amazing... how I wish I could have been a part of that finish line group for you! I am so glad that you had this experience and it was so powerful for you! i love you!!
What an awesome race report! I felt like I was there with you!!!! You did AWESOME!!!!! Maybe one day we can run a marathon together! :)
My goodness... I got teary and a big lump in my thought. I am so proud of you and so moved at the people you carried with you on your shirt and spirits over the miles. I can honestly say I never saw an entire marathon in my future but... I can't say with confidence now. - Mindy
I don't even know the words to tell you, Emilie...! I'm happy (and not surprised) to know I'm not the only one blubbering at work when I read your posts. On Sunday morning, after Mo. Rita's pre-service blessing for the choir I said "Amen. Go Emilie!" and you sure did GO! Truly truly incredibly inspiring is what you are. Well, what do you know: I found the words!
Hi Em,
Way to go! Wish I could have been there.
I guess my nap helped, huh? I was sending you messages for the whole 5 hours!
14 million! What a great tribute to your dad and others on your shirt. Thank you from all of them!
congrats, Emilie! You just got me so psyched to run my half marathon in January. Would you be ok if I listed your Dad's name on my "memory belt" that I will be running with?
Post a Comment