Best. Day. Ever.

I am still on a finish line high (from the couch under a blanket). 
And it's stilllllll raining.
Yesterday was more than I ever thought it would be. I could never have dreamed of the amazingness. It was so much more than that. And it has taken me until this morning to really even comprehend what went down yesterday. Like WHAT the HECK went DOWN...
Pure awesomeness.

We started our morning with a ride into Hopkinton by Mimi & Pepere (thank you so much for making our morning easier). As I sat on the bus to the Athlete's Village I just kept hearing people buzzing around me but in my head I kept repeating, "I am on a bus to Athlete's Village, to run the Boston Marathon. I am on a bus to Athlete's Village to run the Boston Marathon" What in the heck!
It literally felt like going to the Hunger Games. 
I was praying the "odds would be in my favor"

It was so brutally cold. It was winter. It's still winter. It's always winter in New England on any given day. 
As I got off the bus a complete stranger gave me a pair of black gloves that said Weymouth Club on them. What he doesn't know is that those gloves stayed on my hands for many miles. Those gloves warmed my hands (and my heart) and let me not have to think about how frozen they would have been. Thank you man with the gloves. You rock.

This was all so surreal. Being here. In Hopkinton. 
In Athlete's Village!!!

When we got to Hopkinton SIL and I had to tearily part ways as she was waiting in a Mason Lodge with Children's and I was at St. John's with Dana Farber. I cannot tell you how lucky we were to be waiting inside. As we walked past so many athlete's in the village that were bundled up in doorways sipping coffee and huddled together until the start (which for most was a 2-3 hour wait) I felt very blessed. Children's & Dana Farber really take good care of us. We waited in a warm church with a huge spread of bagels and fruit and water. BATHROOMS. Real bathrooms. Real. Clean. Bathrooms. It's the little things. 

Porta Potties are so lame.

We met our favorite amazing actress. Uzo Aduba from Orange is the New Black. Best show. She was so wonderful to chat and take a few pictures with so many Dana Farber runners who love her. Thank you Uzo, for running. She rocked the Boston Marathon!

Rocked it!

We hung out and chilled for a good couple of hours. Had an amazing team photo session/pep talk outside in the freezing cold but it was so worth it. Kerry & Steve kept me calm. Not sure where I would be without their amazingness on this journey. We trained together all winter long and Kerry & Steve have a special bond and run the Boston marathon together as a team every year. It's quite phenomenal to witness. They are an inspiration to many. Especially me. Thank you my friends. You are beautiful.

#TEAMMATTTY

At the start it started to rain as we made our way through the corrals. I was so busy taking it all in I didn't notice. Teddy Bruschi was handing out hugs and Dana Farber volunteers were handing out ponchos. Ponchos! On the day of the Boston Marathon. I expected sun and a nice cool breeze at our backs and angels singing but not freezing rain and a hellish headwind. 

I didn't really want to accept it.

But I met a guy who was going to get engaged at the finish. I started with a woman who was a cancer survivor and this was her 30th Boston. I met a couple running together for the first time. I met a girl and her dad, it was her 18th birthday. We sang happy birthday to another guy who turned 30. The rain wasn't going to hold me back. I kept telling myself that. I've come this far. Push it out of your head. 

As we made our way to the start I kept thinking, this is really it. Wall to wall people. Shoulder to shoulder. All on the same mission. We are really here. I wish I took more pictures but my phone was tucked away along with my GU, chapstick and tissues that ended up soaked in no time. Everything was soaked in no time. I kept tossing things. I got rid of some good stuff out there.

By 11:20 am we were off and running by a crowd of incredible supporters, Dana Farber supporters and our coach Jack Fultz. I kept repeating the mantra I was told from day one... 

"Do not start out fast, do not start out fast, it's all down hill for the first 14 miles, but do not go out fast. You will see people pass you but you will pass them later. Calm the hell down was more like it."

The problem is, if I do not go out fast, whatever my pace is at that time, is going to be my pace. It's going to stay and become my best friend for the longest run of my life. I am not a negative split person and can't hold a fast pace for a long time either so my goal was steady. Just steady as you go. Which I also repeated for several miles. Along with the names of people I was running for.

So many people. 

Along with "Left foot, right foot, breathe." ~Robin Roberts.

I touched my shoulder many times for Coby, Matty & Shelbie to pull me through. The crowds were just amazing. I've never seen anything like it in my life. I couldn't stop smiling. Pouring rain. Bitter cold, because I was so drenched. But I ran and I couldn't stop smiling. I heard Don't Stop Believing as I saw the sign for mile 24. I am pretty certain it was still playing in my left ear as I hugged Matty's Mom and cried on her shoulder. I had made it so far. 1.2 to go.

I could write a book about being a first time marathoner but I am going to sum it up in a top 10 things I learned yesterday...

10. The human spirit is amazing and people are incredibly kind to one another. Good triumphs over Evil any day. One of my favorite quotes by Kathrine Switzer (who we met at the expo) 

"If you're losing faith in humanity, come out and watch a marathon." 

It's so true. The things I witnessed yesterday, I will never forget.

8. The spectators have so much fun cheering us on. They carried me through!! Out there drenched in that brutal weather that wouldn't quit. And the things they take the time to say... they yell your name over and over, they chant your name, they tell you you're beautiful, they tell you not to quit, they yell Let's go Red Sox if you happen to be wearing a Red Sox hat. They tell you've you're crazy. They tell you you've made it! They tell you it's not much further. 

7. Wellesley college is the fastest mile. I high fived every one of those girls and even got a few hugs. They were amazing. And you can hear them a mile away. You really can.

6. Any little kid standing out there in the rain got a high five or a hug from me. They were amazing. Little soaking wet hands in soaking wet gloves standing around for hours. I had to hug them or high 5 them.

5. Having the most amazing friends and family at miles...

10, 19, 20, 25 and at the finish made it impossible to want to quit. For every chunk of the marathon that I got through, I knew I had someone waiting for me at the next. You all made it possible. 

Thank you so much Niki & Hodge and Kids!

Thank you Jeff & Dave!

Thank you Dawn and Family!

Thank you Lori & Kubryn!

Thank you Carl & Abby!

Thank you Tonya!

Thank you Caroline & your beautiful baby bump!

Thank you Anne O'Neil and Family!

Thank you Tingas, Q, Josh, Joshlyn, Wade, Dixie, Leigha, A!!

Thank you Sandy & DFMC!

Thank you Mum, Dad, Colin, Bri!

Thank you everyone who has supported me from day one. You mean the world to me! And for those of you out there who I didn't see, I love you too and I know hearing my name screamed got me to the finish! Thank you for wearing those amazing shirts! Thank you thank you thank you!! To those of you who watched from home on TV or Computers and posted amazing pics! Thank you!! Thank you for 500 Facebook messages and well wishes and hundreds of texts and phone calls!

4. Running a few miles with team members was such an awesome and uplifting experience. Thank you Dana Farber. 

This is what it's all about.

3. On Heartbreak Hill the wind pushed me back so hard I was walking and an older man ran up behind me yelling, Run for Shirley, come on! We are gonna run for Shirley you and me right now, let's go! To the top! We can do it! Shirley needs us to! After swallowing the huge lump in my throat I ran up Heartbreak Hill for Shirl and with that awesome man. Before I met him I was praying to Jude and Mum and get me through. I kept saying damnitall get me up this hill girls. This hill I have run so many times in training. The wind and the rain were killing me.

2. I cried so much. I cried at every familiar face. I cried at the sight of the Citgo sign. I cried at Right on Hereford, Left on Boylston because that left is truly so amazing. I cried. All happy tears.

1. When I saw my parents and Bri and Col at the finish I wanted to hug them and never let go. But I had to cross that line. And it was everything that everyone has said it would be and then some. 

I can't even put it into words. 

I'm still speechless.

I ran the Boston Marathon.

I mean I RAN THE BOSTON MARATHON!!

And even though Beans couldn't be there because of it being such a long day and the weather, she stayed with Mimi and Pep and thought about us the whole time. She even picked out these key chains for Nicole and I. So awesome.

Love you Beans.

And this was a sight for sore eyes. Sore everything. I love Poland Springs. Thank you being out there all day yesterday. Thank you to Dave & Jeff at Mile 19. Thank you to these 2 awesome guys who just dropped this off and brought it right in because I just drank the last water and this is a gift!!

Best Day Ever

Thank you Marathon Foto, I will surely buy all the pics.

BUT

And this is a huge but...most importantly in all of this isn't the running. It isn't the time. It's the funds raised that are going towards kicking cancer's ass. Cancer has taken to much away from my family and friends. 

No more.

$13, 248 as of today.

Thank. You. So. Much.