Blessed: Three Time's A Charm

Monday, October 15, 2012

Three Time's A Charm

Another half marathon under my belt! My first week of training started the last week of July and it was a crazy summer to fit it all in, but being a rule-follower, I kept pretty close to the schedule.

Leading up to the race I felt prepared and ready. Normally I would have made myself a big plate of spaghetti the night before, instead I ate scraps of vendor food at the wedding I had the night before. Oh well!

When I arrived in the city, it was 28 degrees. Brrrr!! But thankfully it was dry and the sun was hard at work. By the time the gun went off at 8 AM, it was a pretty comfortable temperature.

I met up with some friends before but ran by myself. I do best with no music and no chat...I just get focused on the road and my thoughts.

Much of the time is a blur to me, except I did notice that the race had changed since the last time I ran it in 2008 (hadn't gotten that memo!). I also managed to read a couple signs...some of my favorites:

Youth? or Experience? (I smiled and answered to myself a little bit of both)

Kick Assphault. Toenails R 4 Sissies.

Worst parade ever!

And of course, tons of We love you, Mommy!

I thought of Amanda quite a bit. Whenever talk of the race came up, she would ask if I was going to win the race. I'd laugh and so no. Then she'd give me a lengthy lecture about doing my best and not saying that I couldn't do it and not giving up before I started and a whole bunch of other stuff that have come out of my mouth and Shaun's over the years.

I was at a loss to explain how physically impossible it would be and that I would be "winning" by doing MY best, but she couldn't understand. I hope someday when she looks back she'll be proud of me. On this day I gave everything I could.

My previous two 1/2 marathon times were 2:05 (2008) and 2:29 (2010)

This was the finish line. Cool, right?

I was at 13 and had just the .10 to go and I thought my legs were just going to stop moving, everything was cramped up so bad (I neglected to stop at any of the water stations...dumb!!). Some guy came up beside me and said, C'mon hon...you can do this! He may even have been an angel. When I crossed I was cramped and gasping for air and trying to walk straight but I did it!

Another cool thing...along with our medals, they passed out food bags with a banana, half a bagel, diced peaches. I knew I needed a banana but I am so stinkin' picky about my bananas. I love them if they are one particular greenness but if they are even slightly past a certain ripeness, just the smell of them makes me gag. I know, I know. Anyway, my banana was PERFECT and at that moment it was the coolest thing ever!

Me...clearly after running. Now the full marathon question looms....I feel like if I don't do it shortly I just might miss my window. So scary though!!

Big props to my SIL Sarah who completed the Chicago Marathon last weekend...amazing!