On Sunday, I ran my 25th marathon, and my 20th marathon with the American Stroke Association at the Vermont City Marathon! It was especially amazing to get to celebrate this milestone with Tedy's Team! While I run every marathon for Tedy's Team, I am always super excited when I get to run a marathon where the whole team is traveling. It was an awesome weekend to be able to run with Tedy's Team while also getting to visit friends and family in Vermont.
We started out the weekend with a Tedy's Team dinner, where everyone running told our stories of why we were running for the American Stroke Association, and there were some incredibly inspirational stories. It was so good to see our Tedy's Team alumni and meet new teammates, and it was such an awesome evening. And I received the most awesome gift I could have ever asked for from Tedy's Team - a wooden map of the United States customized to show all of the marathons I have run on my quest for 50 states! What an incredible surprise!
The next morning we all made our way to the starting line in Burlington. This was my 6th time running this marathon, and it is one of my favorites. I love that I know so many people along the course, and I just know the course so well that it always goes by faster than any other. The out and back portions also are fun because the runners are able to see other runners on the course no matter if they are faster or slower - so I could cheer for everyone that I saw! This year reminded me of my very first marathon in 2009, because I had our American Stroke Association coach and staff on the course as well. I always love to run the marathons when I get to run with the team!
It was perfect weather for a marathon at the start - 50s with a little sun and breeze. As it warmed up, there were clouds here and there, we even got a few sprinkles of rain, which felt really good. The first half flew by and I hit the half point at just about my usual time. We made our way to the bike path and I was able to snap a few photos to catch some of the great scenery.
We made it to the battery street hill at about mile 15, and I took another photo to try to capture the hill. This photo doesn't do the hill justice, but it is a good long hill with awesome support!
One of my favorite things about this marathon is the Taiko Drummers that give the runners so much energy to get to the top of that hill. You can hear the drums as you come around the corner and it's so awesome to hear them all the way to the top. I saw Tedy's Team, my family, and friends all along that hill, and soon I was at the top!
I was feeling pretty good through about mile 17, where suddenly I became aware of a toenail issue, but decided that I would figure it out after I finished. I tried to curl my toes to stop what I could feel was my toenail getting pulled off which led to toe and foot cramping, but eventually I figured out how to keep the pain minimal (who knew a toenail could cause such problems!). I later learned that there was a tiny hole that formed at the tip of my toe in my sock that was slowly catching and pulling the nail off. Yuck! I was mostly just happy to find out that it wasn't from my new running shoes :).
I saw our awesome Tedy's Team running coach and a fellow Tedy's Team member at mile 19, who gave me encouragement and energy to make it to the end. It was getting a little bit warm at that point with the sun beaming down, and so it was great to see some familiar Tedy's Team faces. Miles 20-22 went a little bit slowly, and I had to dig deep and think about my cause and everyone I'm running for. I knew once I made it back to the bike path I would be in the home stretch, and be able to get a little shade from the trees too. Finally I made it to the turn for the bike path and I could feel the excitement of finishing my 25th marathon! I jumped off the path to take another photo - I like this one because you can see the ferry docking in Burlington in the distance.
The last 4 miles went by smoothly, and soon we were emerging from the bike path out onto the waterfront for the final .2 miles! This is always packed with supporters, and whether they know you or not, they are cheering! I did see some friends along the way, and I was able to give my Mom and Dad a high five right before I crossed the finish line. It meant a lot to have them there, as they don't get to see too many of my marathons since I'm traveling all over the place. I crossed the finish line at 5:00:27 - the goal was to finish in under 5 hours, but I figure that's pretty close (and I lost at least 27 seconds taking pictures of the scenery along the way). I met friends and family at the finish (and even a canine supporter!), and it was an awesome end to an awesome marathon!
We ended the day with a Tedy's Team celebration dinner - all of us made it to the end for our cause and our friends and loved ones affected by stroke. It was so great to finish with the team for this marathon.
Less than two weeks until my next marathon in Port Angeles, WA for State #17!
Marathon Highlights
Awesome support from beginning to end
Beautiful views of Lake Champlain
Taiko Drummers!
Finishing on the waterfront
#1 Song that Got me Through a Tough Spot:
Fight Song - Rachel Platten
