Race Report: Kiawah Island Marathon

The highlights:

• Marathon number TWO! 26.2 is always an accomplishment in my book.
  
  
• PR and goal (almost) met. Going into the race, I was little unsure of what to expect. My first marathon left me with a stress fracture, a lot of tears, and a time that started with a "6", so I didn't exactly have an obvious goal.
  
  After a bit of thought, I decided my goals were 1) 4:30:00 and 2) finishing with a smile. While I didn't exactly make goal number one (five seconds! seriously?!), goal number two was a definitely success! 

aren't space blankets attractive? me + b post-race. 

• Racing with people I love. Although I love running in all conditions, sharing races with friends is pretty spectacular. 

me, amy, maggie. these girls are incredible. 

me + b, tired and happy. 

• Perfect weather. 55 degrees. Overcast. Slight sea breeze. YES.
  
• Fuel Success! Lately, I've been having a lot of stomach issues while running. I don't do well with Gu, Sports Jelly Beans feel like pebbles in my tummy, and I've never been able to properly digest "real" food while running. Unfortunately, I also can't make it longer than 16 miles without consuming some sort of calories, and knew that I needed a decent fueling strategy come race day.
  
  The night before the marathon, I broke a golden rule of racing and bought a pack of Shot Blocks for the first time. I had absolutely no idea how my body would react to them, but I (a bit recklessly) decided to run with them anyway.
  
  They. Are. Amazing. Perfect fuel, easy to digest, no stomach problems, and they even taste good. Success!
  
• I have fast friends. My friends are amazing. Out of or lovely group, Ben and Maggie came in at 3:32, Amy finished around 3:20, and my childhood friend Patrick came in fourth overall at 2:29 (!!!!!!). Although it's always fun to cheer on friends, it's even better when they're superstar athletes!

amazing friends. 

• Mile 25. There is nothing like reaching mile 25 in a marathon, only to see your dad and boyfriend (who, I might add, just finished the half and full marathon, respectively), there waiting for you, ready to run with you for that last tough mile.
  
  Although Dad and Ben both ducked out right before the last 0.2, their encouragement definitely helped me to kick it in and chase down the finish line. 

finish line sprint! 

The not-so-highlights: 

• I wasn't crazy about the course. Between the island location and fantastic reviews, I had pretty high expectations. I also think my bar was already set ridiculously high-- my first marathon was in Florence, Italy. From glancing at the course map, I was fairly certain the course wound through marshes, a few residential areas, and had a few nice long stretches along the Atlantic.
  
  This was not true. Although there were a few marshes (and even a "Caution: Alligators" sign!) the course was almost entirely residential. Instead of running by the beach, we ran by houses facing (and blocking) the beach.
  
  The course was also two repeats of a 13 mile loop-- essentially, the half-marathoners did the loop once, and the full runners did it twice. While there are definitely benefits to knowing what's coming next, I still found myself a little bored in the second half.
  
•  The mind for a marathon.  I'll be blunt-- I got bored.
  
  The first half was amazing. There were lots of supporters, I was surrounded by scads of runners, and I was constantly excited to see what was coming next (and to see if I could spot an alligator. That would be so cool!)
  
  When I saw my half split (2:04:xx), I know I probably went out to strong, but I also didn't really care-- I felt great!
  
  The second half, however? Not so much. As soon as I rounded the 13 mile mark, the happy group of runners beside veered toward the half marathon finish line, and I found myself suddenly alone. I knew exactly what to expect of the course, and the race day thrill started to ebb away. I even started listening to music, something which, although entertaining, always slows me down.
  
  To be honest, the second half didn't really feel like race at all. It felt like another long training run, another set of miles to log, and another loop to push myself through. It wasn't until I hit mile 25 (and saw my dad and Ben!) that it fully hit me: Holy Moly! I'm about to finish a marathon! Although it was nice how smoothly the miles flowed, I did miss the "marathon mindset"-- and the adrenaline and speed that accompany it! 

Nevertheless, overall, it was an amazing day. Yes, I lost steam towards the end. Yes, I probably good have trained a lot smarter. And yes, there were about a million times during the final few miles when I told myself I would never, ever do this again.

But you know what? For all the times I felt like simply giving in, there were countless more when I realized just how much I honestly love running.

I loved the sound of my feet hitting the pavement.

I loved running where I could smell the sea.

And I loved, loved, loved the moment of finally seeing the finish line. I did it!

out incredible group-- what a wonderful weekend!