Goal Accomplished!!!

Goal to complete in 365 days- marathon- run/walk/crawl/complete/finish a marathon, distance of 26.2miles- WE DID IT!!!!

NIke Women's Marathon 2008- 26.2 miles- 6hr51min- were not the fastest but neither the lastest.

Went to SF on Oct 18th2008, checked in in the hotel, GB had booked a lovely room, then walked down 5 blocks, (since the hotel is on California and Powell, up on 3 hills from Geary street), to Union square to attend the EXPO. This is our first marathon, our first experience, so everything was perfect for us. We picked up our bags, got the jamba juice smoothies, tested the oxygen shots which were basically scented oxygen delivered thru the nasal drips, didnt get the manicure because of the long lines, and why have the acetone smelling manicure station next to the oxygen station??

Had decided to go to the room only after 6pm so as not to spoil the rhythm. Went to WEstfield mall, caught the movie'Burn after reading' which I liked even tho had some pretty gross humor, just because was so relaxed. Ate some pasta and gelato, some hot chocolate and coffee and then took the tram up Powell street to our hotel.

By 7 pm was so sleepy, I think I was sleeping by 7.30 pm and GB said she too went off by 8pm. Had the best 8 hours of sleep in my life. For the first time a hotel bed was so comfy, or maybe it was my perception.

Woke up at 4.30 AM, and slowly started getting ready. GB was the one making the tea and keeping things in order while I just listened to the news on CNN. Basically she was doing what I do when DH and I travel with the kids!! Ate a banana, drank some tea, lots of water.

Walked out of the hotel at 620 AM, there were many others like us. Walked down to union square, very slowly so as not to hurt the knees at the last minute. There was a huge crowd, thats an understatement, 20,000 is HUGE!! We went to use a restroom in one of the nearby hotels. Everyone seemed nervous and excited, were stretching and taking pictures, yakking and yelling. Amazing! SO many women of all shapes and sizes. Lots of TNT participants.

The race started at 7 AM exactly and we were off, got our foot on the mat 7 min later. The first 11 miles, till the half-M seperated from the marathoners seemed like a party.Women in tutus of rainbow colors, or knee length socks or those funny headbands, with i=pods and without, fat and thin, short and tall, think of a category and it was there. Nothing seemed out of place. As the half-M could finish in the alloted 7 hours, there were these groups of ladies yakking and screaming and laughing all the way. As soon as we seperated from them the mood got all serious, and there was greater distance between the participants. So I kept trying to motivate myself and GB to go faster than the one before us.

Miles 1-3 were great, we were at 14minmile pace, and in a crowd it is difficult to monitor oneself, so maybe we went faster than intended. Walkers faster than us, runners slower than us, TNT supporters lining the streets, general supporters for heir families. Then came the hills. Later one of the participants was saying they had more hills this time. Anyway they seemed more and earlier than the 5 we had counted on the course map. We walked up all the hills. Later on we ran alongside the Pacific oceon- that was the highlight for me- to run alongside one of the 7 oceons of the world, the beaches all nice and sandy instead of rocky, surfer dudes in black in the white waves. For a moment I wanted to have a house along the beach, to be able to come for a walk along the beach everyday!

God was really kind to us in terms of the weather, thru'out no major winds, no sun at all, low 50's so that at the end I had to wear my jacket. Every thing was so perfect - GB said she will never do a marathon again simply because these conditions just cant been replicated. It was as if nothing could go wrong.Amazing.

Miles 4-7 again had some hills, passed thru a community with the cutest houses imaginable, houses with character, each house different from the rest, smaller than the Mcmansions in the suburbs. Small lawns, people standing outside waving us on. Got orange slices at this point, so refreshing.

Made a restroom stop at 9 mile, which was a mistake because had to stand in line for 8-10 min, and didnt really have to go. Could have gone at mile 12 after the half marathoners had left us and there were no lines, but who knew? That was another good thing, that was the only potty break we had to take.

Miles 13 thru 14 was nice and easy, GB had been complaining of a new ankle pain, she had already taken a motrin at mile 8 and now we saw a first aid station where we asked the person to give us a bandage to wrap the ankle. He instead wanted GB to sit and have her ankle examined. No way man!! we were already lagging by 7 min and GB felt that she didnt need medical help for her ankle just yet.

Miles 15-19 was a long stretch along side the Pacific going towards Lake Merced. We had to finish 18.75 miles before 5 hours, that was the cutoff, mentioned maybe once in the information about the marathon, but in small print , which everyone misses. So now the volunteers urged us to hurry and cross the 18.75 mark soon, which we did with 15 min to spare, thankfully.

The route around Lake Merced was much maligned in the marathon reviews at marathonguide.com but we didnt find it as bad. However GB was losing steam here, and I kept telling everyone around about'mind over matter' and how 'the body covers the first 20 miles but the mind covers the last 6.2.' GB kept urging me to go on faster if my speed allowed it but I was actually quite spent too. I changed over from R2/W2 to 40steps running and 80 walking. I had to concentrate on the counting instead of the pains and aches so that helped.

Met a lady from Michigan and we talked about AnnArbor and Troy for 2 min, then got the Giaredelli chocolates at mile 23, GB was a bit behind and I was worried thet we would not be able to make up the lost 7 min. So I asked one of the TNT volunteers if I would get the finishers necklace even if we passes the 6.5hr mark. She said"Sure, you paid for it, by God, they better give it to you!!" That was a big relief so I sat on the sidewalk and stretched my aching thigh and hip muscles. GB caught on, I told her the good news, that we could finish in 7 hours, which turned out to be not such a good idea afterall, because then we both slowed down.

Miles 24 to 26.2 again were along the water and it was lovely. I think I slowed down considerably just to admire the view. Of all the pictures I want to have in my minds camera this has to be in the top few.

Now almost every one was walking at maybe 3.5mph, some were shuffling and the shufflers slowly finished 2 min earlier. We ran the last 0.2miles- had to do that!
Got our blue Tiffany box from the firefighters, who looked sullen and uncomfortable-sorry guys, we didnt finish sooner adn u had to wait 7 hours for us- long day!

Got our T-shirt, it was cold and I was wearing my jkt, GB wore her T-shirt on her running one, they had run out of the mylar blankets, didnt get a massage as that area was full, ate half a bagel and some dry granola-no milk, the coaches wouldnt take us to union square so we got a regular bus. Overheard a conversation between two young girls, a first time half-M and the other who came since 2005 just for the Tiffany necklace. The experienced one said that the course had been changed and had more hills this time.

Reached our hotel , changed and took the train back home. Aching body, headaches, hungry and thirsty by turns, finished 3 bottles of water. Came home, family glad to see me back, went of to sleep after telling the 7yo a story-apparently mama tells the best stories.

Recounted the marathon experience to my husband-gratifying to note that he considers the distance to be too much, and was wondering why we stopped to take pictures. Hey, how could we not take pictures of this ?? Jst hope they come out good now.

Legs hurting the most today-the quads, and very thirsty, and very happy. Grateful to God for letting this be a wonderful experience, thanks to GB to help me acheive one of my lifes dreams, which became a goal later on, thanks to my parents for providing regular encouragement and nourishment, thanks to my husband for letting me take the weekend off.
There, that was my Oscar/Grammy speech.

So, the two sisters completed a marathon.
What next??
Maybe a mountain, tho I am scared of heights, well , that is why it would be something worth trying.
I can hear GB screaming blue murder when she reads this!!!