Up early Sunday morn, caravanned to SLU with my sis, brother-in-law, and fellow Maniac, Stacy – all running today’s Go! St. Louis Marathon, my 25^th state marathon.  After today I’d be half-way thru my Quest.

Corral D start – bit frustrating when you can see your pace group & the next 2 pace groups starting a Corral ahead.  Yeah, we’re chip timed but because I wanted to run with a pace group, had to throw two quick 7 minute/miles from the Start.  Second or third time this has happened.  Frustrating when asked to provide an estimated finish time, then placed with runners pacing 45 minutes behind that stride.  It is what it is…guess if I were an elite runner it wouldn’t really matter – that should be my ultimate goal, huh?  🙂

Picturesque start in downtown St. Louis – view of the Arch – soon after, crossing the Mississippi into East St. Louis IL.  Quick turnaround & across MLK Bridge back to St. Louis.  Pretty amazing views.  Well done, St. Louis.

Relatively flat course through mile 10 into Anheuser-Busch Brewery.  Caught the 3:45 group & held on thru mile 12 – yep, went out way way too fast for a hilly course.  Half-marathoners peeled off at mile 13, leaving marathoners to travel alone – east on Market toward Forest Park.  Up, down, up, down – I was pre-warned, whole lotta hills.

Emergency Porta-Potty stop at mile 16 — yesterday’s river fish re-visited.  Regrets?  Maybe 🙁

Entered Forest Park at mile 17, dehydrated, started to drag.  Looped around & around within the Park – released 5 miles later.

True to her word, met my sister at mile 22.  Soaked in humidity, felt I had nothing left – but Tammy kept it all positive.  Broke down to a walk & re-grouped mentally, listening to her cheery banter.  We ran to mile 23.  She paced me thru the triple hill threat into mile 25 – walk, jog, shuffle, run.  Mentally I was shot this day.  I owe her BIG time — best sis ever!

GO! St. Louis Marathon  Saint Louis, MO

703   K R HAGA   Louisville, CO     04:18:22

Tammy · April 12 at 5:06pm ·

 

How to sum up a spectacular weekend?  A pic is worth a 1000 words so I’ll post some awesome ones but first, I didn’t race. I paced, I encouraged, I watched people gut it out and I saw a lot of first timers run and finish.  I love a local race.  I saw so many friends.  I love people yelling “Go Tammy”.  I loved seeing my city so pretty.  But most of all, I FINALLY got to run with my brother when I could keep up and it was fun fun fun.  Enjoy my great day.  Thank you to FF.  I learned more today than I did racing all year.

Long shower, followed by lasagna (my post-marathon go-to food) with the whole family – including my niece, who travelled home from college to join us.  FAAANNNTASTIC!

Next marathon in 6 days – but I’ll think about that tomorrow.  Today, I’m all about St. Louis AND finishing my 25^th marathon, running side-by-side with my sis.  Pretty spectacular.