Memphis Marathon

First of all, Thursday night we went to the Christmas Parade with Mimi and Grandaa. It was cold, but the kids really enjoyed it.
All snuggled up...
Friday morning we headed to Memphis for the marathon. We got there around 1:00 and checked-in and ate lunch with Tim and Laura. Then everyone else arrived. The guys went to get their race packets and the girls went to Target, of course. We were looking for some extra warm clothes and Alyson found this hat. She can actually pull that off!

We all went to Carrabbas to eat a good carb-filled meal...which was delicious! After we got back my sister and Richard had arrived and we all went into Tim and Laura's room for a devotional and prayer. Here is a picture of the guys pre-race...

Then the group picture...Ashley and Paul were taking the pictures. They came to support the guys and we are glad they did! Mimi, Grandaa, and Amy had Cana at Target so they aren't pictured as well.

And they're off! This was around the very first corner right after the Start line. Chad is wearing a white shirt and navy blue Auburn toboggan.

Richie rounding Mile 13...

Chris at Mile 13...

Tim and Chad at Mile 13...halfway through! Still feeling good!

Alyson and me at Mile 14...I am wearing the warmest coat I have...my Sunday coat...which made me look like I was dressed and ready for church all day!

Mile 14...playing around...finally beginning to get a little warmer...

The other miles were so wide-spread that we weren't able to see them at those mile markers. So we went to eat and then waited around Mile 26 for a while. This was the best place I think to stand to encourage. A lot of the runners were struggling, tired, hurt and we got to encourage them with "It's just around the corner!" We even saw a blind man who ran the marathon tethered to a pace-setter. It was really emotional at that corner. We had basically decided to stay there and not the finish...thinking they may need the encouragement. Paul and Ashley went inside the stadium where the finish line was and told us that the guys would be able to see us and hear us if we went inside to watch. So we booked it about a 10-15 min. walk to the stadium. We got in there and noticed that there was only one row of people standing right by the finish line. So we walked down there and the people in front of us had there participant go through and we were able to take their front row place. We went crazy when we saw them come through the opening into the stadium...

My camera was malfunctioning because I think I was trying to make it do two things way too fast...take a picture and then video the finish. Well, it didn't turn out so well...so I hope someone else will share their good pictures with me...because I don't really have any.

After the race...still smiling...

Sharing war wounds...

Chad and Richie...

Just to show that they did run ALL OVER Memphis...follow the red lines...if you can see them...I know, bad picture...

With all of this excitement, it makes me want to do a marathon. However, I did see a lot of the runners after they finished and some of them didn't look so well. A lot were walking about like casualties of war. So, I think I better settle for trying a half-marathon first. 13 miles sounds a little better than 26 right now!

Here is the only "snippet" of video I got of Chad running across the finish...