MARATHON - 26.2 MILES

We did it! Mike and I ran a marathon. The race was on Saturday, September 20th, in Lake Chelan, WA. I usually only like to brag about my kids, but this time I will toot my own horn. I've been running for quite a few years and really enjoy it. I've done a half marathon and some other short distance races, but I always knew in the back of my mind that I wanted to run a full marathon. (26.2 miles). It was the perfect summer to train because our kids are a little older and Kellie could babysit while Mike and I did our long runs on Saturdays. We started our training back in May and kept pushing up our mileage through the summer with our longest run being 20 miles. I have to say that it was the hardest things I've ever done physically. I felt great up until mile 21 when there was a huge hill, and then I just started hitting the wall. It didn't hit me all at once, but I really had to push myself mentally and physically the last mile. It probably wasn't the best course to run being our first because there were a lot of hills and it was hotter than we had expected. But at the same time it was exciting, exhilerating and fun. It probably would have been easier if I didn't care what my time was, but I had a goal to get under 4:30, so I had to really push myself the last mile to not stop. It was also great being able to train with Mike. He helped keep me focused and motivated. I have to brag on him as well because he finished in 3:46- he did awesome. And no, we didn't stay together at all through the race. I didn't want to hold him back, so we kissed each other at the starting line and said, "See you at the finish." There was nothing better than to see him waiting for me at the end cheering me on. What a great feeling it was to cross the finish line. It really does feel like a great accomplishment, but more than anything it taught me that if we stay motivated and diligent at whatever we do in life we can accomplish anything.

You're probably wondering if we'll do another one. Well, right after I was already thinking about the next one, but I also need to give my body a break because I had a lot of knee problems. Maybe not this year but I would like to do another one sometime, when it's the right timing. Because this race was such a small one, I would like to do a more popular one, so I'm not running all by myself. We tried to get into the St. George Marathon, but unless you're a resident you don't have much of a chance. So, I would like to someday do the St. George Marathon, because running downhill the last mile would be awfully nice. So, yes, I would like to do it "Egan."