trip post #2

So, yes, I'm slow at the trip posts. It's just so much more fun watching the World Series in the media room on the big screen!! And to do these posts, I have to be in my scrapbook room. I have sacrificed a few innings tonight so I could get you post #2 :) Should be able to do another one tomorrow night too, since the teams have a travel day. Go Cards!!!!!

So, post #2 brings us to Marathon Day. Sunday, October 9th.

Our hotel was right in the center of downtown, so we had a prime location near the starting line and the finish line. That was very nice and unstressful. Rolando, Chris' running buddy, took the shuttle in from where he was staying and met Chris at our room in the 5:00 hour. Way too early!!! They talked and stretched and then headed for the starting line together...after they left, I started getting ready, and was lucky enough to see this gorgeous sun rise over the water, from our hotel window.

Rolando had had a great training for this marathon, and we were all hopeful that he would break his 3 hour goal. He and Chris have the same seemingly-elusive goal of breaking 3 hours, and both have come very close. With Rolando's injury-free training, we were sure he would do it. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. He thinks he got a over-hydrated, and he ended up running his slowest time yet. The marathon is such a mental and physical game...so many factors go into the entire day.

With Chris' injury-laden training, he was not in any shape to attempt to break his 3 hour goal, so he went into it with much less stress. He intended to run his marathon pace for as long as he could, and then he would walk/run the rest of the way. He was able to run his pace for 16 miles, and he was so pleased with that!!! He ran a 3:37 marathon, which isn't too shabby and certainly not his slowest time. He was proud, and we were so proud of him!!!

Here are the runners, pre-marathon:

Chris' hero, American runner Ryan Hall, ran as well and I was able to get a few photos of him. He is a machine!!! Unfortunatly, he did not win...I believe he came in 5th.

Here is the amazing Mr. Baber!! It took him awhile to realize it was me, but then he started waving!! I was able to see him at mile 2 and mile 13 before heading to the finish line.

The finish line turned out to be a big hullabaloo...they had everything roped off and it was impossible to get anywhere, even on foot. I missed seeing Ryan Hall finish, which was one thing I had wanted to do. After missing him, I set off down the road a bit to see Chris finish...only I got the text with his finish line time, and I had somehow missed him! :( So I then headed to our meeting place...only to find that it was roped off too, and spectators couldn't get in there! We finally met up at the next logical place, the family reunion area. He was easy to spot by that point, and was actually in pretty good shape!! They had even given the runners a free beer at the finish line!! :)

Rolando wasn't doing so well at the end of the race, and by the time we caught up with them, he was still white as a ghost. I'm sure this was not his favorite race. But we are proud of him too! Here's the boys post-marathon:

We took a slow walk back to the hotel, where we had a late checkout. After a hot bath, Chris and I packed up and headed five hours back to St. Louis for our week-long visit with family. It was good to visit Chicago, and it would have been nice to have a little longer there. Maybe another time...