hop in my step

This is so unlike me — in fact, I even made fun of Chad for buying the marathon photos from his first marathon — but here we are. I purchased the photos. I am usually a frugal person, but I told myself this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I will never do it again. “Buy souvenir photos or run a marathon?” You ask. Either. But I’m glad I did both. 

  

Here we are, before the race, happy as can be.  

 

 I like this girl next to me with the thumbs up. This is clearly near the beginning of the race.  No one’s thumbs were up after mile 16.

Here’s the guy in the orange shirt we were keeping pace with. He knew it, too. We were constantly talking about it. I don’t know if he was flattered or creeped out, but he was pleasant all the same. 

This one was also from before the race. The photographer thought Chad was some random photo bomber so she took the top picture once she found out he really was with us.

 

I like this picture because I look like a serious runner. You can’t hear me singing along to Meghan Trainor, so that helps me keep up my image. 

 

The fact that everyone in this picture is clearly running is proof we were nearing the finish line.  

And here is where Chad and I locked hands, proud of finishing together. 

You can see from the hop in my step that I had energy left. Like I just ran a marathon for the hell of it. Like this was nothing to a bad ass like me. 

I assure you, it wasn’t nothing.