I did it! No I CRUSHED it! I took my goal of running a sub 4 marathon and did it.......handily. I quite literally blew myself away.
3:48:27
Oh I had such high hopes of getting this blog up and out immediately following the race, but recovery was surprisingly harder and then I got a stomach bug and spent 2 days in bed. Wasn't the glorious victory lap I had hoped for, but nothing could take away that feeling. I DID IT!
I was so excited to run this race. I was nervous, but so ready to see if I could really do what I had set out to do. We went to the race expo as a family the night before the event and had a blast getting into the race spirit. I just love race expos. Everyone is excited and anxious and raring to run. I love it. The girls ate every sample offered and Evie kept wanting more snacks.
Our dear neighbors Kim and Lucas offered to watch our girls for the race so we sent them over Friday night and started getting mentally geared up to run. While all of my pre race stuff was the same, this race felt different to me. I was actually going to race this one. Sure the race was against myself and a clock, but I have never approached a marathon like that. I found myself constantly testing my will, "Can I?"
We headed out early to the start. In an effort to not have to ride the bus to the start we parked at a friend's place and hiked through the desert for about a mile to the start. Not going to lie, the hike to the start was the most stressful part of the day. 3 of our party managed to get Cholla (a nasty little cactus that literally jumps on you) on their bodies or in their shoes. Oooo those things are miserable. When Bob got a Cholla in his shoe I was AMAZED at how easily something not planned started messing with my head. I got this instant nausea feeling and had a second of "well there goes the race." No.........don't go there. Its a cactus....don't give it that much power Bethany.
We made it to the start right before the gun went off and the clock started.
I stayed in control of my race the entire time. I had a fantastic strategy that my coach had helped me with, and as we started I was hit with renewed energy. I CAN do this. We ran the first 6 miles quite a bit faster than my "plan," but we didn't push. I felt good. My goal for the day was to push the entire time. I wanted to leave it all on the road. I didn't want to hold myself back if I knew I could hold the faster pace. AND I DIDN'T.
For the bulk of the race Bob and I held 8:30 to 8:40 pace. I kept looking at my watch inwardly going "OOO Im going a bit fast, should I slow?.........No.......I can run this.....legs, gut, heart, body, mind......we're good."
I blew myself away because I just got faster. At mile 21 I left Bob. As he slowed I self evaluated. I was tired, my legs were tired, my muscles sore, BUT.....I could run faster. So I did. I kept pushing....kept giving it what I had. 23-26 were a big mind game. I kept repeating outloud, "Your body can achieve what your mind can believe." I believed I could hold the pace. Everything screamed to slow, but I kept passing people. I hit mile 26 and thought how amazing would it be to come in under 3:55. As I approached the finish line I saw that I was in the 3:40s and the rush I got was simply indescribable. My coach was there at the end and her excitement at how well I had done pushed me that last .2 and I crossed the line at a 3:48 time. There is nothing quite like achieving a personal goal and surpassing what you thought possible.
I am so grateful for the AZ TRI Club, I am so grateful for my long distance running buddies Bridgit and Katie, I am so grateful for Dawn Brooks (my coach), I am so grateful for the Las Sendas Run, Bike, TRI group and the incredible community of people who all in someway played a role in my success. It was a day and a race that I will not soon forget.
2016 is my year and I am All In.
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