26.2: Sedona Marathon

I have officially crossed from being a long distance runner to being a marathon runner, and it feels GREAT!
Friday afternoon, our family packed up and headed to Sedona, Arizona. We picked up the race packet and then headed to Cottonwood, Arizona (were rooms are much more reasonable). Melanie was super excited to go on a trip and stay in a hotel. Or, in her words, a hoTEL (silly girl). We ate a really yummy, carb-filled pasta dinner at a local restaurant and then headed back to the hoTEL. After putting Noelle to bed, and tucking Melanie in with a movie, Brandon and I spent about an hour putting my name on the back of my running shirt (stupid hotel iron didn't want to work). I had decided last minute that I wanted to do this in the case that someone was cheering on the runners. I knew hearing "Go Camille" would get me going.
Saturday morning, we got up before the sun, ate a yummy hotel breakfast, and headed back to Sedona! I got there just in time to cut in the front of the port-a-potty line, and meet up with Bethany (my running friend that was also running the marathon). We got into the starting coral just minutes before the race began. Then it was time, and we were off. Bethany and I ran together for the first 6 miles, and then I put on my music and let her loose. She is an animal and was ready to take on the course at a much faster speed.
Here is the course:

The course was 60% pavement, 40% dirt road, which pretty much amounted to this: Miles 1-about 8 were all on the pavement, then from about 8-18 it was all dirt road, and then we were back in action on the pavement at about mile 18. I have never been so happy to see pavement before.

Being Sedona, there were only a few hills:

That elevation chart doesn't show the steep climb up to the turnaround point for the marathoners. It was steep, and it was then that my left knee decided to scream. Up until then, I hadn't walk except at the water stations. I know it had to do with the dirt road and all the big rocks. I was still happy though. I really enjoyed miles 9-16 because I liked passing the other marathon runners that were going in the other direction. I love saying "good job" to each of them and hearing it in return. Runners are truly the nicest athletes out there. Seriously! Miles 16-18 were the hardest for me. My knee was hurting, I didn't have anyone really around me (there were only a few hundred runners in the entire course, I could see maybe 2 people), and I was still on that dirt road. I was super excited when at the water station at about mile 18, when I was feeling the lowest, a volunteer yelled out "Way to go Camille, you are awesome!". Seriously, that was such an amazing turning point for me... Once I hit the pavement, my spirits were really up again.

They didn't allow onlookers along the portion that was dirt, so it wasn't until about mile 19 that I started seeing the best support/cheer team ever! They showed up about every other mile with posters and smiles. I love my family! I was also blessed to have another random cheerleader. There was a man on a bike that was aiding two runners. One of them must have been in front of me, and the other was behind me. He rode back and forth between them and EVERYTIME he passed me, he yelled something like "Go Camille", "You are Awesome", or "You are rocking this Camille, you can do this". He was much appreciated!

The following picture was taken about mile 20/21

At mile 22 I was still holding strong and happy as a clam (seriously, I was so excited and happy... I don't know how many aid station volunteers commented to me that they were surprised to see someone that had gone X amount of miles still smiling, but I was. )

I SPRINTED to the finish. Yep, some how I still had the energy. Brandon didn't get pictures of me crossing the finish because they just barely got there in time. Apparently he was also running to the finish line when he heard the announcer say "Here comes number 798 making a sprinting finish. Somehow she still saved enough energy to make a strong finish". He said he didn't have to look, he knew it was me and though "oh great, I didn't get the picture". ha ha! But Bethany took pictures, so hopefully I'll get those posted soon. I didn't look at the clock as I ran past, so I had to wait for the website to post the times. I finished it in 5 hours 21 minutes 58 seconds!

Here I am with the best cheerleaders ever.
Me and my runner partner in crime, Bethany. Bethany did amazing too. I convinced her to do this marathon with me, and I think she was probably cursing me after running all those hills. Hopefully she will forgive me. :o)
And here I am with the best husband in the world. He is awesome, and I'm so spoiled. I couldn't have done this without him.
Did I mention, I ran a MARATHON!?!