CHICAGO MARATHON 2016!!!

I guess this post started back in March when I found out I was NOT selected in the lottery for the NYC marathon.  Truthfully, I was a little jealous of Jeff when he ran two years ago so I put my name in the hat to run this year...and it just didn't happen.  Sooooo.......

One night Jeff and I were sitting on the couch eating ice cream (busted!) and we just on a TOTAL whim decided to BOTH apply for the Chicago Marathon.  We didn't think about logistics, time constraints--nada.  We just whipped out the AmEx and put our names in the hat.

We BOTH got in.   I literally couldn't believe it.  You see, the first (and my only) marathon we ever did was Chicago in 2004.  We hadn't even attempted to do one together until now--for a LOT of reasons--but mainly because we were in baby/pregnant/toddler stage and there just wasn't time for all of that.  BUT WE ARE OUT OF THAT STAGE!  This race was symbolic to us.  For a lot of reasons.  I won't bore you with details, but this race to me symbolized WE together went through the crazy years we went through and WE TOGETHER are left standing and WE TOGETHER are stronger than we have EVER been before--physically and otherwise! And although it was NOT easy, and we had LOTS of help from Jeff's side of the family (mainly Resa) we trained and we RAN a 4:29 marathon together.  I'll never forget Jeff telling me to just enjoy myself at mile 24 and I literally smiled the last two miles.  Yes, I was tired and hurting but I couldn't stop smiling because I knew we DID IT!  And crossing the finish line hand in hand....y'all. I'll go to my grave remembering how that felt.  No words.  None.

Of course we squeezed in some fun on out trip!  And we were SO GRATEFUL to Resa for going with us and watching over the boys while we ran.  And SAW HAMILTON! 

Did I mention Jeff surprised me with Hamilton tickets for my birthday?????  He's a keeper, that one.  If you have not seen it just swallow hard and buy the tickets.  It's THAT GOOD.

I had fully expected this was my last race.  It was crazy hard to train in the Summer.  I did more treadmill than I would have ever dreamed and I put a lot of other things on my life on hold to sweat it out for the mileage.  But you know....I've got a few more in me I think.  St. Jude?  Disney?  Napa?  I'm not signing up tonight, but I will one day.....

Good night!  Mommy is TIRED :))  #marathontired