NIKE Women's Marathon FINISHER!

$18 million was raised through NIKE Women's Marathon for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Of the 20,000 participants - 5,000 were running with Team in Training, and 100 of those ran along with me from the South Bay Run Team. This was the third most powerful experience of my life. The first two? My sons.

For me, October 19th started with the alarm going off at 2:30am in my SF hotel room for early morning breakfast. You know the drill - two packets instant oatmeal, 2 hard boiled eggs, cuppa tea, and - oops- forgot to eat that banana!

4:40am, the early start runners met with Coach Doug to take the bus to the starting line from the SF hotel. First best set of quotes for the day? Bus driver: "Where's the start?" Coach Doug: "Union Square." Bus Driver: "Where's Union Square?" We did make it to the start in plenty of time under the darkness of a pre-dawn sky while still not really comprehending the magnitude of the day. Not sure if it was denial or self-preservation or a little bit of both.

5:30 am the gun goes off and the race began with a GO TEAM! We, four run girls, developed our plan. We would walk the first couple of miles before entering into our run/walk intervals and would walk the hills. I created a pace chart with the approximate number of minutes to complete each and every mile. I new I could be off by 25 minutes either way, and I was cool with that. The pace chart was important for several reasons: 1) My family and a friend were coming out to support me at mile 21 and at the finish line. I wanted to give them an approximation as to when I would hit those marks; 2) I wanted to gauge my own pace. My goal? To complete the marathon in 6 hours and 23 minutes or less.

The race - an experience never to be forgotten - 20, 000 runners and HUNDREDS of supporters. Bands and drummers en-route. Water stops a plenty. Friendly runners along the way. Best of all were the coaches, captains, mentors, and other TNT participants from MY team as well as others there to support US on our run. What makes a marathon a marathon and not just at 26.2 mile run down any old trail? The cheers, the smiles, the GO TEAMs from mile 1 through to the end. The San Francisco sunrise. The humor of the RunGirls throughout. The honorees at mile 15 and mile 26.2. The Golden Gate Bridge, The Presidio, the Cliff House, the bison in Golden Gate Park. The look of assurance with the words: "You look strong." The water stops. The Great Highway. Mike's fresh salt packs at mile 18.5. Lake Merced.

Simone at mile 20 yelling, "PUT DOWN THAT CAMERA SO I CAN TAKE YOUR PICTURE!" Feeling the support of my dad, sister, brother-in-law, niece, husband, my two children, and two friends at mile 21. Hearing, "You guys are AWESOME." Steve's mellow run-talk through mile 22. Mike's 23 mile salt pack. The final ascent back up the Great Highway and seeing Coach Doug. The knowing that it can be done and that it will be done. Coach Tim, "I'll save that story for another time" - "No, we NEED that story now" and Coach Tim telling the story.

Seeing my family at mile 25.5.

Brief runs with mentor after mentor after mentor. Knowing, it is being done! Running with Jen the entire 26.2 miles in 6 hours 23 minutes and 57 seconds and getting that Tiffany necklace and finisher t-shirt. (By the way, go back and read my estimated time.) Post-run soreness alleviated by Coach Kris FORCING me to dance 6 hours after completing the marathon.

The second best quote of the day? 20 minutes after completing the race, I'm hanging with my family in the "P" section. I'm putting on a sweatshirt, pants, and changing shoes. I see Margot in the stunned post-marathon-brain-freezed daze that we are ALL in. I say, "Hey Margot, how do you feel?" She gives me the Margot look, but then says..."Janine, yah know, I think I could do this again." My reply, "Napa."

March 1, 2009: I will run the Napa Marathon with Team in Training.