Within these Halls: Marathon Man

2 weeks ago (really??!!?) we flew to DC to watch Jack, Ian and Mac run the in the Marine Corps Marathon.

first weekend away with friends without kids in well over a year and a half. to say that i was excited was an understatement.

Jack ran the marathon for Smile Train and raised over $7,000....i was so proud and he is a wonderful example for our boys. I hope he runs every year in honor of this wonderful foundation and our boys do the same.

we were to fly out on saturday and i prayed and prayed everynight (no lie) that my boys wouldn't get sick. well, they didn't, but i sure as hell woke up saturday morning with a terrible sinus infection/cold. have you ever flown with that?? no fun. PLUS, our flight was cancelled. we spent the better half of saturday in the airport and finally arrived in DC almost 6 hours later than originally planned, but, we were there!

Elizabeth, Libby and myself all wearing Elizabeth and Jaquelyn's line Twine and Twig!

on sunday, the race started at 7:55 and the girls walked right out of the hotel to mile 5. it was awesome.

mac and ian were killing it with a 6:something mile! they are beasts!

then more and more people started coming and there was jack after napoleon!

this outfit was great because i knew once napoleon came through, jack was behind him somewhere.

i got a kiss and a quick "happy anniversary" from him and he was off! (it was our 6 year anniversary that day)

ps- check out the guns! ;))

this was at the bottom of that hill at mile 5 and there was a band, people were fist pumping and cheering, it was so neat to see!

how this guy ran in that and with a flag is beyond me. he did it the whole way. i remember seeing him at the finish the same way. incredible!

we ran to mile 9 and caught ian and mac just in time!

then comes jack!

marines handing out water and cheering

marine band....

it was a very cool marathon to watch. i felt very proud that my husband was a part of something like this. it made you proud to be an American. so many war veterans were running, some like this man below without a leg doing a damn incredible job.

we made our way to the finish line and waited patiently for our husbands. we had an awesome spot about 20 ft from the finish line on the front row.

mac came in first! he ended up being number 700something out of 40,000. beast i tell you!

this kind of camaraderie made you tear up. this man was struggling a bit and the guy just bent down and pushed him the rest of the way.

then came ian not far behind mac!

these guys were amazing

so, elizabeth and libby went to go see ian and mac while i waited for jack. i knew he would be there around the 4:15 time, so i waited, made friends around me, cheered and felt like my eyeballs were at a tennis match looking for jack. i never once looked at my phone, and never took my eyes off the runners. i had been waiting all day for this moment!

i get a text from jack:

ya'll at the finish line?

i say, yes!!! right by it! i am in neon and waiting for you- on your left!"

then he says "i am taking my picture, where are you?

well, i lost it.

bawling.

everyone (my new friends) were like, is he coming soon? i just cried and said i missed him and made my way through the crowd.

i can't tell you how disappointed i was. how could i have missed him? i never took my eyes away from the runners??

i didn't stop crying until i saw him and he was so happy. i was so proud and just let it go.

he did such a great job esp since the kid didn't train.

we tried to get home and thank god found a rickshaw. so, this was our wonderful view on the way back to meet the others for drinks after these guys ran their a$$es off.

we made this guy ride his a$$ off to get us back ;)