ADT Marathon

It's been almost a week since marathon #13 which has given me some time to digest the day. It was a tough race (tougher than I initially gave it credit for) but the good definitely outweighed the bad.

The day started early - before the sun was up. I had a Lyft driver drop me off near Palmer Lake where shadowy silhouettes dressed in shorts and running shoes were gathering near flood lights that were place strategically around the area.

Those from my running group who were running the race had planned to meet at 615AM for a group picture. Once the light slowly descended on the area, I spotted them.

This was taken about 10 minutes before the start of the race. Runners were slowly moving past us towards the yellow flags that designated where the race was to begin. It was a small group - under 300 were running the marathon alone. The runners nervously shifted during the national anthem. As the countdown to the start began, I heard a guy next to me say "Well, shit just got real."

Then we were off.

As usual, the majority of the race was a blur. I felt incredibly strong miles 1-10. Major issues that followed included:

Miles 10 - stomach and bathroom issue

Mile 15 - Stomach and bathroom issues

Mile 18 - I tripped over my own feet, fell and jammed my fingers on my right hand.

After the fall, my mental game was completely off. But with the help of some encouraging texts from friends, I continued to push and finished with a time of 4:41. Not my best time but certainly not my worst. My running group was waiting for me at the finish line and a coworker/friend of mine ran with me during the last .2 miles. I have seriously never felt so loved.

While certain points of this race were definitely a humbling and trying experience, I'm still amazed at how strong I finished. I can't insert the video or embed the link but go HERE to see the video clip of me crossing the finish line. I was glad to see I had a huge smile on my face because I honestly couldn't feel my facial features at that point. ;)

Marathons teach me so much: Life is hard. It can be so tough that you'll want to quit, but if you don't, ultimately, it'll be the most rewarding experience of your life.

XOXO

KS