The Mother of All Runs

It wasn’t until we were fifteen minutes outside of Lubec and we spotted the first “welcome marathon runners” sign that I realized it was really here- the day I had been waiting for, waking up at 5am and pounding the pavement for, enduring  freezing cold ice baths for, and skipping the tempting margaritas on a hot Summer day for.     

                                         

I was fortunate to spend Saturday with some of my favorite people in one of my favorite places relaxing and mentally preparing.  I woke up with coffee on my grandparents back deck, staring at the ocean and taking in the fresh, salt water air.  Before heading into town to pick up my race information and bib, I went for a twenty minute jog to shake the anxiety I was experiencing and to loosen my muscles in preparation for the big day. Packet pick up was great!  Volunteers were friendly, organized and just as excited as the runners were. The feeling of A small town community coming together to put on a great event was evident and everyone was doing a fantastic job.

I woke Sunday morning with the panic of forgetting my sneakers.  I must have dreamt all night about not having them when I was at the start line and having to run bare foot.  I arrived at the start line a little over an hour before the run would begin.  It was fun watching all the buses shuttling people in and seeing everyone preparing for the long run.  I passed the time with plenty of conversation and strategically planning when I would make my last rush to the portable potty(vomit).  I had six blok chews and two Gu packets stuffed into my sports bra making it appear that my chest was a lot bigger than in reality it is!  With that and my “One Bad Mother Runner" shirt, I was ready to conquer the 26.2 miles! The horn sounded promptly at 8am and the herd of runners started crossing the start line and heading out onto the run course. 

Luckily for me, I had amazing fans that were cheering me on all along the course.  The first two miles went by as if it were two minutes and I was at the end of my grandparents driveway where my family was waiting and cheering.  Another three miles later one of my closest friends who traveled four hours just to watch me run was waiting and cheering with her family.  Six miles in, I had a huge fan club with posters and flags and just before I crossed the Canadian bridge I heard my brother yell “GO REEGAN”!  All of the spectators and support motivated me and I was feeling stronger than ever.     

                            

Thirteen miles and the halfway point came sooner than I had ever imagined and I was feeling great.  At mile fourteen my dad was waiting near my Nana and Gamps house to take pictures and decided to run a quarter of a mile up the hill with me while lending encouraging words the entire way.   Despite his huffing, puffing and possible sore legs the next day, thinking about that moment makes me smile.  Mile sixteen was the turnaround point and I picked up another Gu packet there and prepared to settle in for the last 10.2 miles. 

The constant hills didn’t bother me as bad during the first 20 miles as they did the last 6.2 miles.  I took them one step at a time and recited in my head “pick up your knees and push with your booty- you got this”.   It wasn’t until somewhere between mile 23 and mile 24 that I got the visit from Mr. Wally that I had been warned about!  My gas tank was empty, my calves were about to blow up, and I think I had lost feelings in my legs completely.  My ultimate goal was to finish the marathon in four hours or less.  I had a little less than twenty minutes before I would reach the four hour mark and 2.2 miles to go.  I brought my pace down to prevent myself from feeling as though I needed to stop and I focused on something ahead of me.  Each time I reached my focus, I chose something new to focus on.  Soon I had reached the bridge and I could see the mile 26 marker.  I was on the home stretch!

I couldn’t control my emotions when I crossed the finish line at 4:00:34!  The first two people I saw that I remember were two of my best childhood friends.  They both looked so happy and excited for me that somehow they distracted my overwhelming urge to cry my eyes out! Despite the lack of feeling in my legs,  I quickly found my giant fan club and couldn’t have felt more support and love!

The experience of completing my first marathon was beyond what words can express!  I am truly amazed at what our bodies will do for us if we treat it right, feed it right, rest it right, and stay positive.  Training for a full marathon was nowhere near easy as I juggled my full time working mom schedule along with all the challenges life presented me with on a daily basis but in the end, the experience has proven to me that with  hard work, determination, a positive outlook, and supportive people you can run as far as you desire in life!