This morning started at 5:00am for Josh. I almost got up but the bed was so nice and comfortable. I was wake while Josh was getting ready but once he hung the do not disturb sign on the door and left I rolled over and went back to sleep. At 7:30 Josh called to check on me, which woke me up. Then I set an alarm to wake me when the marathon started on TV. I was going to watch an hour then head out to cheer Josh and the other Team in Training members who were running today. It just looked so miserable outside that I decided to watch another hour of the marathon, curled up in the warm bed. Then Josh called and told me he was at mile 7, and wanted to know where I was because that was where I was waiting for him last year. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I was still in bed, so I just ignored the question. He was so preoccupied with running that he didn't realize I had avoided the question. Out of guilt, I headed out to cheer Josh on. I thought I was between mile marker 17 and 18; Josh had told me he had just gotten to mile 12 when I arrived at my waiting spot. During training Josh had been running about 12 minute miles. Okay waiting for about an hour isn't that big of a deal. When I first arrived the weather was chilly but survivable. Then the rain started. I had left my gloves and umbrella in the car. After a while I was soaked and and parts of my body were going numb. Right when I was so miserable about to give up on Josh, one of his teammates came by and told me Josh was about 30 minutes behind him. I started freaking out because I knew he was already severally off pace because I had already been waiting for an hour. The rain had let up and I started walking around and got my blood flowing and a little less miserable. The rain started up again and I was about to give up again when a couple of team mates that are a couple came by and said that Josh was just 15 minutes away. Fine I can deal with this weather for another 15 minutes considering everything that Josh is doing today. Again I was about to give up on Josh another one of his teammates came by and said Josh was just behind him and should be here any minute.
I finally was able to get Josh on the phone and we were able to meet up. His knees were tightening up on him and he couldn't run anymore. I walked with him a short while but the cops were starting to open the roads and I wasn't sure I could get back across Garland Ave to get to my vehicle. It wasn't until I had gotten back into my vehicle that I was actually at mile 20. Even if Josh was still on pace my calculation was off by over 30 minutes. Overall I was in the one spot for over two hours and I had turned into a frozen icicle. I had to sit in the car with the heater on full blast so my fingers and toes could thaw out.
After leaving Josh and my head thawed out I was really worried if Josh was going to be able to finished the race. He just looked miserable. Over two hours later Josh called me to tell me he was passing the 26 mile marker. While I was in the family waiting area I had ran into several of Josh's teammates. One of them came with me cheer Josh across the finish line. When he got closer he was running with his coach's son. Apparently the son had started running with Josh shortly after I had left him. I was really impressed with how much support the coaches and teammates support each other. The clock at the finish line said 7:15:and something when Josh crossed the line but he had started so far back that his actual marathon time was 6:45. One awesome part of Josh finishing so late I was able to join him when he received his finishing medal and t-shirt.
Josh finishing strong!
I'm so proud of you!
Team in Training ROCKS!!!!
I'm very inspired by today's events. I've never been much of a runner. In school I was always one of the slowest kids when we had to run. I have decided that I'm going to start training for my first 5K and hopefully will be ready for my first half marathon on Memorial Day. Who knows maybe do the full marathon next year with Josh. Okay I'm in a dream world. Let me see how the 3.1 miles go and then I'll see what happens after that.
Here is a great video for what Josh is going to look like tomorrow
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