13.1 and Done!

I DID IT!  I ran a half marathon and lived to tell about it!  It was the most amazing experience and I can't wait to do it again.  The training was not good but the race was WONDERFUL!  If you could not tell I am pretty pumped about it.

FINISHER!

The day started out early with me checking facebook updates all morning because it was storming and I didn't know if they would postpone or call off the race (which I was not hoping for...or maybe just a little).  Matt and I had some breakfast and I could barely eat because I was getting so nervous but I knew I had to get something in my stomach!  His parents got ready and we all headed out the starting line.  We got there about 7:05 which was a little later than I had planned but it was ok.  We found a parking spot pretty quickly and then we head in.  I was getting more and more nervous as we walked closer to the start.  I of course had to go to the bathroom and the lines were forever long but I new if I did not go now I would have to stop along the way and I was not willing to do that because I would lose time :)  It is hard to hydrate but also know that you need to be empty to run 13.1 miles!  So I got in line and Matt stayed with me and cracked jokes to help lighten the mood.  With about 4 minutes till I was still in line and they made a call over the PA system which in turned helped because some people made a mad dash to the start line WITHOUT going to the restroom!  I thought that was kinda silly since your time does not start until you cross and I know they were not going to be winning it.  I just stayed in line for the fact that I wasn't racing to win and I knew my time would not start at the gun but when I crossed.  The gun went off and a few more people got out of line to start running so I was finally able to get in and get out!  Took all of about 1 minute past the gun start.

So I got going and it starts raining, and I am not meaning a light mist, I am talking full out rain!  Big rain drops that kinda hurt when they hit you.  It was pretty fun but not something I had ever though I would do.  I had a pretty quick first mile so I knew I needed to slow down if I was going to make it the whole way.  Matt made me a playlist that I had not even heard until race day.  I did not realize that I didn't have it going until around mile 1!  HA, so I finally got the playlist going and it was fantastic!  He is so funny and was able to make a list that he knew would help me keep pushing on.

The rain is still coming down and there are puddles all over the course plus mud now, but I was still having fun! Around mile 5 I got to see Matt and his parents.  It was a nice sight just to see people that were supporting me and the fact they were standing out in the pouring rain just for me, that is a great feeling!  I was still making pretty good time although the next few miles I slowed down more than I wanted to.  The rain really started coming down during miles 6-8 and it was cold so it didn't make for fun running.

As long as I didn't think about the rain, as hard as that was, I was ok.  I had a blast and felt great!  Mile 8 came around and it was my second chance to see Matt and his parents.   The course looped so they stayed in 1 place and I got to see them twice!  They were soaking wet when I past at mile 8 but it gave me that last burst of energy that I needed to finish out the last 5 miles.  The course was mostly flat with just a few hills.  I rounded the park for mile 12 and felt like I could kick it in but for some reason I thought I had 1.25 miles to go not just 1.1.  I didn't start to kick until almost mile 13 but then I knew I was so close that my adrenaline went into overdrive!  I got chills and it was AWESOME!  I crossed that finish line hands in the air and a big smile on my face.  I can not wait to run another one!  The pouring down rain didn't stop me like I thought it would.  I crossed at 2:11:48, which averages around 10:00mile.  That is WAY faster than my long training runs and blew my goal (2:15-2:20) right out of the water!  I can now cross "Running a Half-Marathon" off my bucket list!