…but I managed to run my third marathon!

I was inspired by the events at the Boston Marathon earlier this year and running the Marine Corps Marathon was my way of saying, “We won’t be afraid on the streets of our own cities, you jerks!” (though I called them a much more colorful name…)

DailyMile says I ran 182 training miles – a lot more than while preparing for two previous marathons, but not even remotely close to what is recommended. Life (and laziness) got in my way. Knee pain at the end of the training season made me wonder if I’d be able to complete the whole distance.

But, thanks to my very generous family and friends, I raised more than $1,700 for Team Fisher House. I couldn’t let everyone down – there was no backing out!

The expo was fun:

Carey and Isabelle joined me for the team dinner on race day eve:

Isabelle left a fantastic note for me in my hotel room:

And if you know me at all, you’ll know that hearing U2’s Breathe while the sun rose over the District got me in the right headspace on the big day:

30,000 people set out on the course:

Family and friends leapfrogged all over the city to meet me at miles 16 and 19. I missed them at 23 because I was ahead of schedule (sorry, guys!)

and Jym ran with me from miles 19 to 23.5 (THANKS, JYM!)

I started doing mental math at mile 23 and realized that not only was I ahead of the sweaty schedule I had in my pocket, but I would set a Personal Record. I had to walk the last mile and a half or so. And since the Marines are a cruel bunch, the final .2 miles are uphill. But the team coach was there to work her motivational magic (THANKS, STACY!) and before I knew it…

My friend Jenny was kind enough to volunteer with the team and then stick around for an extra hour to see me finish:

My success was an occasion momentous enough that Big D had a genuine smile (forget you’re seeing this photo – it’s Christmas Card material!)

But what’s much better than finishing a marathon is having friends like these:

Jenny, Jym, Carey, James, Isabelle, Big D, me, Tricia, and Lee. 

Thanks again to everyone –  your generosity supported an amazing organization, and you motivated me. When I turned my phone on at the end of the day, my mailbox was bursting with your sweet messages and reading them that night made me cry.  Just saying thank you doesn’t seem like enough.