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Mile 14
The trailside signs and poetry are keeping me going at this point. One bears a big yellow smiley face with a running stick figure drawn below. Bruce loves smiley faces; I have to take a picture. Why not leave the camera out of the pouch, in my hand, instead; I keep coming along picturesque sites, so why not be ready to shoot? The course is so beautiful and green... only when I poke through the trees and see an aerial shot of Anchorage do I realize how high up we've climbed.
And we keep on climbing, still -- little hills, but constantly rolling. hey, didn't that water station back there tell us that we'd have some good downhills after the mile 14 point? Where are they?!?!?
Mile 16
We have passed a handful of walkers at this point. I wish I'd started the race an hour earlier with the walkers -- we wouldn't be anywhere near as far behind the pack if we had. Hey, psychological boosts help a lot.
The Mile 16 water station is out of water. I'm glad I carry my own with me, though I certainly feel more comfortable when I have extra water on me... and I'm running in short supply...
Just past the mile 16 mark, we meet up with a TNTer from New York State. She, as we, had signed up as a runner, but hadn't felt up to running today, and had decided to walk. She is a teacher, as is my mom; this discovery quickly promoted conversation. While I am not a public school educator, many of my "soapboxes" fall into that category; so my mind was kept off of the present.
Mile 17
Yay, single digits to go! Seems silly to someone who might consider 9 miles a long haul in itself, but it's amazing what that thoght can do for the psyche. And you know, I *barely* feel any fatigue in my legs! Wow, I'm DOING it...
I turn around and look to where I've come from to snap a shot that will make Bruce jealous.
Mile 18, just before
Our New York friend must visit the portapotty, and I must keep on going. Time to say goodbye to her, and to wish her luck.
At the same corner, where we are to turn back onto Tudor Road, we run into Jane, whom we'd met the day before. She's struggling with an infected toe. That certainly makes for a horrible first marathon. I wish her luck through the discomfort.
Mile 19
I am experiencing some discomfort of my own. The extra time on my feet with the walking is starting to take effect; my feet REALLY hurt. Ironically, the rest of my legs feel great -- just cut off my feet.
I spot a bench up ahead after crossing Tudor; I sit down, because generally a few minutes off of my feet during a long run refreshes me. This time, it just made me more stiff.
Mile 20
Whoever said that the halfway point of a marathon is the 20 mile mark, was absolutely right. I am in pain, yet I maintain my sense of humor. Just past a huge swarm of mosquitoes hovering around a lake is a sign that reads "Mosquito Lake." My sense of cynicism really high at this point, I needed a picture of that one. Wonder how the lake got its name.
Onto Chapter 4 of the Alaskan Adventure!
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