Hello People 🙂
I hope you’re all well and wonderful.
I ran a marathon on Sunday and thought it appropriate to write a little something about it.
The last marathon I ran was Vancouver Washington in June of 2014, so it had been awhile. My training was pretty great in the beginning but with school, work, my kids, my husband and a couple additional part time jobs it fell off and wasn’t what it should have been. I considered not running it but that just didn’t seem right.
The Columbia Gorge Marathon is touted as one of the most breathtaking marathons because the majority of the run is along the old Columbia River Highway and the views are spectacular. Here are a few pictures I took on the course to prove that fact.
It was beautiful. Truly.
But OY the hills. It was a constant uphill climb that I was not prepared for. It was an out and back course and yet it felt like a constant uphill in both directions even though I know that’s impossible.
For the most part I did fine. The turnaround point was 12 miles in. Blue Eyes was waiting for me there with a hug and an encouraging word and I headed back. At mile 16 I felt okay but could tell I was coming up on my wall. Historically I hit the wall around mile 18.
At mile 18 the sun went away, massive dark clouds appeared and the sky let loose with the coldest, hardest rain ever. I started to sink mentally. I rounded a corner and saw Blue Eyes and two of our friends cheering for me. The friends had signs just for me (a first) and Blue Eyes had skittles. The wall was pushed back a little and I powered up the hill to get back on the trail.
The trail was a little more than five miles before you come out and head down into the town of Hood River to the finish. The trail is where I met the wall.
There was no shield from the rain, it was so cold and so hard that eventually I couldn’t feel my fingers. I cried a bit, thought about quitting and then realized that no matter what I did I had to get to the end of the trail before anyone could come get me and if I made it that far it was just another 2.5 miles downhill to the finish. So I sucked it up.
I came around a corner near the end of the trail and saw a figure on the side of the trail standing there. The form was familiar but I was too far away to think anything else. When I got closer I saw that it was my best girlfriend who I did not expect. Especially not there.
Here are some pictures she took at that moment…
This was mile 23.5.
That smile had very little to do with the marathon and everything to do with seeing a friendly face and hearing her scream “you got this!”
She was right. I had it. I finished 2.5 miles later and got my reward. Another medal and a well deserved hug from the hubby.
And then there was beer…..
Be well people!
YOU ARE AMAZING! I don’t know how you do it! So proud to call you a friend ❤ ❤ ❤
What you’re doing trumps my 26.2 miles and rest assured I thought about what YOU have been doing, dealing with and experiencing on your journey as I was struggling with mine. xoxo
so awesome to read something from you again and even better to see you’re still running and happy! congrats on pushing through in spite of so many obstacles. you’re one tough chick!
Thank you for that. I miss the writing. Hoping to get more regular soon. And of course I love the running, even if my training is not what it should be. 🙂
PDX does it again. Good to hear that all is well, more than well, you just ran a marathon! Great post and happy running.