Inspiration Saturday: I did

I still can't quite believe that I ran a marathon.  I know I did, but somehow it's hard to reconcile the mythic 26.2 mile accomplishment with something that I've done.  But whether I believe it or not, it's true.

I did wake up before the sun on Sunday with a foggy mist hanging over the Capitol building:

The crazy weather was kind enough to not be freezing, and it was relatively warm.  And once you start running, you're plenty warm:

I did run down South Congress all the way to Ben White.

I did run back up 1st and crossed the bridge to get back downtown.

I did run all the way up Austin, elevation-wise and North-wise.  I was probably just a few hundre yards from Yogurtland up at Northcross, but in other strong show of willpower, I remained on the course.

I did make it up the final, insult-to-injury hill that you face when you make your way back around the Capitol building.

I did listen to the 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' theme as I pushed myself towards the finish line.  Because imagining an ascending Mayor chasing you through an explosive-laden high school hallway is the motivation you need after 26.1 miles for the last .1.

I did cross the finish line.

I did raid the tables of post-race sustenance in the finisher's shoot. A banana and a protein cookie never tasted so good.

I did wear the medal for the rest of the day.  Not that I spent much time out socializing after all that, but it stayed on until we got home.  I was tempted to wear it to work, but I refrained.  Even when I found out that out of the few hundred of employees that had registered, I had somehow ended up the 3rd female finisher of the full marathon amongst them.  Given that it took me 6 hours, I think that says more about the limited number of women who ran the full than it does about my speed, but that still shows me that I did something not everyone does.

And I did really, really enjoy the huge bowl of pink grapefruit sorbet that we stopped off to get on he the way home.

I did it!

For more inspiration, go to Woolen Diversions.