The Race Report

Here it is...the race report. I'll do my best to re-create the run (amazing how 6 days seem to be a lifetime!)
First, I tried to post my marathon pictures, but since they are copyrighted, no go. Here is the link: Race Photos
The ones I am smiling in are at the beginning of the marathon. You can tell when I'm getting closer to the finish line.
I started to get ready for the marathon Saturday night. After the pasta dinner party, I was back up in my hotel room icing my legs. It has become a little ritual I enjoy doing...ice, ice, ice. About 7:30 I placed everything out that I would need for the marathon: Singlet, racing bib, shoes, socks, shorts, body glide, water, gu, energy bars, salt packets, hat, sunblock, and chapstick. I was so excited, I was practically jumping up and down (ok, maybe I was).
In bed by 8pm. Up at 8:30 to go to the bathroom. Back in bed. Turnover. Covers off, covers on. Back to the bathroom at 9. Turn on the A/C. Back in bed. 9:20 look at clock and determine how many hours of sleep I can get if I were to fall asleep immediately (5 hours 40 minutes). Think about how that could be my marathon time if I don't get to sleep. 10pm back to the bathroom. Drink more water and back to bed. 10:40 look at clock once again. Start wondering what it would be like to run a marathon with no sleep. 11:30 back to the bathroom. Drink more water. I start to wonder if maybe I should start eating since I'm getting close. Get back into bed. Finally fell asleep. Alarm went off at 3am.
Hopped into a nice hot shower to loosen up my muscles. Got dressed. Ate a bagel with peanut butter and jelly, energy drink, gatorade, cup of water, banana and cliff bar. One shot of Pepto-Bismol and an Imodium AD. Don't even know if it really makes much of a difference, but I know in my head it does. And isn't life just one big head game anyways?!? Trip to the bathroom before heading down to the buses. One more trip to bathroom before getting on the bus. 4:30am the buses roll to downtown Miami.