The Inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon

Last Saturday I completed my first marathon in the Inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Savannah. I ran 26.2 miles, and I felt strong the whole time. It was a spiritual day where my body and mind were challenged simultaneously for 4 hours, 23 minutes, and 10 seconds. I had no goal that day but to finish strong and maybe get a sub 10:00 pace. Well I paced at 10:03 and had a great experience, thus I'd say my first full marathon was a complete success. In fact, I quickly want to run another just to achieve the sub 10:00 pace while I'm still in shape.

The credit goes to my coach/friend/mentor LeAnn who kept our running group in check each week. In fact, I attribute my confidence and fitness to her and her training schedule. She was the second person I spoke to on my first Sunday at church. She said she was running 8 miles the next morning at 5:45am and I crazily committed. I almost died on that run and in fact I got lost back to her house from where I separated from her because of nearly dying, but I digress. The stars were aligned for the Savannah Marathon, and I have to thank LeAnn for being that blessing I needed.

Here we are below Saturday morning ready to start just a moment later. I am sad this phone picture is so blurry because it would have been one to keep for a lifetime. The four ladies on the left (Jill, LeAnn, Liz, and myself) made-up our running pack where every Saturday morning we could be seen hitting the trials of Peachtree City. Linda, Julie, and Shelyse were our good friends in the ward running the half marathon together as well. It was a bit cold that morning but nothing we were not prepared for.

As expected, my emotions were high that morning. The first moment came when we split from those running the half marathon. For the first time in my life, I ran on the left side of the street marked for the marathoners to soon turn from the half. I was not with the crowd, for 14,000 ran the half but only 4,000 ran the full, but I was with the minority. I felt a rush of adrenaline that I was actually running a marathon.

Then the second moment came when I saw from the distance the great men of my life. My father, my husband, and my two boys were waiting to join up with me. My sweet, supportive father drove up from Jacksonville the night before, my husband had sacrificed the last 5 months while I trained, and my boys are always the light of my life. I was so blessed to have these local (and my long-distance) supporters cheering for me.

For now, I can say I have run a marathon.

Other things to note but not included in the narrative:: Gavin's toddler bladder interfered with everyone watching my finish. No matter cause the finish line was crazy busy and I would have never been able to find them anyway.:: We camped the night before at the beautiful Skidaway State Park. It was a superb set-up where the boys and Sean camped in a tent while I slept in my father's RV. ::My phone died on mile 23 right after I left Sean a message that I was three miles from finishing which he never got it turns out. ::I met a sweet girl named Kirsten from Athens whom I ran the last two miles of the race with since we paced well together. She had the longest legs I have ever seen, and you should see two of my best friends. ::Mile 25 was the longest mile of my life. I thought I would never see mile marker 26 but it eventually came. ::I cannot wait to run another!