Rock'n'Roll San Diego

It's been awhile since I've posted on here. I officially finished the San Diego Rock'n'Roll marathon on Sunday, June 5th. It was a rough race, but here are some of the highlights of my weekend/race:

• Personally raising over $3,000 to help in the fight against blood cancers.
• Staying in the "haunted" US Grant hotel (it was beautiful - but I didn't see/experience any ghosts)
• Getting to see my mom's best friend Josie and her sister Rose for the first time in YEARS. It was like no time had passed, and the whole time spent with them, I could feel my mom with us. It was amazing and so good for my soul!
• Having a beer (or several) at Dick's bar. I have never been to one of those chains before - it was hilarious to hear them rip on everyone. LOVED IT!
• Being in the sunshine!! I LOVE YOU SAN DIEGO!!
• Decorating my shirt for the marathon with awesome teammates.
• Getting up at 3 am to meet the team at 4 am in order to make it to the start line. Then waiting at the start line until 7:00 am before I actually got to cross the start line and begin running.
• The joy of running, which lasted about 13 miles.
• Being ahead of the 5 hour pace girl (that was my first mistake - I should have set my pace with the group - it would have helped later when I was in a negative mood).
• Seeing my roommate and coach, Karl, at around mile 13. At that point I was still smiling.
• Hitting the wall at about mile 15 - it all went downhill after that point. I was pretty negative and not able to get my head out of the dumps.
• There were a lot of out and backs that were HORRIBLE for the mental game. I would look and see all the runners that were ahead of me but I couldn't see the turnaround point - it was rough!!
• Running on our last hill, which was after mile 18. It was in this neighborhood, and the folks there passed out orange slices (it was heaven!!), and then a few blocks later, another neighbor had his speakers out and was blasting Michael Jackson - IT WAS AWESOME and totally what I needed at that moment.
• Losing it around mile 20+. I started to cry and couldn't get my head out of the negative thoughts about how much I was hurting and about how much I wanted to stop/quit. 
• I started crying again on Fiesta Island, which was the last 3 miles of the race. It was at this point that I remembered that I have to do another marathon AGAIN at the end of Ironman Canada in a few months - that made me cry harder. :-)
• At some point sucking it up and running more than I was walking that last 2 miles in order to get the race done with quicker. 
• Finishing in 5 hours and 46 minutes. Much slower than I had hoped but still better than my marathon time from Ironman Coeur d'Alene.

Overall, I feel better about the race now that it is over and a few weeks behind me. Personally, I think marathons are dumb. Now onward to Ironman Canada. YIKES BIKES!!!

Here are some pictures: