Cross it off the BUCKET LIST...

One less thing on the Anthony's bucket list... 'Run a Marathon'. 

He did it!!

The time wasn't quite what he was aiming for but he was pretty darn close.  His goal was to do it in under 4 hours.  His actual time ended up being 04:03:52.  I didn't think that was too shabby for his very first marathon. 

I'm kicking myself for not having any pics to share.  You see, my camera decided to take a crap last week.  It's covered under warranty but I have to ship it to Nikon and it will take about 4 weeks once they get it.  I was able to borrow my SIL's camera (who also ran with Anthony... finishing about 20 minutes behind him) but was silly enough to forget to download the pics to my computer before they left.  They live out of town so that does me no good, especially since they don't know how to email pics to me.  **sigh**

My day was hectic but fun.  Anthony really wanted the kids and me to show up to at least one cheering station during the marathon.  Since the first one, Sugarhouse Park, was going to be too early (having to get 5 kids ready and all) and the last one, Fitts Park, being too close to the finish line (fearing we wouldn't make it to the finish line in time), we opted for the second one, Holladay City something-or-other building yada yada yada.  

You would think that for a person that has lived here in the great state of Utah her whole life, even in the same area her whole life, it would be easy to navigate my way around and find where I need to be.  Not so in the case of EDC Brooke on a good day, let alone the fact that there's a marathon going on and there are road closures all over the place.  If you tell me how to get there or, better yet, SHOW me how to get there, I can do it.  I will follow the directions precisely but don't try to show me multiple ways.  I'll get all kinds of confused and my mind jumbles it all up then I'll be lost for sure.  That's just the way my simple little mind works.  Remember me?  The girl that only knew one way to get TO school and a different way to get HOME from school.  That's because that's how I was shown, the simplest way to get there (Redwood, less turns) but we came home the quickest way (Bangerter).  Couldn't reverse it, couldn't change it up.  

Oh, and then there are the times I go to my cousin's house out in West Valley, WAAAAAY out in WV.  I can get there just fine but every time I try to come home, I go more west when I need to go east and I go further north when I need to go south.  It happens every time and I swear I turn the right way, I think WV is just opposite of everywhere else.  Just a theory... all in favor, say aye! 

Anyway, the morning started out great.  Anthony's sister and BIL came to get him, a very nervous him, around 6:00 a.m. and I started getting things ready... snacks, extra clothing (for C and B because what if they had an accident or a blowout), stroller, the works.  Then I woke the kids, got them breakfast, dressed, and we headed out the door around 7:15. 

Our first stop was to my in-law's home where K had stayed the night.  All but one of Anthony's sisters were in town over the weekend so she wanted to stay with her cousin.  We picked K and another of Anthony's sisters up to go chase Anthony and his sister in the race. 

Anthony had told me to the directions to this Holladay... whatever... place.  "Take Wasatch Blvd exit."  Guess what, we never saw a Wasatch Blvd exit going that way.  We turned around and went the other way.  Wasatch Blvd is clearly marked going that way, marked as 3900 S. going the other way.  Who knew?  Anthony was expecting to be going through the Hollady whatever place around 8:30.  By the time we got anywhere near, which really wasn't near at all considering all the road closures, it was 8:35 and we would have had to walk at least five or six blocks. 

At this point I had run out of gas and didn't have anything on me. Luckily, Wendi had a few bucks.  That got us to the vicinity of the third stop.  We knew how much it would mean to Anthony and Camille for us to be there.  Once in the vicinity, we asked an officer how far it was to Fitts Park.  After informing us that we would be walking for about 15-20 minutes, we opted to just walk up to the curb of the street they were running on.  It was only about 3 blocks away.  We waited about 40 minutes before seeing Anthony and another 10 or 15 minutes to see Camille.  This was mile 20 for them.  It was worth the wait even though C was very restless and wanted to run in the road with the runners and cried when Anthony passed us without giving him a hug. 

Then it was off to the finish line... The Gateway!  We had been there about half an hour before Anthony crossed the line and about 20 minutes later, there was Camille. 

I am so proud of them!  Especially Anthony since this was his first.  Camille's done plenty of them and said that "a marathon is just a marathon".  But she also said that her energy was renewed by the fact that Anthony would be running with her this time. 

Anthony is a bit disappointed that he didn't finish under four hours but I still say he did great for his first one. 

And I must say, seeing all those runners and the victory they must have felt after the crossing that finish line, made the eensiest, teensiest part of me want to try it one day. 

And then I saw how Anthony and Camille were walking later in the day and complaining about their feet.  That changed my mind really quickly.  Besides, they close the course after so many hours.  I'm pretty sure it would take me 12 hours or more to complete a marathon. 

After all the marathon stuff, the women had a baby shower to attend for our niece.  And after that, a birthday party for my FIL.  Come to think of it, we never even sang.... hmmm. 

It was a long day and this whole week has wreaked havoc on my diet and my exercising.  That's right, I've missed 3 workouts this week and I lived it up on cookies (Wendi always makes a TON and she's got them down to a science).  The scale isn't being very friendly after all that.  So now the question is, do I start this past week over?  pick up where I left off?  or just start into this week as if last week was perfect?  I like the last option.  We'll see if the scale agrees.