I knew, I mean I KNEW this weekend would be epic. I didn’t realize at the time just how EPIC it would be!
This weekend was the Mississippi Blues Marathon. Earlier this year, I was selected to be a Race Ambassador for “The Blues.” This was a big honor! They selected 20 people from across the country to be Ambassadors and I was one of those 20! Amazing stuff!
You all know that I am currently training for a 50 Mile race. That race will be on March 5th. The Blues was supposed to be one of my training runs for that 50 Miler. I went into the race without a worry. I’ve already run further than 26.2 miles in my training for the 50M so I knew I could cover the distance. All I had to do was get the miles. No worries about the clock. Just run. I can do that.
Late last year, I started my own FB running group. I had been running another running group but long story and I’m phasing out that other page and beginning this one. The people are awesome and we are having fun with it!
Seeing as The Blues is a major Mississippi race, I knew that a lot of people off the new page would be there. A few days before the race I suggested we get together at the Expo for a group pic. A LOT of people showed up! How awesome is that!?!
It was exciting for all of us to put faces to the names seeing as we chat almost every day online. There’s nothing like meeting a fellow runner IRL!
The Expo was totally awesome! I ran into so many people that I have met at other races and finally got to meet IRL for the first time.
I even got to meet one of my original MFP (My Fitness Pal) friends! We have been trying to meet at a race for quite a few years. What a treat!!!
There was a group of running buddies who drove down from St. Louis. They signed up to run the Blues so we could all meet. How much fun is that? We had dinner the night before the race. Pizza and beer. Perfect carb loading!
In all of this meeting and greeting and hugs and selfies, Paxton was not forgotten. Paxton seems to have some online friends as well! I came home bringing 4 boxes of Nutty Bars for my pudgy pooch! One person traveled from Wisconsin with a box of Nutty Bars for my dog. 🙂
I have some pretty awesome friends!
Race day arrived. My sister was there with me. She was doing the Quarter Marathon. She got a 10 minute PR! BOOM! That’s a serious PR! Another lady in our room ran the Half Marathon and came in 4th AG. The other woman in our room ran the full (like me) and came in a half hour ahead of me. She is an amazing runner! This is us getting ready to head to the start.
Race day, yesterday, it was raining. There were thunderstorms forecast for around noon. They told us in the pre-race announcements that they might pull people off the course and not let them finish if the weather got too bad.
The gun went off and so did we.
The run was going well. The Mississippi Blues Marathon is a very challenging course. Very, very hilly. The “Leg Squisher” workouts I have been doing paid off in dividends yesterday!
At mile 16, a family had set up a table in their front yard and were handing out beer. I stopped for beer. It is seriously good fuel while running! Carbs and sugar. Great combo! The man there, grabbed a brand new can, popped the top and handed the entire can to me! Usually, people only give you a small cup. I was surprised!
I told the man there was no way I could drink 12oz of beer and keep running. All of a sudden another runner stops next to me and pulls out shots of Tequila! I asked him if he wanted to finish my beer. “Sure!” he says and takes my can and hands me the Tequila. We clink the bottle/can together. I take a swig of the Tequila (I’m not a big Tequila fan) and he pounds down most of the can of beer. In the meantime, the wife of this house is snapping pics of us! Hahaha!!! I thanked them for the beer and took off. The Tequila man finished the Tequila, the can of beer AND another full bottle of Fat Tire. Holy Cow!
Soon after my “binge drinking” (hahaha!!!), it began to sprinkle. I picked up the pace. Close to mile 20, Tequila man catches up to me. This time he’s drinking Kuala. He very generously offers me some but I politely decline. He was feeling no pain. HA!
At mile 20 the thunderstorm hit. It was a doozie! Thunder. Lightening! Pouring rain. I was drenched. I was also running like crazy. I didn’t want to get pulled from the course!
HUGE puddles! Splash. Splash. Splash. Cars would drive by. SPLOOSH! The miles ticked off…
Finally, mile 25! The sky clears up and it stops raining. I see the finish line and run for all I’m worth. 5:13:57 chip time. My second fastest marathon ever! Gospel according to Garmin: 27.01 miles.
After the finish, I got to meet another running friend of mine! We actually met during the thunderstorm but I pulled on ahead of her. This was her first marathon and she will be running the 50K at the 50M in March. It was great to meet her. Super nice lady!
Socialized a bit at the post race party and then headed back to the hotel with my sister. We had to stop at a corner to wait for the light. We were the only ones there except for this man waiting, too. I looked over and, Holy Cow! It was a running friend I had been wanting to meet for a couple of years! I tapped him on the arm and he gave me a huge hug. That was so cool!
Brought home some very nice bling from this race. They gave me an extra medal for my #IRun4 buddy, Aiden. I’ll be popping this in the mail to him tomorrow. 🙂
THAT is my race recap of the Mississippi Blues Marathon. Best Weekend EVER!!!