Seattle Marathon 2009

In the world of running, I'm like a toddler. I have a couple of years behind me, a few key experiences and a vast amount of growing before me.

As I have been considering my goals for next year, it's almost fate that I met Jim, a Marathon Maniac, on the course. He has been running as many years as I've been alive. He ran the Ghost of Seattle Marathon the day before the Seattle Marathon and has completed 300+ events. We ran together around Seward park and leap frogged along Lake Washington Blvd as I stopped to hug the girls and get GU. And he smoked me at Galer-Madison. While it's tempting to let my ego be deflated by that...I'm amazed. 26.2 isn't the finish...it's really the beginning.

Reflections:

I love the energy at the starting line and the celebration at the end.
Writing a race-strategy and a packing list the night before, really helped me be prepared mentally.
Tunnel is still spooky.
I-90 was clear over the "pond"...no fog.
Cued my playlist @ 4:30 with U2...my push it music.
Galer-Madison still sucks and I feel like I have a score to settle next year.
Have never felt so elated to see the Space Needle.
The weather was perfect (as Seattle goes) considering it poured on me the week before.

Discovered I have developed a pet peeve...I find it annoying when spectators (most likely non-runners)at mile 23 yell out "You're almost there." I guess considering what is behind you that's a true statement. But given how you feel and being the moments where you are digging deep to push through the wall, "almost there" is more like mile marker 26; for me anyway.

My chip time was 4:46:55, which means I beat last year by 22 minutes, hit the sub 5 goal, enjoyed the run and sprinted the last .2 :)

And now I'm off to eat some more and think about the next race.