Sisters arrive and Marathon Day!

It truly is all before us!



"Carb loading"...we both had noodles and pasta



I just couldn't really believe it all....sisters are here and I am running a marathon tomorrow and we are in a hotel room and the Olympics were on.....I wanted to just kick back and let down but I knew what was before me the next morning!

The Night Before....

Someone else wasn't so nervous....

This picture was taken as sweet Heather dropped us off at the starting area for the marathon, we needed to be there about 5:15 am.   We had not received our packets with our bib numbers as they closed before Drew could get off work.  We were a little nervous but it worked out great.   Of course, Bobo was in the car with Aunt Lou Lou as he had woken up to see us off.  We had a hard sleep night as he was coming down with a cold.  But the adrenaline definitely "kicked" in!

It was exciting to be there at the start of the race.  My nerves were even a little calmer than they had been the previous day, it was like, "come on, let's do this thing...get it over with!"  I could not figure out how to put the tag on my shoe and a really nice other runner stopped and helped me, there was camaraderie.  (I still have the tag on my shoe, I just haven't been able to take it off).

I wasn't sure what I would do about listening to music.  I had my Ipod and I did not use it very much in training, I did use it on my 20 mile training run and it really helped.  I don't use it a whole lot and I wasn't sure how it would all work with which music and if I would have to stop to look at what I wanted...but I started with Keri Jobe worship CD and it just worked out that I kept hitting replay and listening to it the entire time.  I was ministered to and I really believed it helped me to run a strong race.

And there they are waiting at the finish line.  I would think of them throughout the race, where they would be, leaving the hotel, finding a spot, etc....

There is Drewy...coming in about 30 minutes before me.  It was great because we were able to start at the same time.  I gave him my blessing to go on ahead for me but at one point when we were on the Golden Gate bridge I saw him as he passed the opposite direction.  The Golden Gate bridge was the most crowded spot and the place I passed the most people.  I would try and find someone I could follow who was at a good pace, I didn't really know my time and so I was just trying to run a good pace.
The sisters said Andrew looked a little pale coming in.  He was fine just tired, he ran a great race!

And here I am...finish line is in sight.
Amazing feeling.
It was such a special event to be a part of and it felt like a really special day.  How wonderful to know all these people (strangers) are there to support you and all the other runners in this race.  There were many observers in neighborhoods holding signs and cheering,  And then all of the volunteers at the water stations offering much needed liquid.  I stoped at every water station minus the first one and I think it really helped.  There was one woman who read my bib on my shirt which had our names, and said, "Shannon you are almost to the top of the hill...."  A stranger calling out my name was so encouraging.

The other runners.  It is wild that you are with all of these people, so many other runners all with the same goal and focus.  There was also a half marathon being run at both the beginning of the marathon and then they also came in at the midway point for another group to run a half marathon.  It was somewhat discouraging to see all of these fresh runners zooming past you and you just had to keep your steady pace and your eye on what you were doing.  Yet, it also pushed you to run faster.   I would read the backs of the shirts of those who were wearing their race shirt as it would say if they were running a full or half marathon, it was encouraging to see the marathoners and to validate I was running the right course!

Much of the time I had no idea where I was in San Francisco, I was just following the runners in front  of me and watching for the mile markers!

I did not stop to walk except at the water stations and I did go to the bathroom quickly 2X and I was even able to get some Tylenol as i felt a headache coming on, but i would just stop for a few minutes and then get back to it.  There were a couple times I thought, this is long, I would like to be done or how am I going to run all this way.  But then it would pass and the next mile would come and then the next....
until I saw Mile Marker 24, Glory be!!!

I came in at 4 minutes and 15 minutes, the exact time I wanted to!  I wasn't too aware of time.  I had a small idea I was doing okay at the 13 mile mark when I briefly spoke to another runner and he let me know what he was pacing so that felt good.

At the end, I defiantly had tears.

I could have just wept.  I had tears but I could have "boo hooed".  I even had tears at about mile 5 anticipating what I would feel at the end.  It is just such a journey.  From training to finish line, I did it by myself except for the two training runs I did with Andrew.  It made it a very personal journey.  It is an amazing thing to set a goal and complete it.  I find myself in life many times not doing all I want to do, coming up short, the never ending "to do" list, always knowing there is more.  But with this, I ran a marathon and I ran in the time I wanted.

Looking through the fence at my sweet family!

Laboring and delivering a baby is still harder!  But the reward matches the struggle....I could not wait to see these two!

I am still blown away that they would come, that their husbands would give their blessing, and they would come together to support their sister.  I could boo hoo right now!

ahhhh
So good that we did it somewhat together... if he did not suggest it for this time, I would not have initiated it.  Andrew has a way of motivating me!

So we went to the Hyatt to find Andrew.  Unfortunately the one bummer is that he wasn't at the finish line.  He had finished his race and I think he just missed being there when I was done (I probably came in faster than he was anticipating...he he).  So we went to the hotel and there he was.  It was too early to check in so we hung out a little bit and then I wanted to walk back to all the marathon action.  I wasn't to "stay in it" for a little while.  So Dev and my sisters and I went down to the area which was right by the hotel.

Looking at the results

I also ran this race for Trek....Embrace Life!  I did sweet boy!!

What a beautiful area to run in!  We were at Fisherman's Wharf, in the neighborhoods, in the park, on the Golden Gate Bridge, and by the ocean!

Thank you faithful strong legs, feet, body, and shoes!

"Who Needs Luck?"  This was the shirt I wore!



In the hotel, Anderson had put on Andrew's medal and feel asleep, I couldn't take it off it was too cute. 

A good race
A highlight of my summer! 

Yeahoooooo!!!!!