December 10, 2017, is the day I became a good marathoner. It took me 13 tries, but I finally know how to race 26.2 miles. Nobody can take that away from me.
In the week leading up to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon, I was a bundle of nerves. I had done the training, I had KILLED the training, I was in full taper mode, I was taking very good care of myself, and I was ready to see what I was made of. But to be honest, knowing it was my 13th marathon (of all numbers), I couldn't quite settle the stupid nerves.
The events of our travel day to the Gulf Coast on Friday were absolutely insane and I didn't quite share all of it on social media, but I'll share it here. As we were leaving to take the kids to school and then leave for the airport to catch our 11am flight, Greg informs me he can't find his wallet. He was frantically searching everywhere in his work stuff, in the cars, and in the house for it, to no avail. It had simply vanished. In the meantime, I'm trying not to totally lose it. My nerves were completely frayed and having this kind of hiccup about did me in. Greg felt terrible for the delay and the stress. Thankfully, he has a passport, so traveling would not be a problem. Hoping that someone hadn't stolen his wallet at work was the bigger worry.
The kids were late to school by a couple minutes and for that we apologized. There was one more thought at home on where the wallet could be so we headed back there. No luck. We had no choice but to head to the airport immediately or we'd be late for our flight. About five minutes into the commute to AUS, Greg got a call from work that a housekeeping staff member had found his wallet under a conference room table. Hallelujah! Except that the detour was going to add another 20 minutes to our drive and we were already pushing our luck on getting to the airport on time.
When we arrived at the airport, wallet now safely in hand, we had 45 minutes until our flight, with bags to check still, so Greg dropped me off at curbside check-in and went to go park the car in the parking garage because long term parking would take way too long. He actually ended up beating me through security as I of course got in the longest line. But we made it through and to our gate right as they were lining up to board.
But it gets a little better. Greg then informs me that in our haste at the curbside drop off, his phone fell out of the car. When he parked and realized what had happened he hightailed it to where the crime was committed and found it laying in the middle of the crosswalk, completely unharmed. What are the chances that no one would have run it over? I am so glad I had no clue this was all happening because my nerves were completely shot at this point.
But it STILL gets better. The first 65 minutes of our flight were totally uneventful. Smooth sailing to New Orleans, where we would pick up our car, eat some delicious gumbo and shrimp, and then head to Biloxi. Except of course that's not what happened. Now, mind you, the south was in the midst of a snow and ice debacle. Snow everywhere, ice everywhere, freezing temps everywhere. While we were in our descent, TWO MINUTES FROM LANDING, the pilot turns the plane around. I shit you not.
We had to head to Houston because there was no de-icing equipment at the New Orleans airport. We could land the plane but then it would be unlikely they could get it off the ground again and back in use. So they flew us back to Houston, where they could keep the plane in service.
Well, that sucked. Now we were stuck in Houston, over 6 hours away from our destination, and it was now after 1pm. The New Orleans and Gulfport airports were now shut down and all other flights to anywhere remotely close to Biloxi were booked. We had to drive. However, because there was a baggage fiasco at Houston Hobby, it took over an hour to get our checked luggage. Thankfully I sent Greg ahead to get our rental car before every other stranded person tried to steal it from us (there were several diverted and stranded passengers in Hobby). He ended up getting the last rental car at National. Another Hallelujah, but OH MY GOSH THIS NEEDED TO STOP.
We finally got out of Houston after 3pm and headed to Biloxi, hoping the roads were all clear and there would be no ice or closures. IT WAS FREEZING OUT. Snow on the ground everywhere, bridges near the gulf were closed, and it was not a certainty that we'd be in Biloxi anytime soon. Luckily, for the first time all day, there were no more delays.
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| Hello weird snow on the coast |
I wanted to get there on Friday because both Greg and I were running the 5k on Saturday and we needed to get to the Expo for bib pickup that day. They closed at 7pm. The race graciously allowed packet pickup on race morning because no many people could not get there on Friday, so that problem was diverted.
I can't tell you how happy I was to lay on my hotel bed that night, after 11pm, and go to sleep. I needed the rest. That was an insane travel day.
We woke up on Saturday morning feeling so much better. It was 31 degrees out, there was still snow on the ground (seriously, snow on top of sand just ain't right!), and we were ready to get out our frustrations in the 5K. My plan was to use it as a shake out run so I was as ready as can be for the marathon on Sunday. Greg planned to go balls-to-the-wall and race his heart out.
To make a long story a little shorter, this race was really great. I felt fantastic and headed out at marathon race pace with absolutely little effort. I built some speed to hit mile 3 at 7:56. Unfortunately, the turnaround cone was placed a little too far (OH MY GOSH THE IRONY), and the race was 3.33 miles. No big deal to us because we weren't going for a PR but rather just wanted to go out and have fun. I got the chance to feel what Sunday race day conditions would be like so I could head to the start Sunday totally prepared, I got to shake out my legs, and Greg got to feel what a sub-7 min/mile pace in a 5K felt like again.
Greg ran the 3.33 miles in 22:59 for a 6:55 pace, 4th in his age group of 35, and 13th overall of 566. I ran 27:55 for an 8:22 pace, 4th in my age group out of 51, and 66th overall. Successful morning!
Time to eat all the food, drink all the water, go to the expo, take a nap, and then eat all the food again.
Stay tuned for Part 2.
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