Day 5: Diary of a Mad Marathon Runner *No Longer* In Training (Vol. 9)

On May 20, 2017 I ran the Great Wall Marathon in Beijing, China. This was far the most difficult marathon I have ever run - also the only marathon I have ever run - but regardless, it was a grueling, yet incredible experience. These were the thoughts that went through my head through each mile that I ran. 

Mile 1 (1.6km) - "Let's do this!!! Also, I hope that Spartan couple has to crawl across the finish line. How dare they say they overtrained after the inspection the other day...NOBODY ELSE thinks that...we all under trained!"

Mile 2 (3.2km) - "I see Mom! Okay, I'm gonna catch up to her." *catches up and starts walking beside her to rest/talk...she starts running* "WTF"

Mile 3 (4.8km) - "I just killed that 5km hill! Way better than I was expecting...only 30min total!"

Mile 4 (6.4km) - *comes to the beginning of The Great Wall* "Alright, the plan is to walk up and run down the sections of the wall...here we go!"

Mile 5 (8km) - "But why is it so steeeeepppp!?"

Mile 6 (9.7km) - "Aw, I love all the villagers out here watching and videoing and giving me high fives! This is so cool." 

Mile 7 (11.3km) - *starts passing people from Waves 3 and 2* "Okay, one at a time. You're doing great. You started 10-20min after these people and you're catching up already!"

Mile 8 (12.9km) - "I guess China's not too strict on the whole texting and driving thing...all these drivers are filming us! Smile and wave. Just keep smiling and waving, and giving high fives!"

Mile 9 (14.5km) - "I am totally embracing all these uphills - everybody walks, and that doesn't make me feel so bad!" *reaches for a new piece of gum; sees that it has all smashed and melted together in the paper* "I have to have gum, I don't even care that I am about to chew on the paper too...here goes nothing." *puts gum still wrapped in paper in mouth* "not bad, but a bit more tough to chew. Oh well, it'll do."

Mile 10 (16km) - "Shit. Already starting to chafe between my thighs!" *tries running with legs apart* "Nope. Not helping."

Mile 11 (17.7km) - *passes my first person from Wave 1* "I am gaining so serious ground. I am so impressed with myself, seriously!"

Mile 12 (19.3km) - "Bathroom! I think I could pee...I should probably pee...even though it's a disgusting port-o-potty."

Mile 13 (20.9km) - *hits half-marathon point at 2:40 mark* "OMG. What if I finish this in under 5hrs?! My goal was 6 (originally)."

Mile 14 (22.5km) - "Hmmm...either my bandaid just fell off, or my toenail...I hope it was the former."

Mile 15 (24.1km) - "Okayyy now my ankle and hip are really kinda hurting. This is not going to be good if I still have 11mi to go! Don't think about it, Cristin. Think happy thoughts!"

Mile 16 (25.7km) - *signs autograph for Chinese local teenager* "Maybe I'll get some new followers on Facebook and Instagram!" 

Mile 17 (27.4km) - "My hip. My ankle. My everything below my waist. What if I get this far and don't/can't finish?!" - "No! You're going to finish!"

Mile 18 (29km) - "I can tell my bandaid came off that other pinky toe. Ow. Ow. Ow. I will not stop and fix it though!"

Mile 19 (30.6km) - "I can't believe I'm actually running a marathon in China. At The Great Wall. And I'm going to finish. I wonder if Mom's done yet?"

Mile 20 (32.2km) - *phone dies* "I'm so glad I figured out how to connect my Bluetooth to my watch so I can listen to music straight from it. Serious lifesaver right now!"

Mile 21 (33.8km) - *starts The Wall for the second (and final) time* "Oh my gawd you've got to be kidding me! I just hit "the wall" - both literally and figuratively...just don't pass out. Keep moving forward. Five miles left, that's it."

Mile 22 (35.4km) - I passed my Team Leader (who's also one of the medics from Holland) and he told me that where I was right now was in the Top 50 female marathon finishers. "Do NOT let anyone pass you!"

Mile 23 (37km) - *starts climbing (aka crawling up) the steepest flight of stairs you've ever seen* "What the actual f*ck?! This can't be real life. I'm not sure if I should cry or lay down and pass out...this is hell."

Mile 24 (38.6km) - *Spartan couple passes me* "Hell no, they are not beating me! Okay, maybe they are...I cannot move any faster than this. And how the eff is he running up the steps, and hopping down them!?"

Mile 25 (40.2km) - *headphones die* "Noooo, this is when I need my music the most!!!"

Mile 26.2 (42.1km) - "Thank GOD that's over! Don't stop moving. Don't stop moving. But I just want to lay down and diiiieeee!!! - Oh, and take that Spartans! I just beat y'all...overtrained, my ass!"

xx - Cristin