I'm Back!!!

It has been a long time since my last post!  This is because I had to take a long pause in my running due to multiple medical issues, but I am feeling good and so refreshed to be putting on my running shoes again!  I have missed my team, running, and my challenge, and such a long time away certainly fostered determination to finish my goal.

Sadly, since my last marathon, more of my friends and family have been affected by stroke.  This has made me even more determined to reach my fundraising goal, as these funds can not only go toward raising awareness for stroke, but also to help those recovering from stroke.  This cause is so incredibly important, and I am honored to be able to run to raise funds for Tedy's Team.

As I am basically starting from scratch with my training, I currently don't have a marathon planned until August, which will be the Nebraska State Fair marathon for State #27/ Marathon #38.  This will be followed by the Duke City Marathon in New Mexico for State #28/ Marathon #39 with Tedy's Team!!  I am so excited to be joining and running with the team again.  Usually I like to share my marathon stories and pictures from all over the country, but since that won't be happening for a while, I thought I would share some pictures from my training runs here in Atlanta! 

This is a terrible picture that demonstrates why I don't often take selfies :).  But it was the day of my second training run after putting on my running sneakers again!

Today I went for my first long run in nearly two years - that's a long time!  It was 9.4 miles, and it was a perfect and beautiful day for a run.  Most people think of Atlanta as a busy city, and so I thought I would show where I run, which is just a few miles outside of the city.

 I love that the Path Trails Foundation has created paths that connect with some of the local roads, so that you can map a run using their maps and have a nice route to run on. 

 This is a cute little park, that I enjoy passing by along one of my running routes.

This is a super awesome community garden that I love to see when out for a run.  If I were any good at keeping plants alive, I might try it.

This is just to show that even though the city of Atlanta is just a few miles away, it's easy to find beautiful places to run that aren't so city-like.

So for now, most of my posts will be about training and fundraising, but it won't be long until I step to the start line and cross the finish line again for Tedy's Team!

A Beatiful State #26 in Spearfish SD!

A few weeks ago I crossed the finish line at the Leading Ladies Marathon in Spearfish, SD for State #26!  This was my first trip to SD, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but the views were amazing!   Originally I was going to run a double in both ND and SD, but due to flight delays, I was only able to run in SD.

After living in Atlanta for over a year and a half, I've started to get used to hot and humid summers, and so when we took the 4:00am shuttle to the start and it was 40 or so degrees, I was a little bit chilly!  Thankfully they let us wait on the buses until we were ready to start, and I got to know some  fellow runners I had met at the airport the day before while we were waiting on the bus.  When I travel alone, it's always awesome to meet new running friends.  Soon we were lining up at the start line, and then we were off!  I learned pretty quickly that the day was going to be filled with some amazing views.

Now here I will say that I've learned a few things in 2016, since this seems to be a year of high altitude marathons for me, which is that my body does not adjust well or quickly to higher altitudes, and I had less than 24 hours from landing in SD to running this marathon.  The other thing I've learned is that I need to listen to my body and take it easier when I'm not feeling at my best.  And so although I got off to a fairly good start, I soon knew that it was going to be a slow and steady day, and that was okay with me.  I stopped worrying about PR's some time ago, and now focus on just enjoying the experience as much as possible because running a marathon is a pretty amazing experience, especially in many of the beautiful places I've had the opportunity to run in, and I'm lucky to be able to run for my cause.  So a slow and steady day it was.

As I was taking in the scenery,  I made note of many houses that I would like to live in.  Growing up in a log house has always seemed to be kind of a rare thing, but not in Spearfish SD!  Almost every house we ran by was a log house, and some were like mansions!  And all with incredible views of the mountains and brooks passing by.  Awesome.

The amazing views continued, and at about mile 11-12, we started on the '76 Trail, which was a short trail, but incredible!  Sadly my running watch battery died on that trail, and so I was without half of my technology (I still had my tunes) for the rest of the day. 

Around this time, the temperature felt like it went from 40s to 80s and sunny in about 10 minutes.  I had worn some extra layers that I knew I would have to wrap around my waist when it warmed up (I wasn't willing to part with them by tossing them to the side of the road), and as I came upon the half marathon mark, one of the race staff offered to take it to the end for me with some other runners' things when he saw me struggling to wrap everything around my waist.  I've never run in a race where this has been offered half way through, and I was so thankful for not having to carry it all with me for the rest of the way!  Things like this are what I love about smaller marathons :).  And indeed everything was waiting at the end when I finished.

Although I had been managing the altitude issues, I did start to feel a little worse with the heat as the miles increased.  But I just kept moving forward for my cause.  At one point around mile 21, I felt so dizzy and nauseaus that I had to lay down in the grass on the side of the road for a few minutes.  While I was lying there, I looked up into the sky and thought about all those that I run for, which helped me find the strength to get back on my feet.  Another runner checked in on me and went ahead to find someone to bring me water, and medical vehicle stopped me a few minutes after that because they had seen me laying down and wanted to be sure I was okay.  They gave me a bottle of water (it seemed like the most wonderful bottle of water in the world in that moment), and after sitting with them in the shade of the truck for a few minutes, I felt rejuvenated.  From then on I knew I would cross the finish line. 

I continued on slow and steady, and in the last mile I met a runner that I had met during my triple marathon weekend in June.  We had both missed the same turn in UT and ran together to the end, and then we ran together to the finish line again in SD.  Upon crossing the finish line, everyone received a rose, which was so nice.  It was a great ending to an awesome marathon.

Now some might wonder why I would make myself go through these altitude issues for 4 marathons in a row in 2016 (which was not on purpose :).  But my answer is simple.  I do it for my cause.  My goal is to run all 50 states, and that includes all different altitudes, temperatures, and terrain.  Even though this year has been a year of slow and steady marathons for me, I've made it to the end and have continued checking off states for my goal.  And even if I don't feel at my best, it doesn't take away from the awesomeness of the experience.  The places I have seen, the friends that I have made, and the feeling of accomplishment after I cross every finish are all incredible things.  And most importantly, my journey in running a marathon in all 50 states while raising important funds for Tedy's Team and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and for all those that have been affected by heart disease and stroke makes it all even more incredible.

With that said... I am looking forward to running my next marathon (State #27) at the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis, MN, which is at about the same altitude as Atlanta :).

And here is my finish line photo!

Marathon Highlights
Awesome RD, race staff, and volunteers
Gorgeous views of Spearfish Canyon
Very easy to get to packet pickup (right at the hotel) and start (shuttle from hotel)
Very cool race shirt and medal
Everyone gets a rose!
A great marathon all around

#1 Song that got me through a tough spot:
 Lost Boy -Ruth B.
 
Also - thank you to the awesome medical staff that stopped to make sure I was okay, gave me water, and let me sit in the shade of their truck when I really needed it.

Finished 3 Marathons in 3 States in 3 Days!!

And I'm HALF WAY THROUGH THE 50 STATES for Tedy's Team and the American Stroke Association!!

Just over a week ago, I made my way to Salt Lake City to meet running friends, and then we continued on our journey to Bear Lake for a triple marathon weekend for the Bear Lake Endurance Marathon Series... that's 78.6 miles in 3 days!!

In the weeks leading up to the trip, I was a little nervous having never completed a triple before.  I had some chronic spine issues that severely cut down on my training, but I was able to keep up enough training to prepare (I hoped).  I knew that once I arrived, even though my pace might be a little slower, that my cause and my heart and stroke heroes would take me to the end, and they most certainly did!

After a 2.5 hour drive in our little (and I mean little) rental car up and up and up (to an elevation of ~6200 ft), we arrived in Bear Lake, which crosses over the border of Utah and Idaho.  We stopped at a lookout and were amazed by the incredible views of the lake we would be running around for the first two marathons.  It's difficult to tell from the pictures, but the lake had some of the brightest blues and aquas I've ever seen.



We arrived in Montpelier Idaho, picked up our packets, and were off to dinner.  Bright and early the next morning was the first marathon of the weekend in Idaho, which was a nice short walk from the hotel.  I was so excited to start off the weekend! 




This was one of the smallest marathons I've run, as you can see from the start photo, but awesome none-the-less.  Soon we were off, and soon I was experiencing what it feels like to run at 6200 feet with less than 24 hours to adjust from our 1000 ft elevation in Atlanta - yikes!  There was a feeling of not quite being able to get enough oxygen together with some dizziness and nausea that unfortunately lasted through the first two marathons.  So I slowed it down and just tried to take in the amazing views, and also to say hello to the many cows, sheep, horses, and even snakes (eek!) along the way!

I was really feeling the altitude issues together with heat and no shade from the sun, and struggled through mile 18.5, where I missed a turn on the course.  Thankfully there were people out watching for runners and I was redirected back onto the course (phew!), leading me to run almost an extra mile.  Because I was already not feeling well, this really got me down for a little while.  But then I struck up conversation with another runner who had made the same mistake, and this got me feeling a little better.  He eventually ran ahead to make his way to the finish, and I had to really dig down for those last miles.  As I thought about my stroke and heart heroes, and all they have been through or are going through, I found the strength and energy to make it to the end.  It wasn't my fastest marathon by far, but I finished for State #23 for Idaho!

Later that night, my IT band was letting me know that it was very unhappy with the day, and so I did the very feared ice bath (it was actually just extremely cold water, which was cold enough for me!).  Miraculously, the next morning, it had recovered and did not bother me again for the rest of the weekend, which was pretty amazing! 
 
Then it was onto DAY 2 in Utah for State #24!
The next day, we had a 50 minute drive to Utah for the second marathon of the weekend!  It was a cooler morning, and the temperature did not get as high, which I was very happy about.  This was the beautiful sunrise during the car ride out to the start...
 

 We were off and running bright and early!  I was still struggling with dizziness and nausea through the second marathon, but it was a little bit better than the first day.  There were more incredible views of Bear Lake and the mountains, and we continued to be cheered on by cows and horses (no snakes today).  This was one of the friendly cows that I met along the way :).


 Somewhere around mile 19 or so, there was some excitement, as some cows had gotten loose, and they were walking along the road, and then were herded back to their pasture.  About a mile after that, two horses had gotten loose and were running along the road before being guided back into their field.  I grew up around farms, but I really had never seen that volume of farms or cows and horses before.  They are truly beautiful animals, and as a a non-meat-eater, I tried to focus on their beauty, and not what the future likely had in store for them.  I continued on, and soon I was reaching mile 23, then 24, then 25, then... wait!  A super steep hill just before the finish!  But it just added to the challenge and soon I was up and down the hill, and across the finish line for State #24 in Utah!

 

And then onto Day 3 in Wyoming for State #25!
This was another short drive, and the smallest race I've ever run.  It was an out-and-back course, and the amazing views continued.  

 

Just as we were starting came one of my favorite moments of the marathons, when I looked over and all of the cows in the pasture started running next to me.  They were even mooing!  I've never seen anything like that, and it was pretty cool to see.  As I continued, I even caught a glimpse of a rainbow for just a few seconds.

 
All along, my chronic neck/spine pain had been strongly present, but on the third marathon, it was at it's worst.  Thankfully, I had adjusted to the altitude and so that was no longer causing problems.  But I really had to think about my cause and everyone I was running for to get through that pain.  I took extra walking breaks and just took it one step at a time - I had come this far and was determined to finish my 3rd marathon and 25th state!  

One thing about running is that it gives you lots and lots of time to think.  As I started to think about the fact that this was my 25th state, I became a little emotional.   I really could not believe that I was at the half way point of my 50 states goal.  I thought about all those I knew that had been affected by heart disease and stroke, some of which were only in the past year and even past months.   I also started to think a little about what it will be like when I finish the 50 states for Tedy's Team and the American Stroke Association/American Heart Association, and for all those that I carry with me as I complete every marathon, and just the thought of it brought tears to my eyes as I ran.  This gave me incredible strength to continue through any pain I was feeling.  It also made me realize that my 50th state will bring tears of many emotions, because this cause is so close to my heart.

I continued on, and soon I was crossing the finish line of my 3rd marathon and 25th state!  I was pretty excited to have finished my third marathon and reached the half way point in the same marathon, and my finish line photo reflects this :).  And yes, it took some post-marathon stretching before I was able to do this happy jump for the camera.


 
 And that was the end of my triple marathon long weekend!  It was pretty incredible, and I'm so happy that I had the opportunity to do it, and persevered through the altitude issues and neck pain.  I even came home with an extra medal - a belt buckle - for completing all three marathons for the trifecta challenge.  I never would have made it to the end without all those who have supported me, and all those that I am running for, and so thank you to all of you and know that I carry my stroke and heart heroes with me through every mile of every marathon!

Next up for State #26 is still being figured out, but I will update my page soon!

Marathon Highlights
AMAZING VIEWS!
Excellent swag (medals are great, plus sweatshirt, socks, a hat, and extra medal for trifecta)
Very friendly and easy-going race
Amazing views (just for extra emphasis)

Made it to the Center of the Universe for State #22 in Tulsa, OK!

And what a great way to end my 2015 marathon running for the American Stroke Association/American Heart Association!

The Route 66 marathon was my 10th marathon (9th additional state) for 2015!  It was one of the biggest marathons I have run this year, and it was incredible!  I made my way to Tulsa, OK on Saturday morning and arrived to the expo in the afternoon to pick up my bib and running packet.  Upon stepping outside, I noticed how much cooler it was than in Atlanta, but I had watched the weather and was prepared for a cool race.  I made it to my hotel and had a nice dinner, and soon it was race morning!

It was a chilly morning, with the first frost I had seen of the year as we (a running friend and I) walked the two miles from the hotel to the start.  I think it was about 29 degrees, which is a temperature I hadn't quite adjusted to yet, but the walk warmed me up a little bit.  We arrived with perfect timing, with about 5 minutes to go as we approached the starting corrals (I hate standing in the cold waiting to start!).  I found my way to my corral and soon the national anthem was playing and we were getting ready to make our way to the start!  Because it was such a big race and I am not a fast runner, it took a little while to make it to the start, and I took that time to think about each and every one of my stroke and heart heroes that I run for.  Sadly I have added two family friends that I run in honor of in 2015, which has motivated me even more to try to make a difference with my 50 States Challenge.  As I approached the starting line, I couldn't believe that this was my 10th marathon of the year.  I am so proud to run for this cause!

The Start!

 I was happy to be running again so that I could warm up, and was looking forward to getting warm enough to take off the garbage bag I was wearing for a jacket so that I could show my Tedy's Team singlet and raise awareness for my cause.  Once the sun started coming out, it warmed up and was perfect running weather!  I knew I wanted to take a picture of "Route 66", and so I kept my eye out for it, and was excited to finally officially see the road I had been singing about (Get Your Kicks on Route 66) for a few weeks while looking forward to race day!

Route 66!

Having never been to Tulsa before, the marathon was really my true tour of the city.  We winded through residential areas and little streets with coffee shops and stores, and it was a fun way to see Tulsa.  As we ran out of the downtown area, I was able to catch a nice photo of the city!

Downtown Tulsa

Soon we came into the University of Tulsa, which was a very nice campus.  The miles just went along and I was enjoying my 26.2 mile tour!

One very cool aspect of this marathon, is there was an optional 0.3 mile detour to the Center of the Universe at about mile 25.5, making it the shortest ulta-marathon in the world.  I had decided from the start of the race that of course I would take this detour and get my Center of the Universe coin.  It was a fun addition to the marathon that I was glad I decided to take the extra time to complete!

The Center of the Universe! (and my coin)

From there it was less than a mile to the finish, and I was super excited to have reached my 10th marathon finish line of 2015, and my 22nd state for Tedy's Team and the American Stroke Association!  My stroke and heart heroes have carried me to every finish line, and I can't wait to continue my challenge in 2016!

I'm still working on the 2016 schedule, but right now, State #23 will be the Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz (Olathe, KS) in April, followed by my first TRIPLE in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming at the Bear Lake Endurance weekend in June.

Race Highlights
Awesome volunteers and race support
Nice swag (I love my 10th anniversary jacket!)
Awesome marathon for Marathon Maniacs
A really great marathon all around

#1 Song that Got me Through a Tough Spot
Well, it was a toss up between:
Route 66 (Bobby Troup)
Oklahoma! (from Broadway)  

 

A Spooky State #21 is Done in South Carolina!

Yesterday I ran my very first Halloween marathon for State #21 at the Spinx Runfest Carolina Marathon in Greenville, SC!  It couldn't have been a more perfect day for a marathon, and it was especially fun to see the runners and crowd dressed up for Halloween!

It was another early morning for me, as I had to get up at 3:00 in the morning so that I could leave by 4:00am to arrive by 6:30am.  But I was surprisingly awake (although my furry children were not), largely due to my excitement for the day.  During the past few weeks, knowing that I would be running on Halloween, I tried to put together a heart-themed costume (to support the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association), and I was excited to be able to run in hearts for the day.  I was especially excited to wear my new heart antennas for the marathon :).  You can see the costume in the finish pictures.

It was a nice drive, although part of Interstate 85 (the highway from Atlanta to Greenville) was completely shut down, which sent me into a little panic, because the last time I attempted SC, I drove home without running a marathon due to several unfortunate circumstances, and I was afraid it might happen again.  But I was able to still get there on time - phew!  I easily found parking and hopped on a marathon trolley (how cool) to get to Fluor Field for the start.  It was my first stadium marathon experience, which was really nice!  I picked up my packet, put on my bib, and dropped off my bag in no time.  Since it was a little bit chilly waiting to start, many of the runners gathered around the tiki heaters that were scattered around.  It was fun to see the runners start to arrive in festive outfits for the day.

Fluor Field

Warming up at the Tiki Heaters at the start.

 We soon made our way out to the starting line, were given some course instructions, and then we were on our way!

Starting line of Spinx Runfest.

 Once we were started, the weather was perfect for running.  I had never been to Greenville before, and hadn't done much research on the course or the area, and so it was all new to me.  We spent quite a bit of time on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, which was quiet and there was even a little bit of foliage to see (which I've missed since moving south).  I was feeling really good right from the start, and the heart costume seemed to be a hit, and so the compliments about the costume (especially the antennas) and my cause helped me along too!

The Swamp Rabbit Trail.

We eventually entered into the Furman University campus, which I had never heard of before, but it was one of the prettiest campuses I have seen.  Just as we were entering, we ran around a body of water that had a giant clock tower in the middle, which was very cool.  Then we came into the campus itself, which just had incredible buildings and landscaping, and I thought it would be a beautiful campus for a student to live on.  The students were out cheering for us and directing us along the paths as well.  The campus was quite large and so we were able to see quite a bit of it across a few miles.

Clock tower as we entered Furman University campus.

The miles just went along - I love it when marathons just go along and you feel like it's just a good running day.  We entered back into the Swamp Rabbit Trail, and I continued to receive compliments on both my 21st State for the cause, my heart antennas, and my heart costume.  I thought about my stroke and heart heroes, and soon I had reached mile 25!  The last mile brought us back out into the streets, and then we ran into the stadium and circled the outfield to finally come around and cross the finish line.  Of course, as I'm not one of the fast runners, there weren't a ton of people in the stands, but I did get to see a few fellow Marathon Maniacs cheering, which was awesome.  And it's always fun to hear your name announced in a stadium as you near the finish line!

This was a really great day and a great marathon, and it made me consider continuing to wear my heart antennas (and maybe the entire costume) in the future!  You can see entire costume below :).

State #22 is only 3 weeks away at the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and I'm very excited!

Marathon Highlights
Very organized - the shuttle trolleys made getting to the start very easy
The start at the stadium was great - Very easy to pick up the packet, drop the bag, and there were real restrooms and tiki heaters!
Great volunteer support
The trail had running turf at some points (especially awesome for the last few miles!)
Stadium finish
Very good swag (and at a low registration cost) - medal, nice long sleeve tech shirt, pint glass, and coffee cup

#1 Song That Got Me Through a Tough Patch
Listen to the Music - The Doobie Brothers 

I reached State #20 at the 7 Bridges Marathon in TN!

Yesterday (October 18th) I made the early morning drive to Chattanooga, TN to complete State #20 at the 7 Bridges Marathon, and it was a great day!  It was perfect fall weather (although a little chilly for the south at 7:00am).  This was a last minute addition to my 50 States schedule (and I mean last minute - I registered the day before!), but I was so glad I was able to make it work.

In order to make it to the marathon, I needed to get up at 2:15 am so I could leave my house by 3:15 am to get to Chattanooga by 5:30am to find parking, get my packet, and drop my bag so I could pick it up at the end of the marathon.  I discovered that driving out of Atlanta at 3:15 in the morning is a good way to avoid Atlanta traffic!  The drive also gave me some time to think about those I was running for and how much this entire endeavor means to me.  I reminisced about times with my grandparents, and times with those that are still with us, and had a good feeling about the day.  I made it to Chattanooga, found a place to park, met a few other runners, and we walked together to the start area.

It seemed like fall came rather quickly on this chilly fall morning (40s), and knowing it would warm up by the time I finished, I had tried to dress in layers so I wouldn't be too cold or too warm at any point.  I got my bib and pinned it on and then wrapped up in my nice disposable marathon blanket from my last race to stay warm.  There was music playing and it seemed like it was going to be a great day.  And I didn't feel too tired despite the early wake up - it's amazing how the excitement of marathon morning can really wake one up!  Here is an image from the morning - it was still dark when we started!

Race morning before the start.

Although I had arrived quite early, by the time I had gotten my bib, eaten my bagel, and gotten myself situated for the day, it was almost time to start!  Soon we were off.  I was feeling pretty good, and it wasn't until the sun started to rise that I realized that we were in for a very pretty race as we crossed the 7 bridges.  Here are a few photos of the sunrise...

Before we reached the bridge.

The view from the bridge above.

As I continued along, thoughts of my Gram, Pop, Papa, my Dad, our close family friend, and a mentor of mine were heavily in my thoughts.  Sometimes the magnitude of how much running the 50 States for this cause means to me hits me when I least expect it, but it always gives me motivation to get myself to each and every finish line, because I know I'm lucky to be able to run at all.  It seems like one never knows when a stroke or heart attack will strike, and how it can end or forever change one's life.  I hope that the funds and awareness that I'm raising with Tedy's Team as I run are helping to make it so that fewer people go through what I have seen my family and friends experience with heart disease and stroke.

My thoughts carried me to about the half way mark, when I think the early morning wake up started to affect me a little bit.  I was a little more sluggish than usual in the second half, but what I've learned across the marathons is that it doesn't have to be about getting your best time, but enjoying the time it takes to get to the end.  And so I did.  I chatted with other runners and took in the views, and just had fun, because that's what the marathon should be about (at least from the perspective of a slow runner who never intends to win or come close to winning a marathon :).  I took a few more pictures along the way as I made my way toward the finish line.

One of the 7 bridges.

It's hard to tell, but at this point I was on a bridge, and there were two bridges to the side of this picture, and one bridge to the other side - that's a lot of bridges!

From one of the many bridges.

 We had been back and forth from a path to the roads, and somewhere around the 19-20 mile mark we entered back onto the waterfront path, which was my favorite place that we ran.  I just love running along water, wherever I am running.  The last miles were a little slow, but I was enjoying the day and they just passed along one by one.  I remembered the bridge that I had walked across to get to the start was the last bridge that we crossed in the race, and so once I saw it, I knew the finish line was close!  As I neared the end, I thought of each and every person that I am running for, and all those that have supported me, as each has given me inspiration to complete this challenge.  I made my way and soon had made it across the finish line of my 20th state - amazing!

I had a nice drive back home, and am already excited for my next marathon in SC on October 31st, at the Spinx Run Fest in Greenville.  Given that it is on Halloween, I'm working on a fun heart-themed costume for the day!
  
Highlights from the Day:
They let us register up until the day before
Great music at the start (helped me to wake up!)
The parts of the course on the waterfront and bridges are very scenic
Very big medal!  And cool running shirt.
Very supportive and helpful volunteers
Nice southern fall weather for a marathon

#1 Song that Got me Through a Tough Spot:
Making Love Out of Nothing at All - Air Supply 
 


 

Once in a Lifetime Run in ALASKA!

Well, I actually hope that someday I will go back again to visit Alaska and run this marathon!  This was my first time visiting Alaska, and it was AMAZING!  And the marathon was just as awesome, with some pretty incredible views.

This is one of the few marathon trips where I truly became a tourist and visited sights and went on a tour and it was just incredible.  I arrived in Anchorage on Friday evening, and was so excited that I never really even noticed the 4-hr time difference.  I landed, settled in at my hotel, and was soon headed out to explore.  On Saturday morning I ran the Anchorage Mile, which is the shortest distance I've ever run for an official time, but it was a great way to start off the weekend.  And the medals for this one-mile run were quite impressive!

The Anchorage Mile

I spent the rest of Saturday sightseeing, and made it to the famous Moose's Tooth Pub & Pizzeria for dinner, which was definitely worth the trip.  It was a great way to do a little carb loading for the marathon on Sunday.  I eventually made it back to my hotel, headed to bed, and soon it was race morning!

The Start Line!

This was a very special day for me to run, as it was my Grandfather's (Pop's) birthday, and my Pop is one of my stroke heroes that I run in memory of.  I spent many miles thinking of memories of my Gram and Pop, who have inspired me so much to complete this 50 States Challenge.  It was also a special day because Tedy's Team was running the Falmouth Road Race on the same day, and so even though we were many many many miles away, we were still all running together for our cause of fighting stroke.

Usually the National Anthem is played before a marathon start, but today not only did we stand for the singing of the National Anthem, but also the singing of the Alaska State Song, which I had never heard before.  After spending the previous days learning about the history of Alaska, it was a very moving start to the race.

Just before the singing of the National Anthem and Alaska State Song

Soon we were off!  We headed out of the streets and onto the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail.  It was a rainy day, and initially I was feeling a little bit sluggish.  But I started thinking about my Gram and Pop, and a joke that I remember my Pop telling when I was little popped into my head...  and soon I was lost in thought and gaining energy.  It didn't take long to see my most favorite view from the course, which we were able to see twice on one of the out-and-back portions of the course:

Another runner came up from behind me at one point and we started to chat after he read the back of my singlet and saw that I was running my 19th state.  We passed back and forth a few times, and each time he would refer to me as "19," which I thought was a fun nickname for the day.

I really wanted to see a moose along the way, and looked high and low through the trees with no luck.  While I didn't get to see a moose, I did see a few more great views from the trail:

The miles went by quickly and soon I was at 20 miles and then counting down to the finish.  I managed to keep a pretty consistent pace even in the higher miles when I sometimes start to slow down.  I think that sometimes the rain actually makes me go faster because I'm looking foward to getting out of it.  It was also a really nice cool break from the hot and humid weather in Atlanta, and the views were stunning.  I also knew that my Gram and Pop were giving me energy to make it to the finish line.  The miles continued to go by quickly and soon I had reached the end!

A mismark on the course led this to be a little bit less than a full marathon distance, but I figure if I add in the Anchorage Mile, I covered 26.2 miles in Alaska!

It really was an amazing day and I would love to return to run this marathon again some day.  I was so incredibly proud to be running Alaska as part of Tedy's Team on my Pop's birthday. 

I had another day and a half to continue exploring Anchorage, and tried to see all that I could.  I was sad to say goodbye when it was time to leave, but it was one of the most amazing trips I have taken as part of my 50 States journey.

And the journey continues in October for a double marathon weekend for State #'s 20 & 21 in DesMoines, Iowa and Kansas City Missouri!

Marathon Highlights:
The trail has amazing views and the potential to see wildlife
Great race support and energy!
Great medal and race shirt
Great race all around

#1 Song that got me through a tough spot:
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor