Yesterday I ran the Las Vegas Marathon with my brother, Nate, and my friend Sarah. Jessie and Danielle bust out the half. It started as Sarah's 25th birthday party and ended up being one of the most self realizing days of my life.
I met Nate at SFO on Friday and after an hour delay we were off.
Once in Las Vegas we checked into the Luxor Hotel and changed to go to the Expo where we needed to sign up to run the marathon. First we went to register and get our bibs, shirts and goodie bags.
Then we met up with Sarah and Danielle to shop around before going back to the hotel to get ready to go out.
That night we met up with Mr. Mark (Mark, Sarah and I used to work at Bank of the West in Concord together back in the day) and his softball team for dinner. Good food and good people made for a great time before heading to the Hard Rock Cafe to gamble and get a little rowdy.
Back at their room we classed it up swiggin' Absolut and Diet Coke out of the bottle. We went down for everyone to gamble. Danielle won $100 and Nate, well, Nate cashed out, but he got to gamble for the first time since his 21st birthday. We made some friends at the bar with a few Philly boys and hung out until there was only one thing left to do... dance! 
I met Nate at SFO on Friday and after an hour delay we were off.
Once in Las Vegas we checked into the Luxor Hotel and changed to go to the Expo where we needed to sign up to run the marathon. First we went to register and get our bibs, shirts and goodie bags.
Then we met up with Sarah and Danielle to shop around before going back to the hotel to get ready to go out.That night we met up with Mr. Mark (Mark, Sarah and I used to work at Bank of the West in Concord together back in the day) and his softball team for dinner. Good food and good people made for a great time before heading to the Hard Rock Cafe to gamble and get a little rowdy.
Back at their room we classed it up swiggin' Absolut and Diet Coke out of the bottle. We went down for everyone to gamble. Danielle won $100 and Nate, well, Nate cashed out, but he got to gamble for the first time since his 21st birthday. We made some friends at the bar with a few Philly boys and hung out until there was only one thing left to do... dance! At the club we realized that Danielle lost her ID so we ditched the boys, got some food and crashed instead.
Saturday was a lazy day. Time to rest up for the marathon. Nate and I went out to dinner for our carb-fest at seven. By seven thirty I was in the middle of my salad and had an epiphany! How amazing would it be to eat my seafood risotto in my pj's watching TV? We got our food to go and went back to the room to get to bed early for our big day the next morning.
Five AM, holy shit! Time to get up and get ready to run.
We got dressed and went to meet up with the rest of the gang. Walking to the starting line Elvis welcomed us over the stereo, as well of the hundreds of Elvises that turned out to win the Guiness Book record for most Elvises to run a marathon. Robin Leach sent us on our way with a splash of fireworks.
The five of us started together. Running down The Strip past Blue Man Group and all of the glitter of Vegas. After the first mile we stopped to stretch and Nate split off on his own. I wasn't sure how he would do pacing himself but I should have known he would do great.
I ran with Sarah, Jessie and Danielle until Sarah had to rock the Port-O. Off we went on our own ways to face the open desert. It didn't take long before Baldwin caught me. The pace was good and I ran for the first eleven miles without stopping. God it felt amazing! Walking for 30 seconds to a minute at a time at the water stops helped me not burn out but slowed me down a bit. Sarah eventually ran on ahead and I was alone to let my mind wonder with the music blaring through my headphones. Through mile 17 we went back and forth passing each other and then she was on her way.
My legs started to burn. My joints were tight and the sun was bright. Only nine miles to go... ONLY? I ran off and on (more on than off. In the end I ran around 23 miles total) to mile 20. When I saw the mile 20 I knew I wanted it. Suddenly I knew I didn't just want to try, I wanted to get it, and I wanted to get it in under 6 hours... run!
The only way to get my legs to go was to go up on my toes and lean forward giving them an ultimatum: run, or eat pavement.
Mile 24 made me want to do cartwheels. I had 40 minutes to get there at the six hour marker. I thought the guy running next to me was going to collapse with laughter as I did my "lean forward and run" routine. Move your ass, move your ass, move your ass... Go! I ran in spurts and walked as fast as I could. I have never had to dig so deep inside of my being to get something done. It took everything I had, and I didn't hesitate for a moment to give it all.
I forgot that there is a ".2" at the end of the "26" so when I saw the 26 mile marker and no one there I choked up, and started running like I had been at mile eight. God I'm not finished yet! When I saw the finish line I started to cry. The wave of emotion was so intense. Every time I thought of the marathon, while I was training, the moment at the finish line never crossed my mind. Maybe I didn't really think that I would finish. Yet here I was, 26.2 miles later, finishing a full marathon in 5 hours 45 minutes. When I saw everyone at the finish line Sarah's eyes caught mine and we both lost it. Crossing the finish line they put a medal around my neck and handed me a rose. Oh my God, this is real.
Sarah finished ten minutes ahead of me and Nate, the freak of nature that he is, finished in four and a quarter hours. It is a great thing for us all to share and I am so proud of them.
After we got all of our stuff together Mike and Donna (Sarah's parents) took us to get some food. It was neat to see people walking around wearing their medals. We all had the same "I just ran further than any human body was ever made to run" limp and couldn't help but smile at one another.
After brunch we went back to the room, showered and slept. We went to dinner for Baldwin's birthday and then Nate and I had to get to the airport.
Saturday was a lazy day. Time to rest up for the marathon. Nate and I went out to dinner for our carb-fest at seven. By seven thirty I was in the middle of my salad and had an epiphany! How amazing would it be to eat my seafood risotto in my pj's watching TV? We got our food to go and went back to the room to get to bed early for our big day the next morning.
Five AM, holy shit! Time to get up and get ready to run.
We got dressed and went to meet up with the rest of the gang. Walking to the starting line Elvis welcomed us over the stereo, as well of the hundreds of Elvises that turned out to win the Guiness Book record for most Elvises to run a marathon. Robin Leach sent us on our way with a splash of fireworks.
The five of us started together. Running down The Strip past Blue Man Group and all of the glitter of Vegas. After the first mile we stopped to stretch and Nate split off on his own. I wasn't sure how he would do pacing himself but I should have known he would do great.I ran with Sarah, Jessie and Danielle until Sarah had to rock the Port-O. Off we went on our own ways to face the open desert. It didn't take long before Baldwin caught me. The pace was good and I ran for the first eleven miles without stopping. God it felt amazing! Walking for 30 seconds to a minute at a time at the water stops helped me not burn out but slowed me down a bit. Sarah eventually ran on ahead and I was alone to let my mind wonder with the music blaring through my headphones. Through mile 17 we went back and forth passing each other and then she was on her way.My legs started to burn. My joints were tight and the sun was bright. Only nine miles to go... ONLY? I ran off and on (more on than off. In the end I ran around 23 miles total) to mile 20. When I saw the mile 20 I knew I wanted it. Suddenly I knew I didn't just want to try, I wanted to get it, and I wanted to get it in under 6 hours... run!
The only way to get my legs to go was to go up on my toes and lean forward giving them an ultimatum: run, or eat pavement.
Mile 24 made me want to do cartwheels. I had 40 minutes to get there at the six hour marker. I thought the guy running next to me was going to collapse with laughter as I did my "lean forward and run" routine. Move your ass, move your ass, move your ass... Go! I ran in spurts and walked as fast as I could. I have never had to dig so deep inside of my being to get something done. It took everything I had, and I didn't hesitate for a moment to give it all.
I forgot that there is a ".2" at the end of the "26" so when I saw the 26 mile marker and no one there I choked up, and started running like I had been at mile eight. God I'm not finished yet! When I saw the finish line I started to cry. The wave of emotion was so intense. Every time I thought of the marathon, while I was training, the moment at the finish line never crossed my mind. Maybe I didn't really think that I would finish. Yet here I was, 26.2 miles later, finishing a full marathon in 5 hours 45 minutes. When I saw everyone at the finish line Sarah's eyes caught mine and we both lost it. Crossing the finish line they put a medal around my neck and handed me a rose. Oh my God, this is real.
Sarah finished ten minutes ahead of me and Nate, the freak of nature that he is, finished in four and a quarter hours. It is a great thing for us all to share and I am so proud of them.After we got all of our stuff together Mike and Donna (Sarah's parents) took us to get some food. It was neat to see people walking around wearing their medals. We all had the same "I just ran further than any human body was ever made to run" limp and couldn't help but smile at one another.After brunch we went back to the room, showered and slept. We went to dinner for Baldwin's birthday and then Nate and I had to get to the airport.
Today I have pain like nothing I have ever felt. I hurt. I hurt really bad. My muscles are getting better (the sudden muscle spasms in my legs that threaten to topple me over are fewer and further between and I can bend my knees again). My ankle is soooo fucked up! Wow! I didn't know I could have done it so dirty and still been able to stand let alone finished the race. I was wrong, ha ha! I can feel the tendinitis in my left ankle, that hindered my training a couple of months ago, all throughout my foot now. The tendinitis in my hip from my Elephant Bar days is back and I am pretty sure my right big toe nail is comin' off. All of this is overshadowed by this ridiculous feeling of accomplishment I have. I can't help but smile through the exhaustion of two hours of sleep and the intense workout of yesterday.
Nate says he would never do it again. I will. I will train easier but longer and fully intend to chip away at my time with every go at it. In the mean time it is great to know that five or even ten Ks won't be a problem and will even be something that I will enjoy to do in the future.
I know that this was my accomplishment. I took those 55 thousand steps (I wore a pedometer my mom gave me just to see) all on my own. But I have to thank Baldwin for planting the idea as a possibility. I would have never done it on my own.
**More pictures in my Picasa album linked below.**
Nate says he would never do it again. I will. I will train easier but longer and fully intend to chip away at my time with every go at it. In the mean time it is great to know that five or even ten Ks won't be a problem and will even be something that I will enjoy to do in the future.
I know that this was my accomplishment. I took those 55 thousand steps (I wore a pedometer my mom gave me just to see) all on my own. But I have to thank Baldwin for planting the idea as a possibility. I would have never done it on my own.
**More pictures in my Picasa album linked below.**
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