When I decided to run my 8th marathon a short month after my 7th...I thought it was completely doable. But...as the time approached I thought, "What on earth have I gotten myself into?" The Hartford Marathon fell on the perfect weekend...one where the Alabama Crimson Tide was off. Plus, October is peak season for leaves changing color in New England.
My husband decided he would skip the trip and let me invite my mom in his place...which thrilled both of us because it gave us a chance to spend some quality mother-daughter time together. It was only the second time my mom had ever been on a plane, but she did pretty good. We arrived in the capital city of Connecticut on Thursday morning and our adventures began. The food was wonderful, the scenery gorgeous, and the people were actually very friendly!
The first day we checked out the State Capitol building and the downtown Hartford area...Friday we toured the home of our favorite author of all time, Mark Twain...and Saturday was race day. It was a chilly 48 degrees as my mom and I made our way to the start line at Bushnell Park. I woke up with what us runners call a phantom injury. My right shin was hurting so bad I wanted to cry...but I had not done anything to hurt my shin! My mom got on the phone with my aunts from Dyersburg, Tennessee and the prayer warriors went to work. By marathon start time...my phantom injury was a distant memory and in the words of Forrest Gump, "I just felt like running."
The course was gorgeous. The fall leaves...the New England air...and the happy spectators every mile. The course was semi-flat with a few hills sprinkled in here and there. (Some surprises at the end reminded me that I needed to do more hill work at the END of my long runs.) I learn a lesson in every single race that I do so I never mind a challenge. It's a chance to learn about yourself and your limits...and know what you're really made of...which at mile 17 I thought, "jello".
I had the pleasure of having 4 of my fellow Birmingham Track Club friends running too...so it made it a lot easier knowing I had a little bit of home with me in Hartford. My mom also loved getting to know the group and being part of the BTC for the weekend. She thought everyone was so nice and dedicated...and after talking to them she understood a little better why we do what we do. Well...until she saw me cross the finish line in pain and tears streaming down my face. I think the spectators probably thought something was seriously wrong with me by how I was carrying on. I sprinted the last point 2 miles and gave it everything I had. I was whipped in every way. Overall I had a BLAST and loved it. I finished the ING Harford Marathon in 4:41:07, my second fastest time to date.
Next up...Viva Las Vegas!
God Bless and always remember, life is a marathon...not a sprint.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement