touch the tundra: cellcom green bay marathon

in january of 2010, diana planted a seed in my never-logical, marathon-crazed brain. she offered up her guest bedroom and invited me to run the green bay marathon with her in 2011; it would be her first. what kind of runner-friend would turn down the invitation to celebrate someone's first marathon? unfortunately she spent the last few months leading up to race day battling the boot and had to switch to the half-marathon, but she still finished valiantly and will one day run her own 26.2!

standing at the feet of giants

i arrived in dairyland on friday to cloudy and cold weather, but the sun came out for the race on sunday along with it's friend windy. as usual i forgot warm pre-race clothes (i packed for 4 days in just a backpack) so we went shopping at kohl's on race-eve where diana found this sweet bedazzled gem.

people paid $30 for this? i felt like $6 was steep.
the "look amazing" tag perfectly describes this shirt.

i'm still confused as to why the front is shorter than the back.

i also picked up the latest development in running gear - gardening gloves ($3). i ended up wearing them the majority of the race thanks to the insane winds.

wait, let's back it up. it is very important that i mention diana gave me a private kettlebell lesson on friday. remember kids- don't try new things right before a race. i woke saturday with a sore back (from having bad form in the beginning) and super sore hamstrings. at the expo on saturday, i was walking as though i had already run the marathon.

note: my form is not good here. it is not a reflection of my kb instructor.
extra note: this was a re-enactment photo taken the day *after* the marathon.

when the factory whistle sounded the start of the marathon, i walked a few paces to the start line and then began to run. hello hamstrings! still sore. still aching. i twinged a little with every step for the next 20 or so miles.

diana's hubby was an expert spectator!
(that sweatshirt looks even sexier from the side/back)

the first half of the race was mostly residential, but there were great crowds of spectators! i assumed it would be sparse due to the logistics of parking on neighborhood streets but i was pleasantly surprised to see many spectators. as always, thank you spectators for cheering on your loved one(s) and a few thousand complete strangers. the second half was more industrial and then along a bike path so spectators were fewer and further between. there was a good crowd at most of the mile markers though; every little boost helped.

mile 1 (8:49) - sore hammy's from the first step. saw the best sign of the day: "this wind blows".
mile 2 (8:48) - the wind blew my hat off and i had to back track for it.
mile 3 (8:24) - ditched the bedazzled sweatshirt without regret.
mile 4 (8:30) - apparently this mile was long, i figured my garmin was off due to chasing after my hat.
mile 5 (8:39) - had to chase my hat again.
mile 6 (9:57) - pit stop to go #2... yes, stellar start to the marathon. high-fived some kids with my gardening gloves.
mile 7 (8:44) - motivated by the "10k alleluia" group and their phil 4:13 banner. big crowd of spectators, music, chalk-cheers on the pavement. took a gu roctane.
mile 8, 9 and 10 (8:39, 8:51, 8:56) - ran behind some guys in ironman gear. used them to block the wind. one could have used some longer shorts.
mile 11 (8:35) - the half-marathoners split off and headed back to lambeau field. i crossed a 4-lane highway with the marathoners while the winds gusted to 30mph, causing my left leg to kick my right leg.
mile 12 (8:47) -  uneventful. slight incline.
mile 13 (8:34) - another gu roctane; half split - 1:56:55
mile 14 (10:04) - another pit stop... another #2...
mile 15 (8:41) - tail wind! already having to tell myself to "make it hurt and push harder".
mile 16 (8:49) - crossed the fox river. waaaayyy exposed on the bridge. have to hold onto hat and try to not be blown into traffic by the gusting winds from the left. gusting winds also made it hard to breathe - i felt like i was choking/suffocating at times.

miles 17 thru 21 (9:21, 9:40, 9:16, 9:26, 9:18) - on paved path along the river.

• lovely headwind now, 25-35mph with gusts up to 50mph. more feeling suffocated. turned hat around so it wouldn't blow off anymore.
• somewhere in here i quit noticing the aches from my hamstrings.
• saw a sign that said: "listen to my body? if i listened to my body i would be lying in bed right now eating a danish and reading the paper."
• i talked myself out of ever running a marathon again.

mile 22 (10:56) - huge gust of wind that literally had me running in place. i had to turn around and run backwards for a few steps just so i could breathe.
mile 23 (9:09) - i'd been running the math in my head throughout the race, and was pretty sure i could still run a sub-4 if i held on for these last few miles. i chatted a little with a woman who was wearing her boston jacket (she ran a 3:43 there last month).  6 days is more hardcore than 30...
mile 24 (9:34) - repeated to myself "the harder you run, the faster you're done".
mile 25 (9:09) - so ready to run through a tunnel of champions, ready for a victory lap around lambeau field, ready to be done.
mile 26 (8:12) - technically garmin reached 26.2 after only a few steps on the tundra, but i know i don't run the tangents, plus i had to chase after my hat a few times. i really picked it up for my lap around the field, threw my arms up in the air for a photographer (i'm sure i managed to look awkward), and fought hard against one last headwind as i ran back out the tunnel.
mile 26.5 (7:14 pace) - i sprinted from the tunnel to the finish line, a kick finish is my absolutely favorite part of any race.

brain activity immediately upon finishing: man i am so going to do a couple marathons in the fall.

post-race "packer" m&m's from diana!

in the end, i think the headwinds were a blessing. sure they slowed me down, but i was undertrained for this marathon and they helped hold me back. perhaps i would have injured myself or caused another bout of nausea/vertigo had i continued at a stronger pace. my legs are already feeling normal again, though i'm still scheduling a two-hour massage (like you need an excuse to do that).

green bay marathon - 3:57:59 / 9:04 avg pace

10 down, 41 to go! who's hosting me next? :)