A Passion for Running

My good friend Corinne (I’ll post a pic later) just returned from running her first Boston Marathon. She got there by posting a very respectable 3:38 qualifying time. I just got an email from her which I’m posting with her permission. I want you to pay special attention to the transition between two paragraphs which I’ve split with six asterisks (******). Too funny!

Hello Everyone!!!

No, you are not seeing things I am actually back in the office today!!! Sorry about the delay in sending you a quick update – I literally got back and was thrown into meetings all morning.

Well, Boston (the city) was amazing – what a beautiful city and Brent and I will have to return one day just to do some sight seeing because that didn’t get accomplished on this trip! Ha.

The marathon – in one word??amazing/unbelieveable/surreal/breathtaking/gruelling?.OK, so maybe more than one word. As I have been saying it was the most amazing worst marathon I ever ran (worst from a completion time standpoint and from a physical standpoint). Coming towards that finish line on Boylston street was absolutely breathtaking and I bald like a baby the whole way into the finish line. I literally had to catch my breath because the sight of that finish line and the sounds of that crowd cheering was absolutely overwhelming. The whole course was very overwhelming emotionally as the crowds were just CRAZY!!! The course did however, chew me up and spit me out. I wasn’t prepared for the level of difficulty that it truly puts out. Not only are there crazy hills later in the race but the whole darn thing is very up and down and by mile 12 my legs were toast. The heat didn’t help either (it was over 70 degrees Fahrenheit which I think puts it somewhere around 22 degrees C). The marathon is run at NOON. I was pouring sweat just waiting to make my way to the starting line. I ended up with severe dehydration/heat stroke – I puked my guts out when I finished the race. I’m still not fully recovered but am slowly feeling better.
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Would highly recommend it to everyone!!! Nothing is impossible!!! PS. The thing that hurts the most is the 2nd degree sunburn on my legs – not the muscle fatigue. Go figure I was smart enough to put suntan lotion on my arms but not on my legs – good grief!!! Will I do it again – let’s save that answer for a few months from now. Of course, I’m too competitive to let my 4:04hr finishing time stand, but it may have to wait 5 – 7 years!!!

I cannot say thank you enough to each and every one of you for all the well wishes and support!!! I truly felt you cheering every time I step over one of the check points along the route. I only wished the email messages would have also said?..”Girls just want to have fun!!”?.because I absolutely did accomplish that.

Cheers!

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Me again: So, when you read the previous couple of sentences, do you believe her “would highly recommend it to everyone!!!” line?

Congratulations Corinne. You done good!