It was a long hard road but I made it!

Sunday was a great day for a marathon. Allow me to take you thru the paces.
Saturday night The American Cancer Society had a dinner for the charity runners, Pasta and chicken with a video which was really inspiring and a few speakers. I was home plenty early 8:30, which gave me time to put the chip on my shoe put my bib on my shorts and washed the marathon finisher shirt I had gotten when I picked up the bib and chip. Now when I packed my clothes to change into I packed that shirt, but I also packed another shirt because I knew if I didn't finish that I could never where the shirt.
Sunday morning I got up at the butt crack of dawn that's around 4:00 am showered, had my breakfast and left for Madison about 5:00. I got to the finish line about 5:30 and looked it over, then I stretched and left for a quick mile run and then stretched out again which was the advice of my PT. I was feeling good when I boarded the shuttle for the Capitol which was the start of the race. We kicked off at 7:10, it was a little chilly, 52 with a slight breeze which is actually perfect running weather. I jumped in with the 4:30 pace group figuring I could always drop out if I started to feel fatigue coming on to soon. The pace felt a little slow so I went out in front which turned out to be good. When I stopped to pee they were coming by when I got back out to the road so I could just pick back up with them and work my way back out front. At the half way point my back was giving me trouble the nerve in my right side was pinching to a point that my leg was becoming useless. This forced me to stop and stretch out again I spent about 8 minutes getting myself ready for more. When I started running again I had to stop within a half mile to stretch again not near as long this time, but this time I felt good and it carried me thru to the end, well that and some codeine. I have found in the last few races that hills are my strong point, this is where I do most of my passing. I found yet again though that I waited to long to take in my first nutrition (PP My suggestion is start early and consume often) I played catch up for the next hour but finally got back on track and was feeling better. My plan was to start before the race and continue taking my Cliff blocks every three miles or thirty minutes which is what my pace was. But it was mile six and I was already feeling really hungry. As I said I got back on track and kept my plan the rest of the race with a pack of sport beans as my last nutrition pack, which is like eating pure sugar. It's a quick pick me up but it only lasts a few miles.
At mile twenty-two I felt like someone had switched my shoes with cement slippers HEAVY YET COMFORTABLE. My legs were on auto pilot at least that's what it felt like. At mile twenty-four finally saw a person I knew I yelled to him and he jumped up reached into his cooler grabbed a beer and cracked it open. I of course stopped and slammed half of it thanked him for the carbs and took off again. I was actually feeling good I was the annoying person telling everyone I passed from this point on ( which really wasn't many) that they were doing great and had come to far to quit or to even walk, that they could finish just dig deep down and go. As I did the last small hill Into the Coliseum parking lot I was thinking how great this was, how I had pissed and moaned about the weather all winter about how good it felt as I conquered each long run. Even how good it felt to hit a wall during a long run and dig that much harder all week to make up for it and get it done. And about all the encouragement I got from my fellow drunk runners, you were all great and made my first marathon possible. I also looked at all the friends I have made in the last six months because of my running and how it has changed my life for the better. As I rounded the corner I saw someone holding a run forest run sign but I was starting my final kick and didn't take time to see who it was. When I saw the finish line I felt like I was in an all out sprint, I know I really wasn't but I did still have some kick left. I finished the 200 meters without letting anyone pass me, but I have to admit one woman came close. The feeling of crossing the finish line was like no other. It felt like I had won the race, which I did, I won the race with myself and I beat all those that doubted me. That is a feeling I will never forget. Sixpack thanks for planting the seed.

Miles 26.2

Time 4 hrs 29 mins 51 secs

Pace 10 mins 18 secs

Overall impression:If I had known how good all this hard work would feel and how great finishing would be I would have done it years ago. (IIHKHGATHWWFAHGFWBIWHDIYA.)

P.S. PP I agree with Dee on the training group. I joined the ACS charity runners which gave us free training thru Fleet Feet. I had a group to run with on Thursday and the long runs on Sunday. I only went on the long runs and only made about half of them, all of the long mileage ones. They gave me a lot of advice and a ton of different nutrition packs to help find which one works best for me. If I ever had questions they had someone who could help me find the answer. The normal price they charge is 50.00 which I would have gladly paid. Well i would now knowing how valuable it was. With the hydration thing I found that drinking a can of V-8 daily and an extra after each workout kept my sodium level up which really helped me. I also found that and a bagel was something i could have before a long run that didn't want to come back up.