We did it. We finished. For more than 18 weeks, we worked through our blood, sweat and tears (literally) and made our way from a measly five miles to a mammoth 26.2, and, for the most part, we kept the whining to a minimum. Leading up to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon on June 5, we eased up on the intense training and loaded up on the carbohydrates. We relaxed our minds and bodies and attempted to enter a “Zen” frame of mind before setting foot on the course. I had a decently good race. Despite “hitting the wall” around mile 18 and experiencing ups and downs — getting spurts of energy and then crashing — for the remaining eight miles, I still managed to set a personal record, finishing in four hours and four minutes (eight minutes faster than my previous fastest time). Post-torture, we have been advised by Blake Miller, coach of the Team VAVi Running Club, not to completely forget we just ran a marathon. What we do post-race, he said, “is important to our overall fitness.” Our plan should include a “reverse taper” (taking a few days off and then building back up to speed starting with slow, easy runs) as well as “active recovery” (doing something other than running), massages, stretching and adjustments to our diets. Most importantly, however, we will celebrate our achievements with a much-deserved, end-of-season party. So should you happen across a group of people out at the Sandbar in Mission Bay on Friday night looking sore but happy, you’ll know why. FOLLOWING THEIR PROGRESS The La Jolla Village News checked in with our La Jollan running ladies to see how they finished out their training: “It was awesome! I can see where there would be a huge reward to chasing down your time as a challenge, but what I experienced at the back of the pack was really unbelievable. I met some fantastic runners and heard some really heartwarming stories and got to understand the camaraderie that happens when working toward such a challenging goal. The encouragement the crowds offered was over the top, but I also witnessed some incredible acts of support from the runners for each other. There was really a sense of teamwork to make sure we all crossed the finish line. You’ll definitely see me out there again! (Betsy finished in six hours and 28 minutes.) — Betsy Franklin Age: 56 Occupation: Business process and customer management specialist “I just didn’t get enough walking/running time in and hadn’t done more than eight miles, so I am looking into another event I can train for at the end of the summer!” (Due in part to a previous injury, Mulvihill decided against attempting the half marathon.) — Shannon Mulvihill Age: 50 Occupation: Computer consultant “I really would have liked to (and was still considering it the day before) but my doctor recommended I not run for two weeks. Really sad for me, since the Rock ‘n’ Roll was my first big race and I have run it every year since. But I’m glad I made a smart decision instead of getting caught up in the excitement. Can’t wait to run again in a few days!” (Kochman didn’t end up running because a small surgical procedure about a week before.) — Danielle Kochman Age: 28 Occupation: Transit planner “I was very happy with my marathon. I was nervous going into the race, but I was able to start out at a nice pace and then speed up at the end. My overall time was 4 hours and 51 minutes. I was hoping for 4.5 hours, but I am very happy that I was able to finish strong. I got a rush of adrenaline around mile 21 and used that to propel myself to the finish line. It felt great to cross the finish line! I thought that the race itself was fun! I think I got the marathon bug because I’m already trying to figure out when my next race will be.” — Celeste Phillips Age: 23 Occupation: Real estate assistant