Phx Marathon Race Recap!!

This weekend was SO. MUCH. FUN! I never wanted it to end!

It started with the packet pick up expo on Friday for the Phoenix Marathon- which turned into total chaos. We had originally signed up for the full marathon- but decided to drop to the half- partially because we hadn't really been training for a full (my longest run was 18 miles) and partially because there just wasn't any reason for us to do a full marathon this early in the season, when we have so many races coming up this year. 

I've dropped from the full marathon to the half marathon before, and it's never been a big deal- they just tell you to line up with the half instead of the full. Well, we asked at packet pick-up if we just run the half and they said we couldn't it was sold out. We went over to the "HELP!" booth, and explained to them what we were trying to do and they again, told us the half was sold out. 

I think at think point, we both started freaking out a little bit. So we left there, and 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' wrote an email to the race director on the way home. (Keep in mind, this is Friday at 6PM, the day before the race- we really weren't expecting much at this point....)

Super-ridiculously-long story, even shorter-- they said there was nothing they could do. 

We woke up the next morning at 4AM and started getting ready. At one point, we looked at each other and I asked if we were going to get serious and go for it (head down there and try to beg/plead our way in) or go back to bed- at 4AM in the morning-- I was OK with either option! ;)

We decided to go for it and headed down there. It was supposed to rain Saturday, and when we left you could definitely feel the storm coming. I was hoping it would hold off until after the race, but knew we probably wouldn't get that lucky. 

We got to the buses and there was NO ONE! It was like a ghost town- I thought we were in the wrong spot- maybe at the buses for the 10K that had a later start?? But I think the volunteers saw us looking confused and shouted into the megaphone "HALF MARATHON BUSES RIGHT HERE! IF YOUR DOING THE HALF YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT SPOT!" So we tried to get on 1 of the 10 buses they had, and the driver told us they were still trying to fill up the first bus. We walked up to the first bus (I was holding my breath, hoping they weren't going to check out bib numbers) and he wished us both good luck and pointed us onto the bus. 

So much relief! After completely stressing out for the past 12 hours we were finally on the bus headed to the start line. All I wanted to do was run. Not long after we got on the bus, we took off and headed for the start line....the 2 of us and 4 other people. Yup, there were 6 people on our regular, full-sized school bus! It was great though, we each had our own seats and could lay down. 

Once we got to the start and got off the bus, we got in one of the ridiculously long lines for the porta-potties. At this point it was cold and pretty windy. at 6:15am, they played the National Athem and I-kid-you-not, had a 4th of July fireworks display at the end! No joke! It wasn't like 1 or 2 cute little fireworks- it was several of the big, loud, bright fireworks!!

They went on for so long, I had time to take my phone out and get a picture!

After we used the port-a-potties, we tried to huddle around one of the heat lamps they had- which was SO nice- but didn't help much with the cold rain and wind. After a couple minutes we had to pull ourselves away and head towards the start line.

SO happy to be able to run!! :)

Everyone was huddled together and freezing in the dark- not the best looking scene. To my fellow runners.... you know how you sometimes will bring a sweater/sweat pants/whatever and where them to the start line, then take them off and throw them? And they all get donated to a local charity or homeless shelter? (I usually do this too.) Today, I was that charity!! I was so cold and wet in my tank top and arm warmers that I grabbed a jacket laying on the ground and wore it for the first 4 miles! It was amazing! Thank you to whoever brought the thick grey jacket with green stripes!! :)

I took off WAY too fast and ran the first 2 miles in about 18 minutes. When I realized I was going too fast, I think I slowed down too much and my pace became 10:30ish. Once I realized I was going to slow, I tried to steadily pick up the pace, but I just ran out of time/miles to make it up.

When I finally hit the last mile I gave it everything I had. I was sprinting towards that finish line hoping to finish under 2:10. I took out my headphones so I could hear the music and the crowd- it was great! I looked down at my watch and I was at a 6:45 pace- I was flying! I brushed some guys arm (seriously, barely grazed it) so I turned and politely waved and said "sorry!" and kept going. Getting closer to the finish line, pushing through, leaving nothing in the tank, almost there--- them BOOM! The guy I brushed by came barreling at me and totally body chucked me. Causing me to trip over my own feet and almost fall over!! I don't know what startled me more- almost falling or the fact that someone actually just hit me.

I turned about and shouted "what the heck?!?!" and he just looked and me (like "what??") and acted like he had no clue what he just did. Then he shouted "I'm going to kick your a$$!" and started sprinting-- so I did the only logically thing I could think of and took off sprinting too. I was quite a ways a head of him and turned around and looked at him like where you at?! and kept going towards the finish.

Cold, wet, and tired.

I finished in 2:09- not great, but I'll take it. I found 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' and he got a free turkey hot dog- he said it was really good too! haha! We also recycled our timing chips on the back of our bibs- I've never done thing before, but it was pretty cool.

After the race we hung out and then FINALLY celebrated Valentine's Day with a dinner date! That's coming up next... :)

Did anyone else race this weekend??

Do you like running in rain? I've never raced in the rain, so it was a fun experience. But it did feel like every rain drop was headed straight into my eyes and it was too dark to wear my sunglasses. LOL!