In my wildest dreams, I never would have guessed it, but that's exactly how it happened for Mird! Marathon Eve morning she found herself amidst a poorly organized chicken auction where her four chickens yielded five dollars profit which Mird promptly spent on lotto tickets for the big jackpot tonight! I hope she wins! Just imagine the crazy running adventures we could take with a billion dollars! My morning hours of Marathon Eve were not nearly as exciting. I spent my my time watching my son play football, packing and stressing out about our impending doom and my sore back. Once we both took care of our responsibilities, we headed to Fremont to deliver the kids to hang with our folk's for the weekend. Grandma had planned an epic cousins' weekend at the Smith Farm for all the kids since it's deer season and our husbands are distracted by all those whitetails. During deer season, our husbands can barely fend for themselves, let alone a bunch of gregarious kids. Trust me, the kids were much safer on the farm, even if there was heavy farm equipment being used! We were giddy and full of positive energy as we pulled out of our parent's driveway. We were off on our grand marathon adventure!
The drive was uneventful other than the fact that I was elected as the driver which was somewhat comical since EVERYONE agreed I am the worst driver in our group! Oh and the VV (Vern Van) served as the official Detroit Marathon vehicle and once again she did us proud (she's gone on many running adventures with us like Great Lakes Relay and Ragnar Northwoods WI to name just a couple!) Despite being over 10 years old, having more than 168,000 miles on her and our kids' many years of abusive behavior, the VV continues to perform at a high level! You can catch a glimpse of her windshield in this mug shot taken as we headed from Mird's house on the final leg of our voyage to Motown!Now one thing is for sure, Mird knows how to pick a hotel room. Seriously, if you need a hotel, you should probably get her involved. She did it in Boston last year and she did it once again in Motown last weekend! The Crown Plaza-Detroit was the PERFECT housing for this wild adventure! The staff was super friendly, the rooms were clean and the location was ideal. It was literally two blocks from the starting line and directly across the street from packet pick up! Speaking of packet pick-up, the expo was incredible and worked to fuel our excitement. Once we had our bibs in our hands, we realized we were actually going to run a marathon, soon. The excitement was definitely rising and we were starving so we left in search of pasta! We ended up dining at the hotel restaurant with a very friendly and accommodating Hungarian guy as our server because we couldn't find a better place for pasta in the area and he was super friendly. It ended up being just right. We ate and then headed up to our rooms for all our last minute preparations and a mini freak out session!!!
(Me, Mird, Marisa, Courtney and AJ
Our crew at the expo with the super sized marathon map behind us!
Now, about the actual race itself. The starting line was absolutely electric with positive energy and an unending supply of awesome race day mojo. While waiting for the start in corral E, I met a gal named Andrea. I'll back up and explain something real quick. Whenever I go to races, I like to meet the people around me. I ask them questions, crack jokes and get to know them. It helps take my mind off from the actual running so it is helpful to me. I'm often labeled the "Ambassador" for my various relay teams because of this. While it seems counter intuitive, I actually run faster and better when I am chatting with complete strangers. It's likely part of my DNA code too because I have always naturally done this; unlike my running form, it's not a skill I've had to work to develop. Anyhow, Andrea was running the half and was hoping to maintain a 9:30 average per mile which was my exact pace goal so we decided to run together as long as possible. As the earlier corrals started their journey, Andrea and I waited for our turn while listening to Eminem's "Lose Yourself" and shaking our booties to keep warm! It was the PERFECT start to my marathon!
While I will likely never see her again, I am thankful for Andrea because she calmed my nerves and helped me to start at a reasonable pace in a very upbeat way. I believe she was an answer to my prayers. That morning I had prayed for my back to hold up and for God to put people in my path at just the right times to help me finish strong. Andrea and I ran about three miles together chatting and enjoying the route. A short time later, I met Melanie, a Canadian who was running a slightly faster pace so I ran with her as long as possible and then slowed a little and started to crank out some miles and just enjoy the experience. And it's quite an experience. There are so many people along the course and so many parties, signs and make shift aid stations that nobody would ever become dehydrated, bored or hungry during this race.
I also hung with the 4:10 pace group for a short time. They were cool and I appreciate that the pacer dude can run such a predictable and consistent pace, but they weren't the right fit for me. The few people with the 4:10 were too quiet and seemed annoyed with my constant chatter. After a couple miles, I said good bye and blasted on past them!!! That made me feel strong, but I worried I would pay for it later. Maybe, I was going out too fast. Only time would tell. Some miles later, I came to Belle Isle which was of course magical as always. At 20 miles I nearly cried, my watched died and I was exhausted. I knew the final 10k was "when my real race started" so I screamed at the top of my lungs, "Our warm-up is over. Time to run our 10k"! Nobody really paid any attention to my announcement, but it made me feel fired up so I turned on my tunes and zoned out to my favorite songs. My legs were shot and I was ready to be D.O.N.E, done, but I had miles to log. I kept praying continually for strength from God to maintain my pace and finish strong. I had no idea how I was doing other than I didn't walk and I was making progress. I passed 22, 23 and 24 miles and decided to try to push myself. When I passed through the final water station and the sign read "next fluid station .6 miles at the finish" I'd never been so happy! However, when I turned the next corner expecting to see the finish line, I'm pretty sure I've never been so sad. It was definitely an emotional roller coaster and I pushed on breaking through my emotions up the final hill to the final left hand turn and then I could see it! The Glorious Finish Line was about 200 yards ahead and I pushed with what little energy I had left and crossed the line when the clock read 4:10:27!!!! I was ecstatic. Even the clock time was an amazing PR, but I knew I would subtract at least 5 minutes off that time because I wasn't in the first corral.
I also hung with the 4:10 pace group for a short time. They were cool and I appreciate that the pacer dude can run such a predictable and consistent pace, but they weren't the right fit for me. The few people with the 4:10 were too quiet and seemed annoyed with my constant chatter. After a couple miles, I said good bye and blasted on past them!!! That made me feel strong, but I worried I would pay for it later. Maybe, I was going out too fast. Only time would tell. Some miles later, I came to Belle Isle which was of course magical as always. At 20 miles I nearly cried, my watched died and I was exhausted. I knew the final 10k was "when my real race started" so I screamed at the top of my lungs, "Our warm-up is over. Time to run our 10k"! Nobody really paid any attention to my announcement, but it made me feel fired up so I turned on my tunes and zoned out to my favorite songs. My legs were shot and I was ready to be D.O.N.E, done, but I had miles to log. I kept praying continually for strength from God to maintain my pace and finish strong. I had no idea how I was doing other than I didn't walk and I was making progress. I passed 22, 23 and 24 miles and decided to try to push myself. When I passed through the final water station and the sign read "next fluid station .6 miles at the finish" I'd never been so happy! However, when I turned the next corner expecting to see the finish line, I'm pretty sure I've never been so sad. It was definitely an emotional roller coaster and I pushed on breaking through my emotions up the final hill to the final left hand turn and then I could see it! The Glorious Finish Line was about 200 yards ahead and I pushed with what little energy I had left and crossed the line when the clock read 4:10:27!!!! I was ecstatic. Even the clock time was an amazing PR, but I knew I would subtract at least 5 minutes off that time because I wasn't in the first corral.
I'm not sure exactly how it went for everyone else, but I do know this, everyone finished with tears of joy in their eyes, a smile on their face and one hell of a runner's high. Those runner's highs are totally legal in all 50 states too and way better for you than pot or other drugs so you might wanna start training for a marathon!! Just sayin'! Oh and I do know Mird was goofing around a lot and taking pictures and high fiving trick dogs and kids. And everyone ran through "the wall" (Yes a house along the course actually built a sweet and gigantic wall with a cut out for runners to, "run through the wall" if they wanted to. We all wanted to so we did! The exit from the wall was lined with awesome people cheering, passing out snacks and drinks and encouraging everyone. It was symbolic, but mentally I believe it helped us all. We never hit the wall!
We all were running in the D and earned sweet medals!
Us girls all had Green Flower Power!!!Spartan Green to be exact for courage and strength and a bunch of other awesome qualities we needed for our marathon!
Flower power is about raising each other up to help everyone reach their greatest potential and empower themselves by reaching new goals! 
Mird finishing her first marathon with a smile on her face!
For the 99% of you who've never run a marathon, doing so gives you one hell of an awesome runner's high. I've never done drugs so I am not sure how a drug induced high feels, but a runner's high basically leaves you feeling like you're about to explode with happiness and joy and additionally you experience an adrenaline rush that leaves you believing you can do absolutely ANYTHING and that you are forevermore invincible! This feeling is hard to beat and can last for a few minutes or several hours. Luckily for us, it carried us all the way back to Ithaca and beyond!
The runner's high is typically followed by a Marathon-over (like a really bad hangover only you ran 26.2 miles instead of over indulging in alcohol so it is probably a bit worse because your muscles are really mad at you for being so awesome and running so far; each and every movement is terribly painful and awkward and you typically have responsibilities so you can't just veg out like you'd like to). We were still flying high when we got back to Mird's house so we followed Coach's advice and prepped an ice bath (see below). It was shockingly refreshing for the two of us who are basically cold every single second of our lives unless we are running. Honestly, that isn't an exaggeration. We're always cold.
The runner's high is typically followed by a Marathon-over (like a really bad hangover only you ran 26.2 miles instead of over indulging in alcohol so it is probably a bit worse because your muscles are really mad at you for being so awesome and running so far; each and every movement is terribly painful and awkward and you typically have responsibilities so you can't just veg out like you'd like to). We were still flying high when we got back to Mird's house so we followed Coach's advice and prepped an ice bath (see below). It was shockingly refreshing for the two of us who are basically cold every single second of our lives unless we are running. Honestly, that isn't an exaggeration. We're always cold.
Can you say, FREEZING!?
It's good for your sore muscles...PROMISE.
Then we had a celebratory beer and sat in the hot tub for awhile. We stretched intermittently, snacked a bunch and relaxed the night away. It was splendid!
I am at a loss for words as far as how to end this story, it was all so magical, emotional and amazing that I really can't think of an appropriate way to end this except to say I wish it could've lasted longer and it truly was magical. So I will leave you with this thought from the Detroit Marathon Website:
"The marathon may happen the third weekend in October, but the journey brings out the best in people year round"
From what I experienced Sunday, I'd say this is definitely true. I witnessed a military man running in his fatigues proudly carrying an American flag. Mird saw a man with two prosthetic limbs running along the course and there were countless other people battling numerous challenges along the way. Each fighting that voice inside their head urging them to quit. Each one earning their own personal victory. It was inspirational.
Me experiencing the "Runner's High"
Yes when Mird registered me last December, she actually put "SQUIRREL!" on my bib as a motivational message for me! She knows me to well...Hahaha
PS I still believe if Mird had skipped taking so many pictures, drinking the PB and dancing the polka, she would've broke 5 hours, but I suppose those were the moments that made it the most fun so it was probably a good thing she goofed off some! (Oh well now she has a goal for next time!)
It was magical-Motown Magical! And I thank God for getting me to that finish line in record time! Praise you Lord!
Vern Out
It was magical-Motown Magical! And I thank God for getting me to that finish line in record time! Praise you Lord!
Vern Out
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