WOW what an amazing experience. I am home safe & sore from Phoenix. This is me & my new friend Tom. He is from the Team in Training Idaho/Montana team also. This was his 5th marathon & he set a pr at 4:16 WOW!!!!We hope in the taxi and make it alive (crazy drivers in Phoenix) to the beautiful Hyatt. WOW this hotel is AMAZING!!!!!
We check in and then head straight over to the Expo to get our race numbers and timing chips. I was in runner's heaven!!! A ton of booths of all running stuff. It was overwhelming!!!! After we got our race numbers and toured the Expo we meet in the lobby and meet our National Team (since we only had 6 TNT from our chapter we merged with other chapters)! Heather & Coach Maureen & everyone else was amazing. We all walk to dinner & we end up at Cooperstown restaurant. For those of you who know me well you know what a HUGE baseball fan I am. So this was AWESOME!!! Dinner was great chatted & ate and had a ton of laughs. Back to hotel & I conk out I was exhausted!
Day 2 - Exhausted I was but tooo excited to sleep in. We meet in the lobby w/ our National Team for a beautiful 2.2 morning jog. This was to get our muscles loose and another chance to meet our teammates. I ran w/ Tom (pictured above) and an amazing coach. It was a BEAUTIFUL run. After our run, Tom, Erin, Darbie, Kyleigh & I all met up and went to the Hard Rock for lunch! YUMMMMMMYYYYY. When lunch was over we were suppose to rest our legs.... NOT again those who know me, know that I can't sit still for nothing. Darbie and I found a Catholic Church so we went & did some praying and this church was Breathtaking. After that we parted ways & I walked around downtown. I might add that I was in capris & a t-shirt in JANUARY!!! YEA!!! I got to see Chase Field home of the Arizona Diamondbacks; The Phoenix Sun's arena; and a ton of other beautiful sites. All this just walking a few miles. After my adventure, I stopped for a coke (hmmm) and pizza and back to the hotel. I got ready for the Inspiration Dinner with TNT. We all met in the lobby & headed over 2 blocks to the Sheraton for our dinner. O-M-G.... when we walked in & up the escalator it was the most amazing sound & site. At least 100-120 people TNT people were there cheering us on & hootin & hollaring and inviting us into our ballroom. Coaches, mentors, survivors, friends, families WOW!!!!!
Dinner was fantastic & then came the tears. A father gave the mission moment. His beautiful daughter Kimberly Joy Costa died July 24, 2000. He touched my heart and I thought of all the parents who have lost their babies & knew that right there was why I was sitting in that seat. At that moment I knew that God lead me to this to help find the cure. After the tears were wiped away, Kyleigh and I head to some sites I did not see that afternoon. Beautiful is all I can say with the lights & moonlight it was amazing. Back to the hotel we get our race gear all set out, hydration belts backed & ready to hit the sack. BUT who the heck can sleep now???Day 3- I was beyond excited...... after waking up almost every hour we get out of bed at 4 a.m. I hope in the shower & get ready. Shoved under our door was a message from our TNT Idaho people with a touching letter from Byron our TNT Captain and Survivor. On our doors was a message about us being heros. 
Now hero I don't think I am but it was amazing. We are up ate breakfast & meet in the lobby for the bus..... I am beyond anxious now.... It is finally hear I have been training for this day since August. And it is finally here. We load up on the bus and head to the starting line...... We have a bit to wait & the morning is clear & brisk. We find Corral #9 and the butterflies are fluttering in my stomach and then the elite start and then it happens we are starting. I ditch my jacket and we are off!!!!!!!!
The spectators and the bands were AMAZING we are pumped up and cruising along. I lose Kyleigh at mile #4 trying to get thru the crowds look back & can't see her. I back track a bit and still no Kyleigh so it is just me & the pavement with 22 more miles to go. I embrace it & do what Coach Brad, Kerri & Ann have trained me to do. I am feeling FANTASTIC pass mile marker #13.1 (1/2 marathon) at just a bit over 2 hours (my pr for a 1/2 I might add) I am feeling amazing I have stayed way ahead of the 5:00 pace group. Doing my food every 3 miles & drinking often. Then comes mile 17 OMG not sure what the heck happen but something from my lower back shot down my right leg and the pain began....... Me being stubborn I keep trucking along and then I finally have to stop to stretch (not wanting to stop at all) so I stretch for a good 2-3 minutes & start hobbling along. Now the TNT coaches from all chapters were AMAZING they would run along with me to make sure I was okay concerned about my gimping and holding my leg. But I REFUSED to quit. By mile 22 I see my "adoptive" coach Maureen. I am walking at this point she is worried about me but I told her I am saving the last bit of energy I have to run across that finish line. She stays with me for a bit talking telling me that I am almost there & that I am doing fantastic. Then I cross mile marker 24 & I know this is it 2.2 miles left & I know that I can do this. So I start a slow jog and the pain just shoots thru the leg but I ignore it. I run thru the last water stop get a drink walking while I drink & then I hear the band & the crowd at the finish line. Not sure what happen but that runners high FINALLY kicked in. I run mile marker 26~ .2 left I see the crowd & the stadium the crowd is cheering & I see the finish line in the distances.... I feel David, Ryleigh, Bryon and all of those people I am running for pushing me along I am giving it every last bit of energy I have left. I SPRINT across that finish line!!!!! I can't believe it 5:03 was the clock time. Now that is not my official time so I have to wait to find out what that is from my chip. Had to find the medic tent to get some ice for my leg and everyone is congratulating me and I am on cloud 9!!!!! I did it.
Now hero I don't think I am but it was amazing. We are up ate breakfast & meet in the lobby for the bus..... I am beyond anxious now.... It is finally hear I have been training for this day since August. And it is finally here. We load up on the bus and head to the starting line...... We have a bit to wait & the morning is clear & brisk. We find Corral #9 and the butterflies are fluttering in my stomach and then the elite start and then it happens we are starting. I ditch my jacket and we are off!!!!!!!!After a nice & long HOT shower I get myself ready & we head to the victory party. The food AMAZING and the company incredible. We all just accomplished our goals we did it!!!!! We danced the night away. Yup we danced after running 26.2 miles, I am out there dancing but it felt sooooo amazing. Back to the hotel and to bed.
Day -4 We all meet in the lobby to head to the airport we are all walking a bit slower!!!! :) I have met some life long friends and am soooo blessed to be apart of Team In Training. This is my first of MANY events with TNT. I want to be at that Inspiration dinner where they say...... I am sooo happy to say that this will be our LAST Team In Training event. We have found the cure for cancer!!!!!!!!! That day will come. For now, I will work hard to do my part and I thank God for the experience and bringing TNT into my life. I love to run but now I get to run for an amazing cause. I thank each and everyone of you who have prayed for me, supported me and who believed in me. Without you I would not have just completed my 1st marathon! Thank you!
My official finish time was 4 hours 59 minutes and 36 seconds. WOW under 5 hours!!! :)
