a day at marathon 4:02.12

Clock Time 4:03:25
Chip Time 4:02:12
Overall Place 2217 / 14940
Gender Place 531 / 7139
Division Place 87 / 1050
5 Mile 43:56
10 Mile 1:27:21
Half Split 1:54:53
20 Mile 2:58:00

after reviewing the blogs from fellow competitors and training partners i am amazed with how much they recall each mile marker each park. for me actually even as i was participating it was surreal. it began with an early night. Mia and i turned in by eight and yes i slept wonderfully while my husband took our two teenage children to Disney Quest. they were so quiet coming back that both Mia and I remained sound asleep. At 3 am my watch, brook stone alarm clock and phone chimed. i woke straight away as is my custom not to lay about. I made my coffee, dressed, used the facilities like a well trained cat, and made the last minute check list check. I kissed my husband Elias letting him know he was now in charge as i was heading out and that I'd hopefully see him at the course at some point. our digital camera lost its charge and i lost the charger so no photos. i headed out of the french quarter to the bus and took the front seat. the start was visible from the exit of the hotel but in true Disney style crowd control, i arrived at the festivities almost 30 min later. it took me a little bit to get situated and finished my frappachino. i was careful not to fill up on liquids that my body would not be able to absorb in a short time. i then broke a basic rule i ate a cliff bar that i have never had before. thank the good Lord, who gave me an iron stomach to compensate for poor judgement. I made my way to the porta potties as seems to be the standard for all. off one line on to the next until i loaded into the corral. it was chilly but i checked my long sleeve top knowing i would warm up during the race and throwing it to the side was not going to happen. loaded into corral B. i couldn't find Jenny or Kathryn. I was not worried about this as i had not planned to head out too fast. i generally need to warm up and then pick it up later. i wore a pacing bracelet for Boston qualifying splits just to see and play it by ear. the national anthem, fireworks and then gun and i went off listening to bocelli. when i arrived at the first mile i was surprised with my 9.11 time much faster then i would have thought. so much for pace the first half or so and then open up. by the second mile i was at 8.47 i remained at this pace between 8.40 and 8.45 for at least 18 miles. I was reviewing everything i learned about the limitations come from within and are not set in stone boundaries. i was enjoying this revelation but dismissing a more important one patience. as is painfully obvious now i started to tire a bit and dropped to 8.50 and 9 min miles. still i was amazed i wasn't feeling taxed, forging ahead and refueling with gels and power aid i followed the white line. i contemplated all that i was running for all that i enjoyed and disliked about running. interestingly i enjoy training very much but not the actual races. i also don't like people shouting at me. i'm thinking and focusing and all the cow bells they should be banned. around mile twenty i realized that Boston was slipping and that i could still have a sub four time. at mile 22-24 my only goal get this damn thing done respectfully. mustering all the determination i could telling myself all the things that could shake the lead out it happen....at mile twenty five my legs were seizing they would not run and i clocked 11.45 at mile 26 i got it together but still i could only get 10.15. it was not pain it was not anything but an inability to put one foot in front of the other. there was a great divide between my brain and my legs. i managed to run to the finish line depleted of hope and definitely disappointed that i had made my rookie mistake. if i had held off the first five miles and eased into a swift (for me) steady pace i would have finished strong (the last 6 miles) and definitely broke the four hour mark and with more focused training pack my bags to Boston. lessons learned. i never heard from Kathryn but did see jenny briefly at magic kingdom the day after. Elias got me a massage at five in the evening and i called it a rather early night. thanks to my family who take this wild ride with me. i was sorry that i never saw them at the course and missed them at the finish. it was great to see them at the reunion area excited about the race and their signs about the will power of the Greek people and my two favorites "support Ecumenical Patriarchate" and "protest Turkish human rights violations". i hope the disposable camera Elias bought worked for those photos.