The Avonlea Way: Logan 4.5, Jacob 3, Maggie 21 months

The marathon is over!!!!! (Here is a long recap, because let's face it.... this thing was a big deal to me.) I am so glad and so relieved!! I have mixed emotions about it because it did not go all that smoothly. It was much colder than any of my training runs. My legs were cold and stiff for almost the entire race and pretty much the entire thing was difficult. (This is where Justin looks at me and says, "Ummm it was a MARATHON... it's not supposed to be easy.) My 22 mile training run went so well and felt pretty darn good. I had such high expectations for myself, so I feel a smidge disappointed. I reeeeaally wanted a sub 4 hour time and my time was 4:07. Considering how badly I felt, I am surprised that it was that fast. The race was this past Sunday, so I feel like I am still processing how I feel. Right when it was over, I was just so glad that it was over. It was so so hard that I didn't even care about the time. I can now say I'm a marathoner, and I think I finally call myself a runner, haha. I started out pretty fast, which is how I intended, and the sub 4 hour was possible until around mile 18 or mile 20. The last few miles were slow. I pushed as hard as I could. Some guy/spectator was wearing a shirt that said, "shut up legs" and that's exactly how I felt. My "fuel" (gu packs, hydration) was all 'on point'. It was just the cold and my legs couldn't warm up. I wore shorts and I should have worn pants/capris. I was pretty set on wearing shorts, so it's not like I was wavering the night before, which makes me not really regret it, since I wasn't flip-flopping about it (if that makes sense).
The best part of the race..... was all of the support from my family and friends. I saw Mom and Bill at miles 2, 7, 13 and the finish! I saw the Finneys at miles 10, 17, 22 and the finish. Vince and Molly both ran with me for less than 1/2 mile, which was really nice! The Flinners were at mile 4 and Katie and Kelly were at mile 20. Belinda and Steve were also at mile 10. Diane and Frank were at mile 25 with their niece who was a patient champion. Diane ran with me for about 1/2 mile, which was great!! Justin and the kids were at miles 14 and 24. The kids didn't say anything.... but they were the CUTEST little fans on the entire course.... they just stood their with their signs and the BIGGEST smiles. I ran with my friend Jenna until mile 10. Her "elated" goal was 3:45 and she got 3:51. So she was feeling good and I had her go ahead. We had very loose plans to start together and if we didn't stay together, then that was fine. So, I was by myself from miles 10 to the end. I was SO SO SO grateful to see sooooo many people. That is what was getting me through. At mile 20, Katie filled up my water bottle, so that I didn't have to stop at the water stops. There were tons of MRTT (Moms Run This Town) all over the course, cheering people on. Even, as I re-read this re-cap, the main feeling I have is gratitude.... gratitude for all of the support. It was amazing. I am thankful that it is over. Most people say to take at least one week off from running, so that's what I'm doing now. I have never been so sore in my entire life. It was painful going up and down the stairs. Today (4 days later), I feel a normal "good" sore. So I am making major improvements. I will be ready to run or do Orange Theory on Monday. :-)
That was pretty therapeutic to write down a little recap. I go through little ups and downs of feelings about it all being over. I've never worked so hard for something. I saw a little meme that said something to the effect of, "You don't do all the training so it won't be hard, you do the training so that you can tolerate the hard." That turned out to be more true than I wish it was.

Okay.... moving on. :-)

Jacob has gone potty on the potty a few times this week!!!!!! (I felt like he was trying to steal my thunder on Sunday after the marathon when he used the potty, hahaha!) Justin has been the only one to get him to go on the potty. So, I'm kind of letting him take the lead on it all.
I feel like we are getting over a bit of a hump with Maggie.... she's really a full blown toddler and she's not in the really hard stage anymore. I know it will continue to be hard, because she's a toddler, but I feel like we turned a corner somehow. I can't quite articulate it.
Logan turns 5 kind of soon. I can't believe it! He's still doing really well. :-)

Justin is good too. :-)

I think I'm drained from my long marathon update, haha. I'll let the pics do the talking. Out of order like usual.

Girls trip to Naples.... so so so wonderful!

Great quality time!

My little cheerleaders for the race.

My race shirt. You bet that I'm going to wear this thing proudly. 26.2!!! (My watch said 26.6, haha)

Florida!

Beth swapped out my water bottles for me at the split (mile 12.8).

Post race get together at Stephanie's house.

Official times. The average woman's time was 4:33 and average man's time was 4:09. Woo!

Stephanie ran with me for a few hundred feet in her giant boots!

At Daycare.

Race photos

With Jenna in the corrals before it started

At the finish.

Finish line. For the last 0.2 my left calf muscle started cramping/spasm-ing and it was nuts... I could see the finish and was just grateful that it didn't start any earlier.

Girls trip!

Florida!

In the corrals before the race

In the car before the race.

Kelly and Katie waiting for me at mile 20!

Jacob went potty!!

After the race. Justin carted the kids around, made the cutest signs and did all of it with a smile on his face. Then, when I got home, there was a gift certificate to get a massage. Sweetest thing ever. He's been so supportive over the last 4 months listening to a ton of "running talk" that I'm sure he isn't all the interested in, but he still listens. I'm grateful.

I look at these photos and see pain, haha.

Justin's bitmoji. :-)

Women's lifegroup schedule... put it on here, just to remind me of how much I LOVE this group.

Florida.

Love these girls.

Ashley S and Barrett made each of us have a little "photo shoot".

Amanda and I post-race.

Beth, me and Amanda.

Logan and Amelia. His first time on a school bus!! First field trip!

Logan's class on their first field trip to the pumpkin patch.

Cotton candy!

Sugar rush!

Yum.

Pumpkin patch.

He won the medal at tee ball that week.

I love our simple backyard.

Oh Maggie girl... copying her brothers.

Front yard fun.

I was in FL and Justin sent this to me. I could barely tell who Maggie was... I thought she looked like a 4 year old in this pic. Finney's backyard.

Jacob standing in his room, waiting for the light to turn green in the morning.

Cuties.

I was in FL. Loved getting these pics.

Cowboy Jacob.

Daddy and his girl.

October camping trip. Justin and the boys went on Friday to set up and Maggie and I came on Saturday.

The "blob"!

Yogi Bear camping!

Cuties.

My guy and Martin

Putt Putt

Trick or treat.... camping version.

Justin and Martin.

Justin and Lisa.

My cuties.

When I ran by, they smiled SOOO big.

Love these morning runs now.

Granny compression socks.

Logan loves organizing his barns.

Jacob picked out his socks and shoes.

In Logan's classroom because we were waiting for his class picture to be taken (it was on one of his "off" days.) Maggie just sat right beside him.

Logan's class.

Logan did the pole!

My 22 mile run! Went so well.

Logan, Estelle, Jacob and Liam.

MRTT crew.

Breakfast time.

I was taking a pic of boys and Maggie came on over.

Maggie's teachers have started doing her hair. They make it stay so well!

Me and Barrett.

Two of my besties. Ashley M and Katie K.

Katie S!! Love her.

Movie night.

I was acting like I was voted out of Survivor, haha.

Katie S and Katie King.

The photo shoot I mentioned, haha.

A little beach time. It was SO hot and we couldn't get in due to the Red Tide.

Katie made Caprese salad.

Me and Lis :-)

OSU v Penn State

Still in Florida.

5 miles in Florida with Katie

Sunday school

Love Lisa!!

On the catamaran

Randi and I left on Sunday night... the other girls stayed until Monday.

Ocean time.

Logan did this 48 piece puzzle with very little help.

I brought home seashells for the kids. We painted a few of them.

This was my favorite part of the trip.

Cutting the retention pond.

Runner girls

One of our last swim lessons for a bit.

Basketball.

Best buds.

I couldn't get over how big and heavy this mushroom was.

This spider made a web by our back door and it stayed there for 3 days because Justin had several work dinners in a row (which is unusual). I felt like we had a new pet.

School pics.

Justin fixed a crack in our basement. We had a tiny amount of water come in. Go Justin!

Logan's first field trip!!

Cutie!

I skipped Bible Study to go on his field trip. I was bummed to miss bible study, but this is one of the reasons I stay home, is to do the fun stuff like this.