26.2

the morning of our race was silly cold. while we waited i wore multiple layers, a cozy hat, and sat in a heated tent but i was still cold. it was a halloween race so there were lots of crazy costumes. thor, axe murder, the devil, ninja turtle, eve, peter pan...the list was endless. there was even a purple teletubby that ran the entire marathon in her costume.

i wish i could say that i killed that race but...i didn't. that race chewed me up and then spit me back out. the course was different than the one listed and a bit more hilly. as in, the entire first half was mostly uphill. and then, because it had snowed and was so cold some of the water cups at the aid stations had a sheet of ice over them. gatorade popsicle anyone? i could go on about how at one point maybe i cried and said i couldn't go on or how i acted like gollum for a solid hour {liz you're doing awesome! i can't run anymore. shut up and suck it up! but it hurts, i just want to walk. don't even think about it! ahhh} but i'm trying to focus on the positive. thanks to a miracle woman on the trail who randomly decided to run with me and emily who rode her bicycle next to me, i was able to finish the last three miles.

running this marathon was the hardest thing, mentally and physically, i have ever done in my life, but i finished. and really, that's what counts. i'm not dwelling on how i didn't make my goal time or how slow i was. i finished and i'm proud of myself. and i deserved every single french fry that i ate at red robin afterwards.

ps. if you see a girl waddling around like a duck, that's me.