Copy and Paste from my Facebook Note:
Friday- Pack up the family, clean the house, out the door at 9:30a....We drove to Niagara Falls First, had lunch, Visited the American Side of the falls for the first time (for Don and I together that is, we've been to the Canadian side like 100 times) So the kids are crazy naughty, like stab me in the ears to end the whiney moaning crying they girls did. My Prince...oh of course he is perfect, he balances me out... Boys are Easier.. at least mine is...He has my Heart ♥ So drive 1/2 south to Buffalo and we check in. We go Swimming and we then do Pizza Take-out in the room where the kids further drove me nuts and I craved for a hotel lobby beer at the Bar, kid you not....I was eager to just run away from my family. Wasn’t sure how I'd last another day. Note to self, taper and taking the 2 year old twins and sassy pants 5 year old with you not much fun, seriously! Saturday- Woke-up refreshed, I let shish go and understand it's a new day, a great opportunity for happiness and new ways to handle my spoiled brats. So we take off to sight see, check out parts of the course and we did packet pick-up/expo and then I met up with Lori Quickly as she got her packet! Gave her a squeezy hug and said we'll catch up in the morning! We took off to this great naval museum to which we toured two naval ships (I love this sorta stuff) and for the first time I went into a submarine (wow, totally awesome). After we ran up to the local church it's where the pasta dinner was being served for race day. I was free the family had to pay 15 but it was yummy despite the fact that I don’t eat white pasta, I don’t eat red meat (meatballs) lol it's been a while since that’s happened, but a carb is a carb and regardless for me it was free and it was an inexpensive hardy meal for the kids and hubby. After we went back to the hotel room quickly got changed, sat by the pool, swam with the kids...got back to the room bathed all 3 and got them to sleep by 7:30 pm...SCORE...!!! Made sure I drank about 80 of fluids...40 oz was electrolytes and was urinating clear..you know you want to know! ha! us runners are sick like that! I battled to find a way to copy and paste my play list from Lime Wire to itunes, after a hassle I figured it out, don wanted too but I needed to curb my attention away from the excitement so I begged to let me play with the problem, I think he obliged when he saw that I had my entire running outfit on and sneakers and was ready to run! I was getting amped....like pacing the room to a Classic Rocky Song! Boom! Then I went to bed about 11:30 and was back up at 12:30 funky dreams so I tried again, back up at 2:30 and I said "fuck it sleep is over-rated" I didn’t feel tired, I don't sleep much anyways, this will be no different. So I played on line for 2 hrs, then I made up 2 packets of oatmeal, sucked down 10oz coffee, Don woke up and then got me starbucks and I drank about 10 of that and about 8oz of water. Race- temps mild. Inner city the building blocked the sunrise completely. not sure what the weather would do the forecast had changed several times in the he last day or two...went from showers/overcast to completely sun and 80 degrees. I waited in the corral as I didn’t get a chance to get ahold of Lori- my kids woke up at 5:30am (lucky me :/ ) and so they had me busy with them....didn’t have time to text- sorry Lori :( Just as soon as the anthem was sung and the gun went off...there was an almost 3 min gap to start as we all waited, walked, waited and lightly jogged after the gun shot...shoot that just ate 3 min of PR time, lol. Bastards hate when there is no chip start! sucks big time! But I was happy to run, it had been several days and only 8 miles the entire week and with the kid drama and sometimes hubby drama. ...I fucking needed this run badly! So was happy...you'll see my smile! ha! I suppose I had no idea was smiling till I saw the pics that Don took (which Thanks Don for being there to do al that and take care of our crazy kiddies too ♥) Mile 1- Oh Man I gots to pee.....mile 1 through 5....porta potty check....line of people check...next porta potty....next line of people....Holy shiz I was not the only one to make the over-hydrate rule. To which was not planned, dam hott coffee was so good I drank too much! Ok....so I got to pee so badly and the bladder is aching...slowing me down and I'm like "fine, cool, just go with it Connie" I took my time and it took me till mile 5.5 down by the lake at a pier bathroom to which a female runner came out of about 30 ft from me, I yell up to her "is there a line" and she said "No" SWEET....ran my booty in there dropped drawer and nope didn’t wash my hands, dam I'm skanky! Go ahead judge me, not like you were going to sit down to eat with me or hug me or let me shake your hand I was about to get skanky nasty sweaty, salty, muddy from sprinkler splashy dirty! Boom! Ok....so right after the potty I hear "Connie, Connie" it was LORI~! she was about 1/4 mile ahead of me on the pier loop! We high fived (with my non wiping hand, bwahaha!) Gosh she is such a great person! I ran unplugged for the first 8 miles. To be honest...I was running so slow, my pace was like a ridiculous walk in the park for me and it's no dis-respect for the pace- its just I have outgrown it for shorter distance - but I was respecting it today. It felt comfortable. I tried diligently to hit 10:30 and it was extremely odd because each time I tried to hit 45 seconds faster I would fall into my 9:25=9:30 pace and I would have to pull back the reigns and tell myself to chill out and the pace was slow, and I started to notice about mile 10 that the hips and knees were like 'give me a break woman, run" and I answered hell not you beastly legs relax, our time will come! The half Marathon portion of this even is HUGE...I can't believe it....the amount of novice runners is amazing and I know they are newbie’s because so many paced all wrong they would run too fast walk, run too fast walk, they were drenched in sweat, they couldn’t hold conversations without panting with other people. I quickly learned without looking at the bib color who was wearing blue (marathon) and who was wearing red (1/2) just based upon these simple observations. Marathoners are start out slow, hold the pace sorta group...the halfer's out there trying to kick some ass! Can I just I wanted to race them, Oh it was my competitive side that I am eager to keep tapping into over the summer to hit my sub 1:55 or maybe even sub 1:50 half time. I wanted to spank them all as they were all so depleted at mile 10 and lets be honest, I did...not fast still at my turtle slow 11min pace I was passing them all one by one. I did not drive 4 miles of this part of the 1/2 course...and WOW there were some pretty good climbs and found the one and only S.H.I.T. for the course and dug my hells in and took it as everyone else walked. The entire run was all open in an industrial area and the sun was beating down hard, people were covered in sweat and there was one casualty at mile 9. Although I think she was an ankle injury from how she was carried away. Another enjoyment of running without music...listening to other people gossip....Oh the boy/girl gossip I heard...so friggin' entertaining much more than the ipod, hahahahah! So Hit my half time mark...I think I said 2:22 but now when I look back I think it was 2:24...wow Can I be honest...look at my pics at the 13.5 miler mark.. I don't think I wore an ounce of sweat. I knew then though I wanted to kick it up a notch. Not sure how I didn’t get negative splits but I didn’t pay close attention to pace on several miles as the heat just crushed my attention to this...I was focused just on running and not much else. I got Caught up to Lori at mile 15.5 Bless her heart her IT band was nagging her since Mile 3 as well as her asthma and was hurtin' kitty, I'm sorry sweetie♥ My heart was with you on the run, I knew you looked sad and grumpy about the situation but in reflection...You rocked it considering and you inspire me! Can't wait to talk with you more about the race and our experiences! Lots more open sun running, lots, lots, lots more. Thank you trusty visor! Lots of people in neighborhoods out with hoses spraying all of us. So great! Lots of times I didn’t want to get wet, my player went wonky in the hotel room for no apparent reason and on the course I could not open it up to play songs specifically just had to go on the list and once on a shuffle. the headphones plug in shorted 2x from hose water and I was nervous...please don’t make me run ten more miles without music in this lonely sweltering heat, lol. More heat, more lonely miles. I won't lie when I was lonely I thought of my running friends, all of the country, all over the world. Supporting and encouraging me. I thought of you on my run, I honest to God Did and a lot. You were all there with me and you pushed and encouraged me! So Thank You! Connie not so lonely with global boom boom pows! hahaha! Ok food and fluid talk. Guzzled 10oz of coconut water between 10-13 (my guts still full of fluid from morning, the body cells from yesterday hydro boost) I was refluxing the entire 13. Took another 10oz of coconut water at 16 and on, lots of water rinsing out the mouth, the course provided warm water, not their fault the heat! Opened up big bag of ice chips and one point I even threw back a watermelon slice (at it to the white part Erica, hahaha) Ate electrolyte chews about 3/4 Stinger Cheery chews at mile 18...Yum! Hit ever water table after 16...I was starting to sweat badly from the picked up pace and the sun. The Marathon Portion of the race was cool because people may not exactly know what it's like to run 26.2 but I thin some do~! The people that would clap for me and for 'us' Marathoners was special. They would say encouraging stuff and I would always nod and smile and say Thank You! I also have to admit that when I came up on onlookers among the flock of marathon walkers after mile 20, I always got claps....as if they saw me digging and spreading wings and they respected me for it. I have to admit the ability to run so easy after mile 20 I think is largely due to my pace, it was tender and slow and in reflection for my first it was exactly the experience I could of hoped for! It leaves me aching for number #2 I watched as almost every Marathoner on the course hit their wall. Each one walking, going up to random cars/trees and stretching sore quads and calf muscles. I was feeling two things....one sadness they were hurting and selfishly feeling great that I was not. I knew all along there would be no walls for me. I knew all along that I was to cling to the hope of a happy rested body that would cooperate with me. It's what I got. I did taper real good! I felt sluggish due the heat, I was developing dry shivers after mile 22 and mile 25 I felt my guts move like I might need to use the restroom, thankfully it was just gas (gosh I hope you all appreciate my embarrassing candor) ha! To which if I'll be honest since I'm not acting modest the first few toots I looked around to make sure no one could hear if I was loud then after my guts kept dropping I lost all care for what anyone had thought...cause in my head I said "fuck Connie you just ran 24 miles, fart dam it, who cares) bwahahahaha, my mind is so girly twisted. I'm sure if I were a boy I would not think twice but since I'm a lady...well I do try to have manners. lmao! Mile 25...holey shiz you are LONG...I see the center of city...I know what is just several minutes away and I can taste victory and I won't lie..it excited me! I came around the bend and I see Whitney in the runners corral hopping and pacing and she darts toward me and she takes my hand and so I knew...she is running this one in with me ♥ Wow, Melt my Heart ♥ what an amazing and happy surprise for me! After I took a crapload of oranges/water/banana and walked a bit and sat. Reflected and cried I was exhausted and didn’t think I'd run for that long, never disappointed as my effort was proven. I only walked through water stops and one other time cause for 2 min I started to get a stomach stitch(not a side stitch, a stomach stitch) and I was going up on an incline so I thought good time to walk. I'm really proud of myself. I really hope I show people that they can do it too! it's hard work and dedication but so possible and so amazingly rewarding on so many levels. I'm sure I'll be spiritually reaping and learning the awards of the last 5 months efforts for a lot of time to come! So quickly after finish, we have to jet to hotel room, we got lucky enough to get a late check out but only by one hour ...I showered, dressed and helped load the car. Once in my hotel room though about 30min post race...I began to get violently ill. I had not eaten. orange slices post 26.2 not enough and I spit out the banana...I couldn’t eat it...what I know I need time is sugar drinks, give me a great big slush puppy at the finish line! Oh that would have been AMAZING! I past by a slush puppy sign at 19 and I thought "yes, I want one please" hahahaha! My guts began to shut down and had to make several bathroom stops on t he way out of town. We stopped quickly to eat at a McDonalds I was BEGGING for food.....apple slices and a lemonade is all I could muster. My body was crashing hard and fast it was technically 12+ hours since I had anything to eat....my fellow marathon husband knows I should of had something to eat within a half hour of finishing but ........anyways, lol. After nausea, gut problems, dry shivers I knew I was suffering both heat exhaustion and lack of food problem. I ordered a chicken sandwich no mayo and couldn’t it, so I got back in the car after the kids dined and finally started to magically feel better so I quickly ate up the sandwich and then stopped at TimHortons for Coffee and Sprinkle Donut and another round of feed, chicken tenders and curly fries! Oh burning about 4000 calories gives me permission to SPLURGE! Home Sweet Home...the drive so quickly after race sucks but I'm home and I love the comforts of my house, my bed...yes! Thanks everyone for all the support, it all means so much to me, I think you all know this already, I only say it like everyday! haha! xoxo
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