Warning: This could get long. Really long. There's a lot to say about 26.2 miles. :)
The theme for the Little Rock Marathon this year was "Epic". There couldn't be a more fitting theme for my first marathon. From the start of my training, to crossing the finish line, there was no end to the challenges I faced.
This absolutely crazy marathon adventure started last summer when my Aunt Tee and I were just casually talking about the half marathons she wanted to do. In the course of the conversation, mostly via Facebook comments, she said she was looking at the Little Rock Marathon because it seemed to be one of the only marathons that allowed walkers. I thought I'd be encouraging and say, "If you sign up, I'll sign up!" Not really thinking she would actually do it, or about what I was really saying. Let me back up just a little. Like, 3-4 years a little...
After I finished my first half marathon I had people asking me if I would do a full marathon now. I'd laugh and say no way! I had learned to not say "never" because I said I'd never do a half, and then while training I said I'd never do a half again, and by the time that race was over I knew I would. So I would just tell people I had absolutely no desire to do a full marathon. And I really didn't. Not even a bit. The thought of training for all those miles, and then running them... GOODNESS! It's exhausting and painful just thinking about it. For 4 years that was my answer. Until one day, August 1st 2013 to be exact, I get a notification from Aunt Tee that says, "I have registered for the Little Rock Marathon! Heather have you?" (Or something along those lines :) ) Oh my word, she was serious. All those months ago when I thought we were just messing around, she was serious. Whoa. So what did I do? I went to the website and registered of course. :)
A couple weeks later I started my training for the Race for the Cure 5k (where I was hoping for a PR- Personal Record) and Soaring Wings Half (where Scott and I had just planned on enjoying the race together without going for a certain time, ended up kicking tail and getting a PR for this one!). After Soaring Wings I thought I had about 5 weeks until it was time to start training for the marathon. But then I made a very last minute decision to do another half just one week after Soaring Wings. Three difficult races in three weekends and I was definitely ready for the break I had coming. Except I miscounted. The training schedule I was using was a 16 week plan. I got one week off before I started training all over again.
I came up with a plan to get me through my long runs since I was training alone. I was with Aunt Tee in my heart, but unfortunately that doesn't help when I'm in mile 6 of 15 and want to stop. So very early on my long distance plan was to run a mile then walk a quarter mile, then from there run a mile/walk a quarter etc. I have to say, interval training for the marathon was fantastic! Some how it made the time seem not so long even though my average pace was slower than normal. It also gave me something to look forward to after each mile. When I started to feel like I couldn't run another step, I knew I just had one or two more minutes and I'd be able to walk for a few. In the beginning I was so excited because it didn't seem so bad. I actually looked forward to my long runs. Even the double digit ones. Then we entered the worst winter Arkansas has had in many many years. Certainly the worst since Scott and I have lived here. It was bitterly cold. For so long. And it always seemed like the coldest, wettest, and windiest days fell on my long run days. I later learned it would all be prep for the race.
Fast forward to March. Race weekend is here! Aunt Tee and I drove down to Little Rock on Saturday so we could pick up our packets and drive the course. Normally I don't drive the course before a new race. I'm fine with not knowing where my next turn or hill will be. In this case, I'm so glad we did.
After driving the course and getting our packets, which included our super hero Epic themed shirts (probably my favorite race shirt to date!) and our bibs, we found a place to eat and then went to our hotel. Aunt Tee was traveling with her friend and also my cousin. We were all exhausted (they had been on the road since 4am) so it wasn't hard to turn in early. We were all in bed by 7. The tv was on but it was relaxing and I knew I wouldn't sleep well anyway.
Aunt Tee and I signed up as walkers. Which means we weren't sure we could finish before 6 hours. It also means our race starts at 6am, while everyone else would start at 8. We left the hotel about 5:30 and walked the half mile to the starting line. We were there with a couple hundred other Early Starters. It was a perfect run/walk temp of 56 degrees.
Let me take a minute to explain this weather. (Because it DOES matter) I had been watching for more than a week to see what the weather would be like. I'm not kidding when I say it ranged from 30 to 60 with rain and sun and it changed daily. For ten days. By Friday I saw the low was 52 (which we hit between 5-6am) and the high was 57 (which we normally hit between 2-3pm). Perfect! I couldn't see the hour by hour until after I gathered my stuff and had already gotten to Little Rock. That was when I started hearing about storms and ice and cold. I was so confused. Turns out we had our low and high in the same hour. And to look at the hour by hour forecast the temperature was only going to drop for the rest of the day, bringing in threats of thunderstorms and lots of ice. I had not come prepared for very cold temps so I kept hoping the forecast was wrong. Or at least for things to hold off.
So we're at the starting line and there's the usual excitement buzzing around. People were in superhero costumes preparing to run! It was awesome. The next thing I knew we were lined up and the gun was going off. Aunt Tee and I figured we would aim for 6 1/2 hours but probably finish closer to 7. That's a long day of walking with some running thrown in to change things up now and then. But we were prepared.
The first few miles passed fairly quickly. They were uneventful as far as entertainment goes. Most spectators and sideline entertainment wouldn't come out until later when the 8:00 start happened. Aunt Tee and I just chatted and soon we were at mile 6. Around here is where I felt like the hills started getting noticeable. There were short, small ones in the first bit, but nothing very significant. Between mile 6 and mile 13 the hills are longer and steeper (nothing like what we would encounter later though) but we had the sites of downtown Little Rock to distract us. By now the temperature had dropped a little and now and then there was a light drizzle. We had a strong first half and made it within 100 feet of 13 miles before the Elite runners (who started at 8) caught up to us. We were quite a bit further than we expected to be when that happened. I was thrilled with our average pace... but also knew what was coming.
Current life calls. Part two coming soon!
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