I got to the starting line of the 2017 Mercy Health Glass City Marathon with more than a few tears of gratitude in my eyes. This training cycle was filled with so much fear and self-doubt. My first two marathons weren't good races the way my half marathons have been good races. I questioned whether my body and mind were meant to run 26.2. I felt like I was slowing down. I had some really rough tempo runs. But this cycle was also filled with the love and support of so many people on my team. My coach and best friend,
Amanda, who gave me tough love when I needed it and got me there ready to BQ. My massage therapist and friend,
Erin, without whom my body would have fallen apart and I would have lost my mental shit. My good friend,
Geoff, who helped me remember to keep it fun, but who has walked this road to the BQ with me for over a year. My own runners, Bethany and Leah, for making me feel so confident as their coach and sharing their own accomplishments with me. And, finally, my husband. Words can't express my appreciation for his belief in me, sacrifice, and embracing this running life as his own. When I got to the finish line last Sunday, I truly felt like I shared my success with our whole Detroit running community, especially the
Be Bold Crew and
RUNdetroit.
It was a feeling of FINALLY doing everything right! I set several goals for this training cycle, and I crushed them.
Nutrition? I finally ate enough and consumed enough carbs. I implemented a science-based
race fuel plan. I took my iron supplements. I figured out that I can drink Tailwind through the race and get the nutrition I need without eating.
Strength Training. Didn't get to classes as often as I wanted to, but got the work in at home. Finally drank more
water. Religious
massage, stretching, and rolling. Almost-daily
meditation with the Headspace app. I've never felt more capable of soft-focus and presence. Better
sleep. And listening to my body. If I was sick, I rested. When I had horrible ankle pain two weeks before the race, I biked. And I appreciated every
run, even the ones that took some reflection to process, understand, and learn from.
This race was my unicorn. I've been chasing it since I decided to run a marathon in the summer of 2015. And I finally learned what the unicorn metaphor means in marathoning. I'm a very self-reliant person. If something goes wrong, I assume it's due to my own mistake or under preparedness. And so it went with my first two marathons. I assumed that I simply wasn't ready enough or good enough to reach the time goal my half marathons predicted. And that was really frustrating. I now realize I'd done everything I could. I was just chasing something so difficult to achieve, most people never bother. I wanted that GOOD marathon. And this was my unicorn day. Beautiful weather. Friends. My ankle/foot didn't bother me once. I was sick the day before; woke up feeling fine. My race nutrition worked. My legs weren't dead. I knew the course. The race itself was wonderful. Great course, great course support. I found someone to run with almost the entire time who I truly hope to remain friends with (thank you Lindsay). And what a race it was. I ran almost a straight 7:58 average until about mile 22. I had a few slower miles, but when I realized I could earn my ticket to Boston if I hauled ass, I managed to get my final mile in 8:00. I even sprinted it in AND airplaned it.
I can tell you I am SO FREAKING PROUD of myself. I worked my ass off, more than I've ever worked for ANYTHING. I got past the bad runs and races. And, with a smile that I still can't wipe off my face and tears that keep coming to my eyes a week later, I earned my unicorn. 3:32:15. A great marathon. And, as long as nothing changes too much, Boston 2018.
