13.1 That's Right....13.1
Half Marathon Runner
So I obviously missed putting a lot of good thought down on paper here....I decided a couple of weeks ago I just really really wanted to do the 1/2 that I had previously decided that I didn't want to do....I know I have serious problems with indecision and changing my mind! And I have this amazing coach that is just the best with making me feel like that is ok....but I know I would be frustrated with myself...so I can only imagine the spot she is in! :) I'm going to put my race experience down before things start to fade and then I'm going to try to do some back tracking to get some of those other feelings down that I've been feeling the last couple of weeks so that I can learn and become better from those thoughts...emotions...and experiences leading up to the biggest race that I've done thus far! But for now I'd better get this out before I forget....So yesterday was the big day....Absolutely no sleep the night before.... Did you know how long the night really is when you lay there awake! Wow it was a really really long long night! I finally gave up at 4:20 am and just turned the alarm off....I downed my cereal wanting to get that in as early as I could...and then cliff bar.....During this time my husband thought that he would capitalize on some good study time....sat there in total amazement and a look of slight discomfort just watching me eat....I couldn't tell you how many times he stated...Seriously how can you eat at this time....To which I replied....it's what I've got to do.... I really felt like I was on auto pilot and I was just going through checking off one thing at a time, while all the time my stomach was twisting itself into tighter and tighter knots! Before I knew it my friends who so incredibly kindly offered to let me ride down to the race with them arrived.....The closer we got the event the more twisted my stomach became...at one point I thought oh boy this is not good I really don't need to be sick before the race! When we parked Jen turned around and looked at me and said "You know what Laura? I really can't imagine how you're feeling....but I know you can do this! You know you can do this! And this is just a Sunday run....well one with alot of people.....but you just go out there and have fun!" Oh my god thank-you Jenny! I felt great the stomach started to unravel itself and I was able to make a quick run to the potty, get my gel in and move to the starting line.....I stood there surrounded my literally thousands of people. Surprisingly it wasn't that loud....We listened to instructions that we had heard before...listened to the National Anthem...by here's some major props....one of the runners running the marathon! And then the gun! We stood still and then after a minute we started to walk...and then after another minute some started to jog, well sort of, kinda looked like they were going in place...and then maybe about 5 minutes after the gun I crossed the start mats....Once we got across we did actually start moving along not that quick but that was good that's what I wanted....a nice easy warm up....
Mile 1 9:58 The first 1/2-3/4 of a mile went good...felt like I was moving right along with everyone...and then I started to feel like alot of people were leaving me...I kept checking my pace...and started my little internal fight about keeping the pace that I wanted and not the pace the was going past me! I fought with myself for the next 1.5 miles...and then I won! I found a girl just ahead of me and decided that she was about my pace and I would keep the distance that we had...or get to her and I would not go past her!
Mile 2 9:53
Mile 3 9:44 I had the thought of hmmmm....10 more miles.....Somewhere around here I saw a man's shirt that said....lived-50 years. married-25 years. states traveled to- 50 marathons run-49 regrets-0 Don't know why it stuck with me...but it made me smile
Mile 4 10:22 I was feeling good....first and really only hill of the day was taken in stride....
Mile 5 9:43 I took my first gel of the run....it went down really good...followed it with a little water and we kept going.....
Mile 5.5 saw the winner of the 1/2 heading back to claim his spot....
Mile 6 10:05 I decided that the long sleeve shirt had to go....I debated back and forth about taking the number off and transferring it or just leaving it on...which is what I did for the time being...Right around this time I started running side by side with the girl that I had been hanging onto since mile 1.5
Mile 7 9:56 Just kept going...
Mile 8 10:02 Keep on going....
Mile 9 9:51 Gel #2 I started to feel just a little hungry here...not bad just twinges.....
Mile 10 10:08 Things slowed down a little....I decided while I was going slower that I would switch my race number to my current shirt...so the unpinning and re pinning started....running safety pins...and my belly....I'm sure that I was told as a child or should have been told not to do this!
Mile 11 10:04 Really really hungry now....Starting to notice that my shoulders and upper back were getting a little tense and sore....Then I started thinking about my feet...and they were sore....
Mile 12 10:02 I continued to think about how things were feeling....then I started to think about how could we just be done with this already! Then I remembered my quote that I had found and decided it would be my quote for this race just the night before.... "No road is too long for him who advances slowly and does not hurry, and no attainment is beyond his reach who equips himself with patience to achieve it." - Jean de La Bruyère I wasn't thinking about the road being long....but that I needed to have the patience to achieve it....I wanted to do this...I get to do this...I saw a few signs at this point that people had taped to their backyard fences "Yes you can!" It was really nice to have the support! Really nice!
Mile 13 9:56 We were running around parking lots at this point through the campus....My one big complaint of the race....don't lead me up to where I know I'm going to finish and then turn me around and make me run in circles! UGH....I started to feel like man I'm just going to run around and around and around here!
the last .1 We rounded another sidewalk of a parking lot and I had to stop.....a little boy was leading his Dad on a chase through my path....it reminded me of my little ones at home and made me smile! Then up my little hill into the Glass Bowl! There was a little stretch in the bowl we ran through to cross our finish line...FINISH LINE! It was great....but I was in my own little world...I do wish J and the kids had have been there....but it was so good to hear them on the phone when I called....J told me Isobel had something that she wanted to say to me...."I got to talk to my Mummy!.....RUN RUN RUN MUMMY!!!!! GO GO!!!! I LOVE YOU! COGRATOLWATIONS!!!!!" It was delayed cheering....but it still brought tears to my eyes...and I have to say that is when I finished my race...sitting in the car with a 3 year old cheering for me through a phone!
A big thanks goes out to my dear husband who let me do this and watched the kids for me! Did I mention that he has finals this week!? Another huge thanks to Jenny and Greg for the ride and words when I needed them! And thanks so much to Ange for getting me through this....it's just the first step in so many for me!
So now I can say I'm a half marathon runner....That is until I can someday say I'm a marathon runner! Lulu