This past weekend, I finally got to visit Ohio for Homecoming and the Columbus Marathon! The sad thing about graduating and growing older is that most friends eventually move away, and it gets increasingly difficult for everyone to visit at the same time. But I still had a full schedule of catching up with dear friends, which was just what I needed. I only wish I’d taken more pictures!

It was so great seeing old friends, some of whom I’d been friends with since the fourth grade and others I hadn’t seen in two years!

I decided not to attend the Homecoming game against Iowa (the Buckeyes’ 19th game undefeated!) to save myself from having to stand for long periods of time before the marathon. Instead, I watched with friends at campus bars.I also ate at as many of my favorite Columbus-area restaurants as humanly possible. To decide on where to go, I might’ve referred to a comprehensive list I made while still in Georgia of all the foods I missed…

The winners included Max & Erma’s, Tim Horton’s, Knead, Northstar, Jeni’s, Jimmy John’s, La Chatelaine, Tai’s, Cap City, and Cane’s. I know all of my Columbus friends are drooling right now.

While staying at my friends’ house, I met this precious kitty, Scarlett. We formed an unexpected bond, confirmed on the night when she slept in the crook of my elbow.

I did get a chance to stop at Whole Foods, where I tried a Tofutti Cutie and crossed off #73 on my 101 in 1001! The store didn’t have vanilla, so I had to resort to chocolate, which is probably my least favorite ice cream flavor. Still, I thought it generally tasted like a regular ice cream sandwich, and my friends agreed.

My sorority house had been completely renovated and redecorated since last year, so it was especially exciting to visit. I also got to see our house mom and chef, two of the nicest people ever!

The Columbus Marathon had a fantastic expo set up at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. And even though my running friends and I couldn’t drink during Homecoming weekend, we did the next best thing–carboload!

And then, ready or not, race day was upon us! Here are some of us Delta Zetas (including Sally and Mel) freezing at 6:30 in the morning, waiting in our start corral! Honestly, even though I’d registered for this marathon (my first) months ago, I’d been stressed out and barely trained at all. Most marathoners probably log 300 training miles before a race, and I’d logged about 40. So I wasn’t sure I’d even make it past the half-marathon mark…

But I did it! I don’t know if it was good genes, the support of my fellow runners, or God just giving me a break, but I finished all 26.2 miles! It was so ridiculous, I could hardly believe it myself. Around mile 20, my hip joints were dying, but other than that, the distance wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Seriously, though, one of my biggest motivations to keep going was knowing that if I didn’t finish, I’d have to do it ALL OVER AGAIN in order to cross off #90 on my 101 in 1001. That thought really pushed me to continue, even when I felt like my hips were on the verge of breaking. Anyway, now that I know I can do it, I might try another in the future, though I’d probably go ahead and train for that one…