"I'm not that hardcore to just go in my pants"

November 30th came and went......well not just like that, it was a staple in my identity crossing that finish line. The finish line I am talking about is the Seattle Marathon. The marathon that mind you is NOT a P.R. (personal record) course. So much so that at mile 21 they place a staircase hill right in front of you to run up---really people are we trying to kill the competitors?


Through out the training of this marathon I didn't follow the program as I should have, I realize this now. You have weekly speed work outs, short runs, tempo runs, long runs and rest days. Well because of my history as a bike racer I decided to supplement bike in place of speed work outs, as well as a lot of cross training. Okay, so I ran two times a week one of those runs being a long run. Needless to say at mile 20, the mile marker I stopped training at, I crashed.

The race started brisk. I stayed with the pacers for an 8 minute mile, 3:30 marathon time. Like I mentioned before I felt strong until mile 20.....only to be faced with a treacherous hill at 21.....not to mention all the "rollers" before that. So at 21 the pacer and a few other runners slowly ran away from me. I struggled for a couple of miles and then pulled my head together to finish strong. Allowing me to finish in 3:33 instead of 3:30. This is a time I can only be proud of considering it was my first marathon, on a slow hilly course too!

At the finish I reveled in what I just accomplished, hoping to be in the top ten of my division, well I guess I will settle with 14th in my division--as well as 33rd out of all 773 women! Now on to a more disciplined structured training program, I hope to have a 3:15 time in Eugene, and maybe 3 hours in Portland. We'll cross our fingers. Needless to say I am addicted!!

About the staple in my identity. I have always related fitness to bike racing and thinking that is what I need to succeed at to be a good athlete. An old friend introduced me to the sport and he has excelled above and beyond, my pre race jitters and fear of speed all kept me from excelling in that sport. So when I crossed that finish line I realized that all that base fitness from the bike totally prepared me for a new life in competitve racing----running. New doors open and I see myself as a new individual with nothing to prove to anyone but myself.....race on!

El giving me a post race massage!!

Just finishing.....exhausted.

Family photo before the start!!