Marathon Number Two Complete!

With the ladies after the marathon
(Kristen, Hannah, me, Julie, Shannon)

Finish Line!! My time is one hour later than this clock shows!

Expo on Saturday.

Last Sunday, October 11, I ran my second marathon, and yes I finished! This Marathon was very different from my first one in that it was a much smaller marathon. I ran the Tow Path Marathon which runs through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, in between Akron and Cleveland.

This Marathon was about 35 minutes from my parent's home so I stayed with them on Saturday. They drove me up to the Expo where I picked up my packet, race number and chip. The rest of Saturday was spent resting and eating carbs

Sunday morning was a cold start (about 37 degrees) and I had opted to do to Start Early Option at 7:00 am as opposed to the 8:00 am start that the rest of the runners did. It was myself and about 5 other people who started out in the pre-dawn. For the first hour and a half or so it was very solitare on the trail, quiet (except for my i-pod of course), but beautiful. A family of 4 deers crossed the trail right in front of me at about mile 6 or so. Now that is something you don't see in the Columbus Marathon

I felt really good for the most part. The last 6 miles are always the hardest for me, but in this marathon I had the best suprise ever! Four of my running friends (Julie, Kristen, Hannah and Shannon), came up to the Marathon to suprise me. So there I am running along at mile 21-22 ish and I hear someone calling my name- as in Go Heather. In my head I'm thinking hey I don't know anyone here except for my parents?? And then I saw Julie and Shannon! I ran up a little further (closer to mile 24 ish) and Hannah and Kristen were hidding in the bushes, they ran with me as far as they could before the trail police told them they couldn't. Then the finish line was in sight- woo hoo!!

My parents, brother, sister-in-law and my two nephews were there to meet me! It was a great experince and I'm proud that I ran a personal record time, I wanted to run faster than I did in Columbus and I accomplished that goal and I wanted to finsh stronger and I did that as well.

So I'm pleased with my second marathon- next fall it's on to the third! This spring I plan to run a half marathon in Louisville KY with some of my running friends.

This weekend I get the honor and privelage of being on the other side of the marathon and half marathon experince as I will be going to the Columbus Marathon and will be helping out in the MIT tent after the marathon. Can't wait to see my friends finish!

Hannah is running the half marathon, Julie is pacing her husband and her sister (her husband's first half marathon), Kristen is running her third marathon as is Shannon. I want to wish all of them, along with all the other MITers a great run and strong legs! See you out there on Sunday! I'll be the one screaming the loudest!! :)

It was a fun race to run- different from a city marathon that's for sure.