So I am deep into my marathon training cycle for the Boston Marathon on April 20. The countdown is ticking down, and I am getting the nervous excitement about crossing this major item off my running (and life...) bucket list.
Living in Atlanta and being a Seminary student has meant that I have been doing almost all of my training solo. This can be pretty lonely and requires a lot of extra motivation. Shane meeting me for the last several miles, surprisingly tasty peanut butter hammer gels, and playlists full or Taylor Swift's newest album have been my saving grace!
This past Sunday was the Georgia Publix Marathon and Half-Marathon. I tried to find someone with an extra bib so I could run the half-marathon with Shane, and then add on my extra miles to round out my long run. But alas, I couldn't find a bib (whomp whomp), and just couldn't bring myself to full-out bandit the race as someone who works in run specialty. Instead of running the half-marathon, I planned out a route that looped to mile 14-ish of the marathon course, and then just finished the course from there. I started running at like 6:20....a solid 40 minutes before the marathon even started, so I didn't have to worry about interfering with anyone racing.
In light of the fact that it was the fourth 18 miler of this training cycle, and it raining for yet another one of my long runs, I decided to make the most of it and just have fun with my run. And what better way to do that then to run with a hydration belt that is really just a glorified fanny pack (except horribly unattractive...) and take selfies along the way! So here is my selfie journey through my rainy 18 miler and the last 12-ish miles of Atlanta's marathon course!
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| "It's 6:20 and I'm ready for my long run, or maybe just too tired to fully recognize what I'm about to do..." |
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| This is my "it's cold and raining...why do I do this for fun again??" face |
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| "Hmmm all these water tables....is there something special going on today...?" |
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| "Did Oceans just play on the radio or are there just puddles in my shoes?" |
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| Detour through campus to see Dooley |
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| Don't judge me, student walking through campus, just trying to entertain myself for 18 miles... |
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| Oh hey the race clock isn't here yet...I guess that's one way to beat the clock |
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| Fact - mile 18 of a marathon course feels better when it's only mile 11 of your run |
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| Oh hey - maybe spring really is coming!! |
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| What up crazy pretty view of the ATL skyline |
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| Piedmont Park visitors - no I did not take a wrong turn off the half-marathon course...just over here running solo the same morning the marathon is going on |
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| Shane finished the half and got a shiny medal - I finished my long run and got this lovely compilation of selfies |
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| Because it's not every day that you run in a fanny pack that is gloriously unattractive |
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Another long run in the books and the classic picture with the Bull City hands
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Lesson learned - taking selfies during your long run and just brainstorming ridiculous captions for them make long runs WAY more entertaining!
I love you and your creativity!
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