Country Music Marathon Recap #2

This Saturday in Nashville was the Country Music Marathon and my second chance to run 13.1 miles. This year's race had the added excitement of one of our best friends coming to run it with us. 

Race expo

Everyone was saying I shouldn't be nervous since I already knew I was capable of running that far.  I, however, think the opposite.  Last year I was excited and foolishly believed 13 miles would not be much harder than 11.  This year... I knew the challenge I was in for.

Pre-race

J with our race support team

30,000 runners

The day was gorgeous- warm and sunny.  Unfortunately, Nashville is about the hilliest place on earth and my legs and lungs decided they were over it about mile 8.  Last year, the out-and-back part of the course meant you got to run down the hills for a bit... they took that out this time around and added a new, even hillier road giving us no break!

Getting through the final hour of the race was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.  Everything in my body wanted to quit.  Luckily, Mike kept encouraging me to keep going.  I'm really not sure how I made it through to the end but crossing the finish line was an awesome feeling.  

finished!!!

With Publix as a sponsor, the post-race spread was pretty great and we quickly devoured some snacks and several bottles of water and Cytomax.  We found Julianne and congratulated her on her ridiculous race.

We took some pictures with the pretty skyline on our way back over the walking bridge to catch a cab back to our car.  

 

The rest of the day was spent eating massive quantities of wings and mac and cheese and catching up on sleep after our 4:30 am wake-up.

That night we went downtown for dinner and some honky-tonkin'.  J's boyfriend Akira joined us for the weekend (although sadly couldn't run the race because of a sprained ankle) so she wanted to show him the best place in Nashville: The Stage.

so fun!

so happy to be done running!

love this boy.  he deserves an extra medal after this race.

I spent the last couple miles bargaining with myself that if I just finished the race, I would never make myself run again.  As any runner will tell you, races have a way of making you forget the hell you go through and leave you with awesome memories.  While I haven't completely forgotten the pain and tears, I was enticed by an advertisement for a "fast and flat race" and have already signed up for my next 13.1 in October.  The Mister is taking a time-out on long runs for now (he's signed up for his first duathalon next month), but he's promised to be full of sideline support with waters, signs, and orange slices.