Mardi Gras Marathon...the rest of the story

Ok. So this month is very haphazard in terms of posting! After the marathon I put up the first part, at least the day before leading up to the start of the race. Then I had a crazy month (see a couple of posts below)....I pretty much outlined the month in 'End of Excess....'. I plan to post all the pics to document the month a bit at a time, and have so far put up *most* of the pics of the marathon as well as a couple from the first parade I went to for Mardi Gras. I will continue with the bachelorette party/wedding in Florida and the rest of Mardi Gras, but first figured I should finally finish my race report.

So after not too many hours of sleep (unfortunately :( ) we headed down to the start. They were screaming for people to line up, and I was sooooo thankful our hotel was only a couple of blocks away. Needless to say, I already had to pee again, and in hindsight should have ignored the screams to line up and hit the pots. But I didn't, and stood there kind of having to pee for 15 minutes waiting to start. Grr....

We were off after 'Oh Beautiful' or 'America the Beautiful' whichever you call it..(no National Anthem??? What is this?). First mile was crowded, but not have as bad as I suspected. I was immediately having trouble with my fuel belt staying put (which is so funny since I wore the EXACT same setup on my last long run with no issues). It kept riding up and I think I messed with it for about the first 3 miles. :(

Around mile 1 my phone rings (I know- how obnoxious, right?) and I answer. It's my husband and he can't hear me, which is even more obnoxious...I'm screaming, 'Hello???'....finally he hears me and says he's calling to wish me luck...I tell him thanks and that I'm already running, and he still can't hear me. I hang up but see the guy next to me chuckling...What? I can't take calls while running? :)

We head down Bourbon Street which is amazingly quiet and NOT bad smelling! I was shocked. They had just finished soaping and hosing down the streets so everything was actually a little slick which I found kind of amusing. I appreciate the attempt to make it not stink, but come on! Isn't it enough of an obstacle race between people, pot holes and trash?

We turn around at Royal St and head back towards Canal. I am already getting a little bored...this is going to be a long run! Once heading out towards Audobon park around the 3 mile mark I start to really have to pee. Hmmm...this is no fun! It's great seeing people out on the street though, beer in hand at 7:30! Some restaurants are open (for spectators, I assume) and I consider stopping in one right before I see a McDonald's. Excellent! I will get a real bathroom and skip the line at the Port-o-lets. Or so I thought. Apparently so did about 100 other people. Ok, so realistically there were 3 people ahead of me. That stop cost me about 3 minutes I think, which is kind of a bummer. This is about the 4.5 mile mark.

I continue towards the park occupying my time calculating fluid/nutrition intake. I had a great marathon experience and I swear it was because I am totally regimented when it comes to this. I read somewhere along the line that the body can only absorb about 6-8 ounces of water every 20 minutes. My body seems to be on the light side of this, so I did around 3 oz of water per mile. About one big sip every 1/3 mile. This made the time pass quickly, since I was constantly looking to the next sip, gel, etcetera, and it kept me on top of hydration. I was drinking an electrolyte powder mix and filling my bottles at water stations. It is WAY easier for me to drink out of a bottle rather than a cup, and I was able to avoid the crowding by grabbing a cup, dumping it in and going. I had a gel about every 45 minutes, 5 total for the race at miles 4.5, 9, 13.5, 18, 22.5. I had only water with the gels, at least 6 ounces spread over the next mile or so. I don't know if this was why, but my stomach never bothered me and I never felt dehydrated.

By mile 6.5 we curve into the park which was a needed change. My ipod is keeping me going and the change of scenery is really nice. My husband calls me AGAIN around mile 7 to confirm if it is my mom's ACTUAL birthday and should he bring the card. Seriously? I'm running here! But I had to laugh because there was a race photog right there (though she didn't get a picture, darn it!) and I thought it would be hilarious to be like, "Here I am running the marathon talking on the phone...". I tell him I'm right on schedule to see him and my parents at the half and we hang up.

Mile 8 had a fantastic water stop. They called it 'Blood, Sweat, and Beers', and were all dressed like vampires. The had bats and cobwebs hanging from the trees, offered up orange slices, pretzels, nuts, water, powerade, BEER and MARTINIS. Yep, that's New Orleans for you! In actual plastic martini glasses. I passed on all of this but had a great time passing through. I though about the martini because I assumed it was fake (like lemonade or something), and thank god I did! Laura took one and said it was an honest to goodness vodka martini and that she tasted vodka the next 4 miles. OMG I would have puked for sure.

We head out of the park around mile 9 and I start looking for Lauren and Kate who had started together. I knew it would be close if I was to see them, since we entered the park around 6.5 miles. When I didn't see them I was happy (because I knew they were at a good pace) and sad (because it would have been a major boost to see someone I knew). This part of the race gets rather dismal....there isn't much to see, we're not at the half yet, and I know no one. :(

I also had to pee again. I told myself not until after I saw my parents at the half. I was right on target for 9:15 (the time I had told them), and was pumped to see them. Around mile 11.5 I really really wanted to stop. Right when I was really thinking about it Lisa (owner of a local running store I frequent) runs up and taps me on the shoulder! I am really excited to see her. We have both been training for and talking about the marathon since August, and had done several of the same races. She had two daughters in the race as well, with her youngest daughter trying to break 3:25! Her older daughter got preggers while training and decided not to run, but her husband took her spot to jump in and pace Lisa for the second half. So we are going along chatting, but she is pushing the pace (she wanted to stay with the 4:30 group who was just ahead). She had stopped to pee and was trying to catch them again. I knew I wouldn't be able to maintain this pace, but figured I'd stick with her until after the half.

At 12.5 miles I call my dad to tell him I'm coming up on the half. Sadly they'd hit some jams due to road closures and weren't able to circumvent in time :( I am sad but tell him I will see them at the 15 mile mark, which isn't so far now anyway! Lisa and I chug along and at the half are joined by her son in law and another friend who sees her. Sadly I cannot remember their names now...darn it! We are all running and talking so I decide to stick with them as long as I can. Luckily I did, because miles 13-15 were horrible. I felt great, but it was through some really crappy areas so it just sort of sucked the life out of you. By 14.5 I started looking for the fam, and it was a HUGE mental boost to see them. Unfortunately some coworkers were also around this spot, but since I was looking for family I missed them :( Luckily they stuck around and saw me around 24.5 :) We continued on and there was a water station just past my family. I grabbed a cookie (something I had never done) and it went down great!

Just before mile 17 there was a (seemingly) HUGE overpass, and the pavement was being repaired so it was all torn up and scored. This was really really hard on my legs and I told my crew I wouldn't be running the whole thing with them. I was getting tired and didn't want to hold them back, plus I needed to pee. They encouraged me, told me I could do it and we continued. Apparently they were tired also, because at the 17 mile water station they grabbed some icy hot or some sort of cream from someone and tried to loosen up their leg muscles. This was a much needed rest for me, and I took a minute or so with them to stretch out. This helped alot, as did the thought (which I repeated to them) that we now had only single digits left!

We looped through City Park for the next 7 miles. This was SOOOO boring. I am so thrilled I had conversation to distract me and three other people to cheer me on. We all had our moments of being the slowest one in the foursome, but encouraged eachother the whole way. It was really great :). By mile 20 I started to think maybe I COULD finish with them. We were walking through each water stop at this point, but having short term goals (next sip, next stretch spot, next gel) really helped.

Finally we were coming up on mile 24 were I would see my parents again and I was so happy!! They got some great shots (I think still on the computer at home) and told me they were shocked I looked just as strong as at mile 15. Yay! Crazily enough, right at this point I also so Laura! I screamed her name and we jogged and chatted for a minute. She took my picture (Laura I will send you my email today so you can send it to me! BTW congrats on the offer!) and then stopped to grab a couple of other pics. We continued on and rounded the corner around mile 24.5.

At this point I was pumped...less than 2 miles left! I saw my coworkers and jumped around like a maniac!! We hit the home stretch and Lisa was turning it on. I didn't have much left but tried to stay with her. Around 25.8 or so her daughters jumped in (her younger daughter made her goal...holy crap!) and they were so supportive of their mom. They told her over and over how great she looked, how far we had to go, and jogged side by side snapping pics the whole way. I hope my kids are like that someday :).

Finally.....26.2!!!!! I was so happy. I found my husband and mom and dad right away, and they were shocked I still had so much energy. I felt great. I was glad I ran it responsibly, didn't push for time and my splits were super even. I have to look it up, but I'm pretty sure each half was in a minute or two of the other. I think it was something like 2:18 and change for first half, and 2:20 and change for the second half. I was the most proud of this, as it proved I didn't go out too fast.

I'll have to put up the mile splits, but it was all really even. I was thrilled with how it went, and at the time thought I would do another right away. Howeva....now I haven't run in 25 days (boo!) so the one I thought I would do next weekend is out of the question. So that means no Maniac membership for me right now :( Lauren and I had considered one in March and one in April to hit 3 in 90 days, but that's not going to happen right now. It starts to get hot around here pretty soon, so it looks like my next marathon will be my last until fall at least.......So here it is.....next marathon......


Country Music Marathon, Nashville, Tennessee....April 25! It's out there, Lauren, so now we have to do it! Anyone interested?