Like Lucy Liu in Payback.......
Ow.
YAY!!!!!!
Ow.
YAY!!!!
Ow.
Ow.
Ow.
That pretty much sums up the Marathon experience so far. After 7 months of training, I (and 12,000 like minded idiots) finally ran the Austin Freescale Marathon this weekend. (7500 officially in the full marathon, 4000 in the half) It was awesome. Amazing. Incredible. Insert cliche here. Painful. (but only after mile 19 or so.)
That's right Joe Users, you will be amazed to know that I came in 2681st. I think. Yes. I'm certainly impressed. Or at least I came away with a lot of cool but fuzzy impressions. The state Governer ran (and kicked my ass, although I whooped him in the 30k last month), guys in banana costumes, one man with a superman cape on. Fans in drag, and/or passing out beer. (Hooray for the Hashtown Harriers) Must have heard Eye of the Tiger at least three times. Surprised to go past the capitol building when I did.
I started off well, but pushed too early (halfway splits was 1:56 shot time) and hit the wall at about mile 19, so it slowed me up, (walk, run, walk run) and I only finished with a 4:31 chip time.(your actual run time, without the 2-3 minutes walking up to the start line with the crowd once the race starts) So sick at the end I couldn't even keep down water for a couple of hours. But it was great. Possibly the hardest thing I've ever done.
I've been limping around ever since with bad muscle soreness, but it seems to be passing. Three other people from my platoon also ended up running it. One finished just a little behind me, and two others finished with about a 4:05 (one of which had run on popped blisters from mile 11, (sgt. mmm.....hairpieceguy, ouch) it rained right up until the beginning of the race.)
Totally sweet (except for the 7 post-Wall hell miles) experience, pictures to follow once they're posted. I just can't wait until my next one.