First of all I have to say "Thank You!" to my brother Alex (Ike as he shall hereafter be called) for getting me into this. . . . . He is terribly convincing. In a "it's not that big of deal" kind of way. I am truly glad that I took on the challenge. Burned into my memory, is this rare day that I can call upon when I need strength.
Now let me take you back to September 18, 2010. The Top of Utah Marathon. 26.2 The big one!
Before any light had kissed the sky we were up and spandexed, laced and hydrating. I was nervous, I think Kira will admit to the same. Ike and Brandon are old pros, in fact we could barely keep Brandon in his seat, he was so giddy! We boarded the bus and got split up, much to my joy because I met Scott. I am pretty sure it was Scott. He is from San Diego. Never ran a step in his life until one fall he visited his daughter at school, and spent an hour or so at the finish line of the great Boston Marathon. He was mesmerized by the faces of the finishers and the emotion in the crowd. He wondered, "What drives people to do this?" Scott decided that he had to find out for himself, and so he did. The T.O.U was to be his second marathon. He was very encouraging, and I felt like I had made a friend.
The picture above is of our little group waiting to use the porta-potties. No joke, there were 300 of them and we still waited a good half hour! But we made friends in line too, and stretched, and talked strategy. Mine and Kira's strategy was to take it slow and steady, like a freight train. Don't push it at the start. Listen to the body. Have a good time! The starting line was something to behold. Thousands of nuts out there in the cold, just waiting to run. It felt like insanity.
The canyon portion of the run was gorgeous. The leaves had just begun to turn colors and to me it looked like a shout of encouragement from on high. "Go Sarah, Go!" Kira and I kept up a constant positive flow of conversation. "We can do this. We are powerful. Go legs!" And we talked with others along the way as well. I have to say this . . . I love runners. Grumpy people do not run. Whenever I participate in a race my faith is restored in humanity. There are so many good people out there, doing good things for their bodies, meeting challenges and being cheerful about it. It is very refreshing.
I'll spare you the play by play and skip to the 'wall'. Mile 17. Just before Maverick on the highway, headed North to Providence. I can tell you I was starting to second guess my strengths. This really is a stupid thing to do. My legs felt like lead! Everything ached, even my face.
I believe one of our many tender mercies of the day was coming upon a certain woman named Karen. Probably about mile 6. She is from Riverton, marathon. . . like 5. She had the most incredible story. This lady was the real deal. I wish so much we had been able to find her at the finish and get her email address and a picture together. We labored through many miles together and she taught Kira and I a lot about life, and hard work and faith. Oh! And about how to survive a marathon.
It was at mile 14 that we called her husband, (yes, she ran with her phone so that she could update him on her whereabouts) and he made a dash to Maceys to get us some chocolate Goo. Goo is new to me, and it went down thick and sticky. But I'll tell you what, 3 miles down the road, I was so happy to swallow it and pray for some kind of running miracle. Because the gears were about to bind. Slowing at the drink stations was painful, but starting up the pace again was even more so. I am crediting my girls, Kira, Karen, and Jenna (who joined us at mile 15.5 ish) for cheering me through this difficult stretch.
About mile 19, which was conveniently packed with an enthusiastic cheering section and DJ on my bike with the girls in the buggie, I got my head on again. The 19th mile marker was right behind our house here in Providence. From there on it felt like the wind was in the sails. I flagged a first aid biker man at 20 and scored some Ibuprofen for my knees which also improved the outlook on the remaining 6 miles.
It is exciting to recall the end of the race. There were people all around and lots of music and cheering. Some kind of incredible force was compelling us onward. We had energy! We had spirit! (And no, I don't think it was the Goo. But I know it helped.) We were passing people right and left. We logged our very fastest mile times from 23 on. (By "us" now I mean me, Kira and Jenn, Ike and Brandon had long since finished and been to Arbys' for a burger. They met we girls at the corner of 3rd South and Main, paper bags in tow. It was a happy moment when we recognized Ikes' "I just finished a marathon" type limp.)
We ran so hard the final mile! It really was amazing, even as we lived it. We kept looking at one another with joy. "We're doing it!" Jenn peeled out of the road about 26 and Kira and I ran at a full-on sprint to the finish. I am emotional remembering the feeling of it. It was incredible, and powerful. I felt like no hard thing I ever will face can stop me. Nothing is too hard to be done!
Perhaps another mercy of the day was that Kira and I remained upright upon stopping. 26.2 miles with only a few stops to chug some water and peel a banana! We had smiles on our faces. All limbs were in working order. Honesty I was a little shocked at how great I felt. I had had several waking dreams in the weeks prior to the race of me dragging my body across the finish line, cursing Alex and all the other running crazies, vowing to never take another step!
But it was not so. I wasn't even all that sore. Thanks in part to a long hot bath that afternoon and much stretching, and some Tylenol. I even went to a neighborhood dinner and then to a Derby that night. Stud Woman! I moved a little bit slower than normal in my heels the next day at church, but more from a sense of caution than real pain. I can't believe I am actually saying these words, but. . . I want to do it again!
I shall end with a song of Thanks; To my Heavenly Father first, for this incredible body of mine, for life, for feeling, for family, for courage, for joy. To Kira and Jenna, for being the best darned running partners ever, for getting me out of bed all those mornings and making me feel like a champ! To DJ, for loving me and believing in me, for babysitting and cheering, for not being a runner so that I can beat him at this one thing!
