Grandma's Marathon, 3 months later.

In the month or so before my first marathon, I went through a full suite of emotions. I went from “OMG I’M SO EXCITED” to “HOLY SHIT I DIDN’T TRAIN ENOUGH” to “FUCK IT, I’LL JUST DIE” to “AHHHHH” to “Ok. It will be ok.” When it finally came time to pack and go, I was simply excited for a break from work and to spend time with my husband. We rolled into Duluth on a very foggy and cool June 16th. I was finally beyond amped for all things running. So amped in fact that I tried to go to the expo a full three hours before it was open. So we headed down to our cabin, checked in, and decided to stretch our legs and go for a quick jog. We stayed about 20 miles outside of Duluth in Knife River at Island View Resort, which happens to be Mile 5 on the course, so we got a nice preview of the course every time we drove to and from our cabin. The jog went well, just an easy 4 miles, and it definitely got me excited for the race. We washed up and headed into Duluth, ate some Pizza Luce, went to Electric Fetus, drank some coffee, and hit the expo once it finally opened.
I am so glad we went to the expo on Thursday night. There was no wait to get my packet and we could freely roam the booths. I bought some hot pink compression socks and felt pretty dang happy. We ate at Va Bene Beraducci’s Café and I had the beyond tasty Noce e Pera, which consisted of toasted walnuts, spinach, and fresh pears sautéed with gorgonzola cheese served with penne pasta. We split an affogato (a big cup of espresso with a big scoop of vanilla gelato) and finally headed toward our cabin.
Friday morning we woke up and ate breakfast at the cabin and enjoyed the foggy cool morning. I think I could drink coffee and read books on that porch forever. It was so foggy that morning we couldn’t even see the lake which was less than a quarter mile from our cabin! Eventually we drove back into Duluth to do some more exploring, hit up the expo again so I could see Frank Shorter (!), and watch the Bjorkland 5k (which my high school cross country coach was running and trying to beat his age group record!). We met up with a friend of mine from grade school/high school and we bored our respective spouses to death with running jabber. After the 5k (coach just missed the record!) we headed to The New Scenic Café along Highway 61 (and the course) for dinner. It was starting to rain at a decent rate and I was praying the atmosphere was just getting it all out of its system before the race. We had some beers and split a pistachio crusted goat cheese salad for an appetizer. The restaurant was a nice place to wait out the rain but was hampered by an obnoxiously loud group of 65+ retirees just behind us. Pat and I could barely carry on a conversation over their volume so we ate quietly and did our best to enjoy the meal. I don’t remember exactly what I ordered but there were lots of mushrooms and some beets. It was high protein so I was counting on the beer for carbs. We were back to the cabin by 8pm at the latest; I put my outfit together, put the finishing touches on my playlist, and shimmied into bed around 10pm with a 445am alarm.
I fell right asleep and had absolutely no anxiety about the next day at all. I felt really at peace and just happy to be where I was. When the alarm went off, I rolled out and made my breakfast of a bagel and some banana, drank some coffee, and tried to use to bathroom a bajillion times. It was raining and I was starting to dread the sensation of running with soaking wet shoes. I checked my phone and my grade/high school friend (who works for NOAA) had sent me a text letting me know the rain was forecasted to stop just before the gun went off. I instantly trusted the news I wanted to hear and felt incredibly relieved that I wouldn’t have to wear my jacket or worry about changing socks. I layered up and woke the husband up and we puttered on down Highway 61 to Two Harbors. The expo dude indicated Pat would be completely unable to drop me off at the start, so we drove to the McDonald’s in Two Harbors where the shuttle would be. We got there around 615am, which allowed me time to use the bathroom twice and get sufficiently anxious. I kissed my dear sweet hubs and boarded the bus, excited as ever.
I chatted up a nice lady about my momma’s age. I don’t remember where she was from but she had run a few marathons before and was just the right amount of momma I needed before the race. We pulled up to the start area (a car dealership!) and by some incredible fortune, the rain had ended just before I got off the bus. I promptly got in the craziest, slowest moving porta-potty line ever, and I ended up having to bail on the line with about 5 minutes to the starting gun. I tossed my dry bag into a garbage bin and made my way to the corrals. I wanted to be ahead of the 4:00 pace group but the starting corral was kinda crazy. I’m not sure where I ended up. The race photographer took a picture of me with a stranger that I never spoke to and then I fiddled with my ipod to get my relax and enjoy the ride jams going. But! The darn thing froze up! So I wrapped it all up and knew I could hand it off to husband at Mile 5. I never heard the gun/cannon/horn go off, I just saw the crowd start to surge forward. I was calm, though excited, and ready to just enjoy the beautiful day we were given. There was crane with some photogs and what not just after the start and I kept smiling up hoping somehow my poppa could see my smile all the way back home. I thought about poppa bear the entire time; how he never got the opportunity to run a marathon (he had a hip replacement that ended his running career); how I knew he wanted to be here; how he not being there was a bit of blessing (it’s stressful!).
The first 3 miles were expectedly crowded and it took me awhile to get to where I wanted to be. Around mile 4 I relaxed and enjoyed the scenery. I handed off the ipod to the husband at mile 5 and just cruised. I really felt comfortable and happy. We cruised along, passed a lady blasting Lady Gaga from her PT Cruiser and a string quartet playing in the rain. Miles 7-10 were my favorite for some reason. The course winds and dips, there was fresh asphalt, and the trees are closer to the road. I remember it as very visually contrasting and along with my adrenaline, it seemed like Technicolor. I dove into a porta-potty at the half marathon mark (they were playing one of my favorite songs, Michael Jackson’s Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough) and zoomed back out. I was eating a Gu every 4 miles and walking for 20-30 seconds through the aid stations. I saw Pat at miles 5, 9, and 14. I handed off my sunglasses at mile 14 and was all smiles and so happy. Somewhere around mile 15 or so, I chatted with a guy who was going to propose to his girlfriend who was waiting at mile 24. He got “awww’s” from about 8 ladies running near him. Miles 14-18 were quieter, people were starting to struggle as we got near the end of the Scenic stretch of Highway 61. I tugged my hat down and just focused on forward, moving forward. Mile 20-21 I began to falter a smidge. I had dropped a Gu and had to stretch out my carb intake for longer than I wanted. I kept my eyes on a lady in front of my and focused on her legs. Just keep moving. I could see Lemon Drop Hill and I reminded myself to laugh at it. That is not a hill. You want hills?! You’ve gotta see what I run up at the end of every run. Up and over and it’s gone. Poof I’m onto Mile 23 and there are college kids, Kesha music, and kegs. I get a burst of energy and even dance a bit. I’m smiling, I’m close, there has been no suffering. Mile 24 I start to feel absolute pain in my legs, I tell myself it’s ok to walk for a minute, but as soon as I slow down, an extremely muscled man in a Marathon Maniacs singlet tells me to jog with him. So I do and we chat. His name is John. My brain is getting too foggy to make much conversation but I will myself to stay with him and he is encouraging me every step. I see my high school cross country coach somewhere along Mile 24.5 and scream “COACH!!” and smile again. We make the turn after mile 25 and the wind coming off the lake is freezing. Up and over the interstate is incredibly painful and down and around the DECC is so so cold. But I’m so close. There are spectators galore and people in space blankets. Push Amy Go Go Go. Coach Garcia runs with me again just before Mile 26. He is smiling so big and telling me how amazing I look. I do not feel amazing. Under the bridge and up up toward the finishers chute. I am in a complete fog, I see no one around me and I hear no one. I cross the mats and find the lady with the medals. That medal is by far the most important thing to me in that moment. She hands it to me and I begin to cry like a baby, whimpers and all. The wonderful volunteer hugs me, I get wrapped in a space blanket, I get my finishers shirt and I will myself over to the photographers so someone can document my post marathon glow. John finds me and we pose for a picture. I want chocolate milk so bad. But I am so cold. Waiting for my drop bag was pure torture, it took forever and I could feel my legs start to tighten up completely. I manage to put on everything in my drop bag, readjust my space blanket, and the stumble off to find Pat at our predetermined meeting spot. He is there, worried and cold. We shuffle all the way back to the car (I swear he parked like 3 miles away), buy some chocolate milk, and drive back to our cabin so I can take a bath and a nap.

It’s been three months and the race really feels like a dream. I’m almost not sure I even did it, but I have a medal and some pictures that show me the contrary and I have to pinch myself and repeat “I am a marathoner”. When I find myself talking about Grandma’s and Duluth, I realize that I am gushing over with affection for the city and the race. I wore my medal that night and most of the next day and I never felt silly. So many people told me congratulations and were in genuine awe of what we (marathoners) do. Grandma’s Marathon, the course, the city, all of it, definitely hooked me on the distance. Spring Marathon 2012, lookout, I’m coming. And it’s gonna be sub-3:50.