There's a first time for everything.

Looking at the starting line for London's Run... bright and early at 8 in the morning!  The Race was January 29th, 2011. 

I ran a Half Marathon.  Wow.  Still seems a little surreal to me.  I had been training for the Ragnar Relay coming up in February and thought that since my miles in training were fairly high that I should do the half marathon for London's Run.  Afterall it's a local event, and is for a great cause. (Children suffering from Cancer)  So I didn't sign up.  What?  No, I didn't sign up I went the morning of and paid a whole. lot. more. to run the race than I would have if I'd signed up earlier, but oh well, it's all going to a good cause!  I didn't decide to run until a week or so before, (when my friend Caitlin said she'd run with me).  So I wasn't nervous until I made the decision.  The last week before I ran my kids were sick, but I still managed to get some miles in, but I did take it easy since this was a "race".  I think it's kind of funny though, I knew I wouldn't finish first.... not even almost!  I just knew what I wanted my goal to be.  I knew I could finish under 2 hours and 30 minutes, but I wanted to beat 2 hours and 15 minutes.  So morning before the race I woke up feeling off.  Yep.  My sickies got me sick.  I didn't feel too terrible and just took some IBprofen and took it easy Friday.  Saturday I felt a little worse, but I still felt I could pull it off.  I've run with colds before, and I was fine. 

Saturday morning, up at 5:30 am to eat and start my day so I wouldn't have tummy problems... left for Schnepf Farms @ 7 am.  Feeling pretty nervous!  It's hard when you don't feel, I don't know... Leggit?  I don't really know how to run, what to do, I still feel like a newbie, and the doubt kept eating at me.  Self Doubt is great isn't it?  No.  Ok, so I went and registered, got my bib # of 550, found Caitlin and her hubby and started to warm up.  We did a few laps and stretched a bit.  My usual routine is to start running, go  .5-1 mile, then stretch.  That obviously wouldn't work for this race, so I did a warmup, visited the port-o-potties, and changed my shirt twice!  Decisions aren't always my strong suit!  Haha!  That's an understatement... but I digress.  It was GO time!  C and I went and got in the line, still feeling intimidated since everwhere I look I see people who have "runners bodies"  which I DO NOT.  I also saw people who looked not so much like runners, and I just tried to focus on the task at hand, not that everyone seemed like a pro exept for me! 

Gun time... and we were off!  Start the Garmin and Zoom we were outa there!  No really, we were, Zoomin'!  My easy pace is usually around  a 10 min. mile, easy as in I can run for a long time at that pace, and still feel pretty comfortable.  Well we came out and I tried to hang with C for a while, she kept lookin' back at me and after about a mile, I waved her on and said Just Go Girl!  Don't let me slow you down!  So C took off and that left me with me.  I run with a visor on for two reasons, 1. so i can keep the sun out of my eyes, and 2. so I don't have to look at people if I don't want to!  I know, I have issues!  So I turned my music up and WENT!  I felt good the first 6, and actually I went out and stayed too fast.  All my first 6 miles were under 10 min. miles.  Actually they were 9:15-9:30 min. miles with the exception of the 6th that was about 9:45.  Good pace for me, but could I hold it?  I started to slow down a bit, but was still feeling pretty good.  I got thru miles 7 and 8 just going with the flow, listening to my tunes.  Miles 9 and 10 I started to feel it.  I had chosen to wear a long sleeve shirt.  Bad move, I would have been better off in my short sleeve, ( plus I was running a fever and didn't know it, oops)  And it was dry and dusty out, so my shoes were full of it.  Mile 10 I felt a hot spot on my foot below my big toe on the bottom of my foot, and I knew I had a blister.  I could feel it.  So the last 3 miles I ran every step feeling that blasted blister.  Also in the last 3 miles I started getting bad leg cramps in my left quad.  Cramps that I had never felt before.  Cramps that if I didn't stop and stretch them out, I'd probably have colapsed at some point.  Yeah it hurt that much.  Oy!  Talk about frustrating though!  I had come 10 miles and now I have to stop!  I wasn't very happy, but I didn't have a choice.  So the last 3 miles I had to stop I think 4-5 times to stretch my quad or calf.  I also walked some on and off in there because stretching sometimes didn't eleviate the cramps completely.  One of the last times I stopped to stretch, I used one of the race volunteers truck, I ran to it and said "I need to borrow your truck!"  ... "just to stretch!"  I only had aoubt 3/4's of a mile left, I knew I wanted to run the rest of the way. During the last few miles I had been close by a few people one older man who looked pretty old to me, but was 64 I found out, and an older lady who would run/ walk.  Both of these people were such an inspiration to me!  They never gave up!  The man ran in a very "non typical way"  It was almost funny to watch, but he did it.  He ran the 1/2 marathon.  Along the whole course were pictures of children who are fighting cancer, these pictures helped to motivate me, because I would think, wow, those kids have to go thru cancer, I can do this!  One of the last pictures on the course was the picture of London Soloman ( who London's Run is named after and put on by her parents)  Under her picture it said "The Reason"  I almost lost it.  I had to hold a few sobs in the last 1/2 mile or so.  London was 6 when she died, in first grade just like my Kylie.  That just made it hit home even harder.  What a beautiful little girl she was!  What a special spirit she has.  So the last bit between trying not to cry or colapse!  Lol!  It was pretty slow going.  The last 75 ish yards I did pick up the pace and finished in a time of 2 hours 19 minutes and 42 seconds.  So i beat the time I knew that I could beat, but I know if I hadn't had to stop for those pesky leg cramps that I could have beat my 2:15 mark.  Next Time!??  Who knows!? 

I am very proud of myself that I did this.  I've always been an athlete, but never a runner.  I guess now I can't really say that.  It's such a great feeling to know that I accomplished this.  Even though I didn't finish first, or even the first half... I finished.  I did it! 

My friend Caitlin Miller and I after the race. 

One bummer was that I didn't have anyone there from my family after the race.  :(  My hubs and older 2 girls were hunting (planned for a long time) and the 2 little ones were at home with a babysitter.  I really missed having someone there when I was done! 

After the race I stretched and ate some food and went home.  At home I was shivering so bad my baby girl told me to get in the shower to warm up.  I took a long hot shower.  When I got out I was still cold and so I took my temperature.  FEVER!  Oops.   Running a 1/2 marathon is probably not the best thing to do if you're sick...I spent the next 4 days pretty much totally  out of commision!  Turns out I had an upper respiritory infection which I am still recovering from.  Good times!  :)

Up next... RAGNAR!  Woo Hoo!