Portland Marathon - My 2nd - Part 1 ish

So I’m going to drag out my 2nd COMPLETED MARATHON because I can. And because I think it will be more like Christmas when you open your presents slowly and appreciated each one versus the scrappy wrapping paper tear to shreds method. But it’s more like Christmas for me and you just get to sit there and watch me unwrap them. Oh, so sorry! Your present is just getting to read about how awesome I think I am. Because seriously, if I thought you’d actually gain some advice or tips from reading my blogs?? Oh so funny I wet my pants laughing! So here we go…

Before the race

Saturday, the hubs and I left around 11am to give us a cushion (which would include many pee breaks for me – hey, it’s called “hydrating properly.”) Plus, I wanted more time at the Expo this year to savor the pre-marathon moment.
“Savor” was the operative word as I was a little distraught that our drawstring bags only had our t-shirt and safety pins. My hubs could quote me many times as saying, “Last year in our bags we had XY and Z!” X= a commemorative coin and Y=a special pendant on a chord. I guess I over exaggerated and there was no Z. I semi-simmered myself down and told myself that they would probably hand it out at the finish this year instead. So the hubs and I moseyed around and got a few samples. No I didn’t eat or drink anything weird! I did spend way too much time at the Sweaty Band booth contemplating my purchase. I broke the rule of not wearing anything new on race day, and was glad that I did since I would be in a world of hurt from not even packing a hair tie. (Discovered at 5am on race day.) Purchases I wish I would have made…more tubes of Nuun for $5 a pop and the Hood to Coast documentary. I would have liked to have spent more time at the Runner’s World booth for the worn once shoes for $Fiddy bucks, but like I said…worried about the coins. Ha! Plus, on the agenda was still a quick trip to Nordy’s Rack…more for the hubs though. I swar!

After picking up my bib and packet, we headed to my Aunt’s house in Beaverton. With no traffic, it’s about a 15 minute drive? We had a nice dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread with a pea salad that I questioned (but survived!). I was in bed by 9:30 and asleep shortly after. I don’t recall waking up a ton during the night like I usually do before a race -of course when my alarm went off at 5 am, my eyes popped open with an, “Oh crap! Here we go!”



I think this pic was around mile four. The guy in front of me in the blue shirt...those are the shirts that we got in our goody bag. The goody bag that only held the shirt and the four safety pins. Also, can you see the Sweaty Band in my hair? Tres chic right? Right?

And oh wow! Blogger really shrinks those pics down. Me thinks I will need a special shot of the Sweaty Band. Ok enough for now...I have to hobble off to get ready for work.