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My first marathon
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The photographer told me to strike a pose! This was around the Winchester Hills and I was starting to get tired and this is the only pose I could think of!
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My friend I met while running the race. She helped me finish strong!!
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Well I can officially say that I ran a marathon! I am so tired and I've been in some pain but it's been completely worth it! I started of following the 4 hour pacer for about 7 miles and then I started to slow down a bit, but when I made it through Veyo there were a lot of people cheering everyone of the runners and it helped me get pumped again! After the Veyo hill I just had a ton of adrenaline and I almost ran the entire race except for the uphill areas (I wanted to save my legs)! I found someone who I could keep up with just before the Veyo Hill and eventually we got to talking and we ran the rest of the race together. I was so happy to have found someone to run with! It made time go fast and the support made all the difference in finishing strong! Once I made it onto Diagonal-about mile 22 I think, my back was killing me-after so many stops at the aid stations to have Ben-Gay rubbed on my back, it just wasnt helping anymore and I started to hunch over-and that's when spectators started yelling my name and telling me I'm almost there I can do it. A few people handed me and my friend a popsicle and all of a sudden I got a burst of energy and followed through till I turned the corner and I could see the finish line-the greatest site! Jake and my dad came ran up to me telling me how well I had done and I started crying once I saw them and my family at the finish line. My legs were gone but I was still pushing through it and I made it to the finish line WAY before I had ever expected! I wanted to run it within 7 hours and my time was 5:34. I could have never finished the race without everyone's support. Im very very sore, but I would still do it again, there's just nothing like finishing a marathon and feeling invincible! Thanks again to my friends and family for all their amazing support and keeping me going!