The 20 mile run... the moment you realize your crazy!

This is what the start of the Boston marathon actually looks like on a normal day. It's pretty much in the middle of nowhere on route 135. This was the last thing I expected back on a cold, rainy day in March. The only things Hopkington is known for is some British guy who killed his wife and child and the start of the Boston Marathon. You take your 20 mile run about 3 weeks prior to your marathon. Today I signed up with City Sports to take another trip down memory lane before New York. The great thing about being in a city full of running nuts that they even realize we all ship out for the various large fall marathons and need to take the big long run. They had one for Chicago, Berlin and NYC. The great thing is Boston lands right in the middle of the big 3 that take place in the spring, Paris, London and Boston are within days of each other so Paris I'm covered! When I signed up today for the NYC long run it took me back to the day I realized I could actually run.
I woke up that Sunday and it was biblical out. I was thinking "Really? I have to run 20 miles in this? Only me!" At the time I hated rain and wind. Of course it had to be a tsunami. I figured if I could run it in this, then I would be fully prepared for Boston. Looking back I actually got lucky because it was hot as hell for Boston and that made it ten times worse. I packed my gear, wore about 6 layers and headed out to Wellesley for possible death. When I got to City Sports there was about 60 people there. I was shocked but after talking to a girl in line for the bathroom, I realized they all came from the Red Cross team. Many of the people there had done Boston multiple times and this was a yearly event for them. All I could think was "Shit, I'm going to crash and burn in front of a whole team!" They gathered us up and we got in the school bus "Big yellow school bus, for real!" As we were riding I was thinking "Where the hell are they taking us?" When the bus stopped we were in the middle of nowhere! It scared the bejesus out of me. Then the guy running the show said "Okay follow 135 until you get to Newton and take a right on Commonwealth Ave., we will meet you at the bottom of Heart Break Hill and we won't leave until everyone has finished." I almost pooped my pants right there. I not only had no damn clue where I was and, I had no idea where I was going. This really nice group of ladies said I could run with them but I was not going to slow everyone down. So I thought...
They sent us on our way and I just kept praying I would finish. The first four towns in the marathon are essentially no mans land. People must have been looking at us like what the.. But they must be used to it by now. I decided to just keep pace and do what I love and run. I kept passing people and I got nervous. Was I going to fast? Should I slow down? I had no clue but I just kept looking for the different town signs. Every time I passed a town sign I got excited and just kept looking for the next. I had no clue how many miles to each one and just hoped I at least made it to Wellesley which is the half way point. They provided water stops and food along the way which was kind of redundant considering it was raining and the cups were filled with rain water by the time any of us got there. I just kept going and kept passing people. Every time I passed someone I got scared that maybe I Should slow it down but I felt fine. So I told myself to just keep going. When I saw the Wellesley sign I started to tear up. I couldn't believe it! I had made it to the half way point. Then I thought to myself  "Oh shit, where is Newton and Comm. Ave.?" Luckily I found some guys who were running who I followed all the way over Heart Break Hill. Dumbest girl moment ever. When we stopped I asked "Where is Heart Break Hill?" They replied "We just went over it." Yeah, not embarrassing at all!
I couldn't believe it! I had just ran 21 miles. Me, the girl who had only been running less than a year at that point, was the second girl to finish. I took an awful picture and posted it on Facebook. I had mascara running down my face from sweat and tears. I grabbed a water, received many congrats from fellow runners and cried like a baby. I was in shock. Then my hands stopped working and I got hypothermia waiting for everyone else to finish. That was a lot of fun! It was at that point the best day of my life. I had done something I never thought in a million years I could do. My next 20 mile run was similar but on my own, but you never forget your first! I'm already nervous for round 3, and the great thing is everyone who signs up will be running NYC with me so it will be nice to get the real truth on the run. I will return to the scene of the crime a seasoned Marathoner and hopefully won't fall and embarrass myself. Less than 7 weeks away! I'm so excited but starting to get really nervous!