26.2 Mission ACCOMPLISHED!!!

Although it may not have been the prettiest, I conquered the Malibu Marathon 2011.  I still can't come off the high of finishing a marathon and I am so sad to see it over already.  It was a year in the making and one year ago November, I had never run over 9 miles before.  The following is my Race Report:

Mom, Dad, Billee and me at the Race start!

It started out with a pretty bad night's sleep.  I'm sure this isn't unusual for most marathoners.  I'm even beginning to think that this is part of the challenge, knowing that you have to run such a distance on so little sleep.  I may have gotten 4 hours if I was lucky.  My mind was racing and I had several other things running through my mind as well.  My thoughts were completely occupied.

My mom came to my bedroom to check on me at 0340 hrs.  We were both up as my mom prepared some tea.  She had made some awesome t-shirts for every one to wear which read "Run Charli RUN!"  I ate some toast with peanut butter and my brother was downstairs shortly after.  We hit the road for Camarillo airport at 0520 hrs.

 The first song in the car was the Rocky soundtrack which also included Eye of the Tiger.  Good selection, Bro!  I was amped!  Yet I still had an hour car ride to sit through and ponder the future events of the day.  Would my body cramp up?  Would I walk the whole way?  Would I puke?  Was I going to be too tired at mile 15 to continue...I had no idea what was in store for me.

We arrived at the race start as the sun was rising up over the mountains.  I knew it was going to be a perfect day as I stepped out of the house in the dark and saw an open sky and a clear view of O'Rien constellation.  Now the sun was up and the temps were starting to rise.  I think it was 55 or so degrees.

Brian played some more Rocky for me.  The race also started late because one of the shuttle buses broke down.  We waited for the rest of the runners to arrive.  There were only about 400 marathoners, which I was surprised there were so few.  Dear God, just don't let me be the last runner to cross!

We heard the National Anthem, and out the gates we went.  I tried to pace myself the first half, because I knew what hills lurked ahead.  I wanted to conserve my energy for the hills towards the end.  I remembered them being big, but not as big as they felt while running them.

Mom, Dad, Brian and runner Dexter at mile 10!

The first and smallest of the hills.

The first 8 miles were a cake walk.  I saw my mom on the corner of the road at Mile 1.  That was pretty awesome!  She ran with me a few feet and then said she had to find her ride.  My legs felt like jello from the nerves, but by mile 5, that had worked itself out.  At mile 10, I saw my parents and brother on the Pacific Coast Highway onramp from Point Magu.  This was a fantastic surprise and a real boost.  My family must have used equally as much energy as I did running.  They jumped and screamed and hooted and hollered, I am one lucky sister and daughter!

One of my first views of the ocean!

I reached the ocean shortly after.  I passed a few people who I had seen at the start who weren't looking so good at such an early point in the race.  I was just sooo happy to be by the ocean and see the waves crashing.  I passed mile 12 and my family was there again.  The hills were about to approach. 

It definitely felt lonely in certain parts of the race because there were so few runners and spectators.  I was so grateful for the few spectators that were cheering on their friends and family.  They cheered me on, also, even though they were complete strangers.  I thanked them all!

I don't remember all that much between 13 and the end with the exception of the ascents.  They were long and steep and the downhills could not be enjoyed because all I saw was another hill in front of me that I had to conserve my energy for.  I did not want to walk up them at all, unless it was my designated 30 second walk break.  I especially didn't want to walk in front of my family, even the slowest jog would do. 

At around 15-18, I had to fight the nausea.  I had consumed about 6 Gu gel packs in total.  They were beginning to make me feel sick.  I REALLY didn't want to have to throw up on the side of the road.  I was doing my best to keep it down in my stomach and think to myself, mind over matter.  I'm not sick.  I'm not sick.  I'm not sick.  

I did almost get struck by one SUV on the PCH.  My dad saw it too.  The driver went into the runners lane and came so close to me that I felt the heat from the radiator (or whatever part of the engine that would be).  It was a close one.  The driver then swerved through the cones, back into the southbound lane.

I couldn't wait to get to mile 20.  At mile 18, I hit the wall that I really thought I wouldn't hit.  The forward moment felt nonexistent.  No matter how much I tried to move my legs and push the pavement beneath me, it felt like my run was the pace of an elderly person.  Just keep running, just keep running.  I knew to push through the wall, so my thoughts were still positive.  At this point, I had no doubt in my mind that I wouldn't finish.  This was a certainty.

Mile marker 21 eventually came.  The miles felt longer than they did on my training runs and I believe they actually were.  I think my GPS may have been incorrect the entire time I was training.  My application on my phone was calling out the miles about .6 of a mile early.  This was not helpful.  I prayed for the mile markers to appear more quickly.  Then I realized I can't ask God to change science.  A mile is a mile-- 5,280 feet no matter which way you cut it.  So I then prayed to God to change my mental perspective to get me though the miles.  Maybe they would FEEL like they were coming more quickly.

My parents and brother were there for pretty much each mile of the way from mile 10 on.  This was a tremendous help.  I don't know if I could have finished without them cheering me on.  Some people I passed were crying from fatigue, most walked up the hills.  My parents saw me at mile 22, I think this is when they said it was my last hill and that the rest was downhill.  This was entirely inaccurate, but I appreciated their positive outlook on what an "uphill" is.

My dad was there at mile 24 and 25.  I could see close to the end at mile 25, but I could also see another incline.  I asked my dad if I had to go up the hill and he said that it wasn't really a hill.  It was, and it stunk.  It felt like only the last half mile or so was down hill to the finish.  I had expected the last 2 miles to be downhill, but they weren't.

I managed to sprint, or what felt like a sprint, to the finish.  Looking at the videos, it looks a little wobbly, but I just couldn't wait to be done.

Dad and Me at the Finish!

I saw my family jumping up and down and screaming for me, and it was an amazing feeling.  I finished the 26.2 miles, and it truly was a humbling experience.

It feels like a fleeting moment which I have no way of preserving other than my memories and photos.  I guess I will just have to run another...