The final taper

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.  -Semisonic

I'm sure that several of you have checked here recently for the post-marathon report.  Since it was a marathon, you will get a marathon-length report about the marathon!!

I flew into WI and met my 2 lovely WI ladies for lunch.  I finally got to meet Baby Brooklyn, who was everything I'd dreamed and more.  If I die and there is a heaven, I'm pretty certain that it is sitting with LLR & ADBK/Brooklyn for an eternity!!  We had a nice dinner & I enjoyed day #1 of carb-loading out of state, complete with a pizza.  Then I headed back to Casa de Wulff for a little Parenthood episode with the folks, and then headed to bed--because the 2 naps I took while flying were clearly not enough sleep for this girl!

The next morning, I had to run some errands and stopped by my Dad's school to visit.  His 5th and 6th grade girls were on the edge of their seats with excitement about playing Hot Cross Buns and Mary Had a Little Lamb.  You may sense sarcasm, but there is none.  They were truly thrilled about it.  I then drove to visit another good friend at school and got to have a 30 minute catch-up session.  It was about 6 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes too short, but we did the best with what we had. :)   From there, it was time to head out to get the eyebrows waxed and then time to hit the road to go to see Gram.  Because going to see Gramp and Gram with fuzzy eyebrows would be wrong!

The week before the marathon, we had  a small scare with Gram when she went into the ER because she wasn't feeling well.  My sister and I talked and decided it would be best for us to go visit her together.  Riah agreed to cook (for the simple fact that if I did, we would all be dead now) and we both agreed to help Gram out, in addition to just keeping her company.  Along the way, I made a small detour in the city of Baraboo (the Circus World Museum is there--for anybody who read "Water for Elephants," much of the information obtained to write the book was provided by Baraboo's Museum) to stop and see Steph and kids--including her tiny newborn, Benji!!  I did attempt to kidnap him, but JC (Steph's Mom) manhandled me and Benji was safely returned.  Riah and I spent the night at Gram's BEAUTIFUL house and I headed out the next morning for Des Moines. 

The whole purpose in me choosing the 515 for the marathon was because I hadn't seen most of my Midwest friends in FAR TOO LONG, in addition to the fact that I wanted to return to Iowa as a new person and showcase my new self to the state in the form of a marathon.  Completely logical right?  When I arrived on Friday, Sarah and I kicked it for  bit, then headed to Target for some last-minute marathon-weekend needs (peanut butter, since it was confiscated at the airport, and water bottles for the race).  After that, I was reunited with my closest college friends in the form of Panchero's (YUM) and a pedi (hey, if my feet are supposed to pound the pavement for 26.2 miles, I think I've earned it, right?!).  I saw Sarah for all of 7.3 minutes at Christmas at the Albert Lea truck stop, and Nicole sometime over a year ago when she came to Winston for work for a few days.  I hadn't seen Fisher since before I moved to NC, June of 2009.  It was good to have our hearts in one location.  And isn't that Serbian boy, so handsome?!  That's Vlad, Colie's boy!  For those who are not familiar with Panchero's, it is similar to Moe's or Chipolte or Qdoba.  Only 100 times better.  Blair and Marlon, don't you dare try to say otherwise.  

Sarah and I then headed back to her house in order to wake up at the buttcrack of dawn on Saturday for an 8:00 AM chiropractor appointment in Iowa with Dr. Ole Oleson.  If that's not a good Midwestern name, I'm not sure what is.  All you Midwesterners are trying to picture him--and you're coming up with an old white-haired man who may or may not be wearing a Viking hat.  In order to assist you with your visualization process, please see the picture to the left--he is a rather handsome fellar if I do say so, myself! 

From there, we headed out to the downtown Des Moines Farmer's Market--one of my favorite things about the city (besides my people, of course!).  Food, organic fruits & veggies, cheese, salsas, baked goods, live music, and tree-hugging, granola-eating people everywhere!  My Misfits would fit it quite well at this Farmer's Market!  I bought myself an Iowa T-shirt and some puppy chow (an delectable treat unknown in the South!) to commemorate the occassion.  Sarah snapped some photos of some beautiful flowers that were on sale, as well. 

Next stop on the 515 tour:  Nelsen crew.  We popped by Leah's house.  Leah was so excited that I was coming that she decided to be my twin, complete with buyin a phone to match mine and wearing the exact same outfit.  This is what makes us Shoop Sista's, of course.  Leah and Josh just bought a brand new house, so we got to scope it, and because she (like everybody I now know) had an IPAD, I also imposed some Jim Gaffigan upon her.  HOT POCKETS anyone?  For those who don't know him, look him up ASAP on Youtube.  And try not to pee yourself. 

As my carb-loading spree needed to continue, we grabbed a little Zmarick's and headed home to enjoy this, while plotting our next step--t-shirt making fest for all of the cheering crew at the race!!  We spent several hours buying, planning, typing, printing, and ironing the shirts so  my Super Fans could be in matching threads (as all Super Fans should be, right?!).  I also did some packing for the race--which in itself is an artform and a math game, all rolled into one.  Then it was time for some Church and then some final carb-loading before the race!! 

Church was an interesting message--and perfectly timed (don't you love when that happens?).  It was called Confirmation for Grown-Ups or something to that effect--all about helping adult Christians in the ELCA church understand their faith.  They played some clips from The Book of Eli, which I have never seen, but one of the verses they focused on was all about giving your best...see picture of the screen to the right.  I had no idea how meaningful this verse would be in the next 18 hours.

From there, it was dinner time--below are pictures of all my people that joined us at Latin King (which is not a Hispanic Gang, or a Latin restaurant, but it is, in fact, Italian).  Enjoy the pics of my peeps below.



Nicki & Trac



Uncle Tom & Aunt Nancy

The Parents

Grandparents & Sister

My Child

Stunt Mom & Pop

Gina & Jessica



College Roommates and Forever Friends



Shoop Sista

Wulff Pack Cousins

Cousin Spencer on his 6th Birthday



Jennifer & Alexis



Vlad & Colie--
or as Gram said
"What's her name has the nicest husband."
  

After dinner, it was clearly time for bed--I had all my stuff for the next morning packed and ready to go--now the question was--would I sleep? The answer? Yes--for a total of 2 hours.  I would not exactly call that well-rested, but who can sleep before a day like tomorrow, really?!

Then I woke up bright and early with plenty of time to roll out of bed, braid my hair up, and get my head in the game. Several friends had sent me texts and even notes/cards to read before the race started, so I used these all to help me get focused. After some headwork, an email to coach, and some music to get me on track, it was time!!

Amy & the boys sent this picture

.

I was dressed and ready to go--as evidenced by this menacing picture.  I was putting on my biggest tough face--do I look like someone you want to mess with or not?  I'm guessing NOT, especially with that biohazard tape on my knee.

I got to the start line and first things were first:  Bathroom break.  The rules of running ANY race, especially a marathon, are that when you get to the race site, you go to the bathroom--port-a-potty or not--and not just one, but twice or three times.  I hit the port-a-john a couple times and worked on getting my head in the game.  I cranked my ipod and spent some quality time people-watching.  From there, it was time to line up--and wait for the gun to signal the start.  And I was off!!

I had orchestrated in advance that my friends be at various check points throughout the race to help me refill my liquids (Nuun), stock up on my carbs (gels and beans), put the  numbing junk on my knee, and raise my spirits.

As I came to mile 6, I found my first crew of Laura's Lunatics--Team Nelsen!

My knee began to hurt right about this point, but I kept on until mile 12 where I saw Trac & Nicki.

At 15, I was in tears and met up with Vlad & Nic, and then at 6 to Fisher who walked with me until 18 where my parents were, and we caught up with my Aunt/Uncle at the parking lot near 18. 

At 18, I had to recognize that I'd done my best job.  My Coach's words echoed in my head:  You are ready for this race, and if you knee is not, it is no reflection upon your ability to finish a marathon.  Words from church:  I have fought the good fight, I have finished my race, I have kept the faith--and that I did.  Today was not the day to finish the 26, but it was still a day of celebration.

Time for Mexican to do so!!

And then--time to roll out....18 miles of a marathon on a bum knee and 2 hours of sleep, and now a 6 hour drive back--then a few hours of sleep and flying back to the 336.

Thanks to everybody for all of your support along this journey.

This is my final entry in this blog--hope you all enjoyed the ride!!

1

Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints and we are never the same again.  -Flavia

Since November 22, 2009, I have been on a journey to a healthier me.  While I have been working very hard and diligently on this journey, I have not been walking it alone.  Obviously the last 25 posts have detailed all of those who have been encouraging me along the way, but I have been sitting in the driver's seat of a car that has a GPS named Coach.  I know I'm doing the work, but she has guided me along every single step of the way.  In one of my early messages to her when she explored with me the idea of going out for a walk or maybe even a jog, I said to her, "I will NEVER do a marathon because it is just a bad idea and I think it is so hard on the body."  Well, Coach, you never EVER suggested that I do one, and I am here.

In just a matter of hours, I will be lined up at the start line.  I will be wearing all of my race day gear:  sports bra, sports tank, sports shorts, long-sleeved shirt, homemade race t-shirt, sweat-wicking socks, Brooks shoes, Fuel Belt loaded with carbs & Nuun, race ID band, watch, and tattoos on my arms that I made to remind me of my list of 26.  And while every single one of those 26 on the list are incredibly important in the growth and development of me as I am today, it is single-handedly the work of Coach that brought me to the decision to run this race today.

I saw a shirt today that said "Running:  Cheaper than therapy."  Well this is definitely true, but running for me (as it is Bridget) is more like the Prozac, and working with Coach is my therapy. 

Coach, I know I tell you all the time how much I appreciate you in my life, but I can honestly tell you that this past nearly 2-years of working with you has empowered me to make life-changing and life-saving decisions in my life, and I have become a person I always knew I could be.  Someday we will have to "break up" because someday I just won't need you as a Coach anymore.  But when that sad day comes, I will always know that you have been a friend and have, as the quote says, left permanent prints on my heart and in my life.  I hope someday we can run a race together in the literal sense--not in the metaphorical sense or the "you're running one in Baltimore the same weekend I'm running one in Des Moines" sense. 

If anybody wants to read up on Coach Lynn, feel free to check her out on her own site.  And feel free to tell her how amazing she is--I'm proof of her work.

Thank you, Coach, for everything.  And I mean everything.  The last mile--when I'm dying, I'm crying, my legs think they are going to give out and I want  nothing more than to puke or collapse--that mile is for you.  Not cuz I want you to have me at my worst, but because I will picture you on my shoulder, cheering me on the whole way and pushing me one step further than I ever thought I could go. 

2

Have a little faith and a little anti-inflammatories and you'll be just fine. -Dr. Damien.

Since July 1, 2011, I have spent an hour every week with a man that changed my life.  He's tall, dark, handsome and even has a bit of an accent.  Every girl's dream, right?  Sorry ladies--he's taken.  But it hasn't stopped our weekly dates!  Um, I mean, appointments.

Dr. Damien Rudolfo is a Chiropractor in Greensboro.  He is trained in Active Release Techniques.  I can't tell you much of the scientific end of this, but I can tell you it involved soft tissue work, a significant amount of pain (while its being treated) and an amazing relief (after the treatment).  He's got a sweet secretary, Victoria, who has joined me for a couple Zumba classes and is now hooked.  He's also got a "wing man," Matt, who is in school right now so that he can become like "The Great Damien." 

While this all sounds rather like an infomercial, I am writing this because I can say, in all honesty, that I would not be where I'm at in my marathon training today if it weren't for this amazing crew.  I have spent many hours with them, at this point, and am making sure I'm getting the most out of my insurance this year.  When I'm in pain and I call, they have me in within hours.  When I'm scared about the upcoming marathon, they give me all the confidence I need.  And when I'm catching a plane in an hour, they send me to the Midwest adjusted & prepared. 

Doc, Matthew, Victoria--you guys are all lifesavers and have given me the strength and brought me less pain so that I can hit the ground running in the morning--for all 26.2 miles.  And the 2nd mile goes to you, my friends. 

Victoria, The Doc, La, Matt

For those who are in Triad area and are thinking about the back/leg/neck/shoulder/anything pain you've got going on, go check out my friends at Healing Hands Chiropractic.  Tell them I sent you--it won't save you any money but it makes me sound cooler.

5

It takes a whole village to raise a child. -African Proverb

While many may consider me the village idiot (I don’t know that I could argue), I’m also a village-raised child. Since I was young, I was magnetically attracted to caring people. I can’t even tell you how many “Mothers” I have had in life. While I was birthed by one mother, many others have mothered me along the way. As I’ve grown into adulthood (OMG have I mentioned how scary 30 is?!), I have learned more about mothering myself and have been welcomed with open arms into others’ families.

 

As I sit back and reflect upon the families that have taken me in as one of their own over the years, I am astounded by the number of families that I have been fortunate enough to be a part of for some period in time.  Tonight, I'm going to bed in a city where my friends' parents sleep on the other side of town, and when I saw them earlier today, I called them Mom and Dad.  Yesterday, I was introduced as a daughter (not by one of my parents).  I always appreciate and love the family with which I am biologically connected, but there is also a sense of love and appreciation for others. 

 

For the purposes of anonymity, I won't mention names, but to the Mothers, Fathers, and friends out there who support me to the very end, I appreciate all the love and encouragement you can offer. 

 

Mile 5 goes out to all the non-family Family I have out in this world.  Love to you all. 

3

Yes, blogging is entertainment. It is performance. Each blog post a show, sometimes an opera, sometimes a 30 second commercial. Like a show, it may start with a bang, lead you along from song to song, have a great climatic moment, then leave the audience wanting more. -Lorelle Van Fossen

This is an entry where I’m going to sound ancient. I do remember when gas cost less than a dollar and school lunch was only a buck. I remember using the Apple 2GS in school and having to turn in hand-written final copies of papers. I may have walked uphill both ways to school and barefoot in the school, no less. But I never imagined that I would one day keep a blog. Today’s mile 4 shout out goes to all of those who have ever bothered to read even a single post, for those who have followed loyally every day, and those who have commented at any given point. I know I have followers all over the US, in Belgium and Spain, and maybe even Rosa in her foreign lands. A friend of mine asked me when I started this what my intentions were in keeping a blog. I started it to share my story and help to motivate others. It doubled in purpose as it provided me some accountability. Little did I know that it would also provide me with motivation and help as the responses that I got have kept me going—not only in blogging but in staying motivated to push forward with this marathon training—which, honestly, can be SLIGHTLY overwhelming at times! Mile 4, my friends, is for those who have followed Embracing Gray.

4

"I get by with a little help from my friends. -The Beatles

Throughout the past months of blogging, I have mentioned on several occasions how critical having a workout buddy has been for me. Mile 5 shout out goes out to all the friends I have made working out, and those friends who have spend time with me while working out. There have been friends who have gone running with me (hill repeats at Smith Mountain Lake, Military Park, jogging around France, Owl’s Roost Trail and Tippecanoe Trail in the 262) and those who have joined me at the gym (Centergy, Zumba, Power, Yoga and Spin). There have been friends who I have made while at the gym, or those whom I have chatted with while at a race or on the trails. There are friends I have made while dripping with sweat and out of breath, working hard to “get ripped.” And there are those who have joined me for a race (Run for the Haw, Charlotte 1/2 Marathon, Autism Walk, and this weekend, the Des Moines Marathon) or competition just to be a good support. Mile 5 is for every single workout buddy I have made and everyone of those working out around me, helping to encourage me and hold me accountable. This is also a shout out for those workout buddies who live far away and have been working out with me from afar. Nicole, Funny & ABC, I specifically thank you for all your help, encouragement & advice you’ve offered all along! I hope many more of you will join me in the future for a race or a class!!

6

Your biggest challenge isn't someone else.  It's the ache in your lungs and the burning in your legs, and the voice inside you that yells "can't"but you don't listen.  You just push harder.  And then you hear the voice whisper "can."And you discover that the person you thought you were is no match for the one you really are. -Runner's World

 

Yet again, I’ve fallen behind a couple days. Good thing I have a 3 hour layover in Atlanta to get caught up! I suppose if the airport security is going to steal my peanut butter from me, I can work to find the positives that have still come from the situation—getting caught up on here!

Last April, I completed my first half-marathon in Charlotte, NC with Crizz. That night, I went home and packed my bags to go to France to visit my little sister. When I got back, Crizz and I had lunch and she mentioned that there was another half-marathon (this time it was a trail run instead of a road run) that weekend. So I signed up and dove right in. 2 half-marathons in 3 weeks. While many thought I was crazy (and I couldn’t really argue with them), training for the half-marathon had been fun. Every Friday night, Meggie would make dinner for Crizz and I so we could load up on some carbs. Saturday, Crizz and I would get together and run—Crizz in my left blind spot and keeping a 10 minute pace. Running the second half-marathon without Crizzle was tough because we had been running together every week for the past couple of months, but she and Crizz Whizz (her son) came out to cheer me on and hold my carbs/liquids so I could refill.

Imagine, if you will, the challenges I experienced in deciding I would run a marathon, knowing this would be a solo mission. I was used to approaching hills with Crizz and working to creatively string together the most interesting words to bless those hills out. I had enjoyed the routine of having a friend there to chat with during our water breaks. Most of all, I knew that the accountability we provided one another was critical—I wasn’t going to stop if she was there and she wasn’t going to stop if I was there.

When I received an email for a group I’d signed up for on Facebook, Triad Frontrunners, informing me of a couple folks who were getting together to run on a Saturday in June, I was unsure about whether or not I wanted to do this. I spoke about it with a few friends. I didn’t like group runs because I didn’t like keeping pace with others—the one time I did it, I was with people who kept a pace about 1 minute faster than I did so I was dying. I didn’t want to run with strangers. Really, I just wanted to run with Crizzle and nobody else.

 

Then I recalled a commitment I made to myself about trying new things...so I decided to take the plunge.

 

I met up with Bridget the next morning.  Hayden showed up late and had locked himself out of his house so he couldn't stay.  Bridget and I set off for a nice & easy 7 mile run.  I had set out that morning to go for a run and to not be a punk--I needed to put myself out there and try some different things when running.  Coach had encouraged it several times and that woman is NEVER wrong, so I gave it a shot. 

 

Bridget, Hayden & La--out for a Sat AM run

But by the time I left, I had made a new friend and couldn't wait to run with her again.  Bridget, Hayden and I went running again after that.  I would meet up with them after I'd done 10 miles or so on my long run days, and on my short run days would meet up, as well.  Prior to this, they joked that they were "married" and were "running husband and wife."  I'm not sure what it made me when I joined their "marriage," but I know it made me happy! 

 

Hayden and I have also Zumba'd together--I still owe him a Tuesday night Yoga class and I swear I'll pay up, buddy.  Bridget and I have enjoyed deep discussions regarding religion, cooked out, and enjoyed scary movie night. 

 

If I had to lose Crizzle, I'm glad something good came out of it--that good was my new running buddies, Hayden & Bridget.  I love you both and my 6 mile point is for you!  Bridget, thanks for all your encouragement and love and music along the way!!  XOXO