I finished!!!

This is me coming into the finish line - I was basically right on pace and very happy with my time. You can't tell it but I got very emotional - several times I had to ask myself - why am I doing this? I envisioned myself getting that medal at the end and that kept me going - well that and all the enthusiastic people along the race course - one person that stands out in my mind was a person wearing a large Mickey mouse hand and as I ran by she said "High four!!" - one of those thing you probably had to be there for...

At the 13 mile mark (when I only had .1 to go) I started crying...

This is me really crying - not because I was in pain or anything, but because I was so darn proud of myself and I was just overcome with emotions - by the way when you start crying right at the finish people cheer really loud for you!! Also if you are crying a nice man comes to you in the chute to make sure you are OK.









Then you go further down the chute and get the most beautiful medal I have ever seen - never mind the fact that almost 4000 people also got one, but mine is prettier than everyone else's - really it is - don't you think so??









The rest of the end was a blur - I was told to eat some food and all I could manage to do was grab a small piece of bread - I left the chute and went over to the Sacfit booth and proudly showed off my medal (again just like everyone else's except mine is prettier) I talked to my coach and he said he couldn't wait to read my blog, I talked to other assorted people and then I wandered around aimlessly trying to take it all in.

We left and went to Ihop for a late lunch which I say has to be the best way to celebrate a good run, I had chocolate milk (which was soooo good) and a hearty breakfast of eggs, pancakes, hash browns, bacon and ham (sorry weight watchers!!)

I'm only a little sore now, I'm feeling pretty good and I'm so darn proud of my medal. John Bingham in one of his books says you must wear your medal for a week to annoy everyone - well this on is a functioning cow bell so it will doubly annoying and I don't care!! It is the pretties thing I have ever saw!! I guess I should fill you in just in case you don't know - this was my first medal I have gotten for my running so it will always have a special place in my heart no matter how many more I get (and there will be more!!)