Marathons are cool...

So after getting a good feel for the longer distance running, I decided to go for the next big challenge.  The Marathon.  Everything I read about running your first marathon focused on finishing.  Finishing uninjured and wanting to do another.  It seems that most people with marathon on their bucket list quit running after they achieve that goal.  I was determined not to be that statistic.

At the time some of the girls I was running with in the mornings were training for marathons.  I decided that if they could do it, I could do it.  I accompanied them on their training runs and then developed a training plan of my own that would get me to the Little Rock Marathon in March 2005.  My goal, to finish, and go on to do a second.

I do things a little differently than most.  I started training for this marathon without really telling anybody.  I figured the fewer people who knew, the fewer people I would have to explain things to if it did not go well.  My family did not know, most of my friends did not know.  A couple co-workers knew, and a couple running friends who would help me with training. 

I remember my first 20 miler, I was in Lake Charles LA celebrating Mardi Gras with my cousins.  I was staying with my cousin Dece and the night before we went around her neighborhood in her car and drove off a 20 mile route.  It was pretty easy considering Lake Charles is very flat and the blocks are all square miles.  The next day I got up and took of at a very slow pace (finishing was the goal)  I took my phone and water bottle and started off on the run alone.  About midway through I got a couple check up calls.   but beyond that I did my first 20 completely by myself.  As I was making my way back down Dece's street, I saw her pulling out of her side street.  she looked my direction and smiled.  I waved my hands in victory because I was almost done. when I finished she was waiting for me on the porch and said " I was about to come looking for you"  I looked at my watch and I was 35 minutes later that the time I had predicted finishing "Oh, I'm sorry! " I frantically started to apologize. She just smiled, laughed,  and shook her head.  It was a good day.