I feel so badass right now

I rarely ever type that, but I actually feel that way right now.

6:50 a.m. I get out of bed and walk into the bathroom. I hear the rain hitting the skylight. This does not make me feel good.

7:15 a.m. (Somewhere in between Tacoma and Olympia) I am driving, but I can't see much. It's raining quite hard, and the semis are kicking up some serious water. I keep thinking, "I have to run in this?" and "Why didn't I start an insect collection instead of running this damn marathon?"

8:05 a.m. I've been running for about five minutes. I am soaked to the bone. I'm in Olympia/Tumwater, Wash. I contemplate the possibility that I am not a reasonable person.

Probably 8:50-9 a.m. I am in the zone. I don't slow down at the water stops because I don't want to kill this momentum. I pass a few people who passed me earlier, but I do not feel smug. I know this could quickly fall apart at any minute. My bum knee doesn't hurt, for some reason.

9:30 a.m. I crest a small hill and can see the running store, my starting point and the 10-mile mark. I am relieved. (It's odd running through a town that you're not familiar with because you don't know where you are or how far you've run.)

9:35-10 a.m. I eat half a bagel and half a banana and drink something that I thought was water but isn't. I consult one of the trainers about IT Band stretches and another problem that I've just noticed. My nipples are bleeding. Eek! (Don't act so surprised; I told you guys in the FAQ that this was a distinct possibility.) He tells me not to worry and recommends a few remedies. (See this post's photo.)

10:05-10:40 a.m. I drive home satified that I completed a 10-mile run without walking and without dying.