Hello Everyone!

I am now experiencing both pre-marathon amnesia and post-marathon depression........i.e. I'm forgetting how painful it was to train for this marathon because I'm already thinking about the possibility of doing another one.........and perhaps I'm trying to alleviate some of that post-marathon depression by visualizing myself crossing the finish line again. Not sure how long these feelings will last, but hold onto your seat, cause I'd like to tell you about my experience in Portland.

First of all, I just want to say PORTLAND RULES! What a great city. I felt like I was coming home. Growing up a Yankee along the East Coast.........Portland felt like it's twin......and thank goodness it wasn't bright and sunny...........I feel like I"m turning into a side of beef jerky here in the desert. O.K. So, maybe I could have done without the torrential downpour first thing marathon morning, but the climate made it real easy to enjoy all those coffee shops at each corner of the street.

Everyone said that I wouldn't sleep the night before the marathon, and I thought "Hogwash. I will too sleep." So, it's a good thing I wasn't gambling any money cause I would have lost my life savings. I don't think I slept worth beans, but actually I was more concerned over whether I would have to go "number 2" in the morning. One of my biggest fears was to have to...........you know..........in the middle of the race and there wouldn't be any toilet paper left. I did manage to pack a wade of tissues in my shorts, just in case, but the rain took care of that. Needless to say, mother nature wasn't cooperating (even after 3 cups of coffee)........and off I went to the start line. Now, another piece of advice I should have listened too was to IMMEDIATELY get in line at the portapotties, cause by the time you actually get to the front of the line, it's time for the race to begin. Well, luckily for me, once the rains opened up, so did the lines to the portapotties, and I got in a minute before the gun went off. Whew! (And peew.....There was alot of butterflies rumbling around in people's stomachs.) I tell ya.........when you are standing there in a sea of people with your number pinned on and you are waiting for the gun to go off, the excitement is incredible. I knew the course cause my husband and I drove around it the day before, so there wasn't any surprises. I knew what was ahead of me, but I wasn't prepared for the emotions that swept over me along the way. It was raining. The gun went off. It rained ever harder, but I didn't care. I was just so happy to get to this point, a monsoon could have ripped through and I wouldn't have cared. All the training, all the early mornings, all the ups and downs and sacrifices........it all had come down to this one moment.........and I knew in 5 hours it would all be over. The best piece of advice I got was from The Penguin who spoke at the spaghetti dinner the night before. He said to savor every moment because before you know it, it will be all over. So, that was my goal during the race. I was going to take in all the sights, all the people, and all the emotion that I could and have the time of my life for the next 5 hours. I never worried over whether I was going to finish or not. I knew I was going to finish cause I would have walked the whole thing if I had to. I didn't care how long it would take me. I just cared about what I was going to take home with me. So, with that........off I went and I met the coolest people along the way. I met an older gentleman who way back in the day used to win the earliest Portland marathons. I met a woman by the name of Debbie who looked like she wasn't much older than me and had run over 200 marathons, plus I don't know how many triathlons....and Ironmans. Turns out she lives in Phoenix too. I was waving to people all along the way and smiling..........and talking on the cell phone to my friends and family, (which one man thought was horrible. He thought I shouldn't even be running the marathon. He can pull my finger.)..........And I just want to say, thanks to all of you that called me along the way. You don't know what an energy lifter that was for me. It was the coolest thing and I love you all for that! At mile 2, I was crying. At mile 8, I was crying. At the finish line I was crying. I was just so overcome with joy over the whole experience. My husband towed me the last 6 miles, which I tell you were the hardest..........and it really helped me to have him there. But before that, he met me at different mile markers and took pictures and cheered me on. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have this man in my life. I never could have trained for this marathon by myself. And to have all of your support along the way..........it just really carried me through and I am so grateful.........I was so into what was going on during the marathon, that it really wasn't hard until the 20 mile mark. Everyone said that up to that point is "easy" and it's true. It's those last 6 miles that kill ya.......actually that last mile feels like 3 miles. You are just so ready to cross that finish line, and you think that it's just up ahead, and than it's not......you just feel like you are going forever..........but then you see the home stretch.........and you are coming through gates and people are cheering for you..........and you just can't believe it. My legs were really hurting me. My whole left leg felt like it was going to crack up the middle, but ya know, IT WAS ALL WORTH IT!!!! There is nothing in the world like the feeling you get after crossing the finish line of a marathon. You feel like you have just given birth to yourself.

Steph and Cynthia, I wish I could have seen ya afterwards, but I was so cold.......and limping...... I needed to get back to the hotel. I'm so glad that you two were there doing this with me too.

Final words.......The commraderie was excellent. I met other Connectors from around the U.S. at a dinner Tawni was hosting Friday night. That was a blast. Portland was great.......so much to do and see there..........the food and the COFFEE....... superb! The marathon was really put together well. I give the whole experience a 9.9.

O.K. So, what's next???

Dianne