The 5 Senses of Running a Marathon

I think one part of actully running and being "in" a marathon that I didn't expect, was how overwhelmingly stimulating it was. There was just so much more to take in, experience and process so...at about mile 13 I got the idea for this blog post!

My first marathon experience in lists based on the 5 senses.

SIGHTS

• people people people everywhere
• amazing signs, my favorites ..The Stupid Sign, and You are a better running mate then Sarah Palin
• great running shirt slogans
• the 30 or so men pissing on the wall of the first bridge at the start of the race
• 29 different Chicago neighborhoods
• people struggling and walking
• Boystown water station - men in swimsuits and afros
• The male rifle squad in cammo pants
• checking out everyone's running gear
• amazing inspirational Nike billboards
• the Dragons in Chinatown
• Endless patterns of Gatorade logos, BOA logos, Hinckley water logos
• A woman with a sign that said, Mitch will you marry me?
• lots of iPods, banned my ass
• A man running in a banana costume
• Two little girls handing out Oreos and milk on one corner
• the FINISH line

SOUNDS

• many foreign languages, "no speak english"
• all of the runners screaming and cheering under the first bridge
• whistles, cowbells, horns, megaphones, cheers, shouts, air horns
• shoes hitting the pavement
• "there are water stations at EVERY mile"
• strangers yelling my name, cheering me on
• my heart pounding in my ears
• my family and friends rooting for me
• Coming across the finish line! Shanna Roman...shyn and Becca Keaty!

TASTE

• Fear (at the beginning)
• Gatorade
• Water
• Vanilla GU
• Chocolate GU
• Repeat x 50
• Fear (in the middle)
• Jolly Rancher (this was key!) thank you random stranger that gave it to me.
• stick of peppermint gum (same as above)
• victory (at the end)

FEELING

• my feet hitting the ground one after another
• slick elbows nudging, jabbing by
• holding hands with Shanna or Megan in the hard parts
• hugging my family and friends quick as I passed them
• the slickness of running over wet waxy paper cups
• my throat closing off as I tried to stop crying and keep breathing
• the scooshiness of running over hundreds of wet green sponges
• the amazing sense of relief as I rubbed communal vaseline on my lips
• the cramping in the arches of my feet
• the cold and wonderful spray of an opened fire hydrant
• the tightness along my hip flexers, knees and ankles
• salty sweat on my tongue
• the hot hot hot sun taking more and more of my energy away
• nausea
• burning sensation in my legs as I climbed that last hill
• holding hands with Shanna as we crossed the finish line

SMELL

• mexican food in pilsen
• pizza in little italy
• gyros in greektown
• the group of Indian men we just couldn't seem to get past