Marathoning by the numbers

"Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are right" Mary Kay Asher


Yesterday was the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco. I did it! Below are the highlights.


My pre-race dinner, a chile rellano


418 -- The number of miles I ran in the last 18 weeks while training

3 -- The number of cortisone shots in my heel while training. Ouch!

26.2 --The number of miles I ran on Sunday!! Woo hoo!

5 -- the number of times I pooped before the race. Got to love that nervous stomach.

1 -- the number of times I pooped during race (in porta potty, not my pants!)

The tattoo with my pace times, called a "pace tat"

50 -- temperature at the starting line. brrr!

2 -- the mile where there was a donation bin to drop jackets

Waiting for the race to start


2.5 -- the mile where I fell down, hard. Why? I have no idea. Some skinned knees and a bruised ego, otherwise I was fine.

The course map. Check out the elevation marker! They brought Mt Everest in just for the race.

6 -- the mile we ran by the Golden Gate bridge. It was absolutely stunning, as were most of the views

The view from the course

2 -- the number of big hills. There were countless small hills. I rocked those hills!


8 -- the mile I saw Pete for the first time. It gave me such a boost!

12 -- The mile Pete joined me on his bike, then proceeded to ride up and back with me the rest of the way. It helped more then words can describe.

13 -- The mile my foot started to hurt, but not enough to really bother me too much.

16 -- The mile my left knee started to bother me.

20 -- The mile where my knee pain became excrucitating. : -( The last hour was run in significant pain.

26.2 -- The finish line!!

54 - the temperature at the finish. Brr!

4:31 -- My official time. 15 min slower then I was hoping for. I am very dissappointed.

2,386 --calories burned by 115 lb woman running for 4 hr 31 min.

? -- the number of times I will do this again. I am glad I did it, but it was tough!


Holding my Tiffany bag after the race


This is the necklace we got at the finish line, handed to us in a little blue box by men dressed in tuxedos. The back says "NWM SF 2008"

Overall, a wonderful experience.

Pete, I can't thank you enough. First, for all the support during my many hours of training and all the mornings you got all the boys off to school without me so I could run. Second, for listening to all my complaints of pain during training and not smacking me upside the head and telling me to just drop out already. And finally, for sticking with me during the hardest miles of the race, reminding me that I could do it, and not letting me stop when the pain was trying to tell me otherwise. You are the best!! And you were right-- I should have eaten more breakfast.