Seattle Rock’n’Roll Marathon ~ Post-Race Thoughts and so Much More!

What a weekend! Yesterday was the Seattle Rock'n'Rolle Marathon in Seattle, WA. This race was full of new friends, family, celebrities, and more! Oh BTW-- I'm totally blogging from the Sky on Delta's in-flight wireless! Nice way to fill 5 hours of flight.

(Pic Right: MB and I at the start line)

Warning: This is going to be a long post: Bloggie Buddy meet-up, new SONY gear review, 3rd BQ time this year (and a PR) and Maniac and family meet-ups at the race… AND post-race thoughts! All with fun pictures taken on my new SONY HD Bloggie camera!

 SONY Sponsorship and Gear:

SONY was very very kind and offered to sponsor me for the race if I just used their new runner-friendly gadgets and let YOU know what I thought! Well when I got in my gear was here… The SONY walkman (mp3 player) and the Bloggie HD camera (video and picture). My first thoughts? They seemed very simple to use and very light to carry! How did they hold up in the race?…. Keep reading to find out! (also look to find out-- almost all of the below pictures were taken with my Bloggie HD Camera!)

Race Expo and Seattle Sight-Seeing

The day before the race MB and I did some sight seeing before and after the expo. This is a great city for a race because there is a ton to do and everything is so pretty! We started with the Space Needle-- unfortunately we didn’t think of the weather or fog that may impair our view. It did clear up while we were up there and it was really cool to see all of Seattle! We also went to the famous fish market to see them throw the fishies… MB made me hold one of them. I wasn't a fan of the fish..

The expo was pretty big! And look who me met… Meb! If you’re not familiar Meb is the winner of the NYC marathon and the first American to win in like a billion years! Meb is also sponsored by SONY and had… MY new MP3 player! So that means Meb and I are pretty much the same person-- except of course he can run a sub 5-minute pace and gets paid lots of money after race. I can rub a sub 8-minute pace and pay TO enter races. Oh! And I'm pretty sure my marathon-made linebacker legs are bigger than his! Mmmm… yeah but pretty much the same! In fact… I beat Meb in a race (as you can see by the picture). Note: The MP3 player around Meb's neck.

Aside from Meb, there was a Brooks circus? I think that’s the best way to describe it. The had a 3 ring leader giving out brooks shoes and a few other circus-marathon type gimmicks. We also had all the normal running spots available. Oh and if you signed up for another RnR marathon you got a $10 discount and in some-- a FREE T-shirt! Definitely took advantage of that.

Bloggie Meet-up

The fantastic, wonderful, lovely Mel  (Tall Mom) organized a bloggie meet-up for all of us that were running the race! We finally got to meet up with all the people we "follow," support, and "talk to" every day. There was dinner and talk (mostly marathons… some ’Real Housewives’), and lots of laughs. The dinner was so much fun and it was great getting to meet everybody! Kerrie even made the cutest little name tags with our (real) names, our blog addresses, and blog titles with little Seattle logos... too cool! It was so great putting faces to the names (well web addresses!). Can't wait for another meet-up! (Pic right: Mel and I. I'm on my toes and shes squatting down and I'm still an umpa lumpa!)

Pictured Above: Left--MB, Marlene, and I at the bloggie meet-up! Right-- all the marathon-bloggers!

Race Day….
Pre-Race

Getting to the race was a little crazy, we took a shuttle then had to walk about a mile to the start to meet up with the other 28,000 runners! We started in corrals and the corrals seemed to go for-freaking-ever. MB and I met up with the rest of the bloggie-runners for a pre-race picture! The bloggie-buddies from the night before were there AND a few more! Some of our lovely bloggers are part of Team-in-training and had a dinner the night before, but were able to meet up with us for the pre-race bloggie picture! I also got some great action pics of them in the race (see race section below).

(Pic Above: Left-- Me with the TNT Girls! Michelle's FIRST marathon-- woohoo! Right-- All the bloggie-runner friends pre-race-- including Zoe's Baby, look closely-- it's her 2nd half-marathon and she's still in the womb! Congrats baby on your 2nd half-marathon!)

After I met up with Prez Steve from the marathon maniacs (this is the maniacs home state) and a couple other maniacs in our corral. (Pic below: Maniacs Suzanne, Dave & myself).

GO!
The race was off and I felt good so… I took off! The race had a ton of sites, bands, and cheerleaders to keep us entertained the whole way! There were 3 areas where the course loops back on itself and we were able to see our friend in front and behind us. There were SO many marathon maniacs it was so cool! And some seriously fast ones too! Saw Prez Steve several times on the course. The last 3 miles is a little outbound down hill stretch with a turn-around that brought us up to a longggg downhill ramp down to mile 26. The last .2 finishes right around the Seahawks stadium. Finish… 3:34:09! My 3rd BQ time this year and a PR! Woohoo.

"Stephanie, you have just PR'd and made your 3rd BQ time... what will you do next?" The announcer in my head asks.... In this order: Grab my phone so I can update my facebook status, Go out for some extra miles, and go find all my friends on the course!
After the race I grabbed my cell phone and headed back out to get a few extra miles in. (yeah I know, I know... "you're crazy." Already heard it... from all the runners going in the other direction.) Anyways, going back I was able to see all my friends heading for the finish. First I saw Prez Steve flying in around the mile 26 bend. Then I found Mel and Marlene (pretty in pink) coming up the mile 25 hill. I saw TNT girls Hannah and Michelle (more bloggie friends... TNT so they weren't able to go to the bloggie meet-up). Jill finished her FIRST marathon and looked way too good out there! Then I found MB! I ran a few miles with her and let her go down and back up the end hill on her own, then ran the last mile with her. Yay MB!

 Left: Prez Steve on the Go with Betsy and Suzanne (Maniacs)

Right: Team Pretty in Pink-- Mel and Marlene looking strong around mile 24/25!

  

(Above: Left- Hannah and Michelle coming in strong around mile 22. Right- Jill about to finish her first marathon!

Below: Left- There's MB!!! Found ya. And bad attempt at a mile 26 picture )

Post-Race
After the race we found MB's cousin Jodi who lives in Seattle and her husband Chris that came to cheer us on! Thanks so much for coming guys!!! They will also be making the 3-hour drive down next week for our Portland marathon. :)
The bloggie buddies met at family meet-up area "B" for blogger! Found all the girls and took a finisher picture. I then got my standard post-race cheeseburger and went back to the hotel and into the hot tub!

Below: Left: Chris, Jodi, MB, and I post-race. Right: Me, Marlene, Mel, and Jill-- Marathon finishers!

I took a ton more pictures (and video) but in hopes that I haven't bored you already I'll have to refrain from posting them all. If you want to see the rest check out facebook. For now... I know you all were worried that I wouldn't find Edward no my big trip to Seattle, but have no fear-- look who it is!!! On our walk back from the marathon to the shuttle, I found Edward! What a perfect end to a great marathon and a fantastic weekend :)

*Too much for 1 post-- SONY gear review coming soon!*