Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon 2014 Race Report
Wow! This is the first marathon course I have done more than once! In 2011 and last Sunday! Are you a specific marathon repeat offender?
I started out 2014 like every other year – telling myself I wasn’t going to do any marathons. In fact, Milwaukee 2011 was supposed to be my last marathon for awhile! I love love love the training, but always bonk the race HARD. But then, so many friends were signed up for this race, a good friend was an official pacer of a goal time I had last year (4:10), and yeah, I love this course. So just like every other year since 2011 when I said that was my last marathon… I signed up for it.
Here is your TL; DR, cause as little as I thought I had to say right after the race, the thoughts all came flooding back in (I suppose, once the brain started working again post-race): I did not join my friend’s pace team. I didn’t train for that. I didn’t PR this race. It was my fourth fastest (out of seven marathons, which makes it right in the middle, finish time wise). BUT! This was my best race, strategy-wise. I typically physically and mentally bonk at mile 16 of the marathon. That didn’t happen here. I hit 16, and kept going strong. Only the last 5 miles were a struggle. My goal was to average an 11:00 minute mile pace. I averaged 10:53s, and as I mentioned, my half splits were only 25 seconds apart. I am very proud of my 4:44:59 finish time, and encouraged to see how much more I can improve before the Dallas Marathon on December 14th!
Okay, now you’re in for the long haul…
Quite a few Efiters (from my strength studio – Essential Fitness) were doing this race! Yvonne was going for a PR. Ed was the 4:10 pacer I mentioned. Bobbi and I were going to stick together, and Dawn was running her first (!!!) full. Dawn wanted to hang with us, and Kelly jumped in for the last half to pace her.
It was so great to be around my close friends the morning of the race. I road the free shuttle to race start (it’s a point to point – my preferred course type) with Yvonne and Ed, and found Bobbi and Dawn right before race start. I think I was the least nervous of all of us. I felt confident and excited, and ready to work hard. And I was really happy with the weather – started at 36° (“feels like” 29°). Those are my temps! Even with the silly wind.
Yvonne, Bobbi and me
Bobbi, me and Dawn
The race started at 7:30 am, just after the sun came up. I ate a Clif shot energy gel right before we took off. My goal was to eat A LOT and often to keep my energy up. Right away, I remember why I love this course so much – it’s just so darn beautiful. You are running through the country and past nice neighborhoods (it’s right by Lake Michigan) until you hit the lakefront bike path in Milwaukee. The old, tall trees are beautiful, and the lake was stunning that morning:
There are a good amount of spectators too, for so much of it being country/residential. People playing instruments or recorded music, a kid ringing a huge bell… this course has just the right amount of spectators! You’re not always on show, but someone is almost always nearby.
So I felt jazzed from the start. I was talking A LOT to Bobbi and Dawn. Just blabbing away (probably annoyingly). I tried to keep us in check to stay close to our 11:00 minute mile goal. I did not want to go out too hard. But man, this course has a few short rolling hills, and we kept speeding up on the downs! Oops!
And from the beginning, I stuck to my annoying race strategy of eating something (gels, soft pretzels or fig newtons) every 30 minutes, as well as taking an electrolyte pills. Why annoying? It was hard to carry all of that food without my backpack. I am lucky Bobbi and Dawn would hold things for me while I fished my pills out of my HipS-sister. And that Steven (and Bobbi’s family) was (were) on the course at mile 7.5 and mile 20 to give me Vitamin water and “real” food. I tend to get sick of eating (I know, ME?! Makes no sense) at the end of races, but I still forced myself to eat something every 30 minutes until the end. I think that helped me not bonk so early. And I filled up my water bottle at every single stop. I drink a lot when I run.
The miles were ticking by and when we got to 9 or 10 and couldn’t believe how quickly the race was going! We were getting a lot of fun comments on our matching Efit shirts! A lot of instructions to “stay together.”
Which is exactly what I did not do. Sigh.
A little bit before mile 13, we saw Kelly! I was so excited for her to join our crew! She said she had been saving up things to talk about all week! Hee hee! I said hi… then ran past her, and looked back and Bobbi and Dawn were behind me. I kept running as I had earlier when they took walk breaks (I’d slow down, they’d catch up). I kept looking back and eventually I couldn’t see them anymore.
I felt really bad. I didn’t want to be that friend that takes off. Bobbi had the same goal as me. I texted her and asked if she wanted me to stop and wait (I would have!) and she had a “no, go ahead silly, but I love you for asking!” response. And that was the last I saw them. Bobbi and I texted throughout the race, but I was on my own then. Just me, and songs from Grease stuck in my head (do NOT watch a musical right before running a race!!!!).
So I kept my sub 11:00 pace, focused on my form (gosh, I tried so hard with it) and attempted not to bonk at 16 like I typically do. 16 came and went and what… I still felt good! No way! I was ecstatic! The only issue was that I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom, and told myself once I saw a porta pottie without any line, I would go.
That was at mile 18. I hadn’t walked or stopped yet in the race and was a bit bummed to stop, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Well, TMI ALERT, I was in such a hurry that I wanted to make things go as quickly as possible so I pushed really hard and strained my abdomen. It felt… weird. I felt stupid, for hurting myself going poo. (<—– NURSE KELLY, this is the part I wanted you to read!)
But of course, after, a load was lifted (ha ha ha) and I was feeling good.
A bit lonely though. I talked to as many people as possible. I kept trying to find someone to pace with, but I was passing everyone. So many were walking or struggling, and I felt like an ass, passing by and asking if they were okay. A lot of people were running this as their first marathon, which was fun! I met a guy from Dallas. I met a guy (Brian) from a local suburb who is also running Chicago this Sunday. Brian and I ran together for quite a bit, and I cheered him in at the finish!
Brian and Kim and RBF
I saw Steven again at mile 20. I was started to feel it, and was looking forward to my Vitamin water (which of course, I had to force myself to drink). Then I saw quite a few running club friends a bit after that and was starting to get out of it and have death face!!! NOOOOO!!!
But I made it to 21 before it felt like a super struggle. And I just kept with the plan. I really, really wanted that sub 11:00 average, and not many miles over 11:00! Mile 23 was, as it was the only time I stopped to walk – the last time I filled up my bottle.
Mile “27” was 10:21 pace
I kept thinking, “where is the damn downhill?” There is a quad-killer downhill just before mile 23ish. I talked it up to people on the course who seemed to be struggling – cause when you are hating your run, you can always look forward to a downhill. Unless like me, you’ve run this race before it know it’s gonna hurt. And apparently, I forgot how much this course kills my IT band and hips with the rolling hills and camber of the road (for much of the end, you are on streets still open to a lane of traffic). I started fantasizing about getting a post race massage, even though I knew I wouldn’t want to make Steven wait around!
The last three miles took forever, as they do. My watch was off by .1 mile the whole time, and every time I hit a mile marker early on my watch, it messed with me. I kept telling myself things like “3 miles! You ran that yesterday to prep!’ “Two miles! That’s four laps at the park” and so on. It doesn’t work, ha ha. The downhill helped my pace, but then running along the open lake did not for the last two miles. It’s flat, yes, but with a 13mph wind pushing in to my face, I just couldn’t keep the pace down (and it warmed up to 50°, “feels like” 45° – and was sunny, gah). I tried so hard.
I really wanted to look good when I came in to the finish line. I thought about my Slouchy McSloucherson issue and didn’t want to see pictures like that. I wanted Steven to see me with good form. Ha ha, that is why I started talking to Brian at mile 20. I asked Steven how my form was and he said “sloppy” and I said to that guy “he was supposed to lie and say ‘good’!” Hee hee. Brian said “you look great!” which did encourage me. (And Steve was being honest!)
He wasn’t lying. Ha ha.
So I pushed as hard as I could, really focusing on my form, scanning all over for Steven… I finished without seeing him. I immediately starting crying. I knew I had made my goal (I had no idea until later in the day how even my half splits were) and was just spent. I really gave it everything.
A medic was worried about me and followed me for a bit, which was really sweet. Then I got my bag and hobbled around, looking for Steven and Bobbi’s family. I got a text from Steven that he got there one minute after I finished. I didn’t know where Bobbi, Dawn and Kelly were. I actually kept asking Dawn’s boyfriend how Dawn was doing (he was riding by the course on his bike) and he kept saying they were right behind me. They weren’t though. So Steven stayed back to get their pics at mile 20 and just missed me at the finish. Which is totally fine, but I was overly emotional about it when I finished. When I finally saw Steven he asked what was wrong and I cried and said “I tried to finish really strong for you so you’d be proud of me!” And of course, he told me he was proud of me. Gosh, I am still emotional just typing about it! Lameness alert!
All that being said, I am so happy I got see Dawn finish her FIRST MARATHON ever! I kept thinking about her buddy, Zach, during the race, and how proud he was of her and the special relationship they have. That really kept me going.
And I loved seeing Bobbi finish, and getting to watch her husband and three of her kids watch! They were so excited for her!!!
Speaking of her kids, I was hanging with her youngest daughter, and a random spectator asked if she was my daughter. I said no, but the spectator was so sweet, she said to Bobbi’s daughter “Your friend did an amazing thing today! You should be inspired by her!” What a way to end the race. There were so many supportive random strangers! I love that!
I ran in to quite a few friends before I left and was so happy I did!
Everyone was beaming at the finish, whether they had the race they wanted, or not. We wore our schweet medals proudly! (I love the shirt (definitely a keeper!) and medal this year!):
I love the medals we got this year. And the race organization was top notch! I am not sure if they had this before, but it was the first time I have used it post race – the changing tent! How nice to get in to something clean after the race. And realize that the throwaway gloves I stuffed in my bra chafed the hell out of me. Kim. Just. Throw. Them. Away. Derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
After saying goodbye to everyone and changing, I remembered to ask a stranger to take a picture of me and Steven.
That brown bag he is holding was the bag they gave us at the finish – it had two pieces of fruit, chocolate milk, crackers, nuts and a Fiber One bar in it.
He does so much to support me at races, and really, in my weekly training, and not very often do I get a photo token of that. I am very happy I did!
We hobbled back to the car. Wait, I hobbled, ha ha, not him. Then we stopped in Kenosha for some groceries. It was too odd of an hour to eat a sit down meal so we ate our leftover pizza in the car! My appetite did not kick in until 2:00 am – when I woke up early Monday morning, to a grumbly stomach.
Post race, I feel good! My quads are sore, my face is wind burned (forgot to put vaseline on my nose, but kept applying chapstick to my lips) and I only chafed in that one spot, and it healed pretty quick. Win win! Now it’s time to keep training for the Dallas Marathon! I feel very encouraged by this race. My strategy seemed to mostly work, and I think it helped that I ate healthy for the three weeks leading up and lost a bit of weight. We will see what December brings!
A few other random thoughts (I know, this is so hella long – I warned you, right?!):
- I am so happy I am missing the toenails on my Morton’s toes. That has helped so much with training and with this race. No blisters on those toes (or any others).
- I wore shoes that had about 80+ miles on them. Not really ideal – I like brand new or barely worn, but it worked well. They only felt “unsupportive” (flat under the ball of my foot) a few times in the middle and never bothered me again.
- I did see someone wearing a backpack even though they weren’t allowed. I saw it in the last two miles when I was in a bad mental state and it really bugged me. Ha ha.
- The same spectator who told me and the Efit gals to stay together asked me where they all were when he saw me solo.
- I tried to read spectator signs for distraction. I really liked an ermagherd one.
- Before this race, I remembered signing up for Athena division for a race, but couldn’t remember which race it was! It was this one, ha ha. I placed 13 out of 44 in that division.
- I made sure to buy new shorts for the race, so Bobbi wouldn’t have to smell my old ones. I should have done this for my bra, too (duh).
- I saw someone doing the race in a RAGBRAI jersey. Meant to talk to him and never did. Darn!
- I thought about bringing the GoPro and decided not to.
- I like that they put our names on our bibs so people can cheer us on by name! It means a lot when you are struggling.
- I bought a pin at the expo. I like to put them on my water vest. You know, the one I wasn’t allowed to use. Ha ha.
Themocracy
Congrats!! And yay for meeting your goals!! Looks like it was the perfect day…………way to go!
p.s. And isn’t everything annoying from mile 23 to 26? lol. I remember telling my husband to be quiet when he was only trying to talk to distract me. hahaha
Thank you!
Ha ha! That is probably true! I am feeling really happy it was only miles 21-26 that were so annoying this time!
LOL! Do you guys laugh about that now?
SO MUCH TO SAY!!
Oh my gosh, I loved the first 12 miles so much. I was feeling like I could have run forever! I wish I could have kept that for the rest of the race. While I was sad to see you go, I was so happy you did – SO PROUD OF YOU!! What an amazing even split race! YOU did EXACTLY what we set out to do!
I still wish I knew what went wrong with me, but it doesn’t really matter. Is what it is. I got to run with Claudia for a bit. I caught up to Dawn and Kelly a bunch of times only to lose them again. I made several running buddies along the way. I saw the best spectators ever (did you see the Indian man in the yellow shirt and the turban? He was AMAZING! I thanked him afterwards – his runner was getting an official photo at the same time I was).
I cried at the end too – same as you, even with my crappy performance, I gave it all I had that day.
LOVE YOU! GO GET DALLAS!
I wish that feeling would have stayed with you too! 🙁 I felt really sad to go ahead! But okay with is, since I knew you were okay (with it, and okay physically).
I did see him or someone like him – there were a few men dressed like that, and actually, someone like that gave me my stuff at packet pickup and I saw him again after the race and he congratulated me! Very cool peeps out there!!!
You did give it your all! I am proud of you!!! 🙂 Love you! :-*
Congratulations on a great race! Sounds like you got everything to go as planned and that’s great!
I am so impressed by how even your splits are! Ouch at chafing in the bra line. I hate that!
Great job!! You hit all your race strategy goals which is totally awesome. Are you planning to use the same strategy in Dallas? Also, which electrolyte pills did you take and how often? I’ve been meaning to try those the next time I train for a long distance race.
Thanks! I think I will use the same strategy unless I stop getting so hungry on my runs (just like MKE 2011!!!!!).
I use these – http://www.amazon.com/Trace-Minerals-Research-Performance-Electrolyte/dp/B000AMR8YO/ref=pd_ys_sf_s_rp_a1_4_p?ie=UTF8&refRID=0MXM4856QPR2SD6SCB7G
I thought about the salt tabs everyone else uses but those have animal products in them, so they were a no go. I am not sure if this is a placebo or what, but I really feel like they help me. I take one every time I eat 🙂
Great race report – and congrats on a solid marathon! It feels so good to have a race plan and then actually follow it. What a concept!
Also, thanks for sharing the photos of Milwaukee. It looked as though you had a really nice time there. Hope you get some time to recover now!
Thank you! It does feel good! I am rarely able to stick with a plan 100%!
You are welcome! We did. And yes, I think I have a rest day today or tomorrow. And I scheduled a massage with my snister when she comes in two weeks! 🙂
CONGRATS on a well-executed, fantastic race. And I appreciate how you set a goal (that is not a PR!) and stuck to it. So many times, I think we get caught on the idea that we need to PR every race and that just leads to burn out. I appreciate that! I also kinda wish you had brought the Go-Pro because I like your pictures 🙂 And way to go, Steven, too, for being a solid race support buddy.
Thank you! Oh gosh, yeah, so many people were confused about why I was so happy about this race even though it wasn’t a PR, but running evenly and not crapping out as early as I usually do really meant a lot to me!
Aww, thanks! I have a few more races this year! A half this Saturday on a crushed limestone trail. Maybe I’ll wear it then! 🙂
WOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!! What a great race report! I’m so happy you had a great day overall and found a good fueling strategy too. I’m so proud of you!
I love that Steven wasn’t afraid to tell you about your sloppy running. Hahaha. And awwwwwww about the finish! He’s such a supportive race hubby. 🙂 You’re a lucky gal. (AND THE BEARD!!! OMG, it’s fab right now.)
Oh, and a word of advice – make sure you put your pin on your vest correctly so you don’t have to fumble with it at your next trail race. muahahahahah.
The course looks beautiful! No wonder you went back to do it again. 🙂
Thank you!!!! 🙂
Ha ha ha. Yeah, it was good I heard that so I could think about focusing on it more. Just gotta keep thinking about it!
Hee hee, I told Steven to come read your beard comment! I am loving it!
LOL! I am going to put the pins all on different parts of the vest so none of them touch. Then the only noise I have to worry about is my squeaky shorts 😉
Awh this made me tear up…I am so excited you met your goal, and I cry at the finish of all my races too! 🙂 It’s an emotional journey for sure! Congrats on a great race!
I hate those end of marathon emotions that you just can’t control. I always cry!
Great job on the even pacing, good form, and consistent fueling! Gosh I wish I had a talker like you to run with!
Aww, thanks for saying that! If I am blabbing away on a run it’s a very good sign I am feeling good! I get quiet when the hurt comes in lol 🙂
I love when races have Athena divisions! Yay for us bigger girls 🙂 And well done! I hope to get my marathon time down around there at some point, but i have a long way to go. You rock!
Yes! I will ALWAYS be an Athena. That’s just how I am built. And I love my strong body!
Thank you! And you can get there! You had such a great training cycle for your tris! When you are going to tell us about your 70.3 already?!?!?! 😛
Those are some amazing even splits, lady. Wow. I usually do awesome til, oh, 18, and then I have a meltdown. I like the idea of eating real food every 30 minutes. I eat sweet tarts when my head starts to feel like it’s going to fly off my head, and that seems to help.
Grr… the vest thing still makes me mad!
You hurt yourself while pooping?! HAHAHAHA. But seriously, been there, done that. It hurts like a mother.
Thank you!!! 🙂 What do you think causes your mile 18 meltdown? Do you think you might try real food at a later marathon?
Hee hee hee. I feel better I am not alone. I was like “hurry, hurry! um… that doesn’t feel right” 😉
Love, love, love your recap! And my buddy Zach got a special mention! Woo Hoo! You were so great about keeping us at the planned pace for those first 13 miles..so funny to hear you tell me to stop my angry run and you and Bobbi helping me through my first of several crying jags. Bobbi was so right-on at 12/13 when she and Kelly looked at me and both said ‘you look dead’. My foot was killing me. But Bobbi kept encouraging me and then let me go with Kelly who jabbered away (thankfully) and we could see you ahead of us and running strong. I loved all the comments we got on our pink shirts. We should now officially be the Pink Ladies…but we have to make it “Badass Pink Ladies”! I saw the turban guy several times. great spectators. So so thrilled to see Bobbi’s family and absolutely love having Steven there to take pictures…do you think it’d be creepy to say I want to run the same races as you so I can have the most awesome photographer take my pictures? I am so glad to read the comments and hear that others shed a tear or two. During the last 6 miles I kept starting to cry because I knew I was gonna make it to the finish; I was thinking I was a certified nut job for crying! You made a comment about signing up for the Athena division. When I signed up way back in January and the option came up, I remembered your blog and I couldn’t remember which way I answered. But I know I do run slower, so I did Athena and finished 22 of 44. Had I gone the AG route (50-54) I would have been 49 of 64. I think I like the Athena results better! Glad to hear your chafing was a minimum, despite all the chafing I had on my training runs, I had none at the race, thanks to your suggestion of plain ole’ vaseline!!! Can’t wait to read your Dallas marathon recap. And I’ll become a repeat offender next year 🙂
Aww, thank you! I am so happy we got to run so much together and that you have shared the sweetness that is Zach with all of us! 😀
Ha ha ha ha. I am VERY guilty of the angry run. For Naperville last year, I asked my pacer to save all angry chat for the last 8 miles, so that I wouldn’t use the anger until then! LOL!!!!
That stinks that your foot hurt there. Such an odd spot, and since it wasn’t the laces, what was it?!?! 🙁 Just another thing to pay attention to during training!
I think you are right! BPL!!!! We just gotta find our Frenchie!!!
Aww, thank you about Steven’s pics! That is not creepy if we do all the same races! It makes sense… we’re both Efiters, right? Hee hee. Not too late to sign up for Prairie State HM… JK!!! 😛 (not sure if he’s coming, anyway!)
Oh no way! That crying is good – it showed you were still alive at the end of the race! 😛 But you should be SO PROUD of what you accomplished. If you couldn’t cry over it, I’d be worried you were too dehydrated 🙂
Woo hoo for our Athena placements!!! 🙂 We shall work our way up the division! 🙂
I am so happy you are already thinking about this race next year!!!! 🙂
Congrats on your race!! I think running an evenly-paced race for any sort of long distance is a HUGE challenge, never mind for a full marathon, so that is something to be SUPER proud of. And it’s SO AWESOME to hear you didn’t bonk at 16! I bet that was a great monkey to get off your back, and will probably help keep you from getting into a mental rut at Dallas in a few months. Congrats again!!
Thank you! I do hope it helps with the mental toughness of this distance!
Good luck at Chicago!!!! 🙂
Congratulations!
Great recap. So much to love about your race (well except for the poop episode and backpacker)! Congrats on the damn-near-even splits! I wish you could pace me for Chicago, I always blow up at 20. Anyway, congrats again. You will own Dallas! 🙂
Aww, thank you! 🙂 Ha! I wish I could run your pace for just a few miles! You got this!!!
I LOVE your race reports. That was a great one! Congrats (again) on a great race and meeting your goal. I am sure you will do great in Dallas too!
BTW, I actually thought to myself at least the last two times I saw you that you look great! Whatever weight you lost is visible and I can see it.
I’m so proud of you and everything you do! You are such a great role model for me.
Hugs!
Aww, thank you so much! For everything! 🙂
You are so inspiring! What a great race. I can’t even imagine how long 3-4 miles would be at the end of a marathon. Surely that counts for double the distance? 😉 The shirt and medal ARE super awesome–yay for a great race and great bling. Sorry you hurt your abs going poop. That made me laugh! At least you got the job done!
you lady are amazing
Congratulations on a fantastic race!
So… what I hear you saying is that if one of your friends were crazy enough to do a race in every state, you would recommend this one? 😉 (Do they have a half option?)
I totally get the emotional thing. I think the most emotional I ever got at a race was a half I did back in 2011. It was close to home and one of the few that my husband has gone to with me. I was SO PROUD because I knew I was about to PR and like you I was trying to be strong at the finish. And he wasn’t there. He had gone back to the truck to sleep after he saw me off at the start and completely missed it. It still upsets me.
I couldn’t help but LOL at your…umm…. injury? hahaha
Did you have your toenails removed, or did you just lose them during training?
Thanks!
I would totally recommend this race for travel marathon. No half though. I would highly recommend the Wisconsin Half Marathon in Kenosha, in May, too 🙂 I have a coupon code for that one.
Aww man. I am sorry he missed you. 🙁 This has happened to me several times… and it always really makes me sad. He’s gotta make up for it, lol!
I did not have them surgically removed (but have thought about it, ha) but I had a long training run in August that wrecked them so bad, I was able to cut them both all the way off, and that helped so much with the rest of training! 🙂
Your race recap is awesome! Dare I admit this- I get emotional just reading that you got emotional!! I’m glad your strategy worked out for you! I know you and Gina will ROCK Dallas!!
=^..^=
Aww, thank you! You can admit it! I know it’s cause you love me!
Hmm, any chance I will see you in Dallas?!?!? :-*
Awwww, reading this is making me tear up…it so much reminds me of the feelings I had running my first half, and the emotional state that running can put you in. Thanks for sharing it all with us. You did do an amazing thing – I’m proud of you!
Aww congrats to you on such a consistent race! This reminds me how hard marathons are. Not sure I’d even run another one if I wasn’t waiting so long for NYCM. I remember hearing everyone complain about the crappy medal from this race in prior years. Glad to hear they’ve improved! I always think I’ll be emotional at the end yet, I never am. I blame dehydration. ChiX2 and BostonX2 for me otherwise no repeats.
Thank you! 🙂
NYCM might change that feeling for you… cause it in itself is such an awesome race!
Ha! It cracks me up when people complain about medals. I am always happy just to get one! I wonder if they complained the year I first ran it, cause the next year, the medals were HUGE!
Such a good job!!!! So proud of you.
Ahhh so much awesome in this post! Congrats on another 26.2! And yay for making it to 21 before feeling not as perky as the first half 🙂
I love that you got to run with your friends for half the race. I wish I was there too!!! 🙂 so freaking happy with your near perfect even splits! It sounded like this race went almost exactly as planned for you. And the weather couldn’t have been any better for you! Well minus the strained abs from the portapotty hehe. So proud of you! Hope to hit the lakefront with you again soon!!!!!!
Thank you!!! 😀
I wish you could be there too! Can’t wait for our next run together 🙂 🙂 🙂
Congrats on a race well run! Nice job on following through on your plan and having a great experience 🙂
CONGRATULATIONS for rocking out another marathon!! And look at that consistency! AND no bonking! Needless to say, you rocked it 🙂
I’m a but late to the game but I read this recap a day before my marathon and it was so motivating and exciting! So thank you for that 🙂 Now that I ran an actual marathon I can safely say that I know the annoyance that comes from…everything and everyone…when you’re in moments of mental or physical struggle. I actually considered chatting up some people while running too thanks to your example, but I didn’t 🙁 Anyway, great race and cheers to many many more in the future!
Oh and THANK YOU for mentioning the Glympse app at some point recently because thanks to you I downloaded it and ended up using it today during the race. My parents loved having the real-time view of me and raved about it. It was so helpful!
Thank you! 🙂 And I am very honored that you found this motivating before your first 26.2! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear about your race! I hope it was more fun than annoyances!
And P.S. I am happy the Glympse app helped your parents out!!!
Congrats!! Sounds like a great race!!
Congrats Kim! And love how that person made that comment about you being an inspiring person. I totally agree.
Awww, thanks! 🙂
Congratulations, Kim! I’m glad you had a race with good strategy, even with lots of ups and downs. (I felt for you, crying at the end!) I’m so proud of you for holding on and aiming for your goals AND for having such a positive attitude, even though parts of it were tough. I bet you made so many people’s days during the race! You are totally inspiring!!