After training for 142 days. It all began at 4:30a.m. on 10.10.10…
4:30 AM: My alarm went off. Note I didn’t say it woke me. I was already awake. Probably only for about 30 minutes or so before the alarm went off. I’m not sure if it was my neighbor parked by my bedroom window with his club music blasting away, or if it was the downpour of rain, with occasional gusts of wind that woke me, but I was awake.
When my alarm finally started buzzing, I didn’t have the usual thought of, “I just want to stay in bed awhile longer”. Nope, I was ready to get up. I wandered around the house for about 15 minutes drinking water. No coffee 
for me before big runs. Finally I hopped into the shower to clear the little amount of sleepiness from my eyes. All in all I’d say I got a good 5 hours sleep. Not too bad I’d say.
5:30 AM: After forcing a Clif Bar and about 4 cups of water into my stomach, I was ready to head out the door. All suited up, and two trash bags in my hand (these will come into the story later) I headed to downtown Portland. It was very, very dark, very rainy, and pretty darn cold. But I was ready.
6:00 AM: Standing in the hotel lobby with all my other running mates, I attempted to eat a flour tortilla. It’s easier than a bagel, and there was no way I could handle a banana that early. I wasn’t tired at all. I wasn’t nervous or scared. I was ready. Two bathrooms breaks, an encouraging speech from the coach, and a bunch of pictures later, we headed out the door. All 37 of us with garbage bags worn like ponchos. It was all we could do to keep as dry and warm as possible while we waited to run – in the pouring rain.
6:45 AM: In the soaking dark rain, we all scrambled to find our corrals. They separated us by letters. Apparently this was the first year for this organizing system. We knew our letter, but there were no signs. No signs on the outside where we entered anyways. So we went open chain linked fence to the next, until we found the one they would let us into. Imagine this now, 13,000 people within 4 city blocks, in the dark and bitter rain trying to get into “5-small, gateway openings” of a chain link fence surrounding the city block. Hello claustrophobia.
The letters were based on time, so I admit I had to go further than most of my team. Somehow, and thank goodness, my mentor was with me the entire time. We both were in Group G. I dropped off my other garbage bag, dry jacket stored inside, at the Group G holding truck, then stood and waited. And waited. Corralled between 2nd and Taylor in downtown Portland I have to admit it felt a little like a a concentration camp for a minute. We were cold, and huddled, and ready to be set free. All I could do was make small talk with my Mentor, Jeanine, and stare at the Letter G, which was on the inside of the corral – about 10 feet in the air.
7:00 AM: The fastest of the runners begin. There were speakers set up at each of the corrals. So even though we couldn’t see the start – we could hear it. Here’s how it went…
Announcer: “Next group, line up to the start line. At the sound of the horn you may go. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.”
Horn
Announcer: “Have a great run.”
And then the next group and so on.
7:20 AM (this is a guesstimate): The G started to move. We were on our way. There goes Team F, then we proceeded to the start line.
Announcer: “After this train goes by (he was talking about the MAX light rail) we will be off. At the sound of the horn you may begin. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.”
Horn
Announcer: “Have a fun run.” (I think that is what he said)
7:30 AM (again guesstimate): We began. Nice and slow. Dodging walkers, slippery train tracks,and large puddles, we were off.
I’m not going to bore you with every minute detail. But I will say now – it was exciting! Thousands of people. It was like a whole new downtown Portland that I had never experienced. It felt awesome! There was music and cheerleaders, fabulous spectators, and I was taking it all in. Before I knew it we were at mile 2. It went by so fast I had no idea I had already ran two miles, and then 3 and 4 and 5. They all felt great.
After one bathroom break, we were already at mile 6. By this time Jeanine and I ran into our other teammate Abbey. The 3 of us ran my first 11 miles together. At mile 11, they were full-marathoners, and broke off to the right while I headed back downtown. Having them by my side, during the majority of my run, made the journey so much easier.
At mile 7, I started to feel the pain. My legs were saying, “WTF?” And I was saying (internally of course), “We got this”. I got this. My left IT band was starting to hit a nerve which required me to stop and stretch at a couple of water stations. But, yep - I was running. And despite the pain, it felt good!
10:05 AM: Jeanine and Abbey headed right up to St. Johns, and I headed back downtown. About half a mile later, I hit a wall. I wanted to stop and walk so badly, but I didn’t. I wanted to say I ran this marathon. I allowed myself to walk through the water stations, and then keep on pushing through the exhaustion and pain. I reminded myself that Kevin was right there with me.
10:18 AM: Mile 12 marker. Only one more mile. I can run a mile no problem. The crowd started to get more dense, which was exactly what I needed.
10:25 AM: I hear a TNT coach tell two women walking ahead of me, “3 lights take a right and then it’s the final stretch.”. I give him a high five and tell him that is exactly what I needed to hear and then I pick up the pace. I pass walkers, runners pass me, I turn the corner and see the opera singer telling me I’m almost done. I hear my name, and there is my beautiful woman cheering me on, with 3 rad friends braving the rain right by her side. I’m kicking it in as full of gear as I have left in me. One more turn to the left and I see the finish.
10:30 AM: I crossed the finish line. The area gets dense with finishers and volunteers. I’m handed my medal and a warming blanket. Suddenly I am so fricking cold. I grab an orange, a little bagel, and a peanut butter cup. 
All in me within a minute. A cute little girl hands me a rose -pink. Not my first choice, but how could I say no? I see the shirt table and get my finisher shirt, walk a few more feet and am handed a doug fir seedling. Then I am overwhelmed.
I just stopped and stood there. It all was so surreal. I must have looked as dazed and confused as I felt because before I knew it a little woman I didn’t know, possibly a runner, I’m still not sure where she came from, but she took the ends of my blanket in her hands and said, “Thank you for running. My mom thanks you.” Clearly, her mom had been affected with a blood cancer.
She tied my blanket shut, so I no longer had to hold it in my hands. She gave me a huge hug, and she walked away. That was the exact moment that I knew why I had run. I ran for someone I would never know.
I broke out of my daze long enough to find Truck G to get my dry jacket. No use in putting it on as it was still raining and I was drenched. I kept walking through the path of people held in by chain link fence. Finally I found my way out.
10:40 AM: There was my Trina waiting for me with a chocolate cupcake, beautiful flowers, and a whole lotta love and support.
10:50 AM: I change into a warm shirt, find the TNT booth, and signed out.
11:00 AM: I’m in the car changing my shoes on the way home. It sucks wearing wet shoes.
11:30 AM – 6:00 PM: I eat a breakfast burrito, lay on the couch with ice packs and a blanket, take a 1.5 hour nap, indulge in a hot shower, and get ready for the victory party.
6:30 PM: Victory party with all Teammates. Pizza and beer. It felt good to indulge. We swapped stories and congratulated each other and talked about our next runs (well some of us).
This journey has been hard, and fun, and tiring, and stressful, and tearful, and joyous, and rewarding, and so much more. My friend Tana asked me if I would do it again. I absolutely would do it again. I highly recommend if you have ever thought about running a marathon or half marathon or a triathlon, do it with Team in Training. I’ll go further into TNT in a blog later on, but honestly I wouldn’t have done it any differently.
