Rock and Roll Marathon

This weekend marked a big achievement for me:  I finally ran a half-marathon!!!  I've been thinking about signing up for one for a few years now, ever since I started getting into running really.  However, I'd been too chicken to sign up for one.  I didn't think it was possible for me to get to the point where I could actually run 13.1 miles.  Last year, my sister-in-law Erin decided to run one, and I seriously considered signing up for it with her.  I started training, and actually got to the point where I was running 6-8 miles consistently every weekend.  Then I started a new job in June, and I basically stopped doing anything even remotely physical aside from playing soccer once a week.  I gained 20 pounds, felt miserable, and just couldn't seem to find it in myself to get up off my freaking butt and start moving again.

Slowly but surely, I started to want to be in better shape for soccer, started running with some gals from work a couple of days a week.  Just little 2-3 milers, but it reminded me how much I love running.  I signed myself up for the Rock and Roll Marathon, because quite a number of my friends have done it and it seemed like a good first time race.  I got a gym membership, started working out 3-4 days week, plus playing soccer.  I've lost 25 pounds since March!  Huzzah!  20 more to go to get to a healthy weight for my height!  Having this race to train for was awesome motivation to keep going back to the gym!

Getting ready to start, my nerves were going crazy!

I was so nervous! I had gotten up to 11 miles on my training runs, but shirked my 12 mile run and was scared that I was not going to be able to pull through on the whole 13.1.  But I put on my happy face, and just kept reminding myself that I wasn't competing with anyone, I just needed to get the miles under my feet no matter how long it ended up taking me.

I had signed myself up for a finish time of 2 hours 45 minutes, but was really hoping that I would be closer to 2:30.  But my last couple long training runs, my average pace was around 12 minutes/mile, so by race day I had pretty much put that out of my mind and was just going to be happy with finishing with the 2:45.

I plugged in to listen to some Bullseye podcasts, and just let my body guide my speed.  The first 6 miles were great!  I felt totally awesome, and knew I was doing a 10 minute mile pace.  My running app that I use was being a little wonky, but I was able to make sense of it for the first half of the race.

The second half of the race, I definitely was feeling tired and creaky.  And my running app completely wigged out, so I had not idea how far I had gone or what my pace looked like.  By mile 10, my hips were aching, and it was HOT out by then!  It was only 10am, but I think it was already 70 degrees, and it felt it running along I-90!  But by that point, I could see the city, and knew I just needed to get through downtown and then it would be over!  Mile 11 was mostly on the viaduct, and I was slowing down even more, but determined not to walk.

Then mile 12 happened.  The first half was through the tunnel, and I was getting pretty cranky about the whole thing!  But I came out of the tunnel, and who should I see, but my loving husband with a huge grin waving me on and cheering for me!  It gave me an extra burst of adrenaline, especially when he yelled that I only had 5 minutes to go!!!  Woohoo!

I pushed harder, and then realized what crazy bastards planned this thing.  The last stretch of the race is the god awful Mercer Street hill that goes under Highway 99!  I ripped my earbuds out and yelled, "WHO PUTS A HILL AT THE END OF THE FREAKING RACE!?" It got some wary and commiserating chuckles from my fellow racers.  By the top of the hill, I was spent!  I saw the finish line, and lots of people started sprinting, so I did, too.  My sprint was pretty sad by then!  HA!  :)  But I crossed the finish line, jubilant!!!  I pulled out my phone to check my time, and was shocked and thrilled to find that not only had I finished, but I had smashed my goal time!  I finished in 2 hours, 24 minutes!!!  Holy moly!!!  I found Kevin, who had sprinted from his cheering point to the finish line, and just about threw up on him I was so tired and excited!  And pretty darn proud of myself!

Yeah, I'm a goober :)

I'm ready to sign up for another, it felt so awesome to be out on the road with so many people and to just be competing with myself.