We Made It!

We made it!  After 18 weeks of training, we ran our race and crossed the finish line!  What a fun trip! We got into San Diego Friday afternoon, checked into our hotel (which had a patio with a grill), then went downtown to the convention center to pick up our race packets.  We were able to go to a Padres game that night- where Matt was seen shakin it on the jumbo tron, then spent Saturday on the Coronado Beach which was absolutely fabulous (minus the sunburns) before our big day.  The husbands made us dinner at the hotel (grilled chicken, pasta, and salad) the night before, and we were so relaxed from spending a day at the beach that we were all in bed by 9!

The race info said that we should be there at least 1 hour before the start, so we woke up at 4:15 that morning and the husbands drove us to the airport where there was a shuttle for runners to the start line.  We had bumper to bumper traffic at 4:30 in the morning on the interstate!  But we are married to men with skills, so they took some side roads and had us there on time.  The race itself was amazing.  I've never seen anything like it.  The website said over 30,000 people had signed up, so it was CRAZY!  We stood in line for the port-a-potties for an hour before the race and actually missed our start!  The race started at 6:15 in the morning, then they let a wave go every 2 minutes.  Our wave was supposed to be 19, but we started with wave 23.  Lucky for us you could start in any wave after, you just couldn't move up without being authorized.  

The men went back to the hotel after they dropped us off and had breakfast, and we had signed up for runner tracking (the best $5 Tasha ever spent) so they got a text every time we passed the check points.  We had chips tied to our shoe laces that tracked our time, so when we crossed the checkpoints it sent a text. This helped them plan where they wanted to be to cheer for us.  I thought with all the craziness that it would be a long shot to see them along the course, but we got to see them 3 times - once at mile 12, then mile 22 and 25 (the last spot we ran past twice).  There were bands all along the course, and cheerleading squads, and tons of spectators.  Lots of people had made great posters- "your perspiration is our inspiration" "the pain you feel now is nothing compared to the pain of quitting" and my favorite "worst parade ever".  My favorite shirts said "is my celluite gone yet?" and "still waiting for my runner's high (and this is my 4th marathon)".  

I thought I would cry when we finished, but I ended up crying at the beginning, middle, and end.  I cried at the beginning because it was so cool that we were finally here, and I almost cried towards the end because I was starting to get overwhelmed and I was just plain done running, I cried when I watched my friend Jamie cross the finish line because I knew how much she was hurting, and I cried in the middle of the race because of the runners doing "team in training".  These runners were raising money for the leukemia and lymphoma society.  The race was a fundraiser for the leukemia and lymphoma society, and it was awesome to so many people running with pictures on their shirts in memory and honor of their loved ones (they are the ones in the pictures with the purple shirts on).  One guy had a picture of a little girl on the back of his shirt and below it said "Cancer Sucks".  I couldn't work up the courage to ask him who the little girl was because I knew if he said it was his daughter I would lose it.  It helped me remember that I have so much to be thankful for.  

You can click on the links below to see some of our photos.  The finish line links have pics from the race photographers so I'm not sure how long they will be available, but they also have videos of us crossing the finish line. The slide show is made up of our personal pics from the weekend.

Tiffany finish line

Tasha finish line

Jamie finish line

Slide show of our pictures

So what's next for these 3 crazy runners?  Well, Tasha has her eyes on another marathon, I am considering one, and Jamie has sworn the full length off forever :)  We do have our eyes on a triathalon- maybe next summer, and some 1/2's so stay tuned and we'll keep you posted!  Thank you so much to our husbands - thanks for watching the kids, thanks for cheering us on, thanks for believing we could do it- we would've never made it without you.

~love, the Part Time Sugar Mommas

San Diego Here We Come!

Well, I think this is my last post before we run the big run.  We head out after work today for Mesquite, NV, and then on to the beautiful San Diego Friday morning!  We've got our sequined costumes race outfits, our swimsuits, flip flops, tickets to a Padres game, and we're ready to go!  The kids have their suitcase packed and and lots of plans to keep the grandparents busy for the weekend (they've been so excited to have "4 sleepovers" that they have been planning activities for weeks!)  Its really exciting, and a little nerve wracking too.

I have been trying to convince myself that there is nothing to be nervous about (mainly because I know I'll be up all night, and then I'll have to pee a million times before the race and I think there will be long lines for the port-a-potties).  I've been telling myself this is just going to be a long run with two of my best friends, and not really a race-there's nothing to get worked up over.  But now the reality is starting to set in- I'm not really that nervous, but I am getting more and more excited by the minute.  I keep thinking about what still needs to be done, what we'll need to do when we get there, how far we really have to run, what if I forget my shoes, what if I get separated from the girls and can't find them, what if I can't finish, what if we can't find our husbands at the finish, what if...

Then last night at a work meeting I talked to my friend (and coworker) Charlie.  Charlie was an avid (and really fast) runner who is now in a wheelchair due to a spinal chord issue that I don't fully understand.  He wished me luck on the run, and told me to think of him as we are running along the beach.  He said, with a look of seriousness, but no resentment, "Just think of me and be happy you can run".  I can't even type this without my eyes welling up.  But he is right.  That is the best advice I have received so far.  There is nothing to be nervous about- I am so blessed to get to go on this adventure.  I get to go on a road trip with my husband and good friends to a beautiful place, run on these 2 legs that have put in a lot of miles, and make a lot of great memories in the process.

So with that in mind- I'm ready to set out.  Watch out San Diego, the Part Time Sugar Mommas are headed your way!

Part Time Sugar Mommas

I believe this could be my mom's greatest craft project ever!  Good thing she has practiced all of her quilting  skills- she has answered the challenge and left her mark on marathon racing forever (well, on my marathoning anyway!)    Here are the official race shirts, which will undoubtably leave the competition in a state of bewilderment (or blindness), but hey- that's what they get for trying to take on the PTSM - Part Time Sugar Mommas!  

Front of the shirts (with polka dot lettering for Tasha)

A movie we watched (Spirit of the Marathon) had a girl who recommended that racers put their names on their shirts so the crowd could cheer for them by name.  We figure we will need all the help we can get

Bling-O-Riffic! 

Why yes, those are giant sequined letters!

 We thought about spelling out Part Time Sugar Mommas on the back of the shirts, but then decided that if we only used the acronym, it could be a conversation starter during the race, and we could make up new names depending on how we feel (Post Traumatic Stress Marathoners comes to mind)

Thank you Mom - We LOVE you!

It's getting close!

So...yesterday we got our final instructions for race day!!!!!! It is exciting and terrifying all at the same time! I can't tell you enough how I have enjoyed this experience ( I don't believe Kenny feels the same way...) I am amazed what my body can do and how much it doesn't hurt like I thought it would! I recommend training for a marathon for anyone...especially if you have 2 girlfriends as crazy as you! I have mentally packed for the trip, so I need to get on it!

The Running Tally - Part 3

Well, we survived our "big week" and our 20 mile run!  I thought it was appropriate to list some additional expenses.  Hopefully I am done with all these "training needs" :)

We left off at $457.95, and the new additions are...

~ MORE NEW SHOES!!  I just couldn't resist more ASICS, my standby running shoe, my one true love :)  on sale at Sports Authority for $70

~ While at Sports Authority, I also bought more socks (I know, I know, this is becoming an obsession) 4 pack for $17

~ Running hat (to protect my sunburned head) $22.50

~ More GU and GU Chomps (gummy bear things) $7.40

~ Big tub of Cytomax sports drink mix $20

Which brings the newest total to $594.85.

We only have 3 more weeks left before the marathon, and its hard to say what other things I just might NEED,  but I think I have to reign in the spending so I can save up for some margaritas on the beach!

Big week

This week is our biggest training week before the BIG RACE...we are scheduled to run 40 miles this week!!!  Tonight we are kicking it off with a 10 miler, then we have two 5 milers, and this weekend a 20- yikes!  I think we're ready (we better be, our race is only 3 weeks away) but it's still a little intimidating to think of running that far all at once.   We'll have our pockets full of GU, our feet covered in band-aids, water bottles around our waists, and our skin slathered in sunscreen!  The 20 mile run is the longest run we'll do before the marathon, and after this week the milage starts to decrease in preparation for the race.   I think it will be a relief to us (and our patient husbands) to have the milage (and time requirement) start to decrease.  

Here's some pics of Tasha and I peer pressuring Debbi (my Aunt) and Janie (running buddy/experienced marathoner) to run with us in Palisade this last weekend.    Where is our 3rd partner in crime you ask?  She happens to be the only one smart enough to realize how foolish it is to pay to run (I think she has started listening to Matt!).  Maybe some of her wisdom will rub off on us.  Until we start winning the big bucks like Debbi in these races that is...

Aunt Debbi with her big winnings - she took 3rd in the 10k!

The GU review

Sooo, I decided to try out some  GU on some of our long runs (if you'll remember, I decided to try this  delicacy before the race to see if it would result in explosive abdominal issues).  So at REI the other day I picked up a few flavors for the sampling.  Lemon sublime, pineapple roctane, and chocolate outrage made it into my cart, and then into my pocket for a long run.  Well...let me just tell you that anything that is pale yellow and the consistency of thick mucus is NOT something a respiratory therapist can stomach!  I opened the packet (lemon sublime) and squirted , no smooshed some out of the packed and into my mouth and GAG!!!  All I could think of was swallowing a giant loogey!  Maybe my job has ruined me and you will think it is fine, but lemon sublime and pineapple roctane will not be a part of my life any longer.  Chocolate -excuse me I believe it is CHOCOLATE OUTRAGE - on the other hand reminded me of licking the brownie batter out of the bowl - so that has passed the taste test.

You will all be happy to hear also that my guts survived the taste test unscathed, so I foresee the beginnings of a beautiful relationship between myself and my new (super powered) brownie batter.