On Sunday, October 25, 2009 I finished the 2009 Marine Corps Marathon in 4 hours 9 minutes and 57 seconds. It was the HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE. I can finally say that I have run and finished a marathon, all 26.2 miles of it! I am a 2009 MCM Finisher!!!
As for my stats, I finished 6,120 out of 21,111 total runners. As for the female runners, I was 1519 out of 8344 runners. And in my age group, I was 393 out of 1813 runners. Not too bad for my first try.
In the past, people would see that I was a runner and one of the first questions they would ask is “Have you ever run a marathon?”. This was the year I would change my answer to that question. I never took on the marathon because I was afraid of it. I did not feel that I had the dedication and determination to train to run 26.2 miles. I didn’t think I could physically and mentally do it. I didn’t believe in myself.
Well, on Sunday I BELIEVED. I proved myself wrong. I ran the marathon for the first time and I finished strong with a giant smile on my face. I just believed.
It was the most AMAZING race that I have ever run in my entire life and here’s why:
~ I ran smart. I took my time and made sure I was going to enjoy this marathon. I ran this race to run, not to race. I wasn’t focused on a finishing time, just focused on running the entire 26.2 miles and finishing. After running through Georgetown and hitting the mile 10 marker, I felt as if I hadn’t even run a mile. That is how good I felt. Time was just flying by and I guess it was because I was having so much fun. I ran through Haines Point, which is supposed to be one of the toughest parts of the course at miles 12-15, without evening realizing I was in it until I was just about finished with it. I stomped hard on the 13.1 mile marker and smiled proudly.
~ Without an ipod, I ran for all 4 hours listening to all the cheering spectators and loved every second of it. Each time someone shouted “Go Michelle” or “Keep it up Michelle” or “Doing a great job Michelle”, I smiled as I pumped my fists in the air and got a spring in my step. I felt like Rocky running through the streets of our capital. It was INCREDIBLE. I have never run a race with so many awesome spectators. They also provided me with lots of entertainment, such as the signs that read “What took you so long?” or “Sweat is your fat cells crying” or “I will still love you even if you POOP your pants”. They made me laugh.
~ The Marines. Because the Marines are the ones who organize this race, it was the most well organized race I have ever run. Not only do they know how to do it right, they also encouraged and motivated me. As I passed a Marine at mile 20, I watched him run in his fatigues and boots and I thought to myself “Now that is hard Michelle. What you are doing is easy”. I cannot even count how many Marines I high fived and shouted “HOORAH” with. It was just great hearing them shout my name. They also made me feel proud, proud to be running along side them as well as for them and proud to be an American. While running behind a man, I read the back of his shirt which read “I run because I can. I run because I have the freedom to run. I run for those who fight for and protect that freedom”. We were all running for those on Sunday.
~ The finish line at the Iwo Jima Memorial. I was warned that there was a hill just before the finish that I would have to climb. Prior to the race, one of my best running friends told me not to let the hill beat me because I was better than it. So when I made the final turn up that hill, I RAN. I pumped my arms and picked up my feet and just RAN like the wind until I crossed the finish line. The music, the cheers and the announcer all made the finish that much more exciting. I couldn’t wait to grab my medal so I went right to the line for them. As a Marine placed my medal over my head and congratulated me, I quickly threw my arms around him, hugged him tight while crying my eyes out and said “THANK YOU SO MUCH”. He politely responded with “Oh you are very welcome MAAM. Congratulations.” The Marines’ motto is Semper Fidelis which means Always Faithful. I thought of this over and over during my race and how I would always be faithful to MCM. It was the HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE.
~ Runners. With over 21,000 runners, I felt like I was a part of one big party. I chatted with other runners all along the course and shared words of encouragement. I also had some tell me they were envious because so many spectators were cheering my name. I said I had no idea I had so many friends in DC. It was such a good time. I also had friends running the race as well. Before the 10k mark, there was an out and back loop where I ran past runners on their return. I ran the whole stretch keeping my eyes out for my friends, especially my fast one. These friends helped me train both physically and mentally for this race. I couldn’t have been a better prepared first time “thoner” without them. Knowing that we were all running this marathon together made my experience even better. My fast friend told me “There’s MAGIC on race day” and she was right. I felt the MAGIC.
~ My friends and family. I received many emails and texts prior to the race wishing me luck and letting me know that they were all tracking me. At mile 20 I beat the bridge. I was shocked that I felt so good at mile 20 and that I was still RUNNING!!! I kept thinking “Oh my goodness Michelle. This is the furthest you have ever run”. (The most I had ever run prior to this was 20 miles). With each passing mile, my smile got wider. I listened to my mother’s favorite saying and repeated to myself “Slow and Steady Michelle. One foot in front of the other. Slow and Steady”. And although mentally I was in a good place, physically I could feel my body getting a little bit tired at mile 23. I began to think about everyone who was pulling for me at that exact moment and tracking me and how I couldn’t let them down. I was going to keep running and finish. My colleagues had sent me a good luck note days before the race and reminded me that if the marathon was easy, then everyone would do it. They said that when the going gets tough to keep repeating to myself “Run Mishi Run”. It was during the last six miles of the race that I said to myself “Run Mishi RUNNNNNNNNNN!” and so I RAN all the way to the 26.2 mile mark. Without all these thoughts and words of encouragement, those last couple of miles would not have been as enjoyable as they were and I wouldn’t be able to say that I ran for the whole entire 26.2 miles. No walking for me and it was all thanks to my friends and family. Thank you!
~ I must give a special kudos to my husband. On the drive down to DC, he listened to me worry over how terrified I was that I would make it to mile 20 and just break down. He calmed me and told me I would do fine. He helped me believe. He woke up at the crack of dawn to hang out with me under the stars in Arlington Cemetery as we waited for the race to start. He even ran onto the race course at mile 18 to hand me my water bottle as well as a kiss. I needed water desperately then and was so happy he was there. He is my #1 fan.
It astonishes me to think that back in January of this year, the farthest distance I had ever run was 7 miles. I started training for MCM at the end of July. Over a 14 week training schedule, I had run over 375+ miles, spent many hours doing it, had too many 4am wake up calls to count, lost a toenail (which I will lose again after this Sunday’s race) and made many other sacrifices. The best part is that I would do it all over again any day.
A week before the race, I had watched Spirit of the Marathon. For those of you who have never run a marathon and are thinking about it (and even for those who have or just like to run), this is a must watch. I wanted that emotion and feeling I saw in this movie. After the mile 20 mark, I had to compose myself and control my emotions because I knew that finishing the marathon was a POSSIBILITY! I held my tears for the end and boy did it feel good. Runners say that the marathon changes you. Well I think I can honestly say that I am forever changed after MCM 2009. It was truly the HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE.
Hope you enjoyed my race re-cap. I know it was long but my journey took me trials of miles and miles of trials to get here.
Peace, Love and Happy Running,
Mishi
PS- Please don’t ask me when the next marathon will be. I am still on cloud nine from this one and don’t want to get off yet :-)
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