thoughts i had during the SF marathon

i ran my third marathon last weekend, and it was chase's first!
the SF marathon is known as "the race that even marathoners fear"...
with those hills, i can see why! but, it was beautiful and a fun 
accomplishment to do together.

i've cried in every marathon i have run. i don't think there is anything that closer parallels the journey of life than a marathon. there are highs and lows and in betweens and so many metaphors to draw (i can't resist, i LOVE a good metaphor :)

to give a little bit of a taste of what a marathon is like (for me anyway...) here are some of the thoughts that i had each mile. i have all the pictures coming in a few days!

san francisco marathon 2014

4:30 AM wake-up: "no no nooooo. WHY did i ever agree to do this again?"

starting line: "whoo hoo!!! this is such a nice morning and i'm excited! the bay bridge is so pretty lit up right here! look how many people there are! (overly-excited, have pre-race adrenaline now)

mile 1: "DON'T GO TOO FAST! you've done this run along the embarcadero a million times, just take it easy and relax these first few familiar miles."

mile 2: (along fisherman's wharf) "okay that boudin sourdough bread smells SO GOOD."

mile 3: "i'm already hungry." (probably because of above^^^)

mile 4: "people are spreading out now, but don't speed up! try to stay steady and save energy. time to switch to a podcast instead of music so i don't go too fast."

mile 5: "HILLS. ouch, ouch ouch already."

mile 6: (view looking back at the golden city with the sunrise) "I LOVE THIS CITY SO MUCH! this marathon is so cool!!!!!"

mile 7: "i can't believe i live in this city! we are so lucky! life is good!"

mile 8: "found chase! we are running on the golden gate bridge and it's closed just for runners! this is epic!"

mile 9: "suddenly semi-concerned about a terrorist attack or collapse on the bridge today during the marathon. i need to get off this thing!!!"

mile 10: "off the bridge, phew and that was so fun. loved seeing chase and snapping 20 selfies with the bridge behind us."

mile 11: "i feel great! turning music back on, playing air drums as i run, all downhill. i love this race!"

mile 12: "wait i am kind of tired. why didn't i sign up for the half? i could be real happy finishing in 1 mile."

mile 13: (half marathon splits to their finish line) "...that hurts. these people get to finish right now. i'm only halfway?!"

mile 14: "that banana was the best banana i've ever had in my life."

mile 15: "will i ever get out of this park?! 

mile 16: (running around stow lake) "what i wouldn't give to be paddling around stow lake in a canoe instead of limping around it in a marathon right now."

mile 17: "this salted caramel GU packet is sooo good!" ...(5 minutes later) "that GU packet was disgusting."

mile 18: "are we really still in golden gate park??"

mile 19: (my mom calls from south africa), start crying immediately "i've never run a marathon without my mom by my side! thanks goodness for her pep talks!"

mile 20: loving the haight-ashbury neighborhood -- so many people, music, someone blowing bubbles, not even thinking about running! but i am thinking: "i am never eating a GU packet again in my LIFE. stomach does not feel good."

mile 21: "my legs are going to fall off. they hurt so bad i can't believe it. i need someone to come rub them out now."

mile 22: "why are we heading away from the water / finish line? can i take a shortcut?"

mile 23: "we are running through construction and straight up a hill. 3.2 more miles has never sounded so long."

mile 24: "does pumping my arms as fast as possible trick my legs into moving? i'm trying it." (it kind of does!)

mile 25: "i'm about to start crying again...there's something about all the cute strangers cheering you on along the way and helping you get to the end! this is like life and enduring to the end and all the people who help you and cheer you on along the way! i must be really delirious because i'm being so cheesy! i can't believe i'm almost done!"

mile 26: "the end is in sight! so close yet so far."

mile 26.2: "BEST FEELING EVER! reunited with chase, dizzy & about to faint, but WE DID IT! (even though they called me erin rigby as i crossed the finish line...) "erin rigby you go girl!" hahaha.

and, afterwards.. "time for a massage!" (which we got)

thanks husband for being adventurous and signing us up (AKA..forcing me to do it .. 

hehe :) but i am sure glad you did! what a fun memory together. now, the only 

kind of marathons we are doing for a long time are movie marathons ... okay?

lots of marathon day pictures are on the way!

xo