Grandma's Marathon

Grandma’s marathon weekend recap

Movin' it with Michelle

Thursday:

I set my alarm early Thursday morning so I could hit the road to my sister’s house.  I was packed and ready to go and as the skies opened up and it began to pour down rain, I had a little talk with God.  See, I don’t ever get a chance to get away and do things just for me. This was my weekend with my sister, and I wanted it to be perfect.  So I looked up to the skies and said, “Please, God? Please? Can you just give me a little break?”  And as I turned on the exit ramp for interstate 294, blue skies appeared, and I smiled.  He DOES listen.  🙂

We hit the road to my parents house, and had such a fun time with them.  We ate pizza, had a couple drinks, and spent the evening talking.  It was SO nice just to catch up, the four of us.

Core Four, back in action!
Core Four, back in action!
Beer counts as carb loading, right?
Beer counts as carb loading, right?

Friday:

The road trip to Duluth was so much fun.  We laughed, sang 80’s music at the top of our lungs, and yelled at careless drivers who made the left lane their resting place vs. using it as a passing lane (as it should be used), LOL.  “Don’t F#%! with the flow!” we would yell and I couldn’t help but smile continuously.  The last time my sister and I had any sort of time together was in 2007 after the passing of my grandfather.  This, was a much nicer trip.

Me in front of my old high school!
Me in front of my old high school!
The house I grew up in...seems so much smaller!
The house I grew up in…seems so much smaller!
Happy feet by Lake Superior
Happy feet by Lake Superior
Duluth's famous Aerial lift bridge
Duluth’s famous Aerial lift bridge
Cheesin' in the beautiful sunlight!
Cheesin’ in the beautiful sunlight!

As we drove over the sky line coming in to Duluth, Guns and Roses blasted and tears filled my eyes.  HOME.  This is where I lived growing up until graduating high school and leaving for the Air Force in 1991.  This…this was home.  And although I left without looking back 24 years ago almost to the date, I am now able to remember the good memories I had in Duluth.  We visited my schools, elementary (now apartment buildings), junior high (no longer a school), and my high school.  We drove past the home we grew up in, and visited some of my favorite places in the city. We also had an amazing lunch, overlooking Lake Superior and had fun eavesdropping on fellow runners that sat near us.  We also coveted their fish and chips, so much so that Bobbi changed her mind and ordered it for lunch!  YUM! I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day with my sister.  I unfortunately didn’t get to meet up with any of my fellow bloggers that were running the race, but I felt my time with my sister/family was much needed and more important.

We hit up the expo, got all kinds of cool stuff, and headed back to our hotel to meet Bobbi’s friends, Carrie and Riyanti.  We ended the day wrapped up with all kinds of runner love at my old track buddy from high school parent’s house for dinner.  Loads of pasta and meatballs, and all gluten free!  YUM!!!!

Old track buddies, reunited after 24 years!
Old track buddies, reunited after 24 years!
Expo fun!
Expo fun!
Expo finds!!! Skirt Sports skirt for 40 dollars? YES PLEASE!!
Expo finds!!! Skirt Sports skirt for 40 dollars? YES PLEASE!!

Race day:

The original agreement was, that my sister and I would run this race TOGETHER.  That meant no matter what pace, we would stick together and have fun.  Sadly, my sister had been dealing with a crabby calf the week prior, but I still told her I wanted to stick with her for the race.  The only way I’d go on without her, is if she decided to not finish the race.

So…we awoke at O’dark 30, and boarded the first bus at 5:45.  We had an amazing bus driver who stopped the bus to move barricades so that we wouldn’t be late.  The excitement was building as we drove up the shore to Two Harbors where the race was set to start.  Our forecast was 100% chance of rain, but we still were smiling.  We arrived an hour before the race started which gave us plenty of time to use the porta-potties (twice) and get our gear bags checked.  We got a sneak peak at the start line as the elites started to show up!

Starting line!!
Starting line!!
Us right before the rain hit!!!
Us right before the rain hit!!!

And then, it started to rain…We decided the rain wasn’t going to damper our spirits so we danced and sang as the rain continued to pour down.  We saw Eric who had already ran from the finish line in Duluth UP to Two Harbors, AMAZING.  When Mother Nature decided to announce her presence and POUR down rain for a good 30 minutes, we found it harder to smile, and even harder to keep warm.  But the runners squeezed into the corrals which helped due to the body heat a little…

The gun went off at 7:45 AM, and we crossed the start line around 3 minutes later.  We settled in to around an 11:30/11:45 pace, and despite some GI issues on my part we were feeling good.  Bobbi’s calf was bothering her, but she had hoped it would calm down.  We stopped for selfies once the rain subsided just before the halfway point and by this point Bobbi knew it was going to be a struggle to finish.  She could walk, but running was really bothering her.  She kept trying to send me off to finish the last half of the race, and the deep down competitive person in me wanted to run and finish the race strong.  But seeing her struggling like she was made me realize, I needed to stay with her.  I needed to put my selfish wants aside, and finish this race with my sister.  And I can honestly say it’s the best decision I’ve made in a long time.

The next 13 miles were filled with laughter, tears, cussing, beer drinking, parental hugs, high fives, pottie stops, selfies, gimpy shuffling, friends cheering, strangers motivating and digging deeper than I think I ever have in my life.  The sun even came out for a few miles, and this helped brighten our spirits.  Mile 20 we saw my parents, and were greeted by spectators with BEER!  Carbs, right?!?!  It was all about fun at this point!!!

Mile 20 cheesin!
Mile 20 cheesin!
All. The. Beers!
All. The. Beers!
Return of the yeti, around mile 17!
Return of the yeti, around mile 17!
Very wet first half of the race!!!
Very wet first half of the race!!!

When we hit mile 22, and the temps dropped and it started to rain again I questioned whether or not I could keep going.  But when I turned to Bobbi and saw tears in her eyes I asked, “What can I do?” and she choked back more sobs and said, “You are already doing all the things.” And I cried.

See, I’ve been selfish a lot in my life.  But in working towards being a better me, I’ve really tried to put the important people in my life first.  And Saturday, I did just that.  Because I love my sister more than words can describe.

Mile 23, my Garmin died, and it continued to rain…I was cold.  So. Very. Cold.  Bobbi gave me her rain poncho despite being cold herself (I stupidly ditched mine when the sun came out), and we trudged on.  Her limping, me shuffling, us both COLD and hurting. More talks with God happened, and I simply prayed for strength for us to finish.  Mile 25 we saw Carrie, Riyanti, and our folks just past them. Lots of hugs.  And more tears.  With just a mile to go, and lots of photographers we put on our brave faces and walked/shuffled on.  We weren’t going to make it under 6 hours, but we were going to finish.  As we entered the final leg into the finish line I had to choke back the sobs.  We did it.  We battled injury, elements, and mental demons that tried to keep us from finishing.  We gathered our medals and tee-shirts from Carly, wrapped ourselves in our mylar blankets and picked up our gear.  We were spent, and needed to get warm. After long hot showers we relaxed for a while, and went out for dinner at Pizza Luce.  You can bet I ordered my traditional Bloody Mary, and received a side car as a bonus.  Gotta love Duluth!!

We finished!!!!!
We finished!!!!!
Bloody Mary with a side car!
Bloody Mary with a side car!
All the food for the finishers!
All the food for the finishers!

My sister said this was our personal worst in regards to time, and she’s right.  But I call it a personal best in regards to effort because while maybe not the smartest of running happened that day, you couldn’t have ordered up more effort and heart than those displayed in those last 5 miles.

See you in 2016, Duluth!!!!
See you in 2016, Duluth!!!!

Marathon number 3, complete.  Lessons learned: Never give up even in the toughest conditions…Never leave your wingman…even if you have STRONG training, you never know what race day will hand to you…it’s amazing the power of a child’s high five, a cheer, your people on the side lines cheering you on, and the encouragement of a stranger.  And at the end of the day, all you can do is your best with the conditions race day gives you, so try and enjoy even the smallest of moments.

Thanks so much for the amazing support during my training!!!  The last 18 weeks, and this race, have proved to me that I can do anything I set my mind to in life!!!  ❤

Keep Movin’ Forward!!

Published by Movin' it with Michelle

My name is Michelle and I am a retired Air Force Master Sergeant. I have found a passion for running, cooking, writing, photography and all things that move my love for life! I've ran 3 full marathons, with a PR of 4:25, and 17 half marathons with a PR of 2:00:11 (yup-missed sub 2 by 11 seconds, lol). Thanks for joining me on my journey!

116 thoughts on “Grandma’s marathon weekend recap”

  2. Great story! I take it you’re coming back for the 40th anniversary of the race? When it started to rain again, I thought about the runners still out on the course, and I knew I would have been one of them if I had run. I’m impressed with your sister’s and your mental toughness!

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  3. Beautiful. 🙂 It’s so refreshing to read about other runners who “get it” in the same fashion as I do. As you know, my training was a disaster. I was banking on my endurance base to carry me through (and it did!), but I was not anticipating tummy issues for the last 8 miles. Hello? Porta pot stops at almost every opportunity LOL I finished just over 5 hours, 30 minutes slower than I was hoping…but I went into this race with an open mind because I had no idea what was in store for me with my lack-luster training, wonky foot, and all that #$%^& rain! I looked for you…I even saw a gal who was dressed in similar clothes (light blue tank/black skirt/arm sleeves, etc.) at mile 7 or 8. I ran over and asked if she was Michelle? She (very politely) said “no.” I saw her a few other times, and each time I jokingly asked her if she was Michelle…and we laughed. I was all about having fun, too 🙂 I am not fast, but I have a whole new respect for those who are slower….it takes a lot more work to keep yourself moving for a longer period of time, no matter what speed. Good job on your 26.2! 🙂

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    1. YAY you for getting it done despite all of your road blocks during training. I looked for you, too! So bummed we didn’t see one another. Most had left by the time we finished (6:18) and it was so cold I didn’t expect people to wait! There’s always next year! Great job to you, too!

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  10. Wonderful recap! It sounds like you had a great experience. I was able to pull one of my running group to a 5 hour finish for her first marathon, so I know what you mean about wingmen!

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  11. Sounds like you had a blast together which is SO great! Sorry to hear your sister was hurting and hope she is better/recovering well now. What an awesome thing to tell people, that you participated in a marathon with your sister and finished! Good for you girls!

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  13. Congrats ladies! You are both awesome 🙂 I’m so happy you made the best out of a less than ideal situation. Your race reminds me of when I ran Chicago with L for his first marathon. At the halfway he said he had a pain and needed to walk. So we walked together the 2nd half. While it was a very slow time, I still consider that race a “PF, personal favorite” because I got to experience it with him. These are the races that are fun and fulfilling in other ways than getting a PB. Congrats again! 🙂

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  15. Way to go! May not have been your fastest but you two will remember that race for the rest of your lives, and from the sounds of it, it will be a pretty good memory.

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  17. As I said on FB, finishing is winning! Way to stick with Bobbi. My PW at Marine Corps still stands as my favorite race. It’s about so much more than the time. Congrats to both of you!

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  18. Wow what a great recount! Im sure you will cherish the memories made on this trip. And great job with the marathon! You both showed great character, stuck together and didn’t quit despite some pretty miserable conditions! Very inspiring!

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  21. I KNEW you’d do it! Awesome job, and good on you for letting go of your competitive spirit and instead replacing it with the true runner’s spirit – love of the sport and love of your fellow runners (or in this case, sister)! So glad it all turned out well for you! 🙂

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  24. Awww this was such a great story, it made me tear up! LOL. It sounds like you had a blast and for running a “personal worst”, stories just like yours are really what marathons are all about. Congrats on finishing and so happy you had a great weekend!

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  25. Okay, I’m crying. This was so special to read; thank you so much for sharing.
    I wish my sister and I were closer. She’s a runner too but we’ve never run a whole race together. It would be a dream to do what you and your sister did. I’m glad you guys were able to share such a special moment together. You both are amazing!

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  27. So many congratulations! This is so awesome, and good for you for powering through the rain. I probably would have just sat to the side and cried. When I heard from Erica how the conditions were I was just happy I wasn’t there (I don’t do torrential down pour). And so so special to share the experience with someone so close to you–sometimes a personal worst really is a best in so many other ways!

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  31. Awesome recap! Congrats on the strong finish despite everything, and I’m sure that bloody mary tasted extra good after the finish. Happy to see you got a sidecar! That’s the only way to have a bloody mary! 🙂

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  34. Loved this recap! Congrats on a great finish. It’s awesome you stayed with your sister, sometimes being together is more important than a time 😉
    Sorry, you had such crazy weather to deal with, I love in the south, I can’t even remember what cold feels like right now, but wet and cold is the worst, it is tough! Great job hanging in there.

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  35. How fun that you guys got to explore your hometown together and see how things have changed! That sounds like a blast! And driving and singing along to music in the car! Hee hee!

    Sorry the race didn’t go well, but happy to hear you made the most out of it and stuck together!

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  36. Congrats on sticking it out. Most would have quit, especially since neither of you were looking at your best times. The memories you created are a personal best for both of you! Those truly are the raves you will never forget! Congrats again!

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  38. Congrats on finishing such a tough race! The rain definitely seems like it would have made it difficult. That’s wonderful that you guys stuck together and helped each other along.

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  40. Congratulations to you both! Way to stick together and push thru despite the conditions. And time isn’t always the most important thing. That’s what I thought when I ran with my sister during her first. Just finishing together and enjoying the accomplishment!!!!

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  43. Pingback: Grandma’s Marathon 2015 Race Recap | Charissa Running

  45. Reading this brought tears to my eyes. I’m so happy that you had such a wonderful experience with your sister, Michelle ❤ This is the kind of experience that stays with you forever. I think it makes for an even better race when you get to share it with a loved one and not have the pressure of a goal time in mind. I'd love to run a friend or family member through a marathon one day. In fact, when I finished my marathon, my dad told me that it made him want to train for a marathon again and I said if he did, I'd run it with him no matter the speed. Great recap and so happy you had an amazing time with your family even if we didn't get to meet up this time (stupid rain LOL!).

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      1. Yes! You’re in the Chicago area right? It might be a few years but eventually I will have to get around to that area for a race 🙂

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      2. I am!!! I ran Chicago for my first half marathon in 2012!! Too many people for me, but I will never forget it!!! You could come in Sept and run the Fox Valley Marathon with me! it’s my local race that I help plan!!

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      3. I remember you talking about that one! There’s a half option too right? I’m not planning any more travel for this year so maybe next year 😉

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  46. awe. what a beautiful recap. Sounds like an experience that neither of you will ever forget.!!! Glad you guys got to do that together 🙂
    Congratulations on your most memorable marathon 🙂

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  47. I love that you stayed with your sister. That’s what it’s all about. If my sister could run a marathon (after 3 knee surgeries now) it would mean so much for me to do the same. These will be wonderful memories that were created in less than stellar conditions!

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  48. “even if you have STRONG training, you never know what race day will hand to you”
    SO MUCH THAT! This made me tear up! I love that you did this with your sister. What wonderful, terrible, wonderful memories! 🙂 I can’t imagine the mental power it took to get through those last few wet, cold miles. Good for you! You’re crazy, insane and SO very strong and inspirational. Thanks for sharing this!

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