Clean. Simple. FIT!: Marathon Day

I ran 26.2 miles.

I cannot believe it.

Three years ago I couldn't run to the end of the street and about 4 months ago I never imagined actually running 26.2 miles. All I can say about it was that it changed my life. Did I get the time I wanted, no, but my life has changed. I now know that I can do ANYTHING! Seriously, anything.

This race wasn't just about the miles, who was there to cheer me on at the finish, but this was all me. 100% of my dedication and determination to training and eating right helped me to cross that finish line. Did I shed tears, tear skin, feel like vomiting, eat too much, eat the wrong stuff? Hell yes. Would I change anything about the experience? Absolutely not.

I chose to give it all. Literally all. For the last four months I have had a very limited social life, school and work have kept my schedule insane, and running takes up all my free time.

I can honestly say I would start training again tomorrow to feel the way I felt running this race.

For once in my life I felt like I did something for me!

We were all freezing and scared to say our goodbyes before the starting line.

Breaking it down!

1-6 Great. Felt like I choose a good pace group and loved the scenery. I knew I picked the right race.

6-10 I began to struggle mentally. I was running alone in the middle of cornfields. I didn't have anyone to cheer me on or tell me what I was doing would be worth it...and the hills started.

11 Saw Lonnie, Troy, and Bria and shed some tears, but got the power to keep going.

15 Saw the pit crew again and passed a very old gentlemen who had been just ahead of me up until this point. (Thanks for the motivation Lonnie!)

16-18 I cried seeing a nice policeman who told me there were no more hills. He was mostly right, after mile 16 it was downhill for a little while and I was cruising. I finally caught up to the "girl with the breast cancer headband" who had been with me at the start, but then sped up and was at least a half a mile ahead of me for miles 2-15. I felt like a complete boss.

19 I was done. Physically. My legs hurt, my hips hurt, my feet...I was worried to take my socks off because I didn't know what I was getting into then I turned the corner into some woods and saw it. I saw what I needed to get me through the next 7 miles. I saw three pale yellow butterflies. Yes, it sounds ridiculous, and yes, I shed some more tears, but there was a good reason. Yellow was my Papa Bud's favorite color and every run I did training for this marathon I saw a yellow sign and I knew that he was supporting me. These little butterflies meant more than just Papa was watching. It meant Great Grandma and Uncle Gene were there too. I was a mess. I knew that they were behind me and wanted me to finish what I started. The tears were shed, but as I was crying and realizing how far I had come I gained the strength I needed to finish.

20-26 My mantra was just keep going. All I needed to do to was see Mom, Annie, Natalie, Bailey, and Katie. I knew I could do it.

26.2 Crossing the finish line was truly a blessing. I turned the corner and Lonnie was there to run the last few blocks with me. I was a mess of tears and excitement, but having her there gave me the strength to keep going.

One thing I was a bit disappointed about was that the finish line was already being torn down when I crossed. There were still over 50 people in the process of finishing the hardest event of their lives and people were packing up to go home...it broke my heart. I just spend the last four months training and seriously busting my ass to finish and no one seemed to care. There were only a handful of people left to cheer us on and to be honest I needed an entire army to help me get across. The only thing I kept telling myself was that Mom was at the finish line and I couldn't wait to see her face.

She was crying, I was crying, we were hot messes of happiness.

She was so proud of me and I of myself. I never thought I could accomplish something so amazing.