Sooooo about the half marathon.
The one I ran 3 weeks ago.
I'm just now getting around to posting about it, but bear with me.
Race started at 7, so we all peeled out of bed around 4:30/5 to bundle up and head out.
I had laid out all my luckiest/most comfortable running gear the night before (even if Jason and I had to do a midnight search for a missing sock), so things went smoothly. I ate a handful of gummy bears and an apple, sipped some water and coffee, pinned on my bibs, laced up my shoes, and we headed to the Infantry Museum.
The traffic was crazy because there is not enough parking available at the museum for 1000+ runners and their families. I thought we were doing great on time till we sat in traffic. I played my usual running tunes on the Pandora app to get me going.
As the clock kept dangerously ticking, I ended up just having to jump out of the car and jog over to the start line. It was freezing. I knew a jacket would be too hot mid-race, so I just went out in my short sleeves. While I was making small talk with other runners heading the same way, complaining about the chill on my arms, a runner came up behind me and offered her extra disposable arm warmers (tube socks with the toes cut off). I could tell it was going to be a good day.
I started through the crowd, trying to get closer to a pace group more my speed (definitely not one of the 6-minute-milers!). I made it to the 9:10 pacer and settled in for the National Anthem. My jumble of nerves was non-existent at this point. I just wanted to go and get warm!
We were off! I still had no sight of Jason and the kids. As we approached the end of the first mile I started to feel really disappointed. I needed to see them. I was afraid of how the run would feel if I didn't get that little motivational bump.
Then I saw them!
I was feeling good. I was staying with the 9:10 pacer. We went through the gate, people were cheering us on, then I heard the pacer start warning us of the hill ahead of us. I've driven over that hill a million times. It's steeeeep. Real steep. My stomach knotted.
They had drill sergeants lined up the hill, hollering at us like privates to keep pushing, go faster! It was the best thing ever!
When the hill was over I was all warmed up. The first water/aid station met us. I was good. No need. I kept going. We went through post, familiar areas I've run before, some I haven't. There was lots of chatting. Lots of stories from other runners. I wasn't cold, but I wasn't hot either. In the residential area some people had their vehicles playing music for us with their doors open.
We came back down the other side of that crazy hill, cruising into the halfway point (55 minutes in) and I knew we were heading off post toward the river walk. I knew I needed to refuel before the one hour mark, so the next aid station I stopped. I ate my little pack of fruit snacks, threw back some water and hit the pavement.
It was about this time that I met Susan. I kept up with her for about a half mile, started to go around her and she started keeping up with me. Finally she said, "This seems like a looong stretch", I said, "Doesn't it??" and we hit it off from there. We chatted about how long we've been running, our families, our goals. Right after that I caught Jason and the kids on the sidelines again.
The next few miles flew. We chatted and encouraged each other along, keeping pace once the full marathoners split to their path and we turned back along for the half. Once we hit the 10 mile mark, I started feeling it. The sun heated up the unshaded road, I was out of breath, my mouth felt dry. I wondered if I should have chased my fruit snacks with a powerade instead of water. I could feel my glycogen levels depleting. I worried that I hadn't trained on enough hills, ran enough mid-week miles, if I'd gone out too fast and too hard the first half of the race.
With my new friend staying with me, we sped up. I announced, "Only a 5k left! We can do a 5k!" and pushed even harder through the pain. Those last 3 miles were the absolute hardest. I searched through the trees for the avenue of flags, listened for the cheers of the finish line. It felt forever away.
I watched some runners stop to walk and tried to talk myself into doing the same. I could walk a little and regain some get-up-and-go for the finish. But Susan encouraged me to keep going and the voice in my head told me that if I walked even for a minute I would be failing. I didn't want to be a walker, I wanted to run this thing. The whole way through.
I kept pushing.
The last mile and a half we came up on a female runner who had been staying steady in front of us, but was now slowing down. We came up on either side of her, ready to pass her, but she kept up with us instead. We all started chatting in between heavy breathing (and me whining) and stuck together. She said, "I was really struggling these last few miles and ya'll came up like angels beside me to keep me going!"
She told us about her deployed husband doing a shadow half marathon overseas the day before, which was the reason she decided last minute to run this one. She had just done a 10 mile run the day before! Susan had done the Savannah Half-Marathon the week before the race too! These women were rockstars!!
I picked up my pace the last half-mile. There was another surprise hill (a light incline according to the race map--ha!). We peeled in toward the museum. I could see the flags. I was almost there.
I like to finish every run strong. A sprint. I prepared myself to sprint the last 100 meters through the flags.
I went lightheaded. My legs wouldn't go any faster. They felt like lead.
There was no sprinting happening.
I was starting to worry that I might not even make it those last few meters.
I made ugly faces.
My running slowed.
The finish line seemed lightyears away.
I told myself I couldn't walk, but if I could just make it over the finish I could collapse.
I made it! My official (chip) time was 1:56:51.
I made my goal of under 2 hours!!
A volunteer draped my finishers medal around my neck.
I made eye contact with another volunteer as I was heading down. Time to collapse.
She carried me over to the aid station to guzzle a powerade and keep me moving.
Eventually I stopped feeling so much like death. I ate a banana and found Jason, the kids, and my friends Julie and Tiffany who came to see me finish.
My legs were so sore. I hobbled around for the rest of the day. Errr, weekend.
Finished!!
Jason brought (at my request) a salted caramel mocha frappe for my post-race reward.
It was the best tasting beverage I've ever choked down.
I wanted to go home.
I'd like to say I basked in my post-race glow, but I didn't.
I took an ice bath, a nap, and ate a chicken sandwich.
My energy was zapped after that.
In the weeks since, I've been a little lost. Without a training plan to adhere to and a goal set, I don't know what to do with myself.
I definitely anticipate more races in my future, maybe even a full marathon at some point. 26 miles before I turn 26?
I've still been running, but not as much. It's hard to make myself fit in all the miles without a plan to keep me honest, or a race to work toward.
But it's been a nice break, on my knees, my muscles, my sanity. Training is awesome, but it's also a time-suck. I've had time to spend with family and friends and generous breaks. I've been able to take some spin classes and branch out my work outs.
It was a wonderful first race. I had so many expectations about meeting new friends, meeting my time goals, and just getting through the thing and it did not disappoint. I look forward to taping another training plan to the fridge and doing it all over again.
