The first shall be my last...and the last shall be my first. ;-)

That's kinda how I feel about this whole marathoning business. Man was that TOUGH!!!

Hat's off to you Rachele for running that twice. Whew!

But, it was definitely an experience to remember. Jonathon reassures me I could have come in quicker had I not slept 3 hours the night before, or if I didn't have this cold my kiddos have shared with me. Or if I wasn't still nursing...hello back pain. Or if my knees weren't so sore from the 20 mile training run, then I would have been able to train more in the past 3 weeks. Or if my shoes weren't 5 miles old. Whoops. They say it's bad to run a marathon in new shoes that aren't at least 50 miles broken in. But, my old shoes were so worn out that a 3 mile run was killer on my knees. So, I thought it's better to have worn out feet than worn out knees. Okay...enough excuses. I am honestly proud of myself. Here is what I'll brag about.

I came in 7401 place out of the 20,543 finishers . In my woman's age group of 25-29 years old, I placed 452/1941 and out of women runners I placed 2582/10038 overall. Which places me in the top 25-30%, and I'm happy with that.

It was harder than I thought it was going to be so I am glad I finished it at all.

It's been hard to wrap my mind around just how far I ran. So, yesterday I mapquested a 26 mile route. Basically Pounders Beach to Castle Hospital...no wonder I am sore. ;-) Amazing that some people in this world can run that far in 2 hours 10 minutes...crazy.

So....Here is how the race went.

1:50 AM Just One of the 3 alarms we set went off (good thing we set 3 eh?)

2:00 Nurse Tex one last time and throw on my clothes

2:10 Head out door to pick up friend's husband who is also running marathon

3:15 Find an awesome parking spot in Waikiki along the Ala Wai (free parking...hooray!)

**Funny side story. I didn't want to carry my car key with me for the race. So, I planned to lock my key in my car. I checked to make sure I had everything I wanted, warned my friend to do the same so nothing he needed would be locked in. I gave the count down to the final car door closure. "3...2..1.Slam. And just as the door shut I shouted, "Aaaaah! I left the lights on!" Luckily my car has an automatic shut off for retards such as myself who leave interior lights on. You don't wanna be jumping a car on Ala Wai road.**

Then, we walked through Waikiki to the Zoo.

3:40 Catch shuttle at Honolulu Zoo and head for starting line at Ala Moana Park

4:00 get to start. "What are we going to do for an hour?" I'm thinking. "And I totally need a nap...big time."

So we spent an hour killing time watching all the many many many Japanese tourist groups do their group stretches and people watch. I stood there comparing my physique with all those around me wondering if I was in good enough shape to accomplish this task. Took a quick potty break and headed to the starting line.

5:00 Fire work display and starting gun. It was so cool to see the fireworks, and the finale just as the race got going was AWESOME.

Start running. It's so crazy packed in the beginning. It's hard to set your own pace you are just running and trying not to step on someone else's heels for the most part. Or get stuck for too long behind someone who is going deathly slow.

It was really pretty running around down town, because all the Christmas lights were lit up. It was just fun to be able to run down the middle of the street and take it all in.

I pass mile 1...doing great. Feeling good. 10 minute pace...right on track.

I pass a few more mile markers and get to the first water station...still feeling great.

Pass by the zoo....Peew. I think all the animals were doing their #2 duty.

I passed a few Honolulu Photographers, gave a few Shaka signs to cheerers on the side lines and a few high fives along the way. I was having fun and the miles were flying by....till about mile 6.

mile 6-8 seemed like a longer stretch for me. And my chest started to feel a little heavy and it was a little hard to breath. Then I noticed my "milk had come in". Since Tex usually wakes up right about 6:30 to nurse. So this is probably what added the extra pressure and constricted my breathing a little...not to mention made my back and shoulders a little sore. But I was still feeling pretty good and carried on running.

Somewhere about this time I met a guy named Stephen. A nice chatty older fellow. He's ran over 100 marathons in his lifetime. Can you believe that? Currently he is working on a goal of finishing a marathon in each of the 50 states. He said he only has 12 to go. How crazy is that?

So, we ran and chatted for a few miles. I was beginning to wonder if he was planning to run the whole way with me. He was nice, but I felt like the chatting was kind of messing up my pace a little. Eventually he saw someone wearing a 50State Marathon Club T-shirt and he struck up a conversation with that guy. I began walking and fell behind and Stephen got lost in the crowd.

The next stretch of Hawaii Kai seemed to last FOREVER! We made the half way point and I was still feeling pretty good. A little tired and still struggling with breathing, but overall not too bad.

The Hawaii Kai stretch was difficult for a few reasons. 1: I didn't know how far it was to the turn around point. In my mind it was just a few miles down the road...but it ended up being 6 miles. And 2: As you are running towards Hawaii Kai, there are other runners going the opposite direction who are somehow 12 miles ahead of you! And 3: The sun was up by this point and it was getting HOT.

Along the way there were lots and lots of hydration stations. I loved passing the water stations. It was fun to see the young kids passing out cups of Gatorade, water, and cold wet sponges. They were all cheering us on. "Way to go guys...You can do this! You are doing awesome!" I'd grab a cup or 2 or 3. The extra cups I poured into the water bottle I was carrying on my back. I swear I drank a gallon of liquids on the whole course.

Also along the way were crowds and crowds of people on the sidelines cheering us on. Actually that is one of the coolest parts of the race. And, if it wasn't for them I don't know that I would have finished the race. At least not as quickly as I had done. Their cheers definitely kept me going. And they probably will never read this blog, but I would really like to thank them for all their cheers, bell ringing, and calls of encouragement...and the food and goodies they were handing out.

Many people on the side were handing out snacks which I thought was really cool. When I first saw some lady holding out a bowl of pretzels I thought, "That's really sweet, but how weird!...why would anyone want pretzels?" Then a few minutes later my stomach started cramping cause I was pretty hungry since I was running on an empty stomach. A few moments later I ran past a young guy holding a big bowl of Chex mix. I grabbed a quick handful as I ran past and shouted, "Thanks!!" And Oooooh!!! That handful was the miracle I needed. The stomach cramps went away and I was good to go again.

I ran along doing my jogging thing, and walking through water stations. Eventually we hit the Costco in Hawaii Kai (at least that's where I think we were), and I had FINALLY reached the turn around point.

It felt SOOOOOO nice to finally be the one running past the people on the other side of the road who hadn't past the turn around point. Seeing all the people on the other side of the road who I was now 5-10 miles ahead of was very encouraging, and gave me a lot of energy.

Eventually I came to a water station where I saw a lot of people resting different body parts on the stacks of bagged ice. One of the ladies was icing her knees and I thought, "What an excellent idea!" So, I joined her for a moment and we shared a giggle. ;-)

I ran along for another mile or 2, and that's when a rock got stuck in my shoe. I read somewhere that if a rock gets in your shoe during a marathon, get it out immediately before it causes a bigger problem. So, I went to the side...tried to get the rock, but couldn't find it. I got running again and noticed my knees were getting pretty sore. Then, I felt that stupid rock again. Stopped, and found the dumb rock in my sock, and took it out. I ran a few meters, but was starting to get real stiff and sore. I'd barely passed mile 21 by this point. When I past mile 21 I thought, "This is great! I feel like I'm doing awesome, and I'll be done in 50 minutes! That means I'll surely be done in under 5 hours."

But all of a sudden my knees were killing and my energy died and I felt like I couldn't go for 5 more miles. I stepped to the side again and stretched my legs a moment, and a sweet lady walked up to me and offered me a Cliff Bar Shot block, and some pretzels. I said, "Thanks...I'm really dying." She said, "No your not! Your doing great! This'll help. You're goona make it!" And with that my spirits were renewed and I was off on my way again.

But the more I moved the more sore I became. By this point the bottoms of my feet were feeling pretty raw, my toes were starting to hurt because I had forgotten to trim my toe nails shorter, and my knees were still sore and getting worse. So I walked a bit. Every now and then I could get myself to run, but it only lasted a moment. It was hard to convince myself that it was worth it to run.

I'm not sure how many miles were left by this point. It was feeling as though the mile markers were getting placed farther and farther apart. I was doing a lot of walking.

Eventually a sweet Asian lady who was also running the race came up and chatted with me for a moment. She told me we just had to get over the hill, and that it was hard...but that she knew I could do it. We walked a few paces together and she said, "Okay, lets jog a bit." So, I jogged with her for a few moments, and she began walking again, but I was feeling good enough to continue jogging.

So, along my way I went. I came across a group of ladies handing out cups on the side of the road. I grabbed a cup not knowing what it was....ummm, it was beer. So, I ran a little ways away and dumped it on the side of the road as to not upset them.

I kept pushing through the pain. Somewhere along the way I saw a sign that said 5K to go. I thought to myself "5K should be a cinch!" So, I began to run again...but I just hurt sooo bad.

Somewhere around mile 23/24 I think...I began getting really dizzy all of a sudden. I tried to shake it off for a moment and push past it, but then I realized I might pass out at any moment, and not be able to finish the course. So, I stopped and held onto a rock wall for a moment

I decided I probably needed to eat a little more, so I grabbed my last Cliff Bar Shot blocks (thank you soooo much Abbs)...and kept on moving. The dizziness left, it worked.

I finally saw a sign, "2K to go!" I tried to run again... just too sore.

A blond German? guy walked up next to me, and with a very thick accent said to me, "I am DONE running!" I said, "Amen!" But, just then I kind of got the urge to run...so I ran 30 feet and stopped again when my feet began cramping again.

FINALLY...the 1k to go sign came up. And I said to myself.."Okay. It's just pain. You can do this. Just run. You are going to be sore no matter what, so just GO!"

And I started running and I ran and I ran. And I didn't stop. And all of a sudden I was passing people again. And I could ignore the pain.

I came around the last corner...and there it was THE FINISH LINE. It really did exist!

I ran, and ran, and ran. Mustered up a smile for the camera, and finally crossed

I couldn't believe I'd just finished. I felt like bells and whistles and fireworks should be going off. I imagined all my family's and friend's faces in the crowd as I ran that last stretch. I actually imagined you there all along the way. Because I knew you would have been there on the side of the road cheering me on if you could. And I am so thankful for the people that Heaven placed on the corners in the spots where I needed them most. I made it to the end.

I headed a few feet past the finish where they have showers set up. I walked to one where I could safely shower off a moment and hold my music player away from the water.

I slowly slowly walked with the crowd towards the meeting spot where Jonathon and I planned to meet. My feet were killing and i couldn't wait to get my shoes off.

I stepped to a spot where I could finally take them off. The bottoms were so raw that I had to walk on the outsides of my feet. My legs were practically stiff as a board. My knees were so sore that I couldn't bend them.

Aaaah...but I was finished. I felt like I was the only one walking to poorly. But, every once in a while I saw someone who looked in just about as much pain as I was.

I didn't see Jonathon where we were supposed to meet up. I was about 10 minutes too early still, so I headed over to the t-shirt tent. And walked ...ever so slowly...back to the meeting spot.

Still not there, so I checked the final time board. My results still weren't posted. I looked up...and there they were.

My smiling proud little family. I was so happy to see their sweet smiling and very dirty faces. I missed them so much.

I put some gel pads on the bottoms of my raw feet. Aaaah..that felt nice. And the whole time I was putting them on Eden was in the background saying, "Whatcha doing Mom? Hey Mom! Whatcha doing? Why you putting dat on your foot mom? Hey Mom! Whatcha doing?"

And my oh so cute and soooo very proud husband. I couldn't have done it without you babe. Nope, it couldn't have been done. Thanks for every hour of baby sitting. I wonder how many you did? Thanks for every word of encouragement. Thanks for every dollar you spent so I could have good gear. Thanks for your huge smiles of pride when I finished. I love you...my number 1 supporter.
Now, it's 2 days later. I have finally finished this Marathon of a post. If you have read this far you are to be congratulated too!! ;-) A lot happens in 26 miles.

After this family photo we walked what felt like an eternity to the car...and it started up just fine. Then headed to a victory breakfast that our friends had put together for me. And holy moly was I spoiled when I got there. Lei, Hot shower, swimming pool, Christmas gifts for the kids, and I think Jonathon watched the kids 15% of the time, me 1%, and our friends took care of them the remaining 84%....Oh, and the AMAZING breakfast. I wish I would have snapped more photos. The time they put into everything there. Thanks just doesn't say enough. Like so many of the other friends I have met in my life...these friends too, are amazing. We are just so blessed. Thanks again you guys!

Today, I still kind of walk pretty poorly. I am still rather stiff. But, I got an AMAZING massage last night. If you're interested let me know. I'll give you her number. ;-)

So....will I ever run another marathon??? Well, maybe. There is one during the time I'll be in AZ.

But, I'm thinking triathalon in May...What d'ya think? It only has a 10K run, and I know my knees can handle that. Time to search Craigslist for a bike!