Naperville Marathon, oy vey.

Man oh MAN.  This week has officially kicked my behind!

As some of you know, I ran the Naperville Marathon yesterday.  Apparently I took some kind of crazy pill and thought it would be a good idea to run another marathon in a matter of weeks.   I was not signed up for it all along, the opportunity just kind of was presented to me within hours after the Chicago marathon (by some seriously awesome people in my life who believe in me more than I believe in myself).  Although I had my doubts, when this opportunity arose I really truly wholeheartedly believed that this was my chance.  I believed that this was why I didn’t hit my time at Chicago, that this is what God planned all along.  I seriously would have bet a million dollars on it, that is how much I believed.

In the 4 weeks in between the two races I did a few long runs at pace and even a track workout and felt great.  This is gonna be it, I thought.  It will all work out.   On race day morning, I felt giddy and excited but not nervous at all.  Shain was giving me his usual pre-race pep talks (they are the best)…I felt so ready.

My legs certainly did not feel fresh having just run a marathon 4 weeks prior, but they felt good.  I can do this.  It will happen today. Then I hit mile 19 and it all went downhill.  And by downhill I mean uphill.  This course was constant hills, it was insane.  I always thought that if you trained properly, you shouldn’t hit this so called “marathon wall”.  But yet again, I hit it and I hit it hard.  My friend Steve who was helping me pace had quite the job of keeping me going, if it were not for him I probably would have called Shain at mile 23 to come pick me up and bring a bag of Sour Patch Kids and a McFlurry while he was at it .  The pain in my legs was tremendous.  I actually cracked the side of my I-pod slightly because I was clenching it so tightly.  I kept telling myself to leave it all here, don’t have any regrets, this is my chance.  But I just could not pull through.  3:37:45

The heartbreak of letting myself down for a second time was pretty rough.  As I met some close friends and family at the finish, I could not help but sob.  I have the best support system, I really do.  And they were all quick to get me back into perspective.

Am I telling you all this so that you can feel sorry for me?  HECK no.   I will be just fine.   I have to remind myself of how far I have come over the years.  I could make myself sick thinking about all I could have done differently.  This is just a race and I must keep moving forward to my goal.  When I qualify for Boston I won’t be in excruciating pain, I will be able to smile as I cross the finish and I will make it in plenty of time.

I chose to not put up the pictures of me grimacing in pain or sobbing while running, you are welcome.

I think sometimes we think things are “meant to be” or we think we are following the right path, but often we are just on our own agenda.  Just when you think you have it figured out God spins you around in a different direction.  Sometimes we just have to have faith.  We have to just trust in that higher power and trust that things will work out how they are supposed to.  They might not be how we envision, But it will always be better.  Better than we could ever imagine.  Keep working hard and keep the faith.  Never ever give up.