St George Marathon

I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. I ran the St George marathon last Saturday and it is nice to be done. I am finally getting over being sore...I'm not going to lie, my quads were hurting the next day, and the next... I woke up at 3 in the morning on race day and couldn't go back to sleep due to the butterflies eating a hole in my stomach. The bus ride up seemed really long and I wanted to throw up at the top when I saw all the thousands (5700) of people running. I was actually relieved once the race started due to all the anticipation. Anyway, long story short I ended up running an 11 minute pr and finished in 2:50:36 (6:30 pace). I was the 4th girl overall, and missed 3rd by 21 seconds...I tried to catch her, but her kick was too hard. I got my goal time-so I was happy. It was a fun downhill course, but does have some challenges..the uphill section (miles 7-11) and the heat...I felt pretty toasty by the end. I lucked out today and felt stronger running this marathon than I have ever felt with the previous ones. I feel like I have gained a little more experience and confidence with each one. This was my 5th marathon and I have improved my time by 33 minutes from my first one. I think this is the reason that keeps me coming back. I always finish wondering if next time I can train a little harder and run a little faster. I love the challenge of 26.2 miles. The training is the hard part and the race is the reward for all the hard workouts. It is the toughest thing I have ever done-(next to childbirth) but it is so rewarding. There is no greater feeling than crossing the finish line knowing you gave it your all. I know most people don't "get it" the whole running thing-but I do. It makes me feel good and happy and it keeps me sane. I feel better physically, mentally and spiritually because of running. Yes, I have days where I feel like crap and I adjust my workouts accordingly, but for the most part I love it. I am addicted and I plan on running many many more races and marathons in my life...but for right now I will take a break and eat a load of icecream...Ok enough of my soapbox on running, I am such a nerd sometimes.