In the U.S., only around 520,000 people complete a marathon each year. This year I added one more to that number.
On Saturday, October 27, 2012 I completed my first marathon. I've been very careful to use the word completed or finished a marathon because at mile 10, I started to get horrible back spasms, so running did not happen for a vast majority of the race!
I should probably back track and get you caught up as to what lead to that moment. In March, I had just run my third half marathon and was feeling really great about running and being able to run farther than I currently was. I had gotten an email saying I could do the Spinx Run Fest Marathon for only $50! I was immediately saying in my head "heck yeah! That's really cheap, and I am already half way through training!" At that time, it was a great option- I was working, had tons of time to run, and was in the best shape and health of my life! Then in August, everything changed (for the good)! I started going back to school and had less and less time to go running- especially 2 or 3 hour long runs. So needless to say, my training wasn't the best. Then, about a month before the race I started having back problems. That was attributed to a UTI (even though I had no symptoms!) and was cleared up shortly. The day before the race, my back started to bother me again. I just figured it was because I been on my feet for three hours straight on Wednesday night stuffing packets for the race. So, I did my usual cure- all of popping two ibuprofen and letting it be.
This leads me to race day. Saturday morning I still was feeling a little off. I just assumed it was nerves and excitement about the marathon. As the race started, I was feeling great. I got my breathing regulated early on and took off. I didn't realize until about mile 6 that I was a good 2 minutes ahead of my pacing and was very comfortable with it! Then, at mile 10 it happened. I remember taking a step and feeling this horrible spasm in my back. I stumbled a little bit because it caught me so off guard. I took a few more steps and had another one. This continued on for about 4 more miles. I was still running at the halfway point, where we got our halfway bracelet and turned around.
At about mile 15, I couldn't take it any more. I was having a spasm with each step I took. I remember thinking "I just want to be done. I"ve got to keep going. I just want to be done. I've got to keep going." But after that, God knew I couldn't make it on my own and he sent people to care for me.
An ultra-marathoner in between mile 16 and 17 ran by and realized I was in obvious distress and gave me a spearmint to get rid of nausea and give me a sugar boost. I was hesitant to take it at first, but she said "don't be afraid. You're brave enough to keep going now. You are stronger than anyone else not doing this today." This had me trying to run a little bit more now. I would run for about 30 seconds, then have a spasm. So I would walk for about 5 minutes before I would try to run again.
Then, when I got back to Furman, around mile 18, I ran into Mrs. Stephanie Martin. She power walked with me from mile 18 to 19. I'm extremely grateful for her. She offered to drive me to the end or get me whatever I needed- gatorade, water, sandwich, banana. At that point, I wasn't going to quit. I needed to finish. But, she did finally convinced me to stop at the medic tent right before mile 19 to get my back wrapped with ice and to get some ibuprofen.
From there, I did more of the run short periods, spasm, walk long periods. After mile 24, I was convinced that I was lost because I didn't see anything marking the course or any official or runner. Internally, I had just accepted defeat and was ready to give up. I remember praying, "God just let me find my car so I can get home. I can't do this anymore." Again, He provided what I needed. This sweet stranger on a bike rode up to me on swamp rabbit trail right before I reached mile 25. I told her I was convinced I was lost because there was no signage, and she said I was going the right way. She had already ridden by somewhere and heard that the last marathoner had finished. When she realized I was one and still in the race, she turned her bike around and said "we're going to get you to that finish line!" The sweet lady was extremely encouraging, pushing me on to run the last bit of the race! She rode along side me, encouraging me on from mile 25 to the entrance to the stadium. Then she rode off!
I ran the last little bit around the stadium and finally crossed the finish line at 6:09:46. I immediately went straight to the medic tent because that last little run had started the back spasms all over again. But, at the end of the day, I had completed 26.2 miles. I didn't quit- I finished it. I earned this medal just as much as the man who crossed the finished line at 2:39:10.
Even after what I have termed "The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Marathon," I still want to run another one. I want to go out and say I RAN 26.2 miles. And I definitely won't have to worry about beating my time for the next race!
I ended the day with taking a muscle relaxer for the back and then sprawling out on the couch with a heating pad on my back, and ice packs on my quads, hamstrings, and calves! Wish somebody had a picture of that!
