Well, it's done!  Just to get the suspense out of the way, I finished the marathon!  First thing I want to say is a whopping "Thank You!" to everyone who supported me through this, both financially and emotionally, and in Jacob's case, physically as well!  My time by my watch was 5:51.09 my chip time reports at 5:51.02.  I'm glad I finished at all, glad I finished under 6 hours, and glad I'll live to race another day!  I am relatively pleased with my results, considering my training and preparation.  
Fundraising was also somewhat mediocre, as I just didn't have the time to put in to use different venues wisely for fundraising.  Again, considering preparation and planning, I think I did pretty well.    Final count on the money end of things, as of today, $2027.00.  Not bad!  It will definitely help someone go to KPA, which was my goal.  I would have preferred to have fully funded someone, but I guess help is good, too!

My results, as with all training, are a pretty direct reflection of what I put into them.  Good Training=Good Results, Mediocre Training=Mediocre Results, Poor Training=Poor Results.  I wouldn't go so far as to say my training was poor, but it did end up being mediocre, which was an active choice that I made. I started out with excellent, well planned training, using Hal Higdon's marathon training schedule, and continuing my daily fitness training from Gale Compton's Fit, Fabulous, Forever website.  Then in mid-August, I somehow injured my right calf, part of the IT tendon. Not sure how I did it, but I have some ideas. Possibly running up a steep hill while pushing a stroller with 100 pounds of kids in it, or possibly driving a round-trip to Kansas City one day, and a round trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa a day later.   At that time, I had been up to my 16 mile long run.  When I attempted to run after that, the calf would immediately seize up, making running impossible.  I saw my chiropractor, which helped a little, and he did let me know that I wouldn't be injuring it any further if I ran on it.  After my visit with him, I was able to run a mile or so, at most.  At this time, I made the decision to rest the leg, not do any running training to speak of, continue with fitness training, and make a decision on the marathon closer to the date.  I was pretty depressed about the whole situation for a while, and then decided to just let it go and do what I could do.  The leg did seem to heal, but would flare if I drove too much, or tried to run on it.  Eventually, as race day was drawing closer, I realized I was in my taper zone, and did a few miles the last two weeks.  Maybe, 4 miles total, over 14 days' time.  I would not generally consider this adequate  preparation for a marathon.  It was encouraging that the leg seemed better, although still frequently tight, not painful.  I made the active choice to not run any real distance on it, or "test" it, and to save that for race day. I did continue to do daily fitness and core work throughout this time.  So, it was on!  I decided to at least start, I have never DNF'd (did Not Finish, for your non-runner folks!) a race, and I sure didn't want to start now, but I felt that I had a responsibility to the people who had made donations to at least give it my best attempt.

As far as a race report, I'll start on Friday, when we drove for about 6 hours from St. Louis to Chicago, landing on my sister's air mattresses in the evening.  Saturday morning we got up and took the kids to the Shedd Aquarium (Thanks, Ken Ramirez, for the tickets!  It was a wonderful time for all of us!).  We spent a long time walking around, which is not really advisable the day before a marathon, but at this point I still wasn't sure how much of the race I'd be running, or even walking, and I also felt an obligation (and desire) to show my family a good time!  Especially since I knew they'd be waiting for a long time on Sunday, if I happened to finish the race.  We also had to go to the Marathon Expo and pick up my race packet, where we walked around some more.  During this time I didn't concentrate on hydrating as well as I should have, I did drink quite a bit of water, but I also should have been pushing some electrolyte solutions, like Gatorade.  Finally got back home around 6, went to dinner at Leona's (close to sister's house, and gotta carbo load), then came back and tried to get everyone to bed.  Got to bed later than I would've liked, after setting everything up for the morning.  Clothes, shoes, race bib, extra dry clothes for my drop bag, money for the el, hat, hair bands, gels, Clif Bars, Body Glide, Aquaphor, gum, blister-block band-aids, ziploc for my phone, etc.  What I neglected to pack when I left home was Succeed! Capsules, which are electrolyte/salt capsules.  They really help if it's very hot, or if you sweat heavily.  Also forgot the Ibuprophen.  Neither of these are staple items for me, I don't usually have cramping or pain issues during a marathon, it's usually more a mental exercise for me, so I don't automatically think of adding this stuff to my bag.  I also forgot the sunblock.

At 4:45 on Sunday morning, I got up, applied Body Glide (my best friend!), got dressed, took my meds and ate my oatmeal and peaches.  I had packed my drop bag the night before, and my running pack, so those were all set.  I got on the el with a few other early bird runners, and off we went!  By the time we got to Adams Street, our destination, the train was crammed with runners, which is always exciting.  Now the race is becoming more real.  Walking across the loop, on a sidewalk filled with other runners, was exhilarating.  As we approached Michigan Avenue, it became apparent that 45,000 people is a LOT of people!  I mean, I know this is obvious, but seeing that many runners in one place, to do one thing, is just an interesting experience.  The race volunteers were incredibly well organized, dropped my drop bag quickly, no lines!  Headed to the porta-potties, where there are always lines, no matter how many are available.  And there were a LOT of them.  Then I headed to the starting corrals.  I decided to start back with the runners who were in the 5:45 pace group.  I figured if things went well, that's about where I'd end up, and I did want to finish under 6 hours, if possible.  I didn't plan to actually pace with them, I'm a "run your own race" kind of girl, but I didn't want to start up front and hold people up if I had issues, either. I spent a half hour taking pictures for people who were running their first marathon, or running with their entire sibling group, or dressed as cavemen or superheroes, and talking with a few first-timers about what to expect, and race strategies, and charity running.  I took a few photos of the crowd, and a selfie, and posted those to FB.

At 7:30, the start horn went off, about a quarter mile away at the start line, and the mid-packers, and we in the back of the start began the slow shuffle to the start line.  By this time I was feeling a little claustrophobic, and really needed to pee again.  We finally hit the start line about 8:06.  Thank goodness for chip timing!  I sure can't afford to lose a half hour of time getting to the start!  When I finally began to actually run, my calf seized up immediately.  It was more tension than the stabbing pain it's been in the past, so I decided to run on it, slowly, and see what happened.  I really didn't want to drop before the 1 mile marker!  After about a mile and half, it stopped actively hurting, and just felt tight and tense, something I thought I could live with for the duration of the race.  At mile 2, I drank a Gatorade, and a water to wash it down.  I had promised Jacob that I would hydrate well, and eat when I needed to, during this race.  I'm known for disliking aid stations, and how they break my rhythm, and I detest carrying my own water, so my hydrating can be precarious at times.  On a day when the temps are predicted in the high 80's, that could be a race-ender.  On a personal-victory note, I was able to run over the bridges across the Chicago river in the area that was uncarpeted grating, look at the water, and continue to run, without being paralyzed by fear, which is a great achievement for me.

After the aid station was the bathrooms, which I used, also losing some time, which always irritates me.  I ran several easy, steady miles, always drinking at every aid station, alternating Gatorade and water with just water every other station.  I felt great, much better than I had anticipated.  By mile 4 I was running in the 5:15 pace group.  Again, I am a "run your own race, and thank everyone else for attending" girl, so it wasn't my plan to run "with" the pace group, but I just happened to be keeping that pace.  At mile 8 I took a gel, and drank extra water to wash it down.  I was definitely on course for a 5:15 finish, until mile 11.

At mile 11 I got a sudden, stabbing pain in my left arch.  It felt alarmingly like a stress fracture I'd had years ago, so I was very concerned.  I stopped and adjusted my shoe, thinking maybe my laces were too tight, and that seemed to help for a few minutes, but then I had to slow considerably again.  I ran more slowly, and with a compromised gait, like a club foot, to keep it from hurting so much, through mile 13.

At 13, the foot stopped hurting, so I picked up the pace again.  Everything was going great.  The crowd support was fabulous, I particularly liked the girl with the sign that said, "Run Random Runner, RUN! Great Job!"  As always in Chicago, there were many witty signs and many kind spectators with aid of many kinds.  Just when I was wishing for a sandwich, there was a woman with Starburst candies, and then a family with banana halves.  Several people had their garden hoses on to help spray down the runners, and people were handing out tissues, paper towels, cool sponges (heaven!), ice and various types of food.  Lots of music, sometimes hired bands, sometimes a speaker set out on someone's porch, sometimes a school band.  I had no idea so many people had saved their vuvuzelas from the World Cup matches!  All aid stations were staffed with quick, fun and helpful volunteers, who made sure we got a drink, and didn't fall over too many cups.  Though it was weird to see all those cups churned into paper pulp all over the street after so many feet had passed over them.  Of course, as always on the Chicago course, there were neighborhood groups entertaining the runners with their neighborhood's own special brand of cultural entertainment!  In Boys Town, a group of male "Lady Ga-ga's" danced and sang, a group of Cowboys handed out water.  In Pilsen, there was a contingent of giant paper-mache puppets dancing to Mexican Polka music, and a group of young dancers in traditional dress.  Chinatown had Dragon Dancers, and Chinese traditional music.  And it wouldn't be Chicago without the Vegas-Elvis Impersonator, who was giving out high fives!

At mile 16, I took more gel and ate a mini Clif bar.  By mile 18, I thought I was home free.  Then the foot started again, so sharply that I had to actually stop moving.  I thought I was maybe just hitting the wall, although I'm not generally one who has that problem, since I hadn't done my long runs and dealt with the mental aspects of it, I thought maybe that's why I felt so bad, foot pain and fatigue, and then, because of the modified gait due to the foot cramps, cramping of the IT band in the other leg, causing my leg to feel like a slab of metal, and my knee to hurt every time I bent it, or landed on it.  I did realize at this point that the foot problem was cramping, because my toes started curling under, and when I flattened out the foot, the pain across the bottom and the arch, was searing.  Oddly, that was a comforting discovery, because cramps can pass, whereas stress fractures are a serious issue.  From mile 18, I think I ended up walking about 1/2 of each mile.  I'd walk fast, until the cramping slowed down, then run what I could until the knee and foot pain started again, then walk and knead the leg.  I ate several bananas, and drank more Gatorade, hoping to solve the problem with hydration, potassium, and electrolytes, but it was too late.  If I'd had some Succeed! at mile 8, and then every couple of miles after, I probably wouldn't have had the cramping problems.  If I'd had some Ibuprofen, I could've eased the inflammation, and continued at a better pace.  Lesson learned.

The good thing was, I was totally mentally prepared for this.  I wasn't particularly angry, or upset, I didn't want to cry.  Oh, I did at first, but as I thought about it, I realized that this was what I had trained for, and prepared for, and I was getting the results I should expect.  I reminded myself that I was having fun, that things could be a LOT worse, that I was lucky to be in Chicago, lucky to be healthy enough to do this, and lucky enough to be helping dogs get better trainers!  Looking around me, at the older man running for his grandbaby, who had a terrible congenital illness, the young Hispanic man with only one leg (he lost the other in Afghanistan) who was running for a Veteran's charity, the three girls in pink tutus, raising money for a breast cancer charity, and the guy whose shirt said, "I run because I Like It", I realized just how fortunate I was to be there at all.  Even though I was completely alone, and I didn't really talk to many people during the race, I was completely surrounded by a welcoming community of people with whom I have at least one thing in common.

By mile 25, I was thinking, "I'm tired, I'd better pick it up a little" (going faster is what I do when I'm tired, guess I like to get things over with!)  especially since I passed the 25 mile mark right about 5:30,  I knew I needed to hustle, discomfort be damned.  An extra thanks to the woman who gave me the apple Jolly Rancher at the 25 mile marker, it carried me through to the finish chute!   As we came around the corner onto Michigan Ave, there was so much cheering you could hardly hear anything.
Going up the hill toward the last .2 miles and the chute, it was so loud it was a little disorienting, many people dropped back to a walk up the hill.  I didn't.  I like to finish strong, even if I'm not feeling particularly strong.  I like to look good in those finish line photos!  I definitely was more reserved in the last stretch than I normally am, I usually fun full-out, like I'm being chased by an angry bear, but yesterday, I ran slowly through the chute, and across the finish line.  I flexed for the camera, although apparently they missed getting my photo, and then continued to get my space blanket and medal.  I tried to take a selfie, but my phone was dead.  I couldn't text or call home to tell them I'd finished, since the phone was dead, so I skipped the beer (as always!) and had a bottle of water, another banana, and some pretzels.  Got my drop bag, changed clothes, and walked, slowly, to the el.  Returned to my sister's house to see the family.  Then showered, packed up, and came back to St. Louis.  Another good day, another good run.

As one person's sign said, "There will come a day when I can no longer do this, Today is not that day."
I think that's a good philosophy, and I'll stick with it.