Happy Monday! 🙂 I’m ready to tackle this week because NEXT week I’ll be living it up on the beach in Miami!!! Can we say #yoloyoloyolo? Did you just leave me for that belligerence? Then YOLO to you!
Ok, f’real, here’s what went down this weekend. Nashville Country Music Marathon is what went down. The end.
Yeah, we all know I’m not that short winded. Come on. Here we go.
I wasn’t excited about this race. I just had a pretty lame attitude leading up to it. I had some awesome training runs and I don’t ever doubt my ability to finish something that I start, but I just wasn’t amped – not at all.
Compared to the Seattle or Georgia marathon, I was alarmingly apathetic toward the marathon. When I crossed the start line, I wasn’t really feeling it. So bizarre for me – but I was already sweating and I let heat affect me like crazy. I even called fitnesscrEATures BEK at .5 miles in (HA!) and chatted with her about how I just wasn’t into it.
It’s probably all in my head. I don’t know. Anyway, I chugged right along at a slow, slow pace. I knew with my attitude being where it was, I had to be patient with my body.
Miles 1-11 the marathoners and the half marathoners all stayed together. That was pretty cool because there were SO MANY half marathon runners – which made for an exciting vibe. I just wish I had felt it more.
At mile 8, my boyfriend met up with me on the bike and I pulled out my headphones and said, “Babe, I’m OVER this!” He told me afterward that he didn’t know how to respond – by telling me that I had 18 more or not… Ha, he didn’t respond, so that was smart on his part. He rode with me the entire duration of the race. I can’t even begin to describe how crucial his presence was. He stopped at a gas station and brought me Gatorade. He gave me strength and belief that I could finish.
The course itself was gorgeous. The rolling hills were on point with Atlanta hills, if not a bit smaller. I saw a man wearing the Georgia marathon shirt and afterward we compared the two marathons and agreed 100% that Nashville is a much better course. MUCH better. 🙂 I only wish I had been feeling it more.
I let my attitude really impact my performance, along with the heat that I have not trained in at all. The group of people I was pacing with were on a walk/jog schedule and I’ve never seen so many people walking during a marathon. I was more than happy to walk jog to the end.
To be honest, my goal was to beat my last marathon time – 4:40. That’s my goal for every ‘big’ race – just improve from my last time. I knew my training would allow for that, definitely. But after the first few miles, I just sort of let that goal go. I just wanted to finish, and be done with it.
I know that a lot of this doesn’t sound super wonderful, but it really is. I’m happy to have experienced something to teach me that I’m not invincible and that I can be challenged in ways I never knew possible. I was so so happy when I saw mile marker 25 that I ran so fast to just finish.
I didn’t hit my goal but I finished and I am happy and proud. I have never worked harder to complete a task and that’s a testament to my adoration toward running. I would absolutely do this race again if it was guaranteed to not be hot outside! And hell, I have the Chicago marathon on the agenda this year, so there’s still another opportunity to PR! In the end, I finished in 5:07:43 – 27 minutes slower than my PR. Wow. As shockingly different as those two numbers are, I worked harder for this medal. I’m happy it’s over and I’m ready for Chicago, ha!
As for the BYEEEE in my post title, I’m traveling for work Tuesday-Monday (yeah, I’m going to be miserable and I sacrificed my weekend, BOOOO) so I’ll be MIA. And then I’m going to MIAMI on Thursday (BBM2014) so I may check in, I may not. We shall see how this chick feels.
One more thing about marathons: ALL.THE.FOOD.
Hand cut fries + fried pickles.
Red velvet, triple chocolate, banana, coffee, and cookies and cream cupcakes.
Crab cakes + French fries (so that makes twice in one day!).
Breakfast buffet on Sunday morning. I’m always insatiable the days after a long run!
And that, my blogging peeps, is what I did this weekend. Ran and then ate. And reflected a lot. All good stuff. So I’ll catch up with all of you as soon as I have a free moment after my travels! My work traveling means no free time at alllllll. UGH!
How was your weekend?
Was this post just way too long and annoying for you? I feel ya.
What’s something that was extra challenging for you recently?
P.S. A special shout out to that hawt girl Amanda for introducing me to the “Bachelorette Party” Pandora station. Hellz ya that powered me through some mileage on Saturday! 🙂
P.P.S. Another special shout out to all my support from all my friend IRL. <3<3 You all know who you are – those who texted me and wished me luck… All my love. ❤
Rather than update you guys on my rather mundane work week, I shall recap the awesomeness that was MIAMI, or, #BBM2014. Bek and I met up with 
fitnesscrEATures 