Marine Corps Marathon, recap and thank you!
First, I want to thank my family and friends for always being so supportive during my running endeavors. It's not easy on you sometimes and I really appreciate what you do and how you do it. For the readers of this blog, thanks for reading and I hope to keep you engaged.Let's get to the recap. I raised just short of $1,700 for the Diabetes in Action team. Thanks to each of you who donated your hard earned money to this cause. It will really help!
Next, thanks to each of you who gave me a song to run to. I will elaborate more on what I did during the race later this week.
The race was fantastic for a number of reasons. I loved being with my family. We laughed and learned together. Washington DC is beautiful and there is so much history. The holocaust museum taught us so much about how to love and forgive. My son was moved by the "Daniel" exhibit.
My race was a bit challenging. I struggled with cramps at mile 14 and it slowed me down a bit more than I would like. However, I learned so much about how to prepare for a race, cross training and just to "stay in" a race for the duration.
If I am privileged to run it again, I will run it differently. One aspect I underestimated was the beginning "hills". WOW. They were a bit challenging. Looking back, I went too hard early. The weather had an impact and I could have hydrated a bit better.
The marines were simply amazing. The crowds were so supportive. I loved running to the Iwo Jima memorial.
All of this was great, but from miles 11-14 I was struck by something amazing. On the sides of the road, military killed in action were pictured. The "Wear Blue: Run to Remember" organization held US Flags along the road. This is a section of the run where crowds are thin. The impact this made on me was HUGE. WOW- WOW. I had tears in my eyes.
Lastly, my favorite moments involved my son running the kids race. He made me so proud showing his leadership and courage. He earned his first medal. It's amazing to see him grow. I love him so much.
Sounds like you had a great experience! Hope to see you there next year!!
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