Crossing the finish line

Woo hoo!! First thing checked off my bucket list! Only 29 more to go!

Well it has taken me long enough to finally write about my first half marathon.  I can’t believe two months have already passed.  The more and more time passes, and sitting in the dead of winter, I realize that it was an accomplishment to say the least! I didn’t realize how fast I would fall back out of shape if I didn’t run 5 days a week.

Now back to race day…

I know they say not to have a time goal on your first race, but it was hard not to have an ideal time after training for so long.  I wanted to finish the race in less than two hours with an average mile time of less than 9 minutes.  I also didn’t want to walk at all.  At the time I set this goal, I didn’t realize what I was committing myself to!

It was cold the morning of the race and it was on the verge of rain. I was so nervous that I thought I was going to throw up and couldn’t stop blabbering nonsense.  The anticipation really is the worst part.  After the gun went off I was on my way and feeling good.  The first 6 miles passed fairly easily, but then the hills and rain began.  Every time I craved a little downhill, another hill came.  By mile 8 I had to talk myself into continuing each step.  I needed water! I didn’t realize that there was only going to be two water stops the whole time, at mile 4 and mile 8.  The last water stop was mile 8 and the last 4 miles was a gradual incline.  It was all mental after mile 10.  My legs said they couldn’t keep going, but I had to forget about them and just talk myself through each turn and hill.  By mile 11, the rain was feeling good and at least it kept my mind off my legs.  Finally mile 12….one mile to go.  I can do this.. no big deal…. Wait what?  A hill? The entire mile! It was the worst mile of my life! I felt like I had 50 pound weights strapped to each one of my ankles.  I probably could have walked faster than that running pace.  Then finally… the finish line.  What an  accomplishment…

I finished with a time of 1:56:05 with an average pace of 8:52.  I ranked 145^th of 555 overall and 58^th of 276 females.

Thanks to Alena and Seth for being my support group!

Some other fun facts!! Oliver, Seth and I’s chocolate lab baby, was born on this day!  Also, my parents met on this day!  October 15th will continue to bring significance to my life for years to come.

Now just a few more months of rest before the 2012 training begins… I want to complete 2 half’s in 2012.