Boston Marathon 2018 - Draft

 Brutal weather.

I stopped to tie my shoes at mile 9 and my quads decided they didn't want to run anymore.  If it were any other race, I would have called it quits, but it took me 20 marathons to get to this one, I was goin to finish if I had to crawl.

I hobbled the rest of the race and I can't even describe how amazing it was to see the fans out there in 40 degree weather, gusting winds and torrential downpour.  At mile 21 a woman saw how could I looked (I had ditched my gloved early because they were drenched and doing no good) - she gave me her handwarmers and the gloves off her hands! Not too much longer after that, with my lips blue, a medic tried to divert me to the medical tent.  I smiled and just kept hobbling along.

With 1 mile to go, I asked a spectator to help me get my phone out of my pocket to get a picture.  She was awesome! I had to use my nose to unlock it since my fingers were frozen.

I don't even know how to put into words the feeling of the last mile.  It was like I forgot how completely awful I felt.  I was smiling and crying as I passed under the bridge that said Boston Strong.  Hitting Boylston, the crowd was almost deafening... and the finish line was in site.  It was like the last almost 5 hours of misery hadn't happened -- it was everything I could ever dream of and more :)

My amazing parents and wonderful fiancé braved the weather and surge prices on uber to help me tie my shoe at mile 9, to cheer me up Heartbreak Hill, and were there when I finished to give me huge hugs.  I even pocket dialed a couple of people while running (I left a 3 minute voicemail on Joel's phone, you can hear the sloshing of my pocket, but the coolest things is you can hear the cheers of the crowd!). I am so humbled by the amazing friends and family that sent me well wishes, tracked me and supported me on my journey.  You are all so wonderful and I can't thank you enough!! Boston... I WILL see you again!