Indianapolis Marathon

This was Julia's first marathon, and I have to tell you how proud I am!! She is a total rock star!!

First of all, it was a perfect day for a marathon, about 60 degrees and mostly sunny (all though I did not care for the head wind toward the end). Unfortunately it was not a perfect marathon for me. As we were getting in to Indy, I began to feel queasy. I told Julia that I didn't feel so well. So, I rolled down Roxy's window (Julia's car's name), and realized--oh, yeah--I'm gonna barf. I completely defiled the outside of the car, and some how got vomit on my armpit (how does that happen?!?). We got to the parking lot and I felt somewhat better. After all, I have done the rainbow yawn during a training run before (on Lake Shore Drive), so I should be fine, right?

We got in to our surgical gowns (thank you, Barb!) and headed to the start. We were a little late due to the port-a-potty lines (Hoosier Potty!--say it out loud. It's funny.). Julia wanted to jump in, but I wouldn't let her...I didn't think it was a good idea to go with the 8:00 group. I think she was a little nervous, and I did everything I could to calm her down.

We began the race and even though I had spewed a 1/2 hour before the race, I felt ok (only a little nauseated). In fact, we were on perfect pace for the first 1/2 of the marathon. I knew I could make it to the first half...and at that point I was still feeling pretty good. One completely random thing, was that we saw these two guys with what seemed to be a karaoke machine crooning to the runners...guess which two celebrities they were impersonating? Oh, that would be Elvis and Meatloaf. Seriously the most bizarre combo I've seen, and the "monster ballads" they were singing only made me want to run away, not run better!

Any who, at the half the 1/2 marathoners split off and the course got really sparse. But Julia and I remained on pace, and aside from almost stepping upon squirrel road kill that freaked both of us out the race was pretty uneventful.

That is, until mile 17.

I told Julia that I was tired and needed to walk a bit and to go on with out me. The truth? I was feeling pukey again. I hurled 3 times in mile 17 (FYI--Gu looks pretty much the same going in as it does coming out). Once, near a water stop, where a paramedic asked if I wanted a ride back to the start. I responded with "No, I just want to throw up."

Y'all know me--I'm much too stubborn to not finish. And after expunging the contents of my stomach the third time I was feeling a bit better. I walked a little and continued on. I saw Julia after she had hit the turn around and she looked really good. I continued to the turn around and as I got to the sign, it blew over. Ugh!! Really? Can this race be anymore perfect!

I kept going in a walk/run. I got to the 20 telling myself--"It's a 10k--you can run a 10k--you'll be done in 1:15." By the time I got to 22, I was talking smack to the course. "4 miles--any idiot can run 4 miles!!" And finally at 23 "A 5k? Come on, you've done this drunk and hung-over!" At 24 I could feel myself really needing to push, and I remembered Elaine and her walk run plan that had helped her at Big Sur. I told myself, "One minute, you can run for 60 seconds. Then you can walk one minute."

That's what I did for the remainder of the race. (Except, I always ran any down hill). Once I hit 26, I decided I would run the last .2...and finished with a 9 minute PR time of 5:39:03 (12:56 av pace)!! Oh, yeah and upon crossing the finish line--I promptly ralphed. Fantastic.

Julia was cheering for me...until she ran over to pat my back and make sure I wasn't going to die. She kicked my ass, running her first marathon in just over 5:30. I'm so proud of her! I felt so bad I couldn't stick with her due to my yakage. I didn't want to let her down...(or hork on a marathon course, for that matter). I still think she's amazing!!

I was helping her stretch after the race, and I said "The next time I decide to do something stupid like this, remind me how AWESOME I am!!" I did it--2 Marathons in 6 days! And I PRed in both!! I can officially apply to be a Marathon Maniac!My next question: When's the next one?