Austin Marathon

So, this past weekend was the Austin Marathon...the race that we have been training up for for over 6 months now.  It was a beautiful weekend & Sunday morning (the morning of the race) was a great morning for a run!

Justin's Mom, sister & her baby came down around noon on Saturday, so we all headed downtown to pick up our race packets.  After a huge spaghetti dinner at the house that night, we all headed to bed early since the next day would start early for us all as well.

Our alarm clock went off at 4:45 AM -- OUCH!  Justin & I left to head downtown for the race, while the kids & the family stayed behind.  Justin's Mom & sister got all three kids ready & came down a bit later.  With dozens of streets closed for the race & it being a big city that neither of them were familiar with, driving around wasn't as much as a breeze as we had anticipated.  They got a bit lost, but luckily found their way to the finish line after they had stopped to cheer us on around mile 3 of the race.

Our cheering squad (minus Justin's Mom, who snapped the picture).  Austin & Kaylee are in my big stroller; Shelcey is in the red coat; Emilee is in the stroller in the back.

Kaylee trying to keep warm on the morning of the race!

Around mile 3 -- me running like a dork!  I hope I don't look like this all of the time!  :)

This was the first year that I have ever run the Austin Marathon course.  I will say that it was tougher than the 3M course that I have run twice now.  Nonetheless, it was so neat getting to see different areas of Austin by foot, and with around 15,000 runners running with me, I was never alone!

Around mile 11 was the "Half Marathon Hill".  I'd heard stories about it, but never really thought too much about it...until I saw it up ahead of me.  WOW -- now THAT was a hill!  No one around me was even attempting to run up it...everyone was walking!  My quads were burning like no other & I was praying all the way up the hill: "Lord, please help me to make it to the top.  Lord, please just help me finish this race, if it be your will..."  MANY prayers were going up, I'm sure...not just mine.  About halfway up the hill, a very inspirational song ("Holy Is The Lord" by Chris Tomlin") came on my iPod right when I needed it to, and it gave me that extra boost to get to the top.  (I've told Justin before, but it's so funny how that always happens to me -- right when I need a song like that to keep me going, one ALWAYS comes on!)  Once I got to the top of the hill, (this is no joke) the sun popped out from behind the clouds & I got this overwhelming feeling all over my body, from head to toe.  Between that feeling & finally getting to the top of that hill, I just started crying & was just so overwhelmed with joy -- I honestly feel like the Lord reached down & touched me!  From that second, I knew I could finish that race, so I kicked it in & headed for the finish line.

I completed my half marathon (13.1 miles) in 2 hours 23 minutes!  My goal was 2:27, so I was very happy with my time.

Now...on to Justin.  He ran the full marathon (26.2 miles), but said going into it that he's not going to run the full again next year -- he may take it "easy" & just run the half!  :)

He had a good run as well & said he felt really good.  He REALLY got to do some sightseeing around Austin since his course was twice as long as mine, but he did an awesome job as well.  He finished in 4 hours 16 minutes.  Last year, his finishing time was 4:23, so he beat his time as well!  I'm so proud of him!!  

Finishing strong!

After the race, we all met up at the Round Rock Fit tent (that is the group that we trained with) and Justin & I both got 10-minute massages on our legs.  I honestly think that is what has helped me not be so incredibly sore; it hurt so bad...but it felt so good!

Unfortunately, we didn't get the one picture that I had hoped we'd get together -- both of us past the finish line with our finishers medals.  Once Justin got to the tent, I was already getting my massage, and then once he was getting his, I was heading home with the kids.  Maybe we'll pose a fake shot soon so we'll always have the picture to remember what an awesome weekend we both had!

I have blisters under my old blisters, but have a beautiful finisher's medal to show for my hard work, so life couldn't be any better...