I said I would answer these questions from a questionnaire that I started at the end of August after I completed my 1st marathon so here goes!


Be brutal, what was your race like?
I think I’ve answered this question and them some in my recap of before my marathon and my 1st marathon blogs so I won’t bore you with a long answer. But my marathon was pleasant, exhausting, wet, exhilarating, humbling, incredible, lonely, emotional and amazing all at the same time! If I had to choose one word, I’d choose amazing. I got to accomplish a goal that most people only dream of. I still have to pinch myself and remind myself that I did it. I have never been so proud of myself… maybe ever. I trained for weeks and months. I set a goal and I worked hard to accomplish it and make it mine.

How did you celebrate your marathon?
That evening my brother and I went out for sushi and drinks in Portland. We didn’t stay out too long because I was simply drained but it was a nice celebration. The next morning we had a delicious breakfast, coffee and walked around different shops in Portland. I will say that this day was a day of celebration for me too just because I finally got to relax and enjoy the satisfaction that I was done and could enjoy the beautiful day with my family.

Do you plan to run more in your future?
If you would have asked me directly after my race, I would have said no to running another marathon but as of today, I am signed up for my 2nd marathon in May 2011. J As to running in general, yes I hope to run for as long as my body allows me to continue doing so joyfully.

What is your running schedule now?
Right now I’m not training for anything quite yet so I’m just running for fun. I’m still trying to meet my personal goal of 1000 miles in 2010 so I’m running somewhere around 20 miles a week. I will start training again in late December/early January.

Honestly do you enjoy running or just the effects?
This is a tough question for me because if running didn’t bring me joy, pride, highs, a sense of accomplishment, a constant challenge and looser pants I wouldn’t enjoy it nearly as much as I do. So without the “effects” I guess it wouldn’t be as enjoyable. But I really do love running. I love going through the valleys and peaks of hard runs and great/satisfying runs. I love accomplishing a goal only to set another one. I love running gear and the friendships I’ve made. I love the challenge and the crazy looks I get from people when I tell them my goals or what I’ve ran that day. I love waking up and running on a Saturday morning and feeling more energized and alive than I could ever imagine feeling. I love feeling healthy and strong. This morning on my way to work, I saw someone running and I felt jealous. That’s when you know you truly love it. It was a beautiful morning and whenever it’s a gorgeous day I usually think at some point, it’s a perfect day for a run. I could go on and on about what I love about running but I won’t. You get the point…

What advice do you have for first timers?
Stay determined and positive. It’s not going to go perfect or as planned so just stay focused and confident that you can do it. Remember how hard you’ve worked and enjoy every moment of it. Find a good support system and SMILE!