I survived, I think.

It has taken me a bit more than a week to take stock and figure out if I really survived the Columbia Marathon or not. I think the consensus is that I did, though not without some scars. First off, I ran ok-the weather was great, but my inexperience resulted in a few tactical errors that caused problems in the last hour. I think I ate too much gel in the early stages, because I was too nauseous in the last 6 miles to eat anyone else-this, obviously, did not work out so well. Plus, the course was quite hilly, and I think the lack of calorie intake plus my over-exuberance on previous hills caused me to have to walk the last few hills of the day. All said and told, I finished and would consider doing another one, given some time away from this one. The question remains if I actually learned anything from this process. I think I figured out a few things: --Running for four hours is a long time --If you do run that long, make sure your headphones will stay in --I apparently sweat a lot, even if it is not that hot --If you don't stick to your plan and experience, you will get into trouble Most of all, though, I think I learned that you can tackle those tasks that appear to be very difficult. Running a marathon is a very difficult thing to do, but it is made much easier if you create a training plan and stick to it; all the steps along the way are vital to the final outcome. When we veer from the plan, cut a run or two short, or eat that whole pizza, the effects are not always immediately apparent; but in mile 21 of the run is when you look back and wish you had not cut those corners. So now, after taking a week off, I am back to the grind to prepare for the Palmetto 70, a 70 mile relay that ends at Folly Beach. Tis time, though, I am not doing it alone!