Feb 7th - Feb 13th

Time at home was shortlived - headed to Cincy for the week. I was excited to learn a new serviceline offering and knew the Cincinnati area basics from 2+ years living there.

Monday AM - landed and arrived on site to feel very sluggish. I chucked it up to be dehydrated or something.

Monday PM - could not ignore my feverish switching to chills, migraine, stomachache, etc -> got to go from the resturant at the bottom of the hotel, cranked the hotel heat to 85 (yes crazy) and ate a little of dinner every hour or so dozing in & out of sleep.

Tuesday AM - got up early to run to the CVS down the street and picked up these thin strips for kids (kinda their version of dayQuil) to take every 2 hrs...and 4 bags of Halls.

The rest of Tuesday & Wednesday I churned through those thin strips to keep from coughing all over people...and a bag of halls a day. I could not keep my coughing down Thursday and did not go on-site (I felt like a loser...).

Friday - paid w/ Delta miles to get home earlier -> attempting to get an appt w/ my PCP (primary care physician) but ended up at the Concentra quick care on North Ave. After 3 Rx's, using both inhalers and 2 regular allergy meds - I slept a lot Friday afternoon/night :-)

Saturday - MB was a champ and drove me to Jax, FL for the marathon. I drank TONS of water while we were driving (causing prob a few more pit-stops ...sorry MB :-* ...) and prepared w/ extra meds for the run the next day.

Sunday - Donna's 26.2 marathon is always VERY motivating. Majority of participants wear a sign on their back stating who they are running for - I had the honor of running for women through my mother... too many!

Miles 0-8
I don't remember much about these miles. Beginning - toes were numb w/ how cold it was outside. Beach miles - were okay, my stomach dropped when the 1/2 marathoners left the path to go back. "That would be nice..."
Miles 9-12
Cruised along, kept a decent pace - forcing myself to keep miles greater than 10 minutes in hopes of not drastic slowing at the end (hah)
Miles 13 - 18
Realized I was fading fast...nothing I could do about it then. I was proud I had survived past the halfway point before wanting to melt away.
Miles 19-24
Walked more than I ran. This is when the lack of training hit me like a brick. Marathons are definitely HUMBLING.
Miles 25-End Got the tip to walk backwards b/c my hamstrings and lower back were SO freakin' tight. A fellow runner pointed out that the lower back was from tight hamstrings. Moral of the story - STRETCH more and frequently :-p

First marathon of 2011 is complete and it was a honor to do so for the women who have battle breast cancer - a more than worthy cause.