I never did like to refer to it as a "race." That would have implied I was shooting for a specific time or trying beat a certain number of people. Through the twelve weeks of training I reigned in my competitive spirit and set a goal I felt I could achieve: to finish. My goal was just to run the 13.1 miles in OKCity on April 24th. Mission accomplished.
I would consider myself an introvert. I am energized most by being alone. But there is something to be said for being part of something huge. In mile two or three there was a hill. When I was at the bottom of the hill looking up, there was a sea of people. Literally thousands of runners filled the street. Then at the top of the hill, I looked behind me and there were thousands more. It was beautiful. Friends, family, and complete strangers were cheering us on. Some people sat on the sides and played instruments to entertain us as we ran. One woman, age: 60-something, was belly-dancing.
The last half-mile was amazing. The streets were lined with people. I could see the finish line. I had eaten "Gu," which is straight energy, just a couple of miles before. And the adrenaline kicked in. I felt like I was sprinting...probably just took longer strides, but still. I finished. It was amazing. Definitely will do it again...and maybe the whole 26.2 someday.