I went into the race with one goal-- to finish. It was my first marathon and I truly did not know what to expect. I had an unspoken time goal, but realized about 10 miles in, that wasn't going to happen. First, what went wrong.
Injury: I have tendinitis in my foot and occasionally it flares up. My foot decided during a run would be a good time for that to happen. I was in excruciating pain and a few times, contemplated stopping. But I trudged on. At one point, I feel like I was trotting-- half running, half walking. I did everything I could to find the most comfortable form of movement for my foot. During the run, I was blaming myself for the pain. I should have trained better, I should have worn different shoes and every other thing I could find to blame, I did.
Bloody Nose: Who gets a bloody nose during a race? This girl! I have no idea where it came from. Around mile 19, I thought my nose was dripping. Turns out it was, but it wasn't just snot. (TMI, I know, but it is what it is) So I had to deal with that. Fortunately, it didn't take that long to take care of it, but I did spend the rest of the race worrying that it would happen again before I finished.
Me: I became my own worst enemy during the race. I was disappointed and I let it get in my head. It slowed my down. I let me beat me. There were times when I was running and crying at the same time. As one spectator asked me if I was okay, I simply replied, "I'm a hot mess, but I need to finish."
And now, what went right.
The Course: It was a fun course. I loved exploring LA and seeing all the sights. I stopped a few times for pictures. I will be returning in 2017.
The People: The crowd support and other runners were awesome. From the We Run Social Crew holding it up at mile 18 to seeing my friend Stephanie at mile 22, a runner definitely feels the love. I had other runners stop to make sure I was okay and the spectators provided the encouragement I needed. The texts of support and love during the race were amazing. At mile 20, I sent a selfie to my cousin with a few choice words. His response was exactly what I needed to keep going. If it weren't for the people, I truly believe I would not have finished.
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| My mile 20 selfie. |
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| Stephanie! |
I Finished: My time wasn't what I wanted. There was blood, sweat and tears. I struggled more than I ever have during a race. But I finished. I am a marathoner.
I am beyond grateful for everyone who supported me during my marathon journey. Going into it, I didn't know if I would be a "one and done" marathon runner or if I would want to do it again. Turns out, as much as I hated the experience, I also loved it. I'll be running my second marathon in June.
Until next time, happy running!
Jenn13.1
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