don't be scared!

Don't ever be scared of the unknown!  You can do more than you think you can!!!  Was that profound? Trying to come up with something Halloweeny to put with this picture of my cool pumpkin.  This is for everyone who busted out a marathon this awesome year...  2013!!!  Good Job!

Happy Halloween!!

Just do it

This motivational Monday is for me..... I Can't seem to get out the door. Just do it right? Sounds easy enough!

flashback Friday

Today I was cleaning out my garage and I came across the 20 mile posters that Ebbi and Lexi made.  I realized we didn't get them all posted on here and they are so great..  so hopefully here are some we missed.  Flash back to  what happened on the sand dunes road.  I'm never going to go on that road without remembering all the long runs and other great things that happened on that road!! The good the bad and the ugly!  It's our road!

 

 

 

PS...  I haven't ran since the marathon.  Now I'm scared to...  I don't know why.  I'm signed up for the butch Cassidy next week, so I guess I better try sometimes soon.  =)  I really miss it. 

 

13 days post Marathon

Friday was 13 days after the marathon.  Our last 13 celebration....  We wanted to meet that morning at our normal run time at stage for hot chocolate and stories, but everyone couldn't come.  I was sad all day.  I felt like our last day was getting by with no hoop-la.  That is not how we roll.  Lexie and I came up with a plan.  She had her hubby drill holes in  2013 pennies to add to our necklaces and I had everyone meet at my house to get there "gift".  Is that defacing money or something?  shhhh..  don't tell?  This is our year, so it was appropriate.  It was great to just see everyone and chat.  My son who hasn't been around us came up stairs wondering what the heck was going on..  ha ha..  we can be a little loud.  The doc came in offering to go get his prescription pad (Anti-depressants)  Very funny Doc.  It was just a short get-together, we still need to meet and talk marathon day stories, but that will happen.  This was just what I needed to cheer me up though, just to see my fellow fishies for a half hour.  =) thanks guys..  You rock!

we had some photo bomers..

PMB (Post marathon Blues)

Ya, It's real and it hit me hard.  =(
My fellow fishes were talking about it and I was feeling it a little, but along with my excitement for the marathon, I also had my Marine coming home that same day.  I got to have my whole family home the week after the Marathon.  But now it has hit.  What now?  I read a lot of articles, and liked this one from about.com:

Tips for Recovering from the Post-Race Blues

How to Get Over Feeling Sad After a Marathon or Other Race

By Christine Luff

Updated March 01, 2013

 

It's very common for runners to feel bummed-out, disappointed, sad, maybe even depressed after they finish a big race, like a marathon. After spending months training hard and focusing on a goal, you feel down and disconnected once the race is over. The training and preparation that was such a big part of your life and now it's gone.

Every night the Group texting would start about our running plans for the next day.  Then there was planning long runs and events that we needed..  NEEDED..  go big!!!  Then there was planning our shirts and our  group text "fights" over how big our fish should be.  I mean there was never a dull moment.  so much planning, where would we stay, who would drive us, when could we get taped, Remember to roll..  remember to drink your Ensure...  ha ha... 

 A lot of posts tried to compare it to different let downs..  After the Honeymoon.  Ha ha..  the day after Christmas.  After a well planned and anticipated vacation.   But really none of those compare.  It is worse.  sure, we could plan and do it again, but it will never be the same, it will never be as magical.  This was an amazing journey from the moment I hit send entering the lottery to the "reward".  so, ya...  bummed out I am..

The good news is that there are ways to fight the post-race blues, or at least soften the blow. Here are some things to try:

Be prepared for the letdown.

Make plans for the weeks following your big race, so that you'll be distracted from that disappointed feeling. I know a lot of runners who plan a big trip after a marathon, which works perfectly if you're already traveling to the race destination. Sticking around and taking in some sites will be a nice way to celebrate your accomplishment. The timing works on two levels – you don't have to worry about training while you're away and the traveling prevents you from getting bummed-out that your race is over.

Review your race -- and then move on.

If part of your sadness is due to the fact that you weren't happy about your performance, take some time to think about what went wrong. You may even want to write about it in your training journal or blog, to help you work through it. But don't dwell on it – spend a little analyzing it, and then move on to start thinking about your next race.

Some of us are signed up for the Butch Cassidy and/or the Bakers half in Hurricane..  I hope my knee will let me.  I'm ready to start running again, but  my knee, not so much.  =(
 

Appreciate your free time.

Once your race is finished, you'll have a lot more time to enjoy parts of your life that you neglected during training. Spend more time with family and friends, catch up on your reading, pick up a new hobby, or get back to any other activities that you sacrificed while training.

Sleep is the only thing that I've been trying to catch up on..  ha ha. 

Set a new goal.

The best way to cure the post-race blues is to decide what you want to do next. It doesn't have to be a big race, like a half or full marathon. You may want to train for a 10K, or just aim to run at least three days a week. You may even decide to try a totally new sport, like swimming or biking, to supplement your running.

My new goal is to see if I can down a tub of Blue bunny bunny tracks all by myself.  =0)..  pretty sure i can. 
 

Savor your accomplishment.

Do a little bragging and make sure you have a prominent reminder -- a medal, bib, finisher's certificate, or photo -- of your race, so you don't lose sight of your achievement. And don't forget this quote from Dr. Seuss: "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

I pretty much think everyone is sick of hearing about our marathon...   Ha ha.  but we can relive it forever.  We are still planning to get together so we can hear everyones first hand account.  See!!  that's another thing, we use to see eachother all the time, ususally early early mornings...  but now we don't even see each other...  =( 

Tomorrow is 13 days since the marathon!!!  Hey Fishies...  We need our post marathon get together!!  yay!! 

 

The Moment We've All Been Waiting For...

I usually set the date on my posts to match the actual day of the run/race because I hardly ever write on the day of my run.  I decided to leave this one as the day I actual wrote it... One week after the Marathon!  

Where to begin.  I have been able to read over everyone's posts and now it's my turn to sum my experience up in a nutshell.  I was the lucky one because not only did I get to train with all my fishies, my best friend trained with me too, Bryant.  It was so nice to have him to help motivate me along the way.  Once school started I couldn't go on mid week runs with the other girls.  Him getting up in the morning and going for a run always motivated me to get my butt out of bed too.  

This was the sun rise on Friday morning... a beautiful sign that it was going to be a great weekend!

 Wore my necklace all day!

 A good luck from one of my students...

 yahoo I finally got hooked up with the other girls!

 Someone needs to document Becka trying to get her tripod for her phone set up...

So glad that I had my girlfriend from high school running this with me! Such an amazing lady!  I just love her!

 Then we get up to the start line and WOW there are SO many people, people were even laying on the ground wrapped up in blankets trying to stay warm.  

 It was cold and dark, but boy were we ready to run!  The bus ride up was interesting, we had the most annoying ladies behind us.  I was hoping that we could loose them after getting off the bus, we did!

 Cheryl and I

Bryant is Ready!

 I also found my really good from Diamond Valley, Allison, at the start line!  Wahoo!  So ready by this point to start running and enjoy what I had trained for!

Ya we were feeling good!

This was about mile 6 or 7!

It really was so much fun running with Cheryl... we talked, we laughed, I cried a few times, she gave me pointers on running form and encouragement when I needed it.  When I let her go at mile 18, it was hard, but I needed to get my head back into the game and she was feeling good.  I had THE worst leg cramps all up and down my legs from about mile 17 til the end.  So hard to run, but once I got my head back into it I knew I could finish.  So many times while I was running I would think, WOW I am running a marathon!  I even said it out loud once to Cheryl, it must have been pretty loud because all the runners around us cheered!  

The Veyo hill had nothing on me!  Totally ran the whole thing!  So proud!

The Dameron Valley hill was harder, it's just a bunch of steps and seems like it goes on forever.  I had put a song that reminds me of my grandma on my playlist to help motivate me.  I totally thought I could handle it and as soon as it came on I was blowing snot out my nose and crying like a baby.  Ya, we were near the top of the Dameron Valley hill, it gave me the boost I needed to make it up it.  I totally ran that whole hill too!  I was truly amazing myself.  I know it was because I had Cheryl with me!  

Then I hit Diamond Valley... my old neighbors that I love and miss!  I got to see the Mayoros' (Allison's family) and then I saw Lora, we both freaked out, I gave her a sweaty hug and off I went again!  It's amazing what seeing a few friends does for ya!  I was on a high!

 My true form came out in full force at mile 16, I was dancing and having a great time.  This is when I saw my other girlfriend from high school Angela (she came down as a cheerleader for Cheryl, and me too).

This is where I let Cheryl go on without me... mile 18.  Those first 18 miles went by in a blink of an eye!

 Then the road started to get lonely and my legs were killing me!  I texted April this selfy and said HELP!  I don't know if I can do this!  She sent me a great text telling me I was doing awesome, and that the Kanab girls were just at mile 20 I could do it.  The girls weren't at mile 20, or 21, or 22, but they were at about mile 23.5 and boy was I happy to see them.  I needed them so bad at that time!  

Rach saw me and came running up to be and gave me a big ol' hug!  I bawled, ran to the rest of them and gave them a big ol' sweaty hug!  Told them how much I needed them and then ran on.  Man is it ever hard to run while you are bawling!   

(I love this picture, even if I am doing the ugly cry)

(When Bryant passed the Kanab girls, check out Rach!  I love her!)

 Before the end of the race I saw some of Beckas family, I did a leap (shouldn't have done that I thought my legs were gonna buckle on the landing).  Then I saw my family, first it was my brother and his kids, my niece April came running out and ran with me, then I came up on my mom and girls, both my girls ran out and started running with me.  It was so awesome.  I loved having them with me, until the nice security man said they had to leave the course.  I tried really hard to pick my pace up so that I could finish before 4:15, but it just wasn't in my cramped up legs to do it.  I have never hurt that bad, ever!   I finished and there was Bryant, and my Dad waiting to see me come across.  Wahoo I had finished, I crushed my first marathon time and for the most part I was feeling pretty good.  I got to hug my girls and my parents across the fence, cry with them all for a min and then they were off to play with my brother and his kids.  

(ADD PIC OF MY PARENTS AND KIDS FROM MY MOMS CAMERA). 

I had to walk around for about 20 minutes without stopping so that my legs could relax and uncramp. Weirdest feeling ever!  

Then it was time to watch the other girls come in:  I loved cheering them on and giving them a big hug after they finished!  
I didn't get to cheer on Lexi across the finish line, she was done way before me, but I hadn't heard and I was worried that she had gotten hurt, no one had said anything.  Little did I know she totally ROCKED the course and finished with an amazing time of 3:28, which adds up to 13 if you add all the numbers up!  AWESOME Lexi!

 Me and Ebbi Lou! Ya, we cried together!

 Becka and Lexie! Go fishies!

 Wahoo Candi! 

We did it!  WE ALL DID IT!

Now that it's over and we have had a week, it's weird, we are all feeling at a loss... depression a little even, it's hard to have such a huge goal done, over... what's next... oh ya know signing up for the runners series so that we don't have to do the lottery next year!  Well, most of us are signed up... Lexi, Lexie, Ebbi, Me, and WJ (Bryant) are all in it for next year.  I bet we can talk the other two into as well!  

So long St George Marathon 2013!  You were a huge part of my life, I learned a lot, I grew closer to some amazing girls and I was able to do it all with my husband by my side!  LOVED IT!

Me too Becka, me too!

~MaryAnn

 (I am pretty sure I wrote too much and put too many pictures in...)