Leading up to the race, I was so nervous. Did I prepare enough? Would I feel good while running? Would it start raining? Would I really be able to run all of it?
The race was held at a local brewery in the small town I used to live in. The weather was not the best. Temps in the low 40sF and cloudy. A bit of rain on the drive up, but thankfully it did not rain the entire time we were there. It would have been nice for the sun to make an appearance, but I was comfortable while running.
The race started at 11:30am. At the start, I felt good. I ran at an easy pace.
There were 4 water/Gatorade/bathroom stations around miles 2, 5, 8 and 10. The course was beautiful- it moved from city roads to country roads, around the lake, to a trail, back into town again.
At mile 2 I grabbed a water. There were some killer hills at this point. I wasn't training for hills, but I ran through them as best as I could- no walking!! At mile 5, the water station was not well managed and there were only two people trying their hardest to pour Gatorade and water as fast as they could. I grabbed a Gatorade and went on my way. I should have grabbed more.
Miles 7 and 8 were the hardest, although it was the prettiest part of the course- on the trail right by the lake. But I got hit hard with dehydration pains. Sharp, stabbing, twisting pain under my right rib. I had to stop. I tried so hard to run through it but I had to stop twice. I wanted to cry, I was so upset. I walked for maybe a minute or two, the pain eased a little and I said to myself- Walking won't get you to the water station any faster!
So I ran as well as I could and once I saw the water station ahead around mile 8 I was relieved! I doubled up on water and Gatorade there- two of each- took a second to drink as much as I could- and went on my way.
I got my second wind then and I felt amazing!! I thought-Wow, there's less than 5 miles left! Around the mile 10 water station, we were back in town. By then, there was only the length of a 5K left and the course was winding around town in a way that brought me to my old apartment building. The last part of the course went down a road where I started running last year. Ah, familiar territory. I was happy. My legs definitely were feeling crampy but I pushed through.
Even though I was a bit slower than I had hoped, I crossed the finish line just under my goal time of 2 hours and 15 min. In this photo, I'm in the purple, behind that lady who was just walking across the track in front of me... excuse me, I'm trying to finish a race here!
(photo credit to Teresa Hafemeister)
I finished 13.1 miles in an official time of 2 hours 14 minutes and 28 seconds. Yes, I had hoped to be faster but I am in no way disappointed. My real goal was to run the whole thing, and I still call that goal met. Even though I walked a very short portion, it wasn't because I was too tired or just couldn't continue on.
Immediately after finishing, my legs were SCREAMING at me! Ouch! I hobbled over to my friends and my husband- who were cheering me on at the finish line!! I sat right down after I got my free lasagna meal and free beer.
.
Yum...
Before I completed this race, I wasn't sure if I would do another half marathon.
Now, I am sure that I will enter this race again next year, and I've been looking around for another to do in the spring :)
I feel so accomplished!
Can you believe that this girl used to hate running and said she couldn't run??
Hah!
