Every Once in a While, I Surprise Myself (AKA Grandma's Marathon)

After taking time off to rest and rehab my shoulder, it took me much longer to feel like I knew how to run again than I thought it would. Call me stupid, but I figured it'd be nothing to pick it up right where I left off.

Yeah, not so much.

But what took an even bigger hit (and took me even longer to recognize) was my discipline. Wow, that one snuck up on me. I didn't expect to be so lazy about my training for so long.

So my training in general for Grandma's remained good enough to finish, but not really good enough to push myself much. No worries - I was 100% not stressed about it, and totally ready to go out there and have some fun.

Spent Friday morning in the car - we left bright and early because Riyanti was running the 5k that evening. We made it up there with zero problems. The only bummer was that as soon as we drove over the hill, there it was. The same thick fog as last year. Sigh. Guess I wasn't going to see my beloved Lake Superior much this trip either. But what can you do?

Got checked in and hit the expo. Felt like cattle being herded - oh my gosh it was so crowded! Got our stuff, Riyanti made me a sign, and we got the heck OUT of there!

the sign would prove KEY tomorrow!

As warm as it was when we left, good old Lake Superior made her presence known as soon as we got into town. Not only was it foggy, but it was 45 degrees. Eek. A little colder than we'd packed for.

I had a great time spectating the 5k! Saw Carrie Tollefson on her way to the win, and hung out with a bunch of really cool people while I waited to see Riyanti.

She did great!! She's coming off a nagging foot injury, and ran really really strong. So strong my camera couldn't keep up with her! We reconnected, she cleaned up, and we headed over to my friend Carly's parents' place. They were having a pasta dinner and promised to save us some. We did this last year too (even tho I never officially recapped it) and had a super fun race in a giant cloud. Carly's mom pulls out all the stops - lots of amazing food! And we had a blast catching up and watching the crazy kids swim in this stupid cold weather. Minnesota kids are hard core.

Race morning came early. Took Imodium, argued with myself about the right thing to wear, geared up and headed downstairs to meet my friend Diane and catch the early bus. Diane and I grew up across the street from each other. She is living with her family in North Carolina now, but had come to Duluth to run her first marathon in her hometown. She was SO nervous, so I tried to distract her a little bit. We saw the first bus pull up and tried to hop on, only to discover that um, no you cannot get on the ELITE bus.

What do you mean, we don't look elite?! HAHAHAHAHA!!!

Got on the first bus for humans (city bus rather than the lavish coach we tried unsuccessfully to board) and managed to get up there in time to be the ones to break the paper in the super clean portopotties. Geared up, checked our bags, donned our leftover mylar blankets, and ran into Kayla!

It's ALWAYS so nice to run into a familiar face before a big race! And shortly after that Tiina found us too. It was so nice to meet you!! So we had a nice crew to hang out with and we chatted until it was time to plop ourselves in the start corrals.

My plan was to start with Diane, but I was unsure as to how long I could hang. I kept assuring her that if at any time I started to lag, she was to LEAVE MY ASS. I'm not sure she was hearing me at first, but later on, I was glad I started "the talk" early. I knew her training was stellar and that mine was decidedly less so.

So we giggled. And chatted with peeps around us. And asked each other, "So, whatcha doin' today?" "Me? I'm running a marathon, no big deal. How about you?" over and over again. Theme of the day. It was perfect.

The national anthem was sung, the people were smashed in like sardines. All that was left to do was run.

And run we did. Run, and chat, and marvel at the course, and bitch about how the uphills seemed worse this year (oh, wait, that was me). Starting at about mile 5, I let it out of the bag.

"Diane. I feel really really good today. That's weird."

And later on, "Diane. I STILL feel really really good. Like, we're hanging with the 4:45 group. Still. That would be a PR for me."

On and on we went. Our pace was so so steady. We were kicking all kinds of ass. The hypothermia alert flags were up, but we both felt like we'd dressed just right, and the weather felt good - not nearly as foggy and humid as last year. We could even see the lake here and there.

for me, doesn't get much more steady than that...

Up to this point, we were walking water stops, and that was it. Starting somewhere in the 16th mile, I knew I'd need to walk a bit more than that. And I told Diane to go ahead. I had to tell her about 3 times, and she had to chew on it a little, but I was so so glad she listened (even tho I really missed her company). There was no way I wanted to hold her back from what I knew she was capable of achieving that day. She went on to run a 4:39. For her first marathon. FREAKING ROCK STAR. I was so proud of her!

The next few miles, I was holding it together. I was struggling, but I hadn't let it all go. I was walking and stretching, but mostly running still.  (16 - 11:22, 17 - 11:36, 18 - 11:34, 19 - 11:31)

And mile 20 came and smacked me in the face. But looking back on it, it was mostly mental. I so know what I need to work on for Milwaukee. I need to get comfortable with discomfort. I need to find my way into the pain cave and manage to keep going. I know I can do it. I know it. (20 - 13:11, 21 - 13:43, 22 - 12:39, 23 - 12:28, 24 - 13:00)

I was still smiling, and I was still having fun. I was just tired of running. So for a while there, I wasn't a lot. But somewhere in the beginning of mile 24, a spectator shouted something that changed my day.

"GO RUNNERS!!! You guys are all doing GREAT!! The 5 hour group is WAY BACK THERE!"

Wait. I am still AHEAD of the 5 hour pacer! I started to run. I was almost freaking done with this thing and all I had to do was stay ahead of that pace group and my time would start with a 4. Which is something I've only ever achieved ONCE.

I was running now. Like I meant it. Not too long after that, I see Riyanti holding my sign. I start over to her smiling and then HOLY CRAP MY PARENTS ARE STANDING THERE!! I had no idea they were coming - it was awesome to see them! But I was racing, so I couldn't stay - gave em a quick hug and Riyanti started running with me. I was laughing and running and working hard. I took a quick walk break a couple of times to catch my breath. I was going to DO this.

Riyanti ran with me when she could. When the course was a bit more blocked off, she ran along the sidewalk, screaming her head off and cheering like mad. Having her there was the BEST - not sure she knows how much it meant.

Somewhere in there, a photog caught what may be my favorite race photo ever.

And I did it! (25 - 12:10, 26 - 10:26, 26.34 - 10:06) I finished in 4:57:58. My second fastest marathon on a perfect day on less than 300 miles running for the entire year so far. It was the BEST possible day. Perfect running weather. Seeing a childhood friend achieve her dream. The best cheerleader ever. My parents. Zero potty stops. I ran so fast that Carly and Kelli (who'd run the half) thought they'd missed me altogether. I completely surprised myself.

Carly and me

I'm excited to train for Milwaukee. But if anything, my tenth marathon has reminded me that you never know when you're going to get that day where everything magically falls into place.

So for now, I'm going to revel in that, and savor the day that was given to me. It was perfect.

"Whadja do last weekend?" "Kicked a marathon's ass. No big deal. How about you?"