DNF...and it's all our faults

As you know, Tony and I participated in the 10th Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon this past Sunday. We were completely unprepared to walk 26.2 miles, since our longest walk up until the day of the marathon was oh...about 40 minutes. But we were delusional with bliss and really thought we could do it.

We arrived downtown at 4:10am for the 4:30am early-start. It was crazy cold and windy. There were about 150 people that did the early start too. The motivation of staying with the crowd made us push a little too hard coming out of the gate.




Miles 1 & 2 took us through Bricktown and towards the capital. If you are familiar with Bricktown, then you are familiar with the HUGE hill that takes you north and out of Bricktown. I was dreading this hill, but thought it would be okay since it was early in the race. Tony has this horribly, ugly habit of speeding up to go up steep inclines. In this effort to keep up with him and show my athletic prowess, I lengthened my stride and pace. It was shortly after that my hip-flexers started hurting. But I pushed through and we kept going.

We went through the capital area and then through the Crown Heights and Edgemere park area. Every mile, I was feeling like I would victoriously finish this thing...but my hip-flexers were hurting worse and worse and other parts of my legs were beginning to hurt too.

We went through Chesapeake and made it to the 9 mile mark about the same time that the first runner went past us. The runners started their time at 6:30am and he passed us 48 minutes into his run...yep...9 miles in 48 minutes...yikes! It had taken us 2 hrs and 48 minutes to make it to 9 miles.

Shortly after the 9 mile mark is when I came up to my first "brick wall". I was hurting pretty badly and my stomach was starting cramp. I have had an issue with "the daily d" since my surgery and was scared to death that it would hit during the marathon and there wouldn't be a porta-potty close enough. But instead of the "d" I just had horrible cramps. This was also about the point that I started crying intermittently. My exhaustion would hit and I would just cry...but I was not giving up.



We made to the half-marathon point (13.1 miles) in 4 hours and 15 minutes...and I was sure hoping my second wind would kick in...but instead it was the Oklahoma wind that kicked in. We went over the bridge at Hefner Parkway and Britton road (and let me tell you that is one steep bridge). When we got to the top, the wind was blowing so hard out of the north, it was pushing me sideways. Then I realized, we were about to turn north and walk into the wind. OMG! We walked into the wind for about 1/4 to 1/2 of a mile. IT SUCKED! But we finally got to turn and have the wind push us south. We passed the 15 mile mark and our pace had slowed down considerably. My legs were starting to lock up and I was having to lean on Tony to walk. At about 15.5 miles, I stopped. Literally. Tony let go of me to throw something in a trash can and I couldn't walk on my own. He sat me down on a bench by Lake Hefner and then realized he had to walk another 1 and 1/2 miles to make it to the next medical tent to get me a sag.

He debated as to whether he wanted to keep going, but very chivalrously, he sagged out with me. He said he wants to finish the marathon WITH ME, not without me...how sweet!!!

I am proud of the 15 1/2 miles that I finished, but I am also disappointed that I didn't do the whole thing. We will begin training for next year's marathon 36 weeks before the marathon...YES!...WE WILL TRAIN THIS TIME!! We definitely learned our lesson on this one.

Thanks for all of the encouraging thoughts and prayers! I know those thoughts and prayers are what kept me going after 9 miles when I was ready to stop.

(BTW...if you don't follow sports...DNF means Did Not Finish)