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...)

A life time knowing I HAVE -Becka

It's two days later and I'm still on a high from it!!  What? Ya, here is a spoiler....  WE DID IT!!!  BAM!!

  Favorite quote that got me to keep going always:

There will be days when I don't know if I can run a marathon. 

There will be a  life time knowing I HAVE!!! 

and this one: 

Finishing a marathon

 is a state of mind

that anything is possible!  

Seriously!  I heard that the person who starts a marathon is a different person than the one who Finishes it.  I would take it even farther.  The change starts from the moment you sign up..  that first step.  That step of, "ya...  I can do this, I have enough faith in myself to pay the money and sign up for this baby!"..  I can't believe I got to that point.  Seriously...  that was the hardest part for me.

I learned so much about myself, about setting limitations and how we shouldn't, about being part of a team, about putting it all out there, about how people show love and support and how I can do better at this, how i can be a better person, and friend, how not to hold back, and so much more.   Mostly I learned that everything we have and can accomplish is a gift from our Father in Heaven.  If we don't give all the glory to him...  I say that like I won or something...  I did win.  I set a goal, and I accomplished it!!  Winner winner!!!

 I sound like I think I'm all cool because I ran a martahon.  I don't really.  I feel like I'm cool because I didn't give up.  I want to set and accomplish more goals, in other areas and in running too..  but just continually improve and more forward.  That is what we are here to do. that is what I take away from all this.  Setting this goal and accomplishing something I didn't even know a few years ago I wanted to do, something I didn't even think I was capable of doing, shows me that I can accomplish things..  Maybe even some I don't really want to do but will be good for me.  Everything in life is not about having a great time.  Some things are hard, but that doesn't make then not worthwhile.  This marathon and it's training was a miserably wonderful time!!!

So I learned this, not just in the 26.2 miles, but in the 500 plus training miles and days and group texts, packing on the pounds from carbo loading and early mornings before the "reward".  Ok.  but this post is about the reward!  So here are my top moments of the actual marathon..  in no particular order..  just as they come to my mind.  =)

* That my oldest son came walking up with a little less than two miles left, picked me up in a big hug, spun me around and ran the rest of the race with me (until he had to leave the course at the finishing gate).  He sped up our pace and kept me going telling me not to be weak sauce.  He had just got into town from his base in California (he's a Marine).  This was the perfect ending!

* Seeing my family hanging over the fence with their cute signs and their matching shirts at the finish line.  Looking so proud and their big smiles and cheers.  This was Awesome..  Felt like a rock star! 

*Big Hug from Darin and his telling me good job and how proud he was of me. 

* Some of my family at about 1:50 left to go!!  Joe came and ran with us for a second.  Them all cheering.  such great support

*Running with my awesome "running partner"...  Lexie Little.  We jam to music. we encourage each other.  When my knee killed and I needed to walk, she went ahead and walked with me..  sacrificing a better time.  We are self proclaimed turtles, but we enjoy the journey and that's what matters right?  right?  The best part about Lexie is that we have only been "friends" for 3 months and I seriously don't ever want to run a race without her...  She Rocks!!!

*Getting texts from Yellow fish April along the way...  She is awesome and the most supportive amazing person ever!!!  love her!

*The Kanab girls screaming and jumping around, cheering us on!!!  I just wanted to stop and hang out with them for awhile.  why not?  if I would have been earlier in the race and I wouldn't have been as worried about getting done so my family could get to their other activities, I totally would have.. at least a photo op.

*Seeing Tiff at the very last aide station!  In her fishie shirt running out to greet me!!  Just what I needed to concur that last mile.

* The views... amazing.  when we could see st. George and the beautiful mountains..  it was just the prettiest picture!!  Truly Gods creations! 

* meeting people along the course..  making new friends, seeing dad's with their sons running together,  watching people struggle, but fight through it..  great place to people watch I tell ya. 

* the excitement of the starting line!!  I mean holy people!!  so many people. and the thought that all of them have been training...  have probably been like stressing and going through many of the same emotions and feelings as me..  it's an awesome feeling like a bond between runners.  pretty cool!  but cold...  ya.  brrrr.....

*Knowing and hearing about all my fellow fishies, sharing this experience with them, even if we weren't running together, we were together..  we did this together and that is the coolest.  Hearing while we were running about Lexi Cutlers Boston qualifying time... definitely a high light!!! 

*Seeing all the fishies at the end..  seeing their smiles and knowing we all did it...  we did it.  I mean really I thought at least one of us would get injured or not be able to do it.. that's just the odds of a group. but we all made it there and finished the race.  hot dang!!

*Aide stations every mile..  I mean that is seriously sweet.  It made the miles seem shorter somehow.  you would just leave one and up ahead you would see another one.  The volunteers were amazing.  I wanted to thank them each individually and hear what they were doing there.  I mean people say it's cool, but it didn't really look fun picking up all those cups or rubbing icie hot on stinky people where ever they wanted you too.  ekkk.. 

*The fact that the dudes just walked off the road to pee...  I mean not behind the bush or anything..  WTheck?  I later decided that was nice of them to free the porta's up for the girls, but at least find a bush... 

*That Lexi pointed out that my bib number  7465 was 11-11...  it added up to that.  Like if it couldn't have 13 in it, this is the next best thing. 

*That I couldn't figure out how all the volunteers knew my name and then the crowd knew it until lexie told me it was on my bib...  ha ha ha 

*Seeing and hugging Heather and Jayci...  This was just as I turned for the home stretch.  Again I wanted to stay longer and "visit"..  ha ha...  but I just had the home stretch to go.  time to finish this thing.

*that none of my family even mentioned how slow my time was..  thanks guys!  I was really ready to say, "the next person to say how slow I am, I'm going to punch in the face."  and there wasn't a need.  yay!  they are so awesome. 

*Seeing endless runners in front of and behind us..  cool cool sight.  Tried to get pictures but it just doesn't do it justice.

*That when I text my husband saying my knee was killing me and I was going to be super slow and he should move closer to cheer me on so they could take off to their other stuff, that he texted back, "Take your time, know your dad is with you and proud of you."...  ya, I cried. 

*Coming into the finish line and seeing MaryAnn up ahead cheering with open arms.  First she grabed lexie and then me and we all just hugged it out!!

*I might add to this..  sometimes my brain remembers stuff later.  =)

But there you have it...  my marathon in a nut shell...  or a sea shell..  ha ha...get it?  fish...  sea shell...
ok..  and now for the pictures!!!  best part right?

At the cabin. then we piled on the warm clothes and headed out the door.

 

Keeping warm in line for the pottys..  stinky!!!

Saw my friend Toni along the way.  I took a little nap looks like.

 

I'm sure this sign was for us!

part of my family waiting for me with about 1:50 miles to go

 

 

 

How great was it to see these girls jumping and cheering (and Jess)..  Pretty dang great!!!

 

Seeing my family... excited!  Joe even ran with us for a sec..  he's ready to do this thing next year!!

Dason running with me!!!!  Do I look happy?  yes I am!!!

These guys waiting and waiting..

supportive momma

I'm almost there!!!  yay!!!  Surreal moment!!  I am finishing a marathon!!  Me... 

 

Love this guy!!  he has been so amazing through all of this!

 

jani holding ALL the signs my mom and dokies made

 

My wonderful family!!!  I hope they learn something from all of this.

It's why I did it!!

 

My awesome little sis and photographer!  and she drove me back up 26 miles to get my car and back. 

These two just fought over my metal..  See how eastons glasses are askew..  they fell off his head over into the finish area.  Darin had to put him over the fence to grab them after someone almost- kinda did step on them. 

 

 

 

My awesome sister fishies.  minus Candi..  She was too busy lovin on her baby to answer her phone.  don't blame her.  Love these girls. We are forever and always bonded!!! 

 

 

Some of the other fishies are signing up for next year already...  Am I a loser because I don't really want to?  This experiance was jsut pretty close to perfect..  Well, not perfect in the my knee killed and I wanted to cry most of the second half, but...I mean it just couldn't get better.  I want to do new stuff. See new roads and scenery..  I want to keep running just different races and probably just 1/2's...  1/2 are awesome!!