I wanted to take a moment on the blog today to congratulate my incredible husband, and his best friend, on being finishers in the LA Marathon last Sunday!
To anyone not familiar, a marathon is a whopping 26.2 miles, but it’s not really the race itself that’s the tough part (in fact, I personally think it’s the most fun part!), it’s the training. Al and Vince trained for this race for months beforehand. Waking up early before the nine-hour workday to log 8 and 9 mile runs, giving up their weekends for 20 miles instead, and passing up a lot of nights out because they knew they had to run the next morning. It’s a huge sacrifice, but the end result is so worth it. And hey, you don’t ever have to run again afterwards if you don’t want to. 😉
I’m especially proud of Al through his training because he’s not really a runner by nature. But by the end of it all, you wouldn’t know that. He followed a pretty hefty training program — running five days a week — and I can’t really ever recall him complaining about it. He just got up and did it. And when he would return home, I was always excited to hear how his pace quickened from the week prior. I admire his drive to conquer the biggest obstacles more than anything else about him — he’s always planning for his next big adventure. And now that this one is checked off the bucket list, I’m excited to hear what his next plan of attack is!
Race Day itself was fantastic. I was lucky enough to have quite the cheering section alongside me! We made some secret signs the night before, and surprised Al and Vince at a couple different mile markers along the way! For anyone looking to be a cheering squad at next year’s race, I totally recommend downloading the Race Day App. It was really cool, and easy to follow along. It provides tracking for your runner, a map of the course with GPS of where you are and where your runner is (super cool, right?), and lots of other neat tips and tricks on there about aid stations, sights to see, etc. It made the Race Day itself super easy.
My neighbor, Laur, and I took the boys to the starting line at Dodger Stadium. We left our place at 5:30am and made it to the stadium by 6:20, with a 6:55 start time. From there, we met the boys at Miles 6, 13, 20, 24, and the finish line! Surprisingly, traffic during the race was a breeze, and parking wasn’t much of a struggle until the finish line! Our friends, Rachael and Virgil, tagged along at Mile 13, along with my other friend, Lauren, who had been in town for the weekend for a Bachelorette! It was funny because Lauren and Virgil had been alongside Alex three years ago when Rach and I ran the LA Marathon!
Again, if you’re looking to support a loved one in the LA Marathon next year, don’t count on just seeing them at the finish line. They actually close off the entire last mile for the “Grand Stands” where you have to buy a seat in order to see the finish. Instead, catch them at Mile 20 or after, and then again at the “family & friends reunion area” after the finish line. They’ll be happy to see you there. 😉
After the race, we took the boys home and let them nap, before breaking out the grill and cooking up lots of BBQ — burgers, hot dogs, and sausages! There was beer, of course, and friends who couldn’t make it to the race, and we sat around for a few hours recounting the race and all of the hard work that the boys put in leading up to the day. My heart was swelling with pride for my husband; he is something else. 🙂
i love you, Al! Everyday, you amaze me.
– your loving wife.
xo
LAUREN LIVES 
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