3:56:24!!

Mission accomplished! I ran under 4 hours and beat my last year's time by almost eighteen minutes! Here's how the day went:

5:45 - time to get out of bed, eat breakfast and get ready.

7:30 - in the car with my dad, who misheard me and went down to Dallas Road instead of avoiding it. We run into quite a few detours and I'm starting to get a little testy with him (sorry, dad!)

8:00 - meet with the marathon group from Peninsula Runners. Nervous hugs and pats on the back for good luck all around. Feel a little ill, but at least the weather is clear - so far.

8:25 - John and I line up at the 4-hour finish start. The energy and excitement revs me up and I can't stop smiling.

8:30 - we're off!

3km mark - I see Katie and Linh J. walking down Cook St. Big cheers and smiles from both.

4km mark - I lose John at the water station. I can't see him through the crowd, so I push on.

9km mark - now we've left Beacon Hill Park and get on to Dallas Road. Weather is holding up nicely and I see a rainbow - upside down! I see Katie and Linh again and smile for the camera.

13km mark - starting to rain lightly.

16-17 km mark - light rain turns heavier and heavier. Wind is kicking up as well, but ocean view is beautiful. I see Rob, my coach, somewhere on Oliver I think. The hill starts near the Golf Club.

22 km mark - I start seeing some of the faster clinic members pass by on the other side. My right hamstring is starting to feel tight.

23 km mark - stop to wash down some ibuprofen.

26 km mark - see John running on the other side. Can you believe that this is his first race, ever? What chutzpah.

30 km mark - I think I hit the wall about here...I keep looking at my arm where I wrote "Right to Play" to remind myself why I am running, and a happy face, to remind myself how lucky I am to be doing this. The awesome volunteers and spectators keep me going.

32 km mark - really starting to pour. As I pass Oak Bay, I see Blair and Yoshie, who seem to come out for all my races! Thanks, guys!

36 km mark - Emily, Sarah and Andrew from my workplace cheer me on when I most need it!

37 km mark - I hear my name being screamed and some loud ruckus - it is Meghan and Ayesha, my co-workers!

38 km mark - Again, my name is being called, and this time, it's Jim and Yvonne, my running partners from the half marathon. Jim, who has already run a half marathon, starts to run with me and talks me throught the "undulating" hills. The hills we did in training were much harder, but now I'm really tired and I struggle a bit. I see Randy, my coach, who cheers me on.

40 km mark - Meghan and Ayesha again! Jim continues to talk me through the last hills. My right knee is giving me some serious pain, but everything else is numb. I would have slowed down here, were it not for Jim.

41.2 km mark - only 1 more km. I turn up the heat, dig deep and push on forward.

42.2 - FINISH! I cross the line at 3:56:24 (chip time), 3:56:59 (gun time). I see Laura, another running partner, Randy, Emily, and my family at the end. I get wrapped with a space blanket and a medal around my neck. 5 months of training pays off!

Thanks, everyone who made this happen. I know sometimes I wasn't so fun to be around - obsessing about my training, aches and pains, diet, and in bed by 10 on Saturdays! Couldn't have done it without your support. Thanks to everyone who braved the wind, rain and cold and gave up their Sunday morning to cheer me on. It really, really means a lot to me! Thanks, too, to everyone who donated - you guys gave about $550 for Right to Play. And a HUGE shout out to my running partners and most of all my coaches, who lugged our water bottles, cheered us on, bought us popsicles on hot days, and were there every step of the way. I must be the luckiest runner in this marathon!