My alarm went off at 5:30 am, and I thought, "Man, I do not want to get out of this bed, but then I didn't drive 4 hours to just sleep in a hotel room." So, I began to stretch a little in the bed to get my legs a ready. Then at 5:45 am, my mother got up and started getting ready to go and take me to the starting line. I got up and began to get my gear on. I also started eating on a couple of Cliff Builder bars so that I would have something in my stomach to burn on this run. Before I knew it, the rest of my family was in my room getting me ready for my run psyching me up.
We walked out of the room and hotel at 6:15 am and piled into the car and drove up High St. to find a parking place that was only about 3 blocks from the starting line. I was getting so excited yet I was so nervous with this being my first marathon. We walked up and it was foggy, and the temp was in the 50s. This did not bode well because it had no where to go but up. We stood around talking and taking pictures, and the time came for us to get in line with our pace groups. I lined up with the 3:45 pace group (wishful thinking)! Then after a prayer, a pep-talk, and the national anthem, it was time to start. 7 am on the dot! Off we went.
Down State St. Up one hill down the hill, up the hill and down the hill, up the hill down the hill, up a mountain (not really) down a hill (can I just say HILLS SUCK)! At mile 3 the half marathoner's broke away from us and we headed off into the neighborhood's. It was great, there were people out there cheering us on. They didn't care if we weren't elite runners, they were cheering us on, and that meant a lot. But still there were hills! We wound around and ran down Frontage Road by I-55 under the interstate and back up the other side of I-55, and then back into the neighborhoods. At the Half Marathon point we were out by a beautiful lake that I thought would be a great place to stop and take a swim cause the temp was climbing. From here we headed back to the other side of town. Under I-55 we went and back into the neighborhood we went, but when we came out on the other side, we were back on my favorite road State St. and up and down the hills we went! At Mile 18 we turned off of State St. and into the neighborhood right next to us, but not too long. Because we quickly turned right and headed towards our last few miles and the downtown area. However at Mile 22 that's where things took a turn for the worse! I had been getting increasingly more dehydrated because of the heat, and my legs were beginning to cramp before mile 22, but at mile 22 I couldn't take it any more. So, I had to walk. I hated this, but I did it. I walked from 22 to 24. Then I met up with a pacer and first timer who were running 4 walking 1. This pace helped me recover and get to mile 25 where I decided that this was the last mile, it was time to leave it all out there. So, that's what I did. I began to run. As I got closer to the finish line, about a quarter of a mile out my fiancée met me and began to run me in. I had made it. I crossed the finish line for my first marathon.
It took me 5:30 to make it around to the finish line, but I made it. WOW what a wonderful thing it was. Now I'm recovering, and my legs are feeling better. I can't wait for my next one next month!
Keep running!
Mississippi Blues Marathon
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