Richmond Half Marathon 2013

PURSUIT. The night before... dun dun duuuuun

If you don't have time to read the whole post here are a few highlights:
-I ran my best time ever!
-I ran the whole thing!
-I didn't poop myself!


Now for those of you seeking a more in-depth narrative...

The night before the race, my little sister and her husband were kind enough to allow a big group of us to take over their very nice home for the evening.  Thanks, Katie and Dan!  

The next morning,  I was less nervous and more angry about being awake so early.  I always get that feeling before races. 

We arrived, found a parking spot (only by the grace of God), and got our tails in a porta potty.

In our entourage, there were two folks running the 8k, so we had extra time to stand around, freeze, freak out and use the porta potties again. 

Catching a theme?


Mile 1-4
I felt really good for the first four miles.  Normally during my runs I listen to music the whole time, but for the race I decided to save my music for when I really needed it-- almost like an audible GU.  

I also planned to keep a slow, steady pace during the first 6 miles, and if I was able to hold back on mile 1 and 2, I knew that I would be able to pace myself better.  I was SUPER tempted to run off of the start line like the rest of the runners- going way too fast.   I just kept thinking... let them pass me during the first 6 miles. I will pass them in the last 7.

Mile 4-6 (aka the park)
Before I entered the park, I started to get the itch to speed up, almost like I was on mile 1 again. Once I entered the park it felt like the pavement was sucking all of the bounce out of my step, so that urge was quickly snuffed. I was contemplating leaving the pavement, and running on the grass,  but had a nagging feeling that there was a ninja race official who would tackle me and I'd be disqualified.  I was, apparently, rather irrational through the park.

Mile 6-8
At this point, I was still running and I was thrilled!  Normally I around mile 6 I start to get whinny, and I walk for a bit.  I was still feeling really strong so I figured I would keep going, knowing I would walk eventually.  

Mile 8-10
At mile 9 I wanted to stop. Not quit-- just stop. Those are two very different emotions.  I normally reach that point in my runs often, but deal with them by telling myself that I will be in so much pain during the race if I don't train properly. Instead of trying to pass that one off (even to an illogical brain), I told myself that I could do this not because of who I am, but because of who Christ is in me.  Yeah- it got crazy spiritual during these miles. Then I popped in my headphones and the Spirit and I boogied on.

Mile 10-12
I don't remember a thing from these miles. It's probably best. All I know is, I still had not stopped to walk. 

Mile 13-13.1
During the whole race I kept looking down at my watch trying to do the math to see if I could actually actually actually beat my time.  At .6 miles to go, I had 10 minutes to get to the finish line to beat my time. I could do juuuuust enough math to know that I was about to blow my PR out of the water.  

But first, in an effort to transition from from just a regular odd ball (who pays to fun 13.1 miles??), to a full on nut job,  I started saying out loud - "Point six. Ten minutes. Point six. Ten minutes". I was practically barking it by the time I could see the finish line--which was all blessedly downhill.  I crossed the finish line with an obnoxious fist pump and a thumbs up to my sisters.  I was exhausted, so don't judge me.  

In the end, my time was faster than I could have hoped, and I ran the whole thing. But I have to say the jewel in my crown that day was knowing that contrary to my fears during the last downhill, I had not pooped my pants. SUCCESS!

My Running Must Haves

With only 8 days until the big day, my thoughts have been consumed by the race.  I sit down at my desk in the morning, and the race nudges me to look at the website that shows me exactly how much time is left before I cross the start line.  I do it mostly because the race has a really whiny tone before 10am.

8 days, 10 hours, 55 minutes, 14 seconds, um 13 seconds, er 12 seconds...

After I peel my eyes off the screen, I go to lunch, where I should be making innocent small talk with my co-workers.  Instead, the race reminds me that I should probably tell them about my latest PR, or about the line where my sports bra is rubbing my skin off.  They'd like to hear that, right?

Having the race as a constant companion makes me a pretty boring person, but I don't mind too much.  The race keeps me warm on my morning runs, helps me go to bed early and is even pretty good about making me eat well.

As far as companions go, I'd say I could have done worse. Ever heard of that b@&$!, Wedding Planning? She's no good for anyone with a pulse.

Since I've been thinking about the race so much, I thought I would be productive and put together my must haves list...

1) Running tights- Don't ride up, don't ride down. Miracle of miracles.  Target carries them and I have two pairs that I wear year round.

2) iPod shuffle- So cute, so small, so full of early 2000's punk and current crappy pop music.   

3) Garmin running watch- It's a real monster, but it tells me how fast I'm going, how far I've gone, and just about any other metric you could ever care to know.  It's cheaper than a gym membership and gets my hiney in the outdoors. 

4) Write Socks Running II- These bad boys rock. They don't shuffle down your ankle and end up gathered in you the heel of your shoe (which could be the worst feeling in the world), and they keep you from getting blisters.  Love!

5) Shoes-  I'm not into the barefoot craze so these are pretty much mandatory.  I would urge all new runners to walk for a professional  sneaker fitter and get whatever uggo shoes they prescribe.  Ain't no one looking at your feet.

6) GU- These are pretty important for me during long runs. I can run out of gas pretty fast, so it's nice to have something in my pocket that really picks me up. Only problem is that they taste a bit fuuuunky.  I have to remind myself that they taste like melted gummy bears.  They taste like melted gummy bears?  They don't.  They. Do. Not. 

So there you have it. My running must haves!  What are yours?  Oh, whats that?  You don't run and won't comment? Neat-o. 

Foggy

For the past two weeks, I have experienced some serious doubt.  It is the kind that comes creeping in like a heavy fog and just lays on a person.  Its a fog of doubt. Its a doubt fog. Its a foudt.  It sucks.

During this foubt, I have been questioning myself about work, at home and even with running.

It does not help that running has become a HUGE annoyance to me.  I wake up at 5:30am and I just don't want to go.  Like- would rather drink toilet water if it means I get to go back to sleep- don't want to go.  Like- would love to Bill and Ted back to the day I signed up for the race and punch myself in double chin- don't want to go. Like- can't think of a third thing to list here, dagumnit- don't want to go.  

While I fully expect an upswing in my mood around 5 days to go, the next 16 days until the race are going to be touch and go at best. 

Lucky for me, husband, sister, sister's boyfriend, and our friends who moved to West Virginia, are all meeting in the middle of no where to just hang out and wear flannel.  I can't wait to either be killed by a masked murderer or regain my sanity in our mountain cabin.  Both are very real possibilities in the hills of no-where. 

I would very much like to be back to myself soon.  I'm guessing I've got a few things to learn during this so called fog, and since I have not learned much (other than how to muddle through these days clinging to God's promise that he is always here with me),  I'm sure the fog won't lift anytime soon.

Oh wait-- maybe that was it.  Shoot. I'll be sure to let you know. 

The Day I Smartmouthed a Drill Sergeant

I think I'll display unflattering photos of my half marathons for giggles.
Glad you could stop by... wanna see me jiggle?

Have I mentioned that I run with the ROTC every morning at 6am?  Well, not with them so much as right next to them on accident.  This morning was no different. Except that I may have mouthed off to one of them.

I didn't mean to. I was half asleep and wholly exhausted.

I think Mr. Drill Sergeant was wishing I was one of his plebes (is that what they call them?) so he could make me do 4,000 push ups and what ever other punishment he could think of. Or ask me out.  Those guys like strong ladies, right?

Just kidding, Romeo, I'm married.

Every morning when I see those ROTC kids out there, I want to thank them and also tell them that my brother is at West Point, but I don't dare.  First because I seriously  doubt they care, but also see above re: exhaustion.

Alright kids, off to wash the hair dye out.  Let's go blonde again, shall we?

Its 5 o'clock in the morning

Got caught shuffling by the event photographers at the Richmond Half in 2010.

I have only ever trained on a treadmills for my races.  Yes- I am embarrassed by this fact.

Fear not, I am training exclusively outdoors for my next race.  More specifically, I am training in the early morning before the sun is up.  While I can see my breath, and I am half asleep.  

It has been a real adventure, complete with tripping over fallen tree limbs I cannot see, getting hit by rouge sprinklers, and being joined only by the three kindred spirits I train with, and UVa ROTC.

Team Pursuit (as we like to call ourselves- be jealous) is out every morning. Sometimes we are dressed weather appropriate, sometimes we arn't. Sometimes we hold conversations, sometimes we don't.  Sometimes we are late for work, well no, we're always late for work.

FACT-  it should all be worth in 50 days and 10 hours when we start the Richmond Half Marathon!   

50 days and 10 hours of nerves that somehow always make me contemplate losing my latest meal from one of two exit points.

50 days and 10 hours of hopeing that this might be my best half yet. Come onnnnnn PR!

50 days and 10 hours of possible chaffing.

50 days and 10 hours of thinking about very little other than not getting caught shuffling on camera (as seen above) during those 13.1 miles.

50 days and 10 hours of blogging.  Get psyched up!

That Time Again

Oh, man. It is that time again.  I've signed up for the Richmond Half Marathon.  

With the signage upage, came the beginning of pre-training.  Training for me does not officially begin for another week, so pre-training involves getting my legs used to running again.  

And of course, since I am running again (ouch) why not make it even more fun by doing it at 6 am (double ouch)?  

Buuuuuh.

Good thing my sister and her boyfriend allow me to tag along for their morning runs.  It is always easier to get up when you know you are meeting people.  Even if my sister's boyfriend does lap me.   

Running blogs to come:
1) My Gear
2) Motivational Posters
3) My Training Plan--WARNING--My Contain Too Many Double Chin References
3) How To Jump Over Snakes While Threatening Them With Pepper Spray


...OK so the last one won't be a full blog post.  But it happened--so it only felt right to include it on the list. 

Off to bed.  Pre-training again tomorrow morning.  Which is two hours earlier than 'morning' should ever be. 

I worked out. Questions?

I couldn't get my jelly moving yesterday, so I trolled Pinterest for motivation. This usually works, but I needed a little help in the form of my own motivational list. 

Reasons to work out:
-If I work out tonight, I don't have to shower tomorrow morning.
-Because I'm fat.
-I get to see Bob Harper. Even if it was just on his workout DVD.
-My hair looks hecka cute in pony tail.
-I ate a bagel today.  I felt it solidify the line between two and three chins.

Just as motivating as the poster above, don't you think?  Welp, it did enough for me, since I can't cough without grunting in pain.

Sexy, huh?

Richmond 8k

This weekend I am running the HCA VA 8k in Richmond.  This is my first 8k, and I must admit that the lower mileage has made me a biiiiiiiit lazy in my training.  I don't think it helps that I have been training sans-sister, since she is doing the half marathon, like a Kenyan.

Besides the obvious reasons for my laziness (4.97 miles vs. 13.1), some not so obvious reason for my distraction (a nicer term for laziness), was my 2 weeks notice and subsequent week off from a job.  Oh and a new nephew. :)  More on all of those items later.

My master plan for the 8k:
-Run
-Maybe walk
-Chafe
-Have 2-3 stomach episodes
-Gain some amazing insight on humanity
-Quickly lose aforementioned insight after crossing the finish line
-Be sore the next day

Just like any other race, right?  Can't wait.

Zumba.

I zumba'd.

Before I went, I asked some Facebook friends if I should go or not.  I got a myriad of responses including encouragement to go, and reassurance that I would like the class. My favorite comment though, was "Zumba is African for awkward".

How right they were.

I walked in the class right as it was starting (whats new?) and was forced to be in the back row. Back row rocks. It requires less face time with the super amped instructor, and allows you to be seen by fewer folks. EXCEPT at this gym.  The back row is also lined in windows that peer out onto the cardio and weight lifting floor.  So while I am shaking it in a spin move, I saw a shirt I recognized [crap]. Second spin move, I realize I see my neighbor who would no doubt have a field day with my participation in such a group fitness class [CRAP].

The women beside me were ridiculously nice. They asked me if it was my first time and what my name was and to ignore the glass wall behind me.

Yah right!  If I were out lifting weights and I saw a hippo in spandex trying to make latin moves look good on her, I'd have to stare too.  It's an ocular law, similar to a train wreck.

As nice as the women were, I was way too self conscious to do a class like that alone. Not too cool- don't get it twisted.

I was finally able to let go and have fun for a bit, but one spin move later and I jerked back to reality* seeing the vast array of co-workers, church friends and neighbors alike all jockeying for a position at the window to laugh at me.  Ok, not really, but it felt like that. 

*Note: Reality= Not having the smooth moves of a saucy minx latin dancer who had stolen the affection of all those watching regardless of my girth.  

It ended up being a decent work out.  I don't know if it was my head not letting me get into it that kept it from being a harder workout, or if it was just not supposed to be a shirt drencher.  Either way I would only give it a 6 for toughness.

If I were to go again I would have to go with a friend, or go to a new gym that had 4 walls surrounding the workout room.

Or start investing in disguises.

Dirty Filthy Liar

I completed my 4 miles, I will have you know.  Even though no one called me to jeer me on.

But I lied. Oooooooh I lied.  I said that I was going to train for the half.  I'm not.

I wanted to because I was seeking the glory. I wanted to because my sister was doing it. I wanted to because I wanted to tell people I was training for it.

Well, all of those reasons are crap. Say it with me- CRAP!  And I realized that.  So, instead I am going to train for the 8k which happens the same day and time as the half.  That's what is so great about Richmond.  You can run the full marathon, the half marathon or the 8k, which is 4.9 miles.

This year, I am going to be the one at the end of the race cheering for my sister (since my race is significantly shorter) instead of the other way around. BLAMO.  Get excited.  I know I am.

In other unrelated news, I bought tickets to a needtobreathe concert and I could not be more excited.  Who is coming with me?

Oh Hail No

After taking a short hiatus from running, I am picking back up to train for the Richmond half marathon. I really liked the course last year, and I especially liked the weather we have during the training; nice fall  afternoons, as opposed to the 4 miler, which entails training during the hot, humid, take any route in the shade- even if it's known to be a homeless hangout, summers of Virginia.  This is especially nice since I no longer belong to a gym, and will be forced to do all of my training outside.

Moving on... the Richmond half is in 9 weeks, thus commencing my first day of my training.  4 miles after work, I told myself yesterday.  NO excuses.

Too bad mother nature had some different ideas for what should happen around 5:00pm yesterday.  And none of these ideas included cardio of any kind.  Unless you count running from my car to my house, all the while imagining loosing an eye to a wayward piece of hail, and how I might make an eye patch look good.

As you can see form the pictures above, we were gifted with an unholy amount of hail.  So-  I will start tomororw.  Right? Right?

Someone call me around 5:00 tomorrow, and if I answer, yell at me.  Just yell terrible things in my ear about my gut, my third chin, and some scenario that includes me being found face down in a McDonalds bathroom 2 miles into the race.  Don't fail me, faithful blog readers.

Don't fail me like Mother Nature did yesterday.

Holy Sprints, Batman!

As Lauren and I bid farewell to our current gym membership, we decided it was only right to do one last MAX CAL BURN work out.

The work out consisted of a running warm up, followed by sprints, followed by the stair monster, and finally weight lifting.

But by taking another look at the title of the post, you will realize that I have not been terrified to cough or laugh because of the warm up, or the subsequent exercises. Ooooh no.  It was the sprinting.  We would do 30 seconds on, and 30 seconds off at the following intervals:

6.5
6.8
7.0
7.3
7.5
7.8
8.0
8.3
8.5
8.8
9.0
9.3
9.5
9.8
10.0

I will admit that the last 4 I did 20 seconds on, 40 seconds off.  Mostly because I was spent. But also because I am afraid of success. And spiders. 

Regardless, it was a doozy and my abs and inner thighs were a-far (on fire) the next day. And the next day. And I loved it.

Hot Bliggity Blog

I am the worst blogger in the world. I know this. 

Here what has happened in the past few months:

1) My sister Lauren, a few friends and I helped put on a race in Charlottesville, VA.  Check out the website! http://www.r4tl.com/
2) Still at the same job, still struggling to stay afloat with the crazy programs we run
3) I had another nephew!
4) I found out that I will be having the 5th niece/nephew.  We find out at the beginning of July what my 5th niece/or nephew will be!
5) I tried to stop using exclamation points.  It didn't work!
6) I planned a trip to visit my BFF in Knoxville.  She and her husband had a baby boy a while ago and I can't wait to meet him!
7) I started teaching boot camp pilates.  I teach one class a week and mix pilates with kickboxing, weight lifting and cardio. BLAM.  That's right.  A chubby instructor.  Do as I say, not as I do.
8) I scheduled a full day of taking care of the 3rd nephew in July.  I may or may not have a count down already
9) My little sister bought a house! I had NOTHING to do with it, but I am overwhelmed with happiness for her and her husband.
10) I didn't get into the NY Marathon.  Bummer sauce.

Well that is all for now. Please know that I am huge turd for not blogging, but the above 10 items have really been preoccupying my time.

Get ready for (hopefully) a barrage of new posts.  Riiight after I master the art of cutting the !! out of my writing.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I find out if I got into the New York Marathon.  This means that the next 7 months of my life will be DRASTICALLY altered tomorrow.   Or they will stay perfectly the same.

I cannot decide if I will cry harder if I get in or if I don't.

Pray that.

Richmond 10k Part Deux

Standing in the line to use the bathroom (I am starting to think I start way to many blog posts about the bathroom) I contemplated that this might be the first uneventful race that I have nothing to blog about.

That was also the moment that I realized that I had forgotten my iPod. :(  All the time spent!  All of the musical integrity compromised.  All for naught.

I shuffled to the start line in  a state of clinical depression. Maybe I could call Alison and Jeff and have them go back to the house and bring it to me at mile one.  Maybe I could trip this guy in front of me, steal his iPod and hope he is slower than me.  Maybe I could suck it up and just run without it.  I liked option one, but went with the third. :(

Two quick stories before I go to bed...

1) I LOVED hearing other people's conversations.  My favorite was between two sisters.  The faster sister asked the other if she needed to walk, to which the slower sister yelled "STOP talking to me!"  Remind you of any sister duos you know?

2)  As I got to 6.0 miles some RANDOM woman looked at me from across the lane.  I was running at a comfortable pace, but she apparently saw that I had more to give.  So she ran to me, grabbed my hand and said.; COME ON!  And so we started sprinting. I had never seen her before, and never saw her after.  Who has two thumbs and thinks she ascended from the clouds? This girl.

That's all from the Richmond 10k.  Stay tuned for stories from Pilates Teacher Training Part 2!

Terribly Awesome

This weekend is the Richmond 10k.  I am so excited to run this, but kind of sad too because this is the first run that I will not do with another person.

I have always either had someone running with me, or I at least knew that Lauren was ahead of me. I say "ahead of me" but let's be honest, she was at the finish with the rest of the Kenyans while I was stopping at every medical tent to see if any one had some spray cheese I could snack on.  IT'S AN EMERGENCY.

I am also nervous beucase I have not been running.  I know I've said that before, but seriously.  My last long run was only 4 miles and was a week and a half ago.  Oh well.  This will be fun right?

You might agree with me after you hear about my mix.

The running mix for the 10k is all pop. That's right, the queen of the underground is running to the poppy crap that you pretend to not listen to on the really bad "Hot Hits" radio station in your town. The songs that have no substance, the same lyrics in a loop, but a killer beat that just makes you want to move.  Yes, I am ashamed to say I will be running to the likes of Justin Beiber and Ke$ha (Mom-call me and I'll explain).

Ashamed? Yes.  Motivated? Yes, thank you!

Let's hope it goes better than the last time I ran this!

Richmond Half-Marathon :)

The above shirt highlights my feelings exactly.

Let's start at the beginning.  Since this was my second half marathon, there was a little bit more pressure to do well time-wise.  The runs leading up to the race were not going very well. Shin splints, lack of mental focus and an overall feeling of not wanting to be running.

When the run started I paced myself behind what looked to be a a group of sorority girls. They were running a really great pace and they were quite entertaining!  However, while I was running I started to realize I was having tummy problems.  Buuuuh.

At about mile 2 (yep, only 2 miles in) I decided it would be better to puke and get it out of my system than to suffer for 2 more miles.  As I was waiting in line for the bathroom I realized the grand flaw in my plan.  Ponder this for a moment... what could be worse than being face first in a porter potty?

I wasted about 4 minutes waiting for a potty break that would end up being no more than a pee stop.  At this time, I had lost the pack of Tri-Deltas or whatever they were, so I had no more entertainment. I did however have a lingering memory of a failed attempt to puke.  Pleasant. I know.

At mile 4 I began to feel worse and worse. It felt like at any moment I was going to 'exorcist' on the runners in front of me, and depending on how far my head spun, the people behind me as well.  I was sure that it was not the running, because I was on pace with my practice runs and I didn't puke then.  It was the feeling of eating something I should not have that morning. It was the same feeling I got at the 4 miler.  The race where I puked in front of children. Not my best moment.

Eventually I saw up the straight away that I was coming up on a crowd of cheerleaders and spectators, and knew that I did not want to ruin any more childrens lives with my little show.  I decided porter potty or not I was going to have to end this feeling so I ran into the bushes and started attempting to lurch.  The woman to my left at the time looked over in surprise.  I can tell you I was mor-ti-fied, but instead of hiding in shame, I looked at her and said "this is my worst nightmare".

I wanted to stop. I wanted to puke up whatever it was that was bothering me, and curl up on the sidewalk, pondering all the while if when the sweeper comes along, maybe they would collect my limp, puny, vomitrous body.

With another failed attempt to puke on the books, I hit the pavement.  One mile later I saw Lauren and Terra! It was inspiring to see them leaving the park as I entered.  The park loop was gorgeous! I thought that it would end sooner than it did (it ended up being over 3 mile) but it was nice to be in the shade and in the leaves. :)

After leaving the park, I got to cheer for some folks who were suffering more than I was and who were 3 miles behind me, but still moving! Which was the same spot where I saw Lauren and Terra, and I am sure they were having the same thing I was. :)

"Awww... they are so ______ (insert synonym for fat, slow or about to die)."

After leaving the park I really don't remember much until mile 10.  Or what I thought was 10 miles. Yep, I was on mile 9 and I thought I was on mile 10. I looked at my pace and was ASTONISHED at how well I was doing.  I knew that I had lost many minutes living "my worst nightmare", but I must have been flying during my black out miles.

When I realized I was really not all that mad. I knew that I had not done as well as I had wanted, but how can you be mad when you realize that you only have 3 miles?  Even if you thought you only had 2.1...

The best moment was when I came up to mile 12.6 or so.  I was booking it down the hill and I hear my name, well my nick name, being yelled by three people. I looked over to my left and I saw my sister Megan, who had run the 8k, my sister Alison,  my friend Jessica (whose husband ran the marathon!) and my nephew, Duncan!  They were holding an amazing sign made by my other sister Katie. It was a real family affair. :) Needless to say I am out of breath, out of energy, flopping downhill and sobbing. Not a cute site!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Regardless, I got to the finish line and heard even more people cheering!  When you run a race there is nothing better than the sound of people cheering for you. Although at mile 2 the best sound may have been me actually vomiting.  ANY WAY...

When I got to the finish line, Megan, Alison, Lauren, Terra, Jessica, Duncan, My mother and father-in-law, my sister-in-law, two nephews and my husband were there.  Can you say celebration??  We even got the super cool nasa blankets.  I felt like a rockstar.  A rockstar who still had to puke.  So I did.  On the side of 95.  Better late than never?

Just like this blog. :)

Oh and here's an update for you- I have put my name in for the New York Marathon.  I find out in April if I am in or not.  Wish me luck?  Yeah, that one.

4 Miler Fun!

So it was time for another race.  This year would be different. I would feel great, and BE great.  Right?  Kind of.

The 4 miler started like almost any other race morning for me; at 3:45 in the morning. Once Lauren and Tara got up (a few hours later), we got on the road.  You see, the Charlottesville Woman's 4 Miler is a closed course race.  This means that you drive onto the course, they close the course, you run the course, and they open it back up.  All that to say that you have to get there crazy early.  Note the puffy faces in the picture above.

Once we arrived, we parked and started jogging around the gorgeous hillside.  At that point I started to feel yucky.  I mean throw-up yucky.  UGH.  This was supposed to be MY race. This was the race that I started my journey on, and this was to be my triumphant return!  My big reveal as a less fat runner!

Nerp.

As we lined up to start the race Terra and I realized we needed to use the bathroom. And also realized we needed more photos to prove we were running a race.  Terra's FIRST RACE!!!  So Lauren snapped this gem.

Needless to say, 3,000 nervous females= a LONG line.

Eventually we got in our timing corral, which is when I had to separate from Terra and Lauren. Sadness.  That is also when the loneliness set in.  Aaaaand my Ipod died.

The end of the race felt further away than the finish line of the half marathon.  How?  Not sure.

Too bad I continued my only 4 Miler tradition of puking at the finish line.  The worst part?  This year it was not an empty lane in which to puke in.  I puked right next to a grandmother and her two grand kids to my right, and two guys around my age to my left.  The kids screamed, and the grandmother covered their eyes and pulled them away.  The guys were frozen out of mutual embarrassment. After I finished gifting the world with my vom, I stood up, wiped my mouth and saluted the two fellows who were mortified to be alive.

Great news though, I finished within my goal time!  Chunks or not. :) YAH!

 

Congrats to Terra on her first race and congrats to Wubby for being awesome!!!

The Half Marathon

I am so sorry that I have been so long since I last blogged! It has been a CRAZY month and a half. I will not bore you with the details, just know I am sorry its been a while.



Everything went very smoothly and I had a great run! I love that I can say that several weeks after the run. :) Above is a picture of the finish line the day before the race and then the shot of Lauren, Katie and I. Notice (because I didn't) that my shirt was supposed to say "HOPE" but the "PE" is covered by my running number so it just says "HO". Charming.

So here's the run down:

The night before the race Lauren and I drove up to Fredericksburg and settled into the hotel. Katie (Lauren's friend who also ran the 10 miler), went to the wrong hotel, but eventually met us to go to one of my favorite parts of the race. The EXPO! This is where you get your number, your timing chip and best of all- free stuff! Vendors are there trying to get you to try their products so it can be a real blast.
Unfortunately this was not the case with this Expo.


(Sad trumpet plays) WAA WAAAA WAAAAA. Lauren was not pleased either.

Regardless, we had a nice enough time and we got our great shirts,and even signed the half marathon banner. Side note: I wrote 'FAT RUNNERS RULE'. Take that skinny runners. Its in writing. Now its true.

After the less than awesome expo, we went to our more than awesome dinner pick. We gorged our selves on pasta and bread and waddled back to the hotel. The fact that we were running a half marathon the next day was beginning to sink in. Or maybe it was the indigestion from the 15 spicy meat balls I ate. Regardless, soon after coming back from the restaurant we went to bed since the race started at 7:30 and we had to catch a bus, and warm up before the race.

It was a tough nights sleep, but I woke up the next day at 4:00 rearing to go. My usual race morning routine is to get up as early as I can to make the run as late in my "morning" as possible so that I am not doing a "morning" run. Its a great plan minus the waking up at 4:00 part.

So I got up, did my morning stuff and got my yoga mat to begin my vinyasas in the hotel gym. Too bad it was locked. I ended up doing my yoga in the hall (because Lauren and Katie would not be fans of the breathing methods employed in yoga while they tried to sleep) next to the fire exit. It was magical.

After yoga I drank my coffee and journaled. In the bathroom. In fact, besides the hall hatha I did, I spent the majority of the morning of the half marathon in the bathroom.

Once the ladies woke up I went and got them breakfast and when they were ready, we walked across the road to the catch the bus. Every where you looked there were hunky marines directing you where to go. I thought about trying to get lost, but then I remembered the hunky civilian I had at home, and decided to mind my own business.

While on the bus to the start line, I started talking to the girl sitting next to me. She was wearing a tank top with the picture of a marine on it. She informed me that it was her fiance and that he had been killed last year in Iraq. I cannot tell you how crazy it was to see some one who was my age talking about their deceased loved one. It totally changed my perspective on the race.

The next thing that changed my perspective on the race was the free beer ticket I found out was attached to my racing number. JUMP BACK!

It makes the shirt 'Will Run For Beer' all the more important for me to buy.

The race started well until the first water station. There were just so many people trying to get water that at one point I saw a stack of cups and a bottle of water and just helped myself. That's when I lost Katie and Lauren. Its not like I was planning on racing with them any way. Lets be honest.

Mile 4-6 were real buggers. I was hurting but still motivated. I decided in these miles that I COULD actually do this, but not until I went to the bathroom. So around 6 or 7 I stopped to go to the potty where I met 2 people. One girl in front of me in line, Jessica and one guy behind me in line, Matthew? Mark? I cant remember. I should have blogged weeks ago.

Regardless, they ended up being my running buddies. Jessica and I were exactly opposite in our styles for the middle miles. I run and walk, run and walk and she just runs. This made it so that she caught up and passed me during my walks and I would pass her during my runs. She was a nice little pacer and it was great to have some one to laugh with without trying to run together and learn each others favorite colors. That was Marktthew's job.

Marktthew caught back up with me around mile 10 when we both were forced to stop to let an ambulance through. He had run the Marine Corp Half a couple times before so he was able to help me during the hellacious uphills.

No joke- the hills on this run were mean. Very very mean. Mile 9 and 10 were basically straight up. RUDE.

The finish line was the best part. It was a huge structure (seen in the first photo on expo day) with tons of people and music playing. I had a much less dramatic gazelle for the half marathon that I did the ten miler, but a gazelle none the less.

My finish time was somewhere around 2:40:00. Not crazy good, but nice for a first half! :)

All in all it was a great experience that I plan on repeating in November in Richmond. Any body with me??? :)

Poseidon and a Dash of Hope

So it looks like we are running a half marathon on Sunday. That's cool I guess.

I can honestly say that I am more looking forward to the road trip with Lauren and Katie than I am for the race. Sunday at about 1:00pm is when I will still be totally stoked that I ran/completed a half marathon, and will still able to walk down stairs. Until then, I am a mess. I am completely emotional about this race.

It could be that I am pregnant. JUST KIDDING!!!

Its mostly because I am super uber duper burnt out. I have been training for a good 8-9 months straight and to top it off, work is a bit of a crazy mess.

What does not help my confidence was this little gem:

Lauren, Mom, Papa and I went to Richmond to help celebrate my sister, Katie's birthday. My little sister turned 24. Man I feel old. :)

While we were there we were walking around Short Pump and there was a store called C28. It stands for Colossians 2:8 which states that we are in this world but not of this world. Its a really neat store where all of the merchandise is faith based. While we were there I got a shirt that I am planning on wearing for the race. It says 'hope'.

My feelings towards this race exactly. Hopefully I won't die.

While we were checking out, the guy behind the counter who had been helping us out the whole time asked if he could pray for us. We said we would love it and that we needed prayer mostly for the race. He asked how far the race was and we told him it was a half marathon. He looked at me and asked if it was a walk/run.

I'm sorry little man, did you just judge me? Don't make me come over that counter! I am glad I had a wine buzz or else I would have erupted like Poseidon coming out of an angry sea.

We quickly told him that no, it was not a walk/run. It was a race run.

Now that I think about it, I am not too sure why I am offended. I will be walking part of it... but STILL!

Jerk.

Needless to say, my confidence has been shaken. But come Sunday evening I will be a half marathon COMPLETER. More than you can say, Frodo.

If I don't post before the race, I will be sure to post pictures of our half marathon adventure! Until then, please pray. Pray hard for endurance, safety and completion.

Love and peace. Oh and a dash of hope.