A year and a half ago I signed up for my first Marathon. I decided that I had enough time to train so I wanted to shoot for a qualifying time to go to Boston. I ran the Ogden, UT marathon on May 21st, 2011 an somehow I did it! I met the qualifying time.
After 7 months of training and 4 months of actual more intense training, and being on an emotional roller coaster, the Boston Marathon 2012 came. In September 2011 when I found out that I had qualified, my brother Tyson and his wife Aileen had a tragic loss. They lost their sweet daughter Katherine on the day she was due. They couldn’t find a heartbeat and the cause of death wasn’t ever clear through further research. I felt so awful about their loss and it really hit home. I had lost motivation to run the marathon, but still accepted the invitation so I wouldn’t have regrets. A few days after I accepted, I was running on the treadmill thinking about a lot of different things and this overwhelming comfort came over me with a resounding YES to run Boston.
Through a lot of early mornings, hard training, and sacrifices from my dear husband and 3 kids I felt more and more prepared. I had such great support and love from family and friends along the way. I also was blessed to meet other amazing runners that let me train with them and helped push me to my limits. I felt ready to conquer Boston.
We headed first to Bullhead City AZ, about an hour and a half from Las Vegas where Scott’s parents live, to drop our kids off to spend time with grandma, grandpa and Aunt Lisa while we were back east. We spent a couple of days there and my runs felt great! We flew out Friday morning April 13th to Connecticut where Tyson and Aileen live. We got in pretty late, stayed up for a bit to visit and then went to bed. The next day was great! We went to the beach and went on a run and then had a BBQ picnic. The weather was in the 60’s and beautiful! We stopped at Katherine’s grave site on the way home. It was so peaceful there.
Sunday morning we went to church at Tyson and Aileen’s ward and then took off for Boston, about a 3 hour drive away. Before we left, Aileen gave me a heart charm with Katherine’s footprints on it to carry with me during the race. I decided to pin it right next to my heart during the race. I was so happy that she thought of that. When we got into Boston we went directly to the EXPO for the packet pickup, and we picked up our friend Davey’s packet as well because they weren’t sure if they would get in in time. When I picked his packet up the guy that gave it to me went on and on about how hot it was going to be and told me if I didn’t do it I would be guaranteed in for next year. I couldn’t believe how discouraging he was. How bad could a little heat be right? It was fun to walk around and to get pumped up before the race. We were able to watch a visual video of the race. My nerves were flying! I went through 3 different shirts that I pitted out in because I was so nervous. Scott and I laughed a lot about it. Davey and April Orgill arrived and we set out to find a place to eat. After miles of walking around we finally just claimed an outdoor table at a restaurant and got them to serve us. It was a pretty tasty Italian place. We had fun with the Orgills, talked about our plans of action for the race and departed separate ways to our hotels.
I set everything out that I would need and Scott gave me a blessing for comfort. It was so helpful and I felt completely at peace. I didn’t get to sleep until 11 or so and set my alarm for 5:30 am. I actually slept really well which is unusual for a race. We had to be to the buses between 6:30 and 7 to ride up to Hopkinton where the race began. There were lines that went on forever, but it was actually pretty organized considering there were 26,000 people set to run it. There was a girl a few people back that I wanted to make eye contact with because our Bib numbers were close meaning we probably had similar qualifying times. We were also the only ones surrounded by a group track team. So I finally said something to her and we ended up riding the bus together. Her name is Reina and she is from Canada. We hit it off right away and hung out at the runners’ village until the race started. We decided to stick together and help each other out but as we made our way to the finish line I had a sudden urge to use the potty and decided it was worth it. I told her I would run up and find her. It didn’t take long to use the restroom but by the time I got to the Start line it had already started and there were so so many people, there was no chance of getting through. I decided it was probably a good thing to be held back because it was so hot and it would save energy.
I kept hearing to make sure I stayed hydrated so I started drinking water and Gatorade at every aid station about every mile. It was a mad house at every aid station and I noticed it took about 5 seconds per mile off my time every time I stopped. Other racers were pushing and shoving and Gatorade was splashed everywhere. As it got hotter, I got slower and more and more water logged because of all I was drinking. I was water logged but still so parched and thirsty. It is such a bad mixture because my stomach felt so sick and full, yet I felt dehydrated and dizzy. The miles all ran together and then after mile 13 it got even worse. I tried to trudge along but I hit a point to where I felt so dizzy, so I had to walk a bit and then run. I would continually say to myself that "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." And it helped get me through a lot of really tough stretches. Mile 20 is “Heart Break Hill” about .4 mile up and I walked up that whole thing feeling so sick. At mile 22 I finally started throwing up and getting that liquid out of me. It was awful but helped my stomach feel a little better for a bit. Then It was a vicious cycle of drinking liquid, then running to the point of throwing up and then walking for a bit. I was delirious and so out of it. When I had about .75 miles left I made myself run, there was no way I was going to walk through the finish line. Sure enough, right after I got through past the finish line I threw up a ton! I started cramping all throughout my stomach. A volunteer asked if I needed help and then encouraged me to keep moving. I would walk for a bit, and then sit down and rest or try to throw up again, all the way until I heard Tyson call my name. He walked me back to where Aileen and their little girl Kenzie were and I sat on the Curb. I think I had finally gotten everything out of me and then I slowly drank water and came back to my old self. Scott had been at mile 25 and was still walking back to meet me. When he got back we walked around awhile to find a place to eat, but I think it was good for me to move around. We ate at Panera Bread and I got some chicken noodle soup and a sandwich in my stomach. Not much, but enough to continue to help me feel better.
After the race I felt so HAPPY and GRATEFUL that I had finished, but the day after I questioned everything I did and went back and forth trying to figure out what I could have done differently. The thing is, I feel like I learned so much. So many people told me that they were praying for me, and I was in hopes that the prayers would help me achieve an amazing time, when in reality it helped me persevere through a really hard race without passing out! Life is not always roses and daisies, life is real! And I know that we can make it through hard things if we dig deep and seek proper strength. Scott and Tyson and Aileen were staggered along the way to cheer for me which was so helpful. Scott deserves a medal for helping me through this journey, and I am also so grateful again for all the friends and family members’love and support through all my training as well;)
(hopefully more pics of the race to come!)
