Race Recap:
There was nothing positive about my race performance which was fine. My only goal was to finish the race as this was going to be my FINAL marathon EVER! I finished so I met my goal!
This marathon was amazing! I was overwhelmed by the spectators. There was no section of the race without a throng of screaming people offering encouragment, food, and wet towels. They certainly came out to cheer all of the runners. I was stunned to hear the crowds constantly calling out individual runners by their names. The seasoned Chicago Marathoners know this is going to happen because they put their names on their running shirts. I soon became known as the "red-haried girl." Everywhere I ran the crowd cheered, "You got this red-haired girl!" "Looking good red-haired girl," and so on! It really helped me along the course.
My two children were constantly moving through the course to cheer me on as well. This was a huge mental support especially toward the final 6 miles as my calves were really cramping up. Knowing that they'd be along the race course I kept pushing forward even though my running was at a crawl pace. By the time my race ended, they had walked over a half-marathon!
Since this was my final marathon, it seems fitting that I ended up in the medical tent. I crossed the finish line, received my medal, and gathered my food rewards, but I couldn't walk any further. My calves were cramping so terribly and I could no longer put any pressure on them. Some kind runners summoned the medical team and I was whisked away on a wheelchair. I stayed in the tent for about an hour receiving physical therapy massage on my calves and feet. If I had known this was the treatment runners receive after a race, I probably would have faked cramps at other marathons! lol
My advice to anyone running a marathon, do NOT run two marathons within two days of each other!
On another side note when encouraging a finisher on his/her race, there are probably nicer comments then saying, "At least you had a good first half of your marathon!" Ha-Ha! This is what one of my sisters said to me! She is some kind of special!
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