Marathon Mommy and 18 month Old Son

The home stretch
About a minute from the finish line!

My inspiration

Today I completed my first ever Marathon and finished in 4 hours and 29 minutes. After 5 months of training, I was very anxious about today, but everything went well. The race began at 7 am and was so much fun! There were thousands of people along the way that cheered and held signs and there were many musical entertainers as well. Also, running with other people who were sharing in the experience made it an exciting and memorable day (so much better than training alone). The scenery was gorgeous and even though the most challenging part of the course (mile 17-18) took us up a steep hill, it led to the beautiful St. John's bridge and an even more gorgeous view of the city.

As I started the race, I felt very emotional. I was actually doing this! I felt so strong in the beginning, but the down hill stretches, even though easy endurance-wise, proved to be torture for my knees. By mile 8, I began to feel intense knee pain, but I soldiered on and it dissipated. Unfortunately, the pain continued with every downhill stretch, which is unfortunate since this is when I could have picked up the pace.

I found miles 18-26 to be the most difficult. The steep climb up towards St. John's Bridge drained me, but I knew that I was getting closer to the finish line and with each mile marker passed, I cheered. I also kept thinking about Leo's smiling face at the finish line. I want to be a good example to him and show him through my actions, that with hard work and determination, big goals can be accomplished. I know this is a lesson he will not grasp now, but he will some day.

As I approached the home stretch and re-entered downtown, cheering crowds lined the streets and shouted words of encouragement. It was exhilarating! As I approached the finish line, I saw/heard Joe. He was with Leo, my mom, Tiffany and Martin and they were all cheering for me. I had reached my destination and I felt so proud that I finished. YEAH!!!

After the race, I picked up my finisher's shirt, medal, pin and tree seedling and they wrapped me in a foil blanket. I looked pretty crazy in that blanket, but it sure did help.

Even though this was a life changing experience, the physical strain was immense. Currently, I can barely walk. I have been nick-named the hobbler because hobbling is all I can do. I hate to imagine how I will feel tomorrow.

Leo News
Leo also had his 18 month doctor appointment and he is doing great. Here are the stats:

22.1 pounds (7-8%)
32 inches (42%)
19.1 inches head circumference (74%)

He is talking so much now, it is hard to keep up with him vocabulary because he seems to learn more than a word everyday. Our new favorite combo of words is cheese crack (cheese crackers), which he is addicted to.

He is also testing his limits, especially with dumping his water cup all over the place, especially his books. He never ceases to get a kick out of this, regardless of the number of times we have said no.