Observation 2: Every time I run a race, it's COLD! And windy! I didn't take the earmuffs and mittens this time, but I could have used the mittens! I was thankful for every layer I had.
Observation 3: Atlanta is hilly. No, I really do mean HILLY! There are hardly any flat spots. It's just up and down and up and down for 26.2 miles. And Druid Hills (miles 17-20) is named Druid HILLS for a reason. It's just one killer hill after another. Oh, and the course elevation map, which I had obsessed over to the point of memorization, was not helpful. I can't tell you how many times I was expecting a downhill and got a uphill, or sometimes the other way around, or thought a hill would be bad and it wasn't, or got a bad hill when I wasn't expecting it.
Observation 4: Downhill is not easier after your knees have taken a pounding for 15+ miles. One knee started hurting to the extent that I was dreading the downs and looking forward to the ups. I was doing all sorts of crazy gaits trying to find something that didn't hurt as bad. At which point, I called Ed and asked him to pray for my knee. And very soon thereafter, my knee hurt less and less, and I enjoyed my downhills for the last 7 miles or so. :)
Observation 5: Caffeinated energy gels rock! Oh my gosh! Nuff said.
Observation 6: Through my training, I've realized how many things you have to do to have a good long run - you have to have the right clothes, socks, and shoes on, protect the problem spots on your feet from blisters, make sure your laces are not too tight or too loose, body glide (lube) any potential chafing spots, adequately carb load in the days before but don't gain too much weight, get in a few quick carbs, lytes, and water before the race, but not so much that you have to use the portapotties early in the race before the halfmarathoners split off, drink the right amount of gatorade/water on the course, and eat enough gels during it. That, and don't pound the heck out of your knees on the downhills in the first half. ;)
Anyway, it was good! The course takes you through many of Atlanta's signature spots - MLK's house, Piedmont Park, a lot of the Atlanta neighborhoods - Inman Park, Candler Park, Poncey Highlands, Decatur, Little Five Points, Virginia Highlands, and through 4 college campuses - Georgia State, Agnes Scott, Emory, and Georgia Tech. They all come out to cheer - in fact, there are cheering spectators along most of the course - and the neighborrhoods get together and have a band, dress up in costumes, make fun signs - all very encouraging. Most awesome for me was running by Decatur United Methodist Church, who had a worship band out on the sidewalk, playing contemporary worship music. As I was running by, they were playing Blessed Be the Name of the Lord - a song I have always loved, but became my theme song for the race. I sang it (in my head) for most of the rest of the race! Especially when I started hurting!
I really liked some of the cute t-shirts - "I know I run like a girl - try to keep up", "It seemed like a good idea 3 months ago", "Toe nails are for sissies"- especially funny to me because I've lost both big toe nails during training. ;)
Anyway, I finally hit a wall at 25 miles, and that last mile HURT!! Back to pictures now - hurting...
The finish line is about 100 yds after the final turn, and has a merciful slight downhill leading to it. Ed says that when I saw the finish line, I gave a yelp and started sprinting. :) 
The horse smells the barn! Mmmmm!
I was so ecstatic I didn't even hear them announce my name when I crossed the finish line!
Very happy, with my blanket and finisher's medal! And looking forward to the warm dry clothes in the bag Ed has been toting around all morning. Yay!!!!!!!!!
The last part was a "Bedouin camp", where other fun awaited - camel rides - notice the Arab head cover Ed bought. :)
A picture at sunset over the desert
Henna hand designs - mine lasted about a week
And shisha, also known as a hookah, or "what the Caterpillar was smoking in Alice in Wonderland"- only this was just flavored tobacco :)
The evening ended with a scrumptious buffet dinner and belly dance show, which turned out to be audience participation. She had gotten everyone up on stage to dance by the end - Ed's picture of me turned out better than mine of him. Unfortunately you can't see the belly dancer in this one. 
Little dhow ferries taxi people back and forth across the creek - they cost 1 durham (37 cents), and are pretty quick, ferrying everyone from day laborers to tourists.
Oh, and Dubai Mall also hosts a large aquarium and full size hockey rink - it looked like a Canadian team had been invited to play.
Malls actually serve a unique function in Emirati life - they are the place to see and be seen. In what is still a somewhat conservative Muslim culture, it gives a culturally acceptable social out. There are plenty of Emirati women running around the malls in burkha (along with plenty of foreigners without), and though I never saw, I am told that the high fashion and bling under the burkhas are quite fabulous. If what's in the shop windows is any indicator, someone is buying some very fancy stuff!!
...and by night, when it is splendidly lit up. Most of Dubai is beautifully lit up at night, and looks almost magical.
Hotels also play an important role in social life in Dubai -- establishments can only sell alcohol if they're part of a hotel, so all THE restarants and bars are in or attached to hotels. Though this wasn't a major part of our trip, we decided we wanted to try to see the Palm Jumeirah from above, so we went to Bar 44, on (you guessed it) the 44th floor of the Grosvenor. It was too hazy to see a lot, but fun. As Marcia says, "I couldn't afford the wine, so I got a mixed drink." After the sticker shock of the wine menu, we decided it was a special enough occasion for one mixed drink and one beer. :)
And, as here, there is a lot of office space for rental..... signs of the times
Still, I think Dubai has the infrastructure to survive, and I hope it does well - it's a very unique place. The main drag through town is Sheikh Zayed Road - almost everything is along it - and it connects Dubai to Abu Dhabi. We spent a lot of time here!
And driving in Dubai frequently looks like walls of skyscrapers. One little section would be a respectable downtown in almost any American city, but these stretch on for miles!! I think every other city I see will look dinky in comparison.
And to close, our brief foray onto the Palm Jumeirah, the man-made palm-shaped island. This isn't my picture (duh), but it helps you place the following three pictures.
On the trunk, both sides of the street are lined with rows and rows of high rise condos.
Each frond is its own gated community, named A-Q, with uber luxury waterfront homes - here's a peak at one.
And the ring surrounding the Palm is supposed to be occupied by hotels, though currently there are only a few. Here is the mighty Atlantis, with its signature key hole.
Dubai is such an interesting, unique place - we'll just have to go back sometime and see how it has changed!!
Here we are over southern Iraq, where the Tigris and Euphrates reach the Persian Gulf.
Our visit was a wonderful mix of spending time with Marcia and the family, doing some sightseeing with her, and doing some on our own. I've broken up the blog entries into time with Marcia and time on our own - this is the time with the Murray family section. :)
We went to a breakfast at the Center for Cultural Understanding, a traditional Emirati breakfast served in traditional style, and while eating you're allowed to ask your hostess any question you want about Dubai, the Emirates, Islam, etc.
Ed and I greatly enjoyed our breakfast, particularly the fried dough in sugar syrup!! Oh, and the fresh dates were absolutely divine!
The Center for Cultural Understanding also serves as grounds for a mosque that foreigners are allowed to enter and take pictures in. The architecture and designs are spectacularly beautiful. 
We thought Dubai did such a great job of fostering an environment where East andd West can meet in a comfortable way. Foreigners of all stripes outnumber Emiratis 10 to 1, so on one hand it's necessary to encourage a tolerant atmosphere (since they brought them here to build their city). It was great to be in such a diverse place, and to converse with Iranians, Iraqis, Egyptians, Moroccans, Jordanians, as well as Indians, Africans, Chinese, etc., as you visit various places, take taxis, eat out, shop, etc.
Here's Simeon playing with the sand and water in his little chair - I love the bright colors!
Ed helping with Esper's construction project
Marcia with Simeon and Esper in front of the waves
And William, Esper, and one of their friends wanted to be buried in the sand, so Marcia and I buried them - we thought they looked rather like a three-headed turtle!
Eating at a Lebanese fast food place by the beach - isn't Simeon the cutest little boy?
Ed playing Uno with Stuart, William, and Esper in the living room one night
Ed got in a lot of play time around the house and in the yard with William and Esper - they are both so smart, communicative and creative, and tons of fun! 
Ed and I at Peanut Butter Jam, on our M&M bean bags :)
William and Brielynn, and young woman from Marcia's hometown who just graduated from college and came out for the year to live with them and help with the kids - she's a lot of fun!
Marcia with Esper and Simeon
On our last day, we all went to Safa Park, Dubai's version of Central Park. They have a wonderful swing/zipline. Here's Ed giving William and Esper a push along the zipline.
And now William and Esper pushing me along the zipline
And Stuart giving Marcia and Simeon a swing
And now Ed gets a push from William!
All over the park were hoopoes, a bird I knew from Cameroon to be one that migrated north - and so much fun to see them again!
Enjoying a relaxing afternoon in the shade of the trees of Safa Park