13.2 to 27 - yep 27

On the road again...I just can't wait to get on the road again...Off trails and out on to the road no shade, not a cloud in the sky, 65ish degrees beautiful day, but not so beautiful for the second half of a marathon for me worlds slowest runner with hydration issues and another half marathon to run.

Now the runners are on the same course as the earlier half marathoners. Awesome more than halfway done. So here is where it all starts to go downhill. The marathoners pass the 14 mile marker and one tenth of a mile later you pass the one mile marker for the half. Are you kidding me? Really? Seriously?Ugh. That hurts and is kind of funny, but it hurts more.

I run past the Outer Banks Y and wave...hello Y people! Oh and speaking of the Y. I am wearing my Y Running shirt...and as I pass some smarty pants spectators they keep asking me why and I keeping saying it really seemed like a good idea 28 weeks ago.

And then you pass Jockey's Ridge which are the largest sand dunes on the East Coast. I wish I could say I paid more attention, but I was just trying to keep moving forward and remember this is your first marathon enjoy - um enjoy and marathon should not be in the same sentence, paragraph, work of fiction. Don't die - this is what I was thinking. Oh and speaking of that in some twisted route planning, you run right by the Outer Banks Hospital. Very convenient me thinks. I did think about stopping in for some Valium and some heavy duty pain killers oh and muscle relaxers sound good too. Oops too late as I was lost in thought and ran right by and I was not going to back track.

Here is how the next few miles are described in the race info:
Miles 14-22 are flat and fast. Every mile along the marathon course will be marked Outer Bank’s style, with Mile Marker Sponsors providing entertainment every mile. From bands to clowns, to cheering squads – you can look forward to a surprise every mile of the way!
Ummm yeah. At this point nothing I am doing is fast. They are so funny.

So I was totally negligent in picture taking for several miles. I don't think I have any from about 13-22. Oops.

Whoa...is that mile 17? Now I only have a Boilermaker left to go. Which seems awesome until I remember running the Boilermaker and that it pretty much sucked - both times. And that the 15k I have left is 9.3 freaking miles. What was I thinking.

Somewhere around mile 17 maybe 18 I got a running partner. I could not have asked for a better gift. One of my oldest (and by oldest, I don't meant age wise, I mean by how long I have known her) and bestest ever friends and her family came to support me and my insanity. Her husband is a runner. A FAST runner. Like two weeks prior to this race ran a 3:17:10 (I hope that is right) marathon. I can maintain a pace like that for ohhhh about 30 seconds. So bless his heart he joined me. He even registered to run what they call the Southern Six which is a race created for people to run the last six miles of the marathon course.

Off WE go.

By this time my feet have begun to hurt and I have even popped a few tylenol from one of the medic tents. I feel pretty good other than that surprisingly. I have been really good about hydrating and have gnawed on my waffles and I feel okay. Our only job right now is to make it to the bridge before the cutoff time so we won't get swept off the course. Once we get to the bridge we can stroll the rest of the way.

Have I mentioned we have actually passed people? Me. I have passed people. During a race. Me! We were like svelte cheetahs in the wild stalking our prey...the weak, the old, the broken, the damn near dead.

I can't help but notice that the race keeps winding through neighborhoods and developments and off of the bypass. Don't they know it would be way quicker if I stayed on the bypass? I keep asking the race people and they chuckle like haha look at the crazy lady...don't they know by this point I am super serious?

We run past the outlet mall and I seriously consider stopping for a pretzel and possibly something from the gap outlet. Wait...what are you saying? I need to focus and keep going? Damnit all. Around the bend and closing in on that pesky bridge. I felt like a French Revolutionary...only we weren't storming a prison, but a bridge...TO THE WASHINGTON-BAUM BRIDGE!!!!! I know it don't have the same ring, but anything to keep moving forward.

Wait what is that I see? Is that another mile marker? We have made it into the 20+ mile range. This is boldly going where No Mo had gone before.

Now my feet really hurt but as the little running devil beside me keeps saying hey we only have 10k more. Which seems awesome until you remember that a 10k is 6.2 miles. UGH.

ONWARD!

Just keep talking to me and distract me from the fact that my feet are on fire. Okay another mile marker...am I delusional? What does it say?

Last mile marker before the bridge. DOOM CERTAIN DOOM AWAITS!

Right before we start our ascent we are greeted by more awesome GO MO GO cheerer on-ers with a sign that says: NOT QUITE DEAD YET (a reference I hope some of you get). I am not sure they are correct, but I assume they know what they are talking about and we keep moving.

So now we get to the bridge. The heartbreak hill of this race. Here is how the website describes the bridge:
Crossing the Washington-Baum Bridge at mile 23 will be your next challenge. The bridge is tall (stats: 1.05 mi long, 82' high, with a 650' climb to the top at a 4% grade) - be sure to look down. You’ll see charter boats heading out to catch your dinner! An unbelievable view over the Roanoke Sound, and then downhill onto Roanoke Island where the first English colonists settled in America in 1587.

Going UP the bridge. You can't quite get the scale of it. Let's just say it is BIG!

The bridge was not nearly as bad as I had expected, at least the going up and down part. The course had been so flat for the past few miles it was nice to use new muscles. What I didn't like was the bridge is made out of concrete which is really really hard and it was grooved which made my foot movement within my shoes even worse and about mile 23 I was convinced my baby toe had fallen off.

The best part about the bridge? I was going to finish. I had made it past the point where I could get swept off the course. Was this for real? Was I about to become a marathoner?

At the top of the bridge we took the opportunity to do a little site seeing and take a few pics...you know for posterity.  Plus you do have a great view from the top of the bridge on a bright sunny day.

If you look REAL close beyond those houses WAY over to the right is where this long ass race ends...

So what else do you do at the top of this crazy bridge? You also take a silly picture...one that shows just how desperate you have become after losing your baby toe a few miles back!

NO MO - DON'T JUMP I SWEAR WE ARE ALMOST DONE!

Sure we are almost done. Only a 5k to go. Great until you realize that is 3.1 more miles. How am I going to finish this? How can I NOT finish this. Every step is now pretty much excruciating. My feet feel like some evil soul had red hot nails and they are driving them into my heels. The ball of my left foot feels like there is a sandpaper balloon on it and my baby toe is mutantly huge.

Down the bridge.

Now THE END really is almost NEAR.

We turn off of the bypass and onto the road leading to my feet's salvation.
This is where I am fairly certain I have lost it. There was a gorgeous grasshopper in the road...so what's a girl to do? OOOHHHH BUG!!! Get out of the road pretty bug...go on move it. What do I hear? My little running angel saying come on Maureen...this way...leave the bug alone...we are so close...the finish is this way. Alright already. But I do love bugs.

About another quarter of a mile I spied a McDonald's french fry in the road. Damn did it look good...I wanted it. I was sure it hadn't been there more than 5 seconds never mind the fact there was no one else in sight. It looked okay...again that voice...no Maureen do NOT pick up the french fry. We are almost there. Damn it. Must move forward.

Turn right at the light...everyone keeps saying the finish is right there. WHERE??? Curve to the left - more Awesome Go Mo Go people cowbells in hand! Sweet I must be getting close...my mom is there. Another right...I see my dad. I mutter several curse words and keep going. Another left and what is that? Is that the finish line? Holy shit did I just go 26.2 miles? Almost seven hours later I cross the finish line and into the arms of my biggest fan. We did it! Thank you.

So now a medal, a beanie, a banana and a beer. Aaahhhhhhhhhhhh

I AM A MARATHONER.

Yep. I did it.

And if you want to know why my feet hurt so bad? My best theory is I got some sand in my shoes on the unpaved road. You don't notice a few grains of sand really...16 miles later my feet, like oysters, were trying to make pearls. I had seven blisters all over my right foot and six (but one was ginormous and my baby toe the blister wrapped around the toe...it was so big you could shine a flashlight on it and it would shine through my toe) on my left foot. This picture does not do my blisters justice.

Blisters heal but I will always from this day forward be able to call myself a marathoner.

So what's next? In 2012 I did my first triathlon, first half marathon and first full marathon. I have a few ideas for 2013, but I will save that for another day.

Lastly, a huge, enormous, gracious thank you to all of you that have been a part of this journey...your words of encouragement, training runs, speed work, tissues, hugs, and faith in me when I wasn't sure how the hell I was going to do this will never be forgotten. You all crossed that finish line with me. You all share the title of marathoner with me. Much love to each and every one of you.


Me and those that followed. We braved the roads for seven hours. See, I wasn't last, but I cheer for and congratulate all those that both finished before me and especially those that finished after me:


1176 1006 MAUREEN JONES 6:59:05.9  6:58:41.9 15:59 37 F Marathon CLAY NY 96 F-35 to 39
1177 952 CRAIG HAUGAARD 6:59:50.6  6:59:12.4 16:00 55 M Marathon ABERDEEN SD 45 M-55 to 59
1178 933 LORA HAAUGAARD 6:59:50.5  6:59:13.0 16:00 51 F Marathon ABERDEEN SD 40 F-50 to 54
1179 1143 DEBORAH NEWMAN 6:59:56.4  6:59:49.2 16:01 46 F Marathon MYRTLE BEACH SC 55 F-45 to 49
1180 719 CORRIE AMEIGH 7:00:42.6  7:00:01.1 16:02 35 F Marathon CAMERON NC 97 F-35 to 39
1181 718 BRANDT AMEIGH 7:00:42.4  7:00:01.2 16:02 36 M Marathon CAMERON NC 90 M-35 to 39
1182 1321 ROBIN WATERFIELD 7:04:14.8  7:03:24.5 16:10 54 F Marathon NORTH GARDEN VA 41 F-50 to 54
1183 1276 MIKE STOCK 7:04:14.6  7:03:24.8 16:10 56 M Marathon CHARLOTTESVILLE VA 46 M-55 to 59
1184 1288 SONYA TAYLOR 7:04:51.6  7:04:07.6 16:11 39 F Marathon GRAHAM NC 98 F-35 to 39
1185 1071 PATRICIA MARSHALL 7:05:30.0  7:05:00.7 16:13 47 F Marathon RALEIGH NC 56 F-45 to 49
1186 82 PEGGY MCKEAN 7:05:59.0  7:05:22.5 16:14 42 F Marathon NJ 79 F-40 to 44
1187 1497 LEAH NICHOLAS 7:05:59.1  7:05:22.9 16:14 38 F Marathon SAYREVILLE 99 F-35 to 39
1188 766 GILA BROCK 7:08:48.5  7:08:39.5 16:22 42 F Marathon CHESAPEAKE VA 80 F-40 to 44
1189 1056 EDMUND LOY 7:20:13.9  7:19:59.7 16:48 33 M Marathon HONOLULU HI 100 M-30 to 34
1190 2051 MERI KOTLAS 7:23:14.8  7:22:46.5 16:54 53 F Marathon RALEIGH NC 42 F-50 to 54