Mission Accomplished

Back in December 2010, I sent out a message to friends and family proposing that if I could get 26 people to donate enough food for a family of 4 to a food bank, then I would train and run the Kansas City marathon in October 2011.

I never expected so many generous and thoughtful people to come and take me up on the offer (those people would be Amy H., Kacy, Jennifer, Kurt, Patti (donated for 2 families), Mrs. Mel, Kim, Cassie, Kellie, Darcy, Cheryl, Michelle (donated for 2 families), Sissy, Angi, Katie, Amy R., Caleb, Alysia, Tom, Brad, Curtis, Erica, Tania, and Adam).

Instead of the Kansas City marathon, we decided to go for the Niagara Falls International Marathon. As much as we love Kansas City, we simply do not love the hills. Plus, if we have the opportunity to travel and run in two countries in the same day ... count us in!

My primary goal in December was to benefit 26 families. I never once expected my own life to change in such a significant way. Running a marathon is life-changing and one of the best experiences of my life (for me, it ranks up there with getting married and graduating college).

It's so incredibly difficult to even begin to describe the events leading up to the marathon and the actual marathon itself.

Waking up at 4:30 a.m., we were ready to go (I had ten hours of sleep; Adam only had 7 since he had to watch the Missouri game). The marathon start time was 10 am, but we had to catch a bus at 7 am to clear customs and then we headed to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo to wait and wait and wait. However, it wasn't time wasted because it gave me a chance to talk to Dale. It was his 9th marathon and he offered some great advice, explaining that mile 17-22 would most likely be the hardest, and that we just needed to work through it mentally and physically. Uh, great advice, but I wasn't looking forward to it.

Standing in the line with a mass of 1,065 other marathoners, I was surprised that we didn't feel anxious or nervous. We both felt well prepared and thrilled for the adventure ahead. We were standing close to the back (there couldn't have been more than 50 people behind us) and had to consciously be aware to start out slower (I wasn't going to be that fool that started out too fast and use all of my energy in the beginning). Plus, it always feels much better to pass people towards the end than to be passed at the start.

From here, it's probably easiest to describe the highlights from the run.
-The churches in Buffalo are breathtaking. We ran down a street where it seemed there was a church on every corner. They are incredibly large and just exquisite. Absolutely gorgeous!
-Children wearing shirts that read, "Run", ringing bells, giving high-fives (I read that it's important to high-five a child if given the opportunity and I did).
-Miles flew by. Every time a mile marker came, I seriously thought, "A mile marker already?" Except for mile 23 to mile 24. That was the longest mile of my life.
-The scenery was stunning. Fall had definitely arrived in the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area. Colors of orange, yellow, and brown surrounded us and made for such a magnificent view.
-I had a police officer yell, "Go, Marena, Go!" We hadn't even gotten to the first mile marker, but his loud, enthusiastic voice stayed with us.
-Pacing ourselves. I can usually predict our pace based on how easily I'm breathing and able to have a conversation. If I can do both, then I know we're running around an 11 minute mile. If I'm having a harder time, then I know it's around a 10 minute mile. I've never ran a 9 minute mile, so I'm sure that means I'd be dead.
-Spectators commenting on our smile ("Must not be so bad; they're still smiling). My jaw and cheeks hurt so much from the pure joy and excitement. I still can't believe I was happy while running. What happened to me in the last ten months?
-Running across Peace Bridge and crossing into Canada. The view from the bridge was gorgeous and so serene with the water and trees. It was the only real incline of the entire marathon, yet we didn't feel a thing because we were taking in the view.
-Around Mile 5, we started running next to a man with change in his pocket. Not just a quarter or two, but it sounded like he had a good $7.00 in quarters. We called him Mr. Jingles. At first, it was funny because he was doing some running/walking combination, but not even consistently. Sometimes, he would run for 10 seconds, then walk for a minute, then run for 30 seconds, then walk for 10 seconds. I'm pretty sure he was using us as his pace group because he stayed with us for 5 miles. What was once funny became pretty annoying because all we could hear was "jingle, jingle, jingle... stop .... jingle, jingle, jingle ... stop ... for five miles. Oh, so glad that we finally lost Mr. Jingles. That Saturday night skit needed to end.
-Singing "Kokomo" by the Beach Boys with Adam. A lady ran near us with a radio. As soon as we heard the chorus, it only felt natural to sing. The lady even joined us.
-Every water station had a different theme (cowboys, chain gang, hornets, zombies). We never knew what we were going to get. At one station, the crowd was pretty tame, so I shouted, "Come on, let me hear you!" and they erupted. Is that what it feels like to be Oprah?
-Living in the moment ... for 5 hours. I have no doubt that it helped make the miles go by so fast. We were taking it all in and enjoying the adventure.
-Running behind a speed walker that was "walking" faster than we were "running." It was his 80th marathon (very clearly could read the sign on his back as we were running behind him for so long).
-Being so grateful to see a water station (one at every mile marker from 6-25). It wasn't the water, but the walking we experienced while drinking the water. I discovered I was picking up an extra cup towards the end just so I could walk a bit longer. However, after about Mile 21, it became very difficult to start back up. At that point, I was running like I had been shot.
-People sitting on porches cheering us on. My favorite was a group that reminded me of the Golden Girls (I have a soft spot for any lady white pure white hair). I waved and they cheered.
-Running along Niagara Parkway with Niagara River beside us (connects Lake Erie and Lake Ontario). The most beautiful run in the last 10 months.
-Rain at Mile 10. It started to sprinkle and was so refreshing. Rain had been in the forecast and once it started, I was certain it would be with us for the remainder of the marathon. It only lasted about half a mile.
-Feeling so emotional. We'd spent the last 10 months training and it took quite a bit for me not to cry just thinking about how far we had come.
-Expecting to the hit the wall and being continuously surprised how great I felt.
-Being Adam's cheerleader. Adam just doesn't complain if he's sore, tired, or in pain. Instead, he just works through it (I'm a bit of a different story - I let him know about every ache and pain). Around Mile 17, I could tell he wasn't feeling 100% and, for once, I got to encourage him. Like I said, "Adam, you've been the one encouraging me for 10 months. It's only fair that it's my turn." He took Dale's advice and worked through it.
-Thinking of all the friends and family back home cheering us along. This journey would not have been as great without the tremendous support we received.
-Seeing the mist from Niagara Falls and knowing that we were getting closer. Yet, we were still so far away (3 miles to go).
-The last water station had a sign that read, "Home Stretch." It's been what we've always said while running the last mile during all of our long runs ("Only one mile to go. We're in the home stretch"). It only seemed fitting that we would see it there.
-As we came around a corner, I saw the finish. This level of pure excitement overwhelmed me and, although, we still had a couple of corners to go, I couldn't believe that we were near the end of a 26.2 mile run.
-As we were coming towards the finish line, the announcer said, "Marena Mitchell from Merriam, KS and Adam Mitchell from Merriam, KS ... who will win?" In that second, we both took any ounce of energy we had left to beat each other to the finish line. Coming across that finish line is such a sense of accomplishment and absolutely surreal (even two days later, it doesn't feel like it actually happened). I finished in 5:06:45.9 and Adam finished in 5:06:45.6. We came in 844th and 845th place.
-Walking back to our hotel, as we got further and further away from the other runners, we had two different women stop to ask us if we won the marathon since we were wearing our medals. We joked that we wanted to tell them yes, but, in reality, everyone received a medal. I'm thinking our pure joy must of made others think we had won.


Our goals for the marathon were to (1) Have fun (2) Not lose our passports (3) Finish (4) Never say we're going to run another one. I can happily report that we accomplished our goals. Yet, there is a part of me that wonders what it would be like to set a time goal and run another marathon ...

As it turns out, we're going to keep running. We still have a couple races we're going to do in November and December. It's the end of this journey, so this will be the last blog post.

Thanks to every single one of you who supported and encouraged us along the way. We have some of the most incredibly loving and thoughtful people in our lives. Completing a marathon wouldn't have been possible without you.

Remember, you can do more than you ever thought possible. You just have to start. 10 months ago, I could only run for 60 seconds at a time. On Sunday, I ran a marathon. Anything really is possible.

What a surprise!

I have no doubt that I have the best job in the world. I work as a speech-language pathologist with children ages 3-5 in an early childhood special education setting. The kids say and do the greatest things. Everyday I get to play (reminds me just how much we should live life like a three-year-old: they honestly have it figured out). It's also the people I work with ... by far, some of the most dedicated professionals. I'm constantly learning from them and feel blessed to be a part of such a talented group of educators.

Today, they gave me a surprise that I'll never forget. On my way up to our monthly luncheon, I entered the hallway to find all of them standing to the side, holding posters, cheering and chanting. They had set up the hallway to resemble a race. As I ran past, they cheered and I even got to run through the ribbon at the finish line (it felt as great as I always imagined it would). Because I chose a marathon so far away, they wanted to make sure that they were able to show their support. Did they ever!

Not only did they make posters, create a race, but they also made me motivational cards and placed them on a ring so that I can read them if I need some inspiration during the marathon.

Here's what a few of the cards said:
-You go, girl
-I am so proud of you! You are such an inspiration to me. 26.2 cross the finish line and celebrate
-Best of luck on your upcoming marathon. You are truly an inspiration to us all. I am so lucky to have you as a friend and co-worker.
-R (really fast) U (ur awesome) N (Niagara falls). Good luck, you will do great!
-"You can do anything if you have enthusiasm" - Henry Ford.
-You have more enthusiasm for life than anyone I know, which means you are going to do great. Have fun and make sure to really enjoy this amazing accomplishment.
-Keep up the race
-You rock, Miss Marena, you are the best
-Best of luck! You will do great! Have fun!
-Don't stop running, Marena. I'll be watching you! (inside joke that had me laughing for quite a while)
-What kind of crazy nut would spend 2-3 hours a day just running?
-A lot of people run to see who is fastest. I run to see who has guts.
-Marena, it gives me blue thoughts knowing that you're running a marathon! If you can run a marathon, you can pretty much do anything! You should be so proud of yourself for getting to this place. Good luck!!!
-3 years ago, you would have laughed if I told you I'd be running a marathon, but guess what ... you are doing it!
-"Only as high as I can reach, can I grow. Only as far as I seek, can I go. Only as deep as I look, can I see. Only as much as I dream, can I be." - Karen Ravn
-Always remember you are unique, just like everyone else
-"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." -John Bingham, running speaker and writer
-So proud of you, Marena
-Kick some major bootie, girl. Girls rock! You're awesome!
-Just say, "Now I can put a 26.2 sticker on my car."
-Go, Marena! Your family and friends are so proud of you. Even if we aren't there, don't cry (related to a very hilarious story where I tried to encourage a runner that didn't find me to very helpful).
-You go, girl!
-Best of luck, Marena. Have a great trip!

I can't begin to express how much it all meant to me. What an incredible moment to experience! I won't forget it!

Go Curtis! Go Wendy! Go Alysia!

This past week, Adam and I had three friends run the Kansas City half-marathon. As soon as we learned that they were running, we knew we had to make posters and go out and support them. Just being a part of so many races, we've discovered that it is incredibly encouraging to have someone cheer you on as you run past them.

Just after 7 am, we arrived and found our station past mile marker 7 and waited (luckily, our friends are very fast so we didn't have to wait long). From the first two runners to the last runner with the police cars behind her, we cheered and cheered. I absolutely loved it. I never even realized that I had this cheerleader inside of me (our future children should be frightened at the level of humiliation I am going to eventually provide). Many of the bibs had the names on the front so it was fun to shout out, "You're doing great, Bob." For a moment, Bob would look at me like he knew me. Yet, almost instantly, each runner had the same recognition ... they had no clue who I was. Really, it didn't matter. I may have gone there to support Curtis, Alysia, and Wendy, but, in the end, I wanted to support every runner out there (it's a seriously challenging course. Personally, I'm sticking to running long distances in flat areas like Nebraska).

It was an incredible moment to see Alysia, Wendy, and Curtis run past. Even though they came through at three different times (only minutes apart) and didn't know one another, they each looked like they were having such a great time. It's pretty cool to see friends running and to be loving it. They each finished with a phenomenal time ... quite impressive.

I may not continue running once we complete the marathon, but I'll definitely go to any race with a poster in hand and cheer on the runners.

Two of my favorite people

I've been beyond fortunate to have some absolutely amazing people come into my life. My in-laws are no exception. I can, without a doubt, say I have the best in-laws in the world. From the first time I met them, I knew I wanted to be a part of the family.

Fred and Linda live their life in an exceptional way and have shaped the way we want to live ours. Not only are they philanthropic, thoughtful, insightful, funny, and encouraging, but they are the two most active people either one of us know. On a daily basis, they either walk, go canoeing, play tennis, ski, bike, or hike (and I'm sure I'm leaving something out). Being active is truly a part of who they are and it's obvious how much they enjoy it. In September, Fred hiked a 14,000 feet mountain with two other good friends, and Linda played in a competitive tennis tournament. Just last week, while we were in Vegas, we were due to meet everyone for breakfast at 11. Fred and Linda didn't realize we were a few feet behind them. We watched as they took the stairs and we took we the escalators. It's inspiring and very motivating to see them in action. Adam has never known them to be any different. For me, it's huge. I grew up in a small town with a family (immediate and extended) where exercise wasn't a part of our daily, or even monthly, routine. When Adam and I start a family, it's important to both of us to have a healthy and active family and it's largely due to the values and examples Fred and Linda show us.

Today, they are celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary. They have reached such an important milestone by showing such love and respect for each other. They are a true team (you'll see them laughing together, listening to each other, and helping each other). It's incredible to be able to witness that type of partnership.

Happy Anniversary, Fred and Linda! Thanks for all of your love and support. We are so grateful to have both of you in our lives. Our lives are better because you two are a part of it.

How did my legs not fall off?

I'll never understand why I was absolutely frightened when I learned that I would eventually have to run 20 miles. For some reason, running a marathon didn't seem to frighten me to the same level as running 20 miles for the first time. It just seemed so daunting and a bit impossible. It didn't help to discover that our 20 mile run would occur the same weekend we were going to Vegas to celebrate my amazing father-in-law's birthday. Adam and I have both been to Vegas before and knew that it wasn't feasible to come back and run the miles. Nobody comes back from Vegas in a position/condition to run. We were going to have to knock out the miles before we even left.

So, we took the day off from work, got up early, and started out. My right knee started out tight (in the last few weeks, I've experienced more pain in the legs due to the high mileage) but I quickly fell into a rhythm. Running isn't as much physical as it is mental. It was quite hard to fathom running such a significant number of miles. The worst part after the first couple of mile markers is knowing you still have 18 or 19 miles left. Shockingly, the run went well. From about mile 14 to 15.5, I wanted to rip off my legs and throw them into the bushes, but, other than that, I really enjoyed the run. Adam, as usual, was amazing. He remained positive, supportive, and funny. For the first time, he experienced a runner's high. After we passed the 17 mile mark, he started singing and dancing and sounded a lot happier than he should have. That's when he said, "I think I have runner's high." Because it felt so great to watch and listen to him, I thought maybe I was experiencing the same thing, until he told me that his body didn't hurt, and that's when I knew, I definitely wasn't experiencing a high.

I ran every step of the 20 miles (Adam would stop at the fountains and fill up our water bottles, then catch up to me). I knew I had to continue to run because if I stopped, I wouldn't be able to start back up. I have no idea what the marathon will bring, but I need to know that I can run 20 miles without stopping, especially since it's Adam's goal to run the marathon in it's entirety (my goal is to finish, preferably still able to walk afterward).

Four hours and six minutes after we started, we finished at the 20 mile mark and it was one of the most amazing feelings we've yet to experience. An absolute rush of emotions overwhelmed me, mainly amazement that we were able to do it. It proves that if you follow the training plan, you can do it. 9 months after we started running, we were able to run 20 miles.

I didn't think anything could top that moment, until hours later when we were sitting at a table in Vegas with all of Adam's brothers and parents. To have an entire family together, laughing, and sharing stories was a definite highlight to the day (maybe knowing our longest run, until the actual marathon, was out of the way helped).

Let the tapering begin ...

A definite upside to running

On Friday, I went in for my wellness screening. I came out feeling better than I ever had at any of my previous screenings. My weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and body fat percentage were all within normal limits. That's a first. In the last year, my cholesterol went down 20 points and my bad/good cholesterol levels were great. Guess this running is paying off after all (even if I've still only lost a total of 3 pounds during this entire training experience - the body is a confusing, confusing entity and I don't ever think I'm going to figure out how it works).

The positive reinforcement couldn't come sooner ... running is becoming quite tedious, especially since we hit the 16 mile run (who knew training for a marathon would involve so much running). Our runs on Tuesday and Thursday are now five miles and we have to run 9 on Wednesdays (that goes up to 10 next week). Completing our long runs on the weekends actually have remained fun. It's just hard to come home from work and run for about 2 hours. We're not even eating dinner until around 9. That's just not good for anybody. However, we are in the home stretch. The marathon is four weeks away and we only have 3 long runs left (this weekend we run 14, next week is the big 20, then we go down to 12). That's what I keep telling myself.

Another reinforcer ... I learned that Blue Cross Blue Shield offers a program called Blue Rewards. You sign into their website, log your activity for points, and the points equal dollars (up to $250.00 in a calendar year). Because we've kept a good record of our running since April, I was able to go back in and record all of our running and races. So far, I've been awarded $75 in gift cards and I'm five dollars away from my next $50 gift card. It's like I'm getting paid to run. Well, until I realized that running 16 miles actually only equals 50 cents. Yeah, they had me fooled for a bit, but it still adds up and I love it. Strangely, it makes me want to run.

Bill Seymour Half-Marathon

September 4th was our one year wedding anniversary ... what better way to celebrate than to run our first half-marathon together (Bill Seymour Half-Marathon in Grand Island, Nebraska).

Hands down, it was the easiest (and best) race we've done yet. The weather was in the 60s, the course was completely flat (literally, you could see for miles out), water stations at every mile marker, amazing volunteers that cheered us along, we met another fellow runner and had great company for most of the run, spectators made us feel like we were saving the world, we finished in 2 hour and 20 minutes, and it was our anniversary - kind of hard not to be in the best mood on a wedding anniversary. It was surprisingly easy (okay, running from mile 9 to 10 felt a bit long) and made me fall in love with Nebraska.

Nebraska is the place to run.