Jyl's Nashville Adventure

Today on seriously hope, we have a special surprise.

I've bugged asked my dear friend, Jyl, to be a guest blogger and to recount her adventure running her first marathon in the Country Music Marathon a few days ago.  She has conceded agreed and with no further ado, I will turn the mic over to my friend, the MARATHONER!!!!

Trying to wrap my head around finishing 26.2 miles is daunting... Yes I did train for about 6 months, and in the end 5 hours went by really fast! 

Nashville was the 3h's-- HOT, Hilly, and frankly, Hellish... those are my three words to describe the day. I realized walking to the starting line from my hotel at 6am that I was already sweating... not a good sign...

Usually on my long runs around Davidson, I didn't need electrolytes or water til about mile 6 or 7... Nashville started at mile 2.5!

The crowd and the music and the people were great for the first 12 miles... So if you want to run a awesome half marathon, sign up for Nashville. After Mile 12... Well they take you to a old part of Nashville that's not very pretty and the crowds disappear. I was sad to pull my ipod out at mile 12 hoping to only save it for emergencies and extra pep in my step, but it became a constant for the rest of the day... 

I learned that hoses and water are awesome. Neighborhoods had their sprinklers on and boy without those, I would have died much faster.. I ran through at least 12 hoses that day... 

We <3 Peeta....

I also wrote some words of encouragement to myself on my arms! For my friend Hope- I did "Team Peeta" for Hunger Games.. Plus, if Peeta could go into the Hunger Games and make it out alive, I sure as heck could do a marathon.. (I did see a couple signs along the way that did say " May the odds be ever in your favor!") those made me laugh.... 

Also I wrote "Beat David Cook"! David Cook was my catalyst for signing up for this whole thing. When I read in November that he was doing the LA marathon in March, I was like.. God David Cook is an American Idol, a Rock star, and certainly not a runner... if he can do it, I can... So needless to say I did beat hunky David Cook.. It would have been much more fun if he was running in Nashville, as it would have been good eye candy, but my goal was simply to beat his time and I did.. Well I crushed it, =)

I found my parents at about mile 11 for the first time and they had a pack of supplies, but all i wanted was water. It was so hot out...
At the half way mark I was happy with my time and my pace and how I was feeling... I was on path for about a 2:30 half and content... My body felt fine, no pains!

Come about mile 17 is where I met mom and dad again with supplies, that included heavenly orange slices and lots more gatorade...

Mmmmm cold towel and
a cold beer.
Life does NOT get much better!

Once I woofed those oranges and mile 20 came, the stomach wasn't totally happy with me... and no matter what I drank or dunked on my head, I was hot. I could not get cool. We were running on highways and there was no shade, it was just brutal! It was like a war zone from mile 20-24 with people on the ground, pale faces, just miserable looking people. No one was happy. There was also no crowd or cheering or anything... It was the hardest point. It was then I began to walk and realized that my "run" was a shuffle and walking was only a bit slower... and the stomach felt better walking... 

I met a concerned mom at about mile 24 and she walked with me til mile 26, which was the looming Titans stadium and my two friends waiting to run me in... Thank God it was only .2 miles from there, but I did run in and with a smile on my face... 

The Medal.  Or, otherwise known as
Race "Bling".

I was happy I finished, I didn't get sick, and I didn't fall over! I was just roasted from sunburn, and mainly that was the worst pain I had! I did not train or plan for sunburn! 

In the end 30,000 people ran the races at nashville and only 3900 finished the marathon.. I was happy to be one of those. I wasn't last place, not even close; and I was in one piece. I enjoyed the rest of the day in Nashville, and some good frozen drinks and food! 

So the question already is- will I run another? Ok- Yes I would.. No, I would not run Nashville again, and no I won't run in late April. I will do cool weather and flat courses... I would also like to run with someone the whole time.  All my training was with buddies, and man had my parents not been there for the last 10 miles, I would have been miserable. You need a support team for these things! It takes a group to get you to the end, from training to the day of the race! 

I am looking forward to this week of eating whatever and drinking beer, and not running.. I am looking forward to running ONLY 3 miles instead of 20 some Saturdays and not getting up before the sun rises!

- Jyl

Awesome.  Just awesome.  
And folks, don't think for a minute she's taking it easy.  She already has her sights on her next challenge.  Plus, since she's gotten back, she has already gotten up at least three times to run with me before the sun began to blink the sleepiness from its eyes...

Jyl, my friend, you are a ROCK STAR!