I feel pretty good the day after my first EVER marathon!!! Quads are a bit tight, but other than that, I am feeling pretty good! I think that it still hasn't sunk in that I am a Marathoner now!! :)
Today, I am going to do a photo recap with brief descriptions of day 1........ Tomorrow, I will do a photo recap of Day 2 which was the day of the marathon.... I will try to get a full written recap later this week........ I will break my marathon day down
The MOST important thing that I packed was my cooler!!! Yes, I don't deviate from anything that I eat 2 days prior to a long run... and this marathon distance of 26.2 was going to be my farthest "long run" ever! :D
I bring water, protein drinks, a real coke or two (just in case I need caffeine- I don't drink coffee), bananas, pretzels, bagels, peanut butter, and fun size Hershey's bars. Thinking, what Hershey's bars?!?! Well, my favorite pick me up snack is 4 pretzels topped with peanut butter then a fun size Hershey bar broken in to 4 pieces placed to the top of the peanut butter! It is AWESOME!!!!
My friend Rhonda and I were the first from the Valdosta running group to arrive at the expo and obtain our assigned numbers!!! Oh, this is when things got "real." Yep, we were actually going to run a marathon!!!!!!!
The view from my hotel room was much to be desired.... LOL! And, this room was at the host hotel!!!! Good thing I wasn't staying in the room too much!!! LOL!
Right in front of the host hotel, there was a statue display of Ray Charles playing the piano! Pretty neat!! I never knew that he was born in Albany, Ga!!! Always learn new things when you travel.... fun!
My friend Brandy and Emily arrived and went all went to the expo to pick up their packets and race bibs!
Looking at this picture of the half marathon and full marathon map kinda put things in perspective of just how far we would be running tomorrow!!! WOW!
I ran the Snicker's Marathon, so of course, there were snicker bars in our race packets! I got "grouchy"...... man, I was like that isn't too inspiring! LOL! But, then I read the fine print above it that says, "Who are you when you're hungry.... grouchy!" Ok, yes, the snicker race directors were absolutely right!!! Because, anyone who knows me, I eat all the time! I even have a food drawer at work! And, if it gets close to me missing lunch... I get super cranky!! And, quickly I might add!!!!
The expo was a bit small, but nice. The expo took place in the hotel lobby. I ended up picking up a pair of gloves that I ended up wearing at the beginning of the run the next day!
UNTIL LATER...........
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**Do you pack a cooler when traveling out of town for a long run like a half or full marathon? If yes, what do you pack?!?
**What is the coolest or "not so cool" thing you obtained in a race packet swag bag?