Marathon Notes - Part 2

Part 2

Now that it has been a month, things start to blur in how they all happened, so from here I just want to document the feelings…

When I was walking towards the corral area for walkers, I passed many people who were obviously runners with experience, as they were warming up and doing a clearly defined prep for the race. As a walker, I just wanted to find the walker corral and be in the right place at the right time. It could have been intimidating, but I was pretty focused on just wanting to get things started and to get moving. It was cool, but not freezing and thankfully not raining.

As you stand in your corral, you are naturally surrounded by others who are somewhere close to your ability. It is amazing to have so many other people like you, wanting to accomplish the same goal. An older lady, who had completed many other Portland marathons, I believe she was in her eighties. Now that’s inspiring. Another woman who had has gone through many major medical crisis in her life, Powered By Orange, and with a decided limp, was starting another Portland Marathon, after having finished many before this.

You finally here the gun go off for the wheel chair participants, then the elite runners, and then you start slowly moving by corral up to the starting line. At least 10 minutes after the official start of the race, you finally approach and cross the starting line, and for me this crazy sense of wanting to cry comes over me. This unreal notion that I am going to start AND finish a marathon, something this fat person had no plans of doing just a few months before.

I quickly got over that and just wanted to get moving, find a spot big enough for me to move in and have a little space. It didn’t take long for the crowds to thin out, as people quickly settled into their pace.

I don’t know the Portland neighborhoods very well, so I’m not really sure of the first part that we walked through, but it felt like we did a big circle and then were finally headed out into the industrial area. This is a long stretch and where you will see people coming back as you head out and vice versa. This is also the spot where my friend and co-worker was waiting to cheer me on. It was such an unexpected happy thing to see Ron there. I’ll note here that I had originally been thinking I would have about 15 minute miles, but managed to finish with closer to 14 minute miles. Ron ended up chasing me for the rest of the marathon, just missing me at several more locations. I couldn’t thank him enough for taking his Sunday to come up and cheer me on.

This long stretch is also where I saw several of the Eugene Spirited Walkers. Several in front of me and another group behind me. I ended up walking by myself, pacing with people as I came up to them and enjoying conversation, until they or I moved ahead.

After the industrial stretch came the long trek out to the St. Paul bridge, which marked the half way mark and the crossing of the river over to the university area. Then back into town crossing the steel bridge to downtown and to the finish line.

I don’t think I ever hit a “wall” as some people tell me they do. I felt good and strong the entire time. My body felt good.

As I came closer to the finish line, it’s hard to describe the feelings. Happiness is best. They call your name when you cross and there was Kay waiting for her students to cross. Then you go along this amazing line of food and goodies to start re-fueling your body. You get your medal and finisher shirt and space blanket, a rose and a tree. And then at the very end, there was Jessica and Aunt Peg.

I started assessing how my body felt. Not too bad. I did wonder about sitting in the car and then standing again when we stopped to get lunch a little later. I was sore, but again, not unbearable.

I came home to a lovely bouquet of roses from Simon and Jim.

It was such a good thing for me. I can’t wait to do Las Vegas and to get 2010 planned out.