More/Fitness Marathon

Let's get this straight: I'm possibly the laziest person alive. I'm that person everybody hates because they complain about having to move their hand about 6 inches to grab the remote to change the channel. I admit this not with pride but with resignation.

For example, my school is having a field day. It's mostly for fun so the activities were kind of silly (3 legged race, etc), but most of them did involve moving. I signed up for "balloon shaving" and "banner making." The fact that I make a mean banner is completely irrelevant right now (my block letters are impeccable). More on that later. 

When my friend Marissa asked me to do this half marathon with her for her birthday I said yes mostly because I heard "trip to NYC" before i registered the "marathon" part. But I'm really glad I did.

Not only was the marathon itself a freakin HUGE adrenaline rush (cheering people everywhere, thousands of women in front and behind of me, a physical goal) but I felt this huge sense of accomplishment afterwards. I actually MOVED for 13 miles (in 90 degree heat BY THE WAY)!  And I got a shiny metal at the end! I even tricked people by sprinting the last quarter mile where all the people were lined up, so they thought I had run the whole thing and were totally impressed. Of course there was a 75 year old woman in front of me whole still out ran me. But I'm attempting to move past that. 

The marathon was just for women, and the girl power in the air was palpable. I actually think I may do this thing again. I can't really describe it, but as I watched over 10,000 women just storming through Central Park, I felt  like we were really powerful. Maybe it was just a race this time, but seeing that seemed liked foreshadowing in a way, like of the things we can all do when we come together.

I may seem like a corny sap, but my question is this: have any of you ever been in a half/full marathon or race? I wanna hear race stories! The more girl power the better!