For the last 4 months I had been training for the St. George marathon. I trained long and hard hours. I got up at 5:30am on Tuesdays to run on the track with a group, I ran long Saturday runs over the bridges into Manhattan, and ran countless hours around Prospect Park here in Brooklyn. I did lots of sports massages, stretches, weight lifting and eating healthy. Training for a marathon is a lot of hard work and diligence but really pays off as you see your body transform and as you get stronger physically and mentally.
The week before this marathon I got the croup (with all my children as well) and it really threw me for a loop. My body felt ok, but I was coughing a lot, had lots of congestion and couldn't breathe as well. I tried to heal as fast as I could and took vitamin C, essential oils, tea and spoonfuls of honey but at the end of the week my body was still a little weak and I had the aftermath of a congested chest. I actually overdosed on vitamin C and was having an upset stomach and diarrhea.. gross! but also who knew you who could overdose on Vitamin C!
Well the weekend came and I still decided to run the race and see how I did. I flew to Utah (alone!) and Dani picked me up and I stayed at her place. The next day we drove to St. George where we went to the runners expo, ate some food and got all ready for the race. The day of the race was great weather! A little overcast but not too hot or cold. The beginning of the race went really well and until mile 7 (Veyo) I was on track for my 3 hour marathon. That hill did me in and I slowed way down. Dani met me at a few places along the way and ran with me which helped a lot! She gave me water, pumped me up and talked me through some hard miles. Mentally my heart just wasn't in the race. I couldn't win mentally and that got me down physically. My calf started to really hurt around mile 16 and never stopped. It was in a weird place that I had never felt it hurt before. I pushed through some really hard parts and ended with 3hr 18min at the end. I really did give it my all and felt horrible after the race. Right when I crossed the finish line I started crying and hyperventilating because I literally couldn't breathe. I had pushed my body to the max and it all caught up to me when I crossed that finish line. A man held me up and walked with me through the finish line shoot until I could breathe a little normal again. Dani came into the area to help me too. She got me water, held me up and helped me to breathe. It took me a good 15 minutes to slow my breathing down, stop crying and feel ok to move. My body was tired physically and mentally. Mark and DeAnn had come to cheer me on and watch the race as well so I went over to see them. They were so kind to drive all the way to see me! We met up and I got something to eat even though nothing sounded good at all and then we all stood in line for me to get a massage. I met up with Spencer's cousin, Ashley, who had also run the marathon! After I got a massage, we went to a yummy Thai place to get some pho soup which was so so good to me! Then we went back to the condo that we were staying at to sleep and relax. The condo had a pool too so Dani and I got into the pool and hot tub and just relaxed. Later that evening we went to Cafe Rio for some dinner and because my body was still sooo hungry!
All in all, the race went just okay. Whenever someone would ask about it I just told them my heart wasn't in this one! It was such a bummer that I wasn't feeling it since I had trained so hard for it and really wanted that 3 hour marathon! It was so hard for me to feel this race and really get into it and I feel it was because I had gotten sick the week before. I really wanted it, but in the end, the body couldn't pull through. There will be more races and another chance to get a 3 hour marathon! I am not done trying and will someday reach that goal!
Other happenings in October.. crafts with my girls, Lenny turning ONE and one weekend we went upstate to Woodstock with our best friends. It was a perfect little getaway and in a gorgeous area! We rented a cute little cabin the woods and spent the day just relaxing, making good food, going to an apple orchard and the girls loved the hot tub!
Other random happenings: we watched our friends baby overnight a few times and the girls LOVED holding him!, bergen helped me make some applesauce and apple muffins with all the apples we picked at the apple orchard in Woodstock. Charley's school was having a pumpkin sale so we went and I let each girl pick a pumpkin to take home and carve. It was fun finding pumpkins for each girl and felt like such a Autumn thing to do!
