A lot of people think running marathons is absolutely crazy and some days I agree.
Other days, it keeps me sane. My husband and I normally run one or two marathons a
year. I may run or I may walk, but there is something about completing a 26.2
mile course that makes me think I can do anything.

However, my dedication to running this past year has been almost nonexistent. I was
sidelined with some health issues for a while and had difficulty regaining my motivation to restart my training.

Nevertheless, when my husband suggested we should run the Seattle Rock and Roll
Marathon in June, I decided to give it a shot. Seattle would be
marathon number 16 for me and the first for Washington State. I was hoping
registering to run 26.2 miles would motivate me and maybe it did, just a bit. We
registered for the marathon, made flight arrangements and reserved our hotel. The big “C”, (commitment) did get me out of bed on weekends. I managed to get in some runs with
my running group and even a few runs on the treadmill.

Finally marathon weekend arrived and we headed to the airport for our evening flight.  The marathon was scheduled for Saturday, but we were hoping to maximize our relaxation time and minimize any last minute stress by leaving on Thursday.

Our trip started out a little rocky.  When we pulled up to our regular car park, we were stopped at the gate by a very nice young man.  “Reservation?” he asked.  Of course we didn’t make a reservation.  In response to our “No”, he replied, “Sorry, we are completely full.”  Well, a bump in the road, but nothing major, right?  We headed for the airport in search of terminal parking.  Still on schedule, we arrived at the airport and discovered that due to construction, all parking was full except the overflow parking lot.  Off we went to find a space in overflow parking which was out in the middle of nowhere.   Fortunately, we were able to find (uncovered) parking quickly,  catch a bus back to the terminal,  and finally make it through security.

Knowing we would arrive late in Seattle, we grabbed some food and made it to our gate with a little time to spare. Hoping the rest of the trip would be uneventful, we boarded on time and with the exception of the crazy lady on the plane (but that’s another story!  Planes, misgivings and singing), we had a pleasant trip.

When we landed we exited the plane, made our way through the chaos of airport security and retrieved our luggage.  Discovering our hotel didn’t provide a shuttle, we opted to rent a car.  Dragging our bags behind us, we followed the rental car signs to reach the rental counter and negotiated a vehicle.  Finally, worn out, we headed to our hotel.

Checking into our hotel turned out to be the best part of the day.  It was late when we arrived, but the night manager was awesome.  He was already working with a guest, so there was a small wait to check in.  It was almost midnight, but the manager was upbeat, smiling and apologetic, even though the wait was only a few extra minutes.  We even scored free parking!

The hotel was a suite with two bedrooms, a kitchenette and a separate living room area.  Much more space than we needed, but staying there for four days was wonderful.   The Space Needle was one block from our hotel and could be seen from the window.  Everything we needed was within walking distance.

After a great night’s sleep, Friday morning, we headed to the Seattle Health & Fitness Expo.  The expo was a huge market where exhibitors offer free samples, showcase the latest in running gear, sports apparel, health & nutritional information and more.  We walked a block to the Seattle Center Monorail station and rode the monorail to Westlake Center where we caught a bus to Century Field Event Center for packet pickup. (shirts, race bibs, timing chip, etc.).

We spent several hours wandering around the expo before leaving a few dollars lighter, juggling our packets and multiple purchases.  Weary and hungry we went in search of lunch before heading back to the hotel to relax and prepare for our early morning event on Saturday.  More on the Seattle trip next post……..