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Eugene bound!
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Race bib #eugeneorbust
Let's just say the weekend in Eugene was epic.  It started with a celebrity blogger sighting, no not Perez Hilton, but SkinnyRunner, OnceUponALime, FasterBunny and SweatyEmily. Pretty much a runner's wet dream.  Well, that is if you love these girls like me and this girl do. 

We hit the Expo to pick up our bibs, race packets and shirts (loving the shirts, Eugene), then hit Laughing Planet and Sweet Life for some pre-race carbo loading.  Dinner was soon to follow with all these fun peeps and then it was off to bed in the nicest, I mean sketchiest hotel in Eugene.  Not true, but boy... you get what you pay for.  Hello $77 with tax, split 3 ways. 
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15 for dinner @ Ambrosia - YUM!

4:45am came early and were up and on the shuttle in no time. We had about an
hour to spare before the race started, so we used the loo one last time,
checked our bag and we were race ready! 

I was in corral B, so I left my security blanket, HH, lined up for the national anthem and Meb shot the gun.  Off we go.  The weather was race day perfect.  High 40's, low 50's and overcast.  The course was great.  We weaved through cool neighborhoods, bike paths along the river and of course all through UofO campus. #goducks

I felt really great until about mile 17, waving to my fans and thanking volunteers, I even could have been seen hugging a cute officer or two, and by mile 21 the wheels completely fell off the bus. I was broke and hurting.  I had some awesome friends along the course who cheered me on, but the only word I could muster when Steve came to pep me up was... "F*CK."  Oops.  But man, I felt like shit.  I tried my hardest and ran the best race I could with my goal in mind the whole time.  When I saw the 4:30 pacer and her damn balloons pass me I wanted to trip her, hit her, pop her balloons or jump on her chipper ass back and ride her home for a huge PR.  But alas, I sucked up my sorry self and ran my heart out.  All those sappy signs really did help me get through.
With 1 mile left to go and less than 9 minutes to get it done for a time of 4:30, I gave it every last ounce of everything I had left in me.  I ran into Hayward and was so delirious I didn't even give it a second thought, "dude I'm RUNNING on Hayward Field!!"  I crossed the finish line and my Garmin read 4:30:05.  I was proud, even if I was 5 seconds over my goal.  I pushed through the pain and I MADE IT!  Official results came in and my time was 4:30:01, ONE SECOND off my goal, but not any less proud than I was the hours before.  I rocked it and ran the best race I could and I wouldn't have changed a thing!  #eugeneorbust
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HH and I eating some GOLD! PR's in da house!
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This goes in the medal box with PRIDE
 

9 miles - easy pace

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Excellent car self portrait
One week from today I'll have completed my 3rd marathon, well that is if I do indeed
"complete" said marathon.  I'm excited and nervous. But more excited than
nervous. It's a big goal and something I didn't think I'd actually do again.  My
last marathon was the ING New York City Marathon in 2005.  It was a shitty,
shitty run, but it still remains a top 5 highlight in my life.  We were living
in NYC at the time and it was such an out of body, surreal experience to run
that race.  All the history, all the people and of course, ALL THAT MILEAGE! 
Egads, it was brutal.  But an amazing experience nonetheless.  So now... I find
myself much more prepared, much more excited and much OLDER for my 3rd marathon
in Eugene, OR. next week.  Yes, that's right, home of the Ducks!  GO BIG GREEN! 
It's going to be a lot of fun (I hope!).  Now come the days of extreme tapering,
crazy carbo-loading and hyrdrating like a mofo (note to self, beer does not
count as a hydrating beverage).  As my girl Torrance likes to say, "BRING IT ON!!"