My Official Post-Marathon Report

I can sum up my marathon with a single word: "Ouch"

All runners know that some days are "on" days, and some days are "off" days. There is not usually any reasoning behind the kind of day you're having, it just happens. I have no clue why, but Sunday was definitely an off day for me.

Due to yesterday being an off day, all of the 26.2 miles were extremely difficult, not because I was tired, not because I was hot, but simply because my legs were causing me tremendous pain. Starting around mile 6 or 7, my legs began to really hurt. It got progressively worse as I continued. Because it was so bad, my dad kept trying to get me to finish at the half marathon finish line, but I kept telling him I wouldn’t stop.

At around mile 18, he tried to get me to stop again. He said his friend would be there cheering us on from the sidelines and could take care of me…but I said no once again. I kept saying "Dad, stopping is not an option!" Miles 21 and 22 were torturous and my legs felt awful. I somehow managed to hit mile 25, and from there I was able to run the 1.2 miles to the finish! We came in at just over 5 hours 30 minutes.

To tell you the truth, If I didn’t have so many people supporting me, and I hadn’t fundraised for CCFA and had so many people donate, I know I would never have finished the race. I just kept thinking what a letdown it would be, not only myself, but to all my supporters, if I didn’t finish. I also kept thinking "If I don't finish this race, will I have the willpower and energy to continue training and try my luck at another marathon?" And I just wasn't confident that I could put myself through this again anytime soon.

During the race, encouragement also came in the form of a few people watching the race who were holding up signs that said “Pain is temporary. Pride is forever.” That helped me a lot, actually...it helped me more than you can imagine. It really hit home with me.

Anyway, I am ecstatic and relieved that I actually finished. Continuing to run was a very tough decision because of the amount of pain I was experiencing. At some points, around miles 21-25, I literally had to hold on to my dad for support. Every time I started running again after I had been walking, it was a struggle to get my legs to move faster since I was even in immense pain when I was just walking.

In the end, I am so happy that I ran through all the pain. And, surprisingly, my dad and I still managed to finish with a decent time and came in ahead of over 400 runners! (I have no idea how that happened!)

Marathon Countdown: 2 days!

Aaahh! Only 2 more days and I am kinda freaking out. People keep asking me if I'm excited. Umm would YOU be excited if you knew you were going to be in extreme pain!? I am nervous and anxious, but i don't think excited is the right word. However, I will be excited when I am done with the marathon! I am loading up on lots of food, especially carbs! (That part is fun!)

Also, I am proud to say I have now raised almost $1300! I'm making my final push for donations! If you have been waiting to donate...now's the time! My deadline is tomorrow! It's super easy, just go to http://www.active.com/donate/lv09florida/RachelKramer and use a credit card to donate.

Thanks! Happy Friday :)

Marathon Countdown: 3 days!

So, yesterday it was a mad rush to run 2 miles before I had to run out the door to meet my parents for dinner at 7:30, and I got home from work at 6!

It's funny, because a year ago, I would have just skipped my run. Now, no matter what I have on my plate, I somehow manage to get 5 days of running or cross training in each week. Of the 26 weeks I've been training, I think maybe only 3 of those weeks did I work out 4 days, rather than 5. And that was either due to my plantar fasciitis or the damn air conditioning guy working on our air for about 2 weeks.

It's truly amazing what you can do when you have a clear goal in mind. I can't wait to finish my marathon in a couple days and be able to say I successfuly completed my goal.

On another note, thank you so much for everyone whol has helped me raise over $1,000 for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. Saturday is the last day to donate and I'm hoping to raise even more by then!

Only one week to go!

OK, so I ran 6 miles (which seemed like nothing) with my dad on Saturday. I know I am ready for the marathon this Sunday. The only question on my mind is "How much pain will I be in when I finish the race?"

I am hoping that I don't throw up when it's done, as I have heard so many people do. As long as I finish and am still standing, I will be happy :)

Thank you so much to all my friends and family that have dontated to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. It means so much to me!

If you're interested, the finish line of the race is at the intersection of Biscayne Blvd & E. Flagler Street. I am hoping to cross the finish line around 11:15 am. I won't even mention the start line because I know none of you will be getting there at 6:15 am. You are all welcome to come on out to see my a tired, sweaty Rachel cross the finish line.

Let's do this thing!

For the past few weeks, I've been running in the bitter cold weather. Last night, it was nice to be running in a normal, comfortable temperature! After covering eight miles, I finished without all my limbs feeling numb from the cold.

I'm still crossing my fingers, though, that for my marathon, the weather is right aroun 55 degrees. The cold prevents me from getting sweaty and therefore severely lessens the effects of dehydration and exhaustion.

Only two weeks left til my big run in Miami! I'm so ready to do this thing!

Steping into a Freezer

So, Sunday was a unique running day for me. Not only was it about 27 degrees with windchill, but I somehow convinced Ryan to run with me and my dad.

We wrapped ourselves in hats, gloves, scarves and layers and headed out into the dreaded cold. To understand how cold it was, imagine stepping into a giant freezer that has a fan in it that is blowing directly on your face.

We were COLD, but we finished! :) Great success!

Only a couple weeks left!

My dad and I are officially registered for the ING Miami Marathon on January 31st. With our 20-miler completed, we are confident we can take on and successfully finish a 26.2 mile run.

With the 31st just around the corner, I am hoping all my supporters will donate to my cause at http://www.active.com/donate/lv09florida/RachelKramer. I am $4,500 short of my goal and I only have a few weeks left! I did some calculations and realized that if 100 of my 157 facebook supporters donated just $20, I could raise $2,000! That is amazing! If you don't have $20, donate $10, because every little bit helps get us closer to finding a cure for Crohn's and Colitis.

As a side note, I ran two miles yesterday. For the first time since Winter has blessed us with its presence, I was having a tough time breathing. My lungs were burning and the wind was getting the best of me! I manage to finish pretty quickly and scurried upstairs to the warmth of my apartment!