I didn’t actually finish Phoenix Marathon–if you missed the story of my DNF, you can catch up here.
Thank you so much to those who commented and reached out to me. Your support really does mean a lot. I love how amazing the running community is ❤
Thankfully, not everything about the weekend was bad.
The Expo
I left work early to get to the expo in time for the meet up of all meet ups.
It was definitely going down at the Pro Compression booth.
Pretty much everyone got there at the same time and I was surrounded by bloggers and Instagrammers galore! So many faces I recognized from stalking following on social media, I was like, “I know you!” and “I know you!” Except, of course, I didn’t really know them lol!
I saw my girl Meg (aka: @Maxfitgirl29) first and went straight up to her and introduced myself.
I ended up chatting with her the most and she was as awesome in person as she is on her Insta.
And the ever cool @dasilentassasin was also behind the booth.
Suuuuch a nice guy.
The infectious smile that is Carlee
I saw one of my faves @michrun4 again. I’ve seen her a few times around town as she’s local (but is moving–sniff, sniff)
Don’t gooooo!
Pavement Runner had sent me a good luck shirt and I sported it at the expo. I was lucky enough to snag a pic with him too. He is seriously an awesome dude.
#runallday
And then I got to meet RunEMZ and The Athletarian (so many of these peeps have such cool names I noticed. I’m just helly 🙂 ) RunEMZ is another local who is so amazing. She’s a well known ultra-marathoner around town (and elsewhere) who recently ran a 100 miler–having given birth less than 6 months earlier!–and got 1st female overall. Like, seriously whoa. Oh, and she trains on the treadmill. She is not only a badass but she is suuuuuper nice. And that’s the best. I love it when people are nice.
Me, RunEMZ, and The Athletarian
There were soooooo many people who were running this race it was difficult to find everyone. I was sad I missed Suz (who BQ’d!!) and Gregg and Smitha (and others) but it’s just another reason for a destination race 🙂
Race Day
While I waited for Runner Jenny to cross, I cheered several of those I’d met as they made their way to the finish. I was cheering and cheering and the guy next to me said, “You sure know a lot of people!” Eveeerryone was running this race.
And me, well I was an emotional mess. I was disappointed and super disheartened at having not completed the race but at the same time, I was rejoicing with every person’s accomplishment. Even those I didn’t know! I saw people crying as they crossed, people pumping their fist in the air triumphantly, and even others spreading their arms out wide and soaring in across the line. I saw kids running with their moms, husbands with their wives, friends pacing their friends–it was absolutely amazing. I had never stayed and watched at a finish line like I did that day. And even though the circumstances were tough to swallow, I am so, so glad I did.
The finish line
My friend Nadia had told me on the phone earlier that she herself had crossed the finish line of the 10k and snagged herself a second place age group award!! I didn’t get to see her to squeeze her but she sent me a pic of her awesome award later that day.
Post Race (The Next Day)
I could have stayed home and sulked the next day, drowned my sorrows in fast food and soda, but instead I went to my run club’s post-race celebration picnic and heard everyone’s race stories. Several of my friends had PRd, a couple won age group awards, and a few had ran their first 1/2 marathon and marathon. I didn’t want to miss their post race glow–we had all trained together.
Lisa, who snagged a sub 4 hour marathon PR, me, and Runner Jenny
So even though this race has a dark cloud over it for me in many ways, there are definitely spots of sunshine throughout the weekend that doesn’t make Phoenix Marathon 2015 a total disaster. One thing is for certain, I will return in some capacity next year 🙂
–What’s your favorite part of a race weekend? The day before (the expo), race day, or post race (all the food!)?
Your pics from the expo were THE BEST. And I love that you stayed to watch the finish and attended the picnic the next day. That just shows what I already know about you…you’re the most wonderful friend. ❤
Love you Salty! ❤
So sad that I missed you at the expo… But glad that you had an otherwise awesome day! (It would have been more awesome had it included me 😉 )
Oh, most def!
It’s so awesome that you’re able to see the good in the overall experience 🙂
I def think about how much it sucks to not have finished but then I think about how awful it would be to *only* take that from the weekend when so many other cool stuff happened.
It shows alot about who you are that you could still have fun and celebrate with all your friends and focus on all the positive things that came from this. You got to meet so many people – how exciting!
Thank you so much! I just thought of the alternative (moping, eating garbage, etc.) and it didn’t sound as appealing as hanging out with friends 🙂
awe.! So fun. Glad there were lots of positives to your weekend 🙂 always good to look at all the positives also. Looks like you got to meet a lot of people.!!
I did and it was so much fun! You know, I always tell everyone to think positive and look on the bright side; I try to do it too even though it’s def hard 🙂
I am glad you chose to highlight the positives of the weekend too, as its just so easy to dwell on what didn’t go right. The expo looked great and I NEED that Run All Day shirt…where can I get it? I LOVE it! I am also convinced you are the most photogenic person I know and your hair NEVER looks bad!! Seriously, teach me your tricks!! xo
Do you follow @pavementrunner on IG? He designs/sells them. He is suuuuuch a sweet guy!
And oh my goodness thank you! It’s funny because I look at pics of myself and thing, oh boy! But it was fun and I wanted to share 🙂 And this hair, I have TONS. I tell myself this will be a good thing when I’m older–right now, it just means high maintenance lol!
I’m heading over to follow him now!! I LOVE them and I am jealous of all that hair!!!
I’m so glad you had such a positive, bright silver lining to your DNF…this race doesn’t have to be defined by that. As someone else said, it says a lot about you that you stayed to cheer and had such a good time despite everything else.
thank you and exactly! I don’t want the DNF to be the only thing I remember about this race especially when so much awesomeness happened 🙂
Despite the DNF, I’m glad you had an awesome time meeting people and watching them finish. I need to remember to stick around to cheer people on when they finish…some races there are very few people left to cheer those last runners on. You met so many awesome peeps!
I had never done it before because I’m usually more at the end of a race so there’s not as much people left that cross lol!. I was able to start watching people who were finishing just after 3:30 (I’d NEVER be done around that time!) so it was cool to see the fast people finish. It was interesting because some of them were still cruising in like nothing and others were struggling soit was cool to see that even fast people struggle–they’re human too! 🙂
It’s so cool you went to hang out with everyone the day after! And you are now totally inspiring me to hang out by the finish line of a race sometime. It sounds awesome!
It really is so much fun! I had never done it before because I’m usually more at the end of a race so there’s not as much people left that cross. I was able to start watching people who were finishing just after 3:30 (I’d NEVER be done around that time!)
I’m so sorry to hear about your DNF, but glad you still managed to get some great memories from the weekend! Now you just need to fight off Bronchitis and kick ass in your next race!!!
Thank you! Yes, I have a 5k next month that I’d like to do well on. I don’t do very many 5Ks b/c I’m not that fast but am hoping to get a good gauge on what my speed looks like 🙂
I am so happy you have some good memories from Race Weekend. I was so jealous of your epic meetups on IG. And your hair. You have amazing hair. I need tips.
Expo looked awesome and glad you had a good time and even made it to the picnic. ❤
thanks meg! I have A TON of hair and sometimes it bothers me but I know when I’m older, I’ll appreciate it more lol!
It was a great weekend with good memories, more so than bad. I’m trying to focus on that more 🙂
So glad you had a great race weekend despite the incident that shall not be named. Looks like you had a great from the expo on to the day after cheering on your friends and celebrating the following day! And I second the amazing hair!
It looks like you had so much fun! I can’t imagine choosing a favorite part of a race weekend. The whole experience is the sum of the parts 🙂
You have such a great attitude. I love that you went back and cheered everyone else on. I’ve been injured before and know how much it sucks to cheer on others when you’re feeling terrible so I really admire you.
Thank you so much! ❤ My friends had been with me through my whole training; they would've done the same for me 🙂
This post makes me smile 🙂 I’m so happy that you had a good day, post race experience.
You are so awesome. This post just shows what a sweetheart you are staying and cheering for everyone even though it was such a rough day. 🙂 I’ll definitely be there in some capacity next year too! I have never spectated a marathon before and it was so much fun. Loved it!
I hope you RUN it next year ❤
You met soooo many awesome peeps!! I love that!!! I think it’s so great that you were able to find so many rays of sunshine!
I try! I didn’t want the race to be bad memory because it really, really wasn’t/isn’t.