Wisconsin has been my nemesis since I tried to run it last year. Some of you may remember that I was halfway through the Rockin Brews Half Marathon when it got cancelled due to weather. We were abandoned out on the course and I had to finish the 13 miles to get back to my rental car but since the race was canceled, my finish time wasn’t official, and therefore doesn’t count towards the challenge. Damnit.

So I had to go back and this year picked the Fox Cities Marathon. They had a half marathon option as well but I picked the full because I liked the medal color and shirt better, and because it would be my 13th full marathon. Lucky number 13, amiright?!

The race was in Appleton, WI – a small town closish to Green Bay. I arrived in the regional airport and immediately chuckled because they had a stand selling “That’s what Cheese said” shirts. Hehe.

I went to the expo. It was small but I enjoyed it and picked up my race bib, shirt, etc. It’s always fun to look around at the local vendors and the new race gear.

Afterwards I checked into my hotel and took a nap. I love naps. Kids seriously don’t know what they are missing by fighting taking them. If I could nap every day I would.

After that I figured out race logistics and learned that there was a shuttle pickup to the start line literally out the door from my hotel, so that was awesome. I love when a non-plan works out perfectly. I then walked around downtown – which was one block- and grabbed dinner.

Race day was beautiful. Mid 50s and the shuttle took us to an INDOOR waiting area which was bougie and amazing. They had opened up a local university to the runners. I was able to stay inside until 5 mins before start time.

The first half wasn’t bad. The weather was cool, the course was well marked and supported, and I’ve gotten to the point in my running where I am confident that I can get 13.1 miles done, even when not trained.

After 13 though, I started regretting my choices. Why couldn’t I have been satisfied by the blue medal? Surely purple isn’t that much better? Who needs another race shirt? Will I be able to get done in time to shower before I have to go to the airport? And so on. To be fair – other than the Boston Marathon, there has never been a time during a marathon that I haven’t questioned my life choices. It’s like you hit this wall of self doubt and you’re also wallowing in the pain cave and you see some well-meaning spectator with a sign that says “you’re almost there!” when you’re probably NOT almost there because you have at least another hour of running.

I did meet a guy who helped distract me. I never got his name but he shall henceforth be known as Shoeless Guy or SG for short. SG and I were running close to each other for several miles and then he stopped to take his shoes off. He then put them on his hands and started running again. I think we had 8 or so miles left to go at that point. I asked him if he was okay and why he had his shoes on his hands and he said “My feet hurt.” Well, yeah….we’ve been running for 18 miles and on our feet for hours. I suggested that he put them back on and told him it was normal for your feet to hurt at this point, along with every other body part. After a while I passed him and never saw him again. I hope he finished and that his feet are okay.

I finally finished. Proud that it was under 5 hours. I crossed the line and got a little teary. I’m not 100% sure why, but there’s just something about the marathon that chews you up, spits you out, and regardless of how it goes you feel a little emotionally raw when you’re done. Hopefully not also raw from chafing (Vaseline for the win!)

A race volunteer then gave me a ride back to my hotel, which was incredibly helpful, and I got to sit in the shower and drink my chocolate milk which is my favorite post race snack. From there I took an Uber to the airport to head home. That process wasn’t smooth. Our plane ran out of gas, then broke, all before we left the airport (but after we all boarded). They then deplaned us and said it would be awhile before we could get it fixed because they didn’t have a local mechanic and had to bring one in from Green Bay. By the time I got to my layover location in Chicago, my planned 3 hour stop that would include a nice dinner and a margarita, turned into an 18 min run through O’Hare and a vending machine turkey sandwich. But, just glad that I got home that night.

Next up- Virginia (half marathon)

#honestrunning