Recap for 26.2 with Donna

I will start out by saying if you have never run a marathon, I would highly recommend this one to be your first. The crowd support of this race is awesome. I think there were more supporters than runners. The town of Jacksonville really came out in great support. If you were on the beach, on the bridge or on the surface streets, there was support in large numbers.

I went out in the 5 hour pace group to try and beat my PR. I really thought this was going to be the day. Here is the time chip stations with the splits:

5M: 00:56:43

10M: 1:55:41

Half: 2:30:36 ON TRACK FOR PR AND SUB 5

15M 2:52:06 GETTING HOT AND HUNGRY

20M 3:57:28 THINKING I GOT A NEW PR AND THEN IT HIT ME LIKE A BOMB

Chip: 5:36:41


I was so close to getting my PR and breaking the 5 hour demon. I thought I had finally beaten it and it came back to bite me in the butt. HARD. When I came into the 20's, I was spent. I had lost my gel holder and the last 10 miles was run on nothing but water. They were passing out GU's but nothing in plain flavor. I was starting to get sick to my stomach and I was eating salt packets. I wanted a plain gu and no one had any. I started to cry. I was so upset that I had come so far in my training to miss it by such a little distance. I was upset knowing that all the training I had put out is now gone down the drain. I started thinking that Mandie is waiting patiently for me at the finish line to watch me break 5 hours. Then it hit me again and I got upset even more. As I ran past a police officer, I asked if I could borrow his phone to call Mandie to let her know that I was going to be late. She was so supportive to tell me that it was going to be ok and just finish.

I hobbled my way to the finish line to receive my beautiful medal that is partially see through. I will post some pics soon of the medal and race.

I have to give huge props to the Macon Galloway Runners who ran their first marathon. They were awesome to have given up so much time into training and run 26.2 miles. As we ran through the miles, I was able to run with Jeff Galloway and his wife as he runs the events in a 5 hour pace. He was running past us and talking the whole time. It was great to see my partner from work Kevin to run his 1st marathon. I told him that he would be able to finish it.

There is so much to tell about this race so I will post more later as it comes back to me. The pre race food with friends after the race with friends and the whole event. More to come later. For now it is time to get ready for Snickers Marathon next Saturday.