MarySchulte07
There are so many "Marathon2007" stories to be told and I will briefly (okay stop laughing, I know brief is hard for me) try and tell mine.
It all started with prayers. So many people praying for us, us praying
for so many and for ourselves.
The day was amazing; it was a day of
fitness and weakness, a day of frustrations and awe. The spectrum of emotions could not be denied, feelings of joy and
then sadness, feeling capable and then fearful but most of all, the feeling of
gratitude overtook all others.
The excitement and nerves driving
into the city in the dark that Sunday morning, getting to the jam packed race
chute and then walking 23 minutes to
cross the start line and…. here we go…..YIKES…what have we gotten ourselves
into!!!!!. The disbelief to get to mile 2 and the water station was taken down,
no more water. I was fortunate I had
enough to get me through 3 or so miles.
The anger to get to mile four and the water station was taken down,
unbelievable, no more water, watching people at mile five standing in the
fountain and drinking the dirty water just to survive….when will we get
water????? Approaching mile 6 we could
see tables of Gatorade and water, such relief, but to find out people behind us
did not get water till mile 8 because mile 6 then ran out.
Feeling sick at 7 deciding I would
not finish if I did get sick, I would call it a day; I could say I am more
important than this race. I want to walk but I did not train to walk, then I
walk and feel that I am not mentally tough enough. Fluids took hold and I felt good again. Mile 10 my guardian angel arrived, a runner from the Saturday
morning Prairie Path runs, who I did not know by name, caught up with me to
suggest I may want to slow down, I was not looking good…time to do some run/walking
and it is okay….. I am not alone. The
wake up call I needed. Meeting our kids,
family and friends at mile 13, just what the Dr. ordered, nurturing us with
water, ice, iced towels, hugs and support.
Ray had passed earlier, they said he was looking great, as did my niece
Kristin, my cousin Spence and my running buddies Susan and Schless…all looking
good, yes, I was jealous because I did not look or feel so good. Now replenished, ready to go and again
feeling good, but that feeling just didn't last long. I did enjoy the feeling
while it lasted every time after hydrating and icing. Ray went from feeling good to intense cramping at mile 14, how
quickly the body changes and rebels. It was a lot of walking and pain to
follow. All through this the incredible
support from family/friends/spectators along the way made all of the difference,
where the race planners failed, the community stepped up to the plate. Strangers buying us water, Gatorade and ice,
right when you thought you could not go anymore there was a "Good
Samaritan" to give you something to drink or cheer you on, even if you
were walking. Our friends at different points of the race to encourage and
hydrate us.
I was at mile 17 and Ray at 22 when
the race was called…disbelief by all…no more water, running out of ambulances,
watching every block or so an athlete on the ground. Helicopters above telling us to head back, some were allowed to
finish, Ray, Kristin and Spence were part of that group, some were bused back
at mile 13, I was part of the group
that was rerouted to complete 19 or so miles.
Police everywhere, fire hydrants being opened one after another, no one
really knowing what was happening or what to do, it felt like Armageddon. It was the marathon, which forced
expectations to be changed almost every mile and the ultimate goal to finish
upright and healthy. Our bodies gave us
the strength for months of intensive training and now we owed our bodies to
care for them in return.
Our lives are back to normal, even
the sore muscles are gone, but we are changed from that day, we learned so much
about humanity and ourselves on that day.
I had the privilege of meeting and incredible woman a week before
the race, her name is Steph, she has had cancer for 12 years and during that
time has competed in 11 marathons, even while taking chemo. She so inspired me, I wanted to do something
for her so I told her I would not only run the race for her but I would smile a
part of every mile in honor of her spirit her. It was quite something every
time I smiled my legs felt a little lighter.
I was able to put so much of it in perspective, for my discomfort was
for short a period, I was not facing
cancer, I was not facing chemo, I was just running in not the best of
conditions. How blessed I was to have Steph carry me through many a mile with a
smile :) :).
So, were the prayers
answered????? Absolutely, they were
answered through all of you, through the Good Samaritans and finishing in good
health.
Will I do another one…. probably….but
never again in 90 degree weather instead I will be heading to the beach.
Thank you all for your prayers, good
thoughts and encouragement..
Mary
Mary Schulte, CFP®
Wealth Management Consultant
Vice President - Investments
A.G. Edwards & Sons,
Inc.
2056 Westings Ave., Suite
200
Naperville, IL 60563
Telephone: (630) 983-8118
Toll Free: (800) 933-8119
Fax: (630) 983-0594
mary.schulte@agedwards.com