Pre-Race Report

My family starting arriving around 6:30pm on Friday. I slaved all day over a meal for us, cold-cut sandwiches and some side salads purchased from the deli. We enjoyed a light meal and my sister and mom informed me that they didn't get around to making signs, but instead made something even better!

My mom busted out awesome support shirts for all (or so we thought!) of my spectators. This made me cry, once again. My sister and mom made the shirts using some sort of iron-on computer method and screened the saying "Run for Pride" along with Go Jill! I don't have any individual pictures of them right now, but you will see them in other pictures. Macy and Tyler even had shirts to wear.

The rest of the evening was spent relaxing, watching Friday Night Lights, finalizing the spectator route, and me bossing Tony around on last minute details--thank you honey, I love you!

My family headed off to their hotel around 8:45 or so and Allison arrived around then. She walked in the door fully stocked to be a spectator and had gifts galore for me and Macy...awesome balloons, DONUTS, goodies for Macy, Runner's World, a 26.2 magnet, and a motivational card that I didn't actually fully read until just now because I knew I would cry AGAIN!

We all went to bed around 10pm, Tony slept great. I rested well the entire night, but I don't think I actually slept at all. I didn't stress too much about this because I had read that it was really two nights before the race that really mattered.

I got up around 5am, worried about getting my PRP (if you don't know what this is by now, there is no hope for you...sorry), and ate my breakfast.

Allison and I left at 5:45. We actually ran into Donna at a stop light and ended up following her a different route, which ended up being a much better choice--thanks, Donna! We got to one of the south parking lots without any trouble, visited with Donna for a few minutes (didn't get a pic) and then met up with my mom and sister.

Mary and I caught up with each other and took a few pics (don't have them on my camera) and got in line for the port-o-potty. We made small talk with the others in line and chatted with another Mary, who would end up running near me the last 3 miles or so of the race.

Tony and the kids arrived around then and I took a few more pictures.

As you can see, Macy is ecstatic. She is not as good about hiding her emotions as I am, I guess she'll have to check out all of my pictures from the race because I think I fooled quite a few people!

Before I knew it, the National Anthem was being sung and I was nowhere near my pace group. I never bumped into the rest of the Second Wind Running group so I kept my eye out as I weaved through the crowd to make it near the 4:45 pacer. In all the frenzy, I forgot to grab my water bottle, but thankfully my sister was Johnny on the Spot and caught up to me and gave it to me---HUGE THANK YOU!

I spotted Mary and Cass just as I stepped away from Allison. I turned from giving Allison a huge and tear-filled hug and gave both Mary and Cass a huge and tear-filled hug. I couldn't even talk, but I think we all knew what each other was thinking and just gave each other a nod.