Well, I did it.

I tried really hard to get out of it, I told my husband and kids I would just go run the route they posted  on line and save the $84 dollars, but that didn't go over very well, as one might imagine. So begrudgingly I signed up, picked up my race pack, and dragged myself out of bed at 5am to make sure I had breakfast digested before the starting gun.

  My husband and our boys all went to cheer me on and I fretted about how long this would take me, leaving them to wander the park in the early morning hours. It was a small group, 60 something runners. I discovered what I pretty much already knew, that I hate road races.

 Having not run the full half marathon distance of 13.1 miles following the Hal Higdon plan, I ran slow, telling myself I just wanted to finish, not beat anyone or run some awesome time, but it was still defeating to be passed by so many people, and even more so when the really fast ones have hit the turn around point and start passing you going the other way. For some reason my breath gets out of whack in the beginning of races I feel like I am hyperventilating. That, mixed with the wind that is typical in this area, made it feel like I was running with a parachute on and slowed me down significantly.

 I was so fortunate to have made a Facebook friend that had just run the Leadville 100 in Colorado and she showed me how to tape my toes and other spots that were being rubbed raw, unfortunately the toe I wrapped rubbed against another toe, creating a disgusting blister that I felt starting at mile 6.
 By mile 11 I had to hit the bathroom in the worst way and couldn't put it off any longer when I came upon a restroom right along the trail. It was probably the fasted pee break of my life but it was enough time to let five more people creep past me. I had nothing left beyond a survival pace so there was no way I was getting my spot back. I was ready to walk, and fighting it with every fiber of my being.

 Right before mile 12, I thought I was going to puke. This is not good, what a wimp am I if I was puking after only 12 miles. Fortunately I managed to avoid it and started taking short walk breaks. At mile 13, another runner caught up to me and she became my half marathon angel. She asked if wanted to run to the next water station together and then finish the race. She had raced a half before but thanks to a blister at 4 miles she ended up waking the rest of the race for the most part. Her goal for this race was to just keep moving. That sounded good to me! My goal was to just not go to the hospital.

 We made it, bit by bit. She urged me on when I stopped and I urged her on when she stopped. We both crossed the finish line at 2 hours and 30 Minutes, my boys ran the last .1 mile with me and I resisted the urge to just lay on the ground and go to sleep.

  My split time was 11.32. Okay, nothing to brag about. Had I not stopped to go to the bathroom and been better prepared to run against the wind for half of the race, I could have done a little better, but hey, I did it. I got a medal! And I showed my kids I could set a goal and follow through, and 36 years old doesn't need to mean "I'm old and slow!" I sure wasn't fit enough in my early 20's to run 13 miles, even though I was considerably skinnier.

  The downside was my knee hurt for almost a week after and I still have barely returned to running, with this Saturday being two weeks since the race. I have run a few short sessions on the treadmill and swam laps at the pool so I am not completely giving up on working out. Tomorrow I plan on starting the next one, whether it's the 50k or a marathon plan I am not sure which one to work towards.

  Whatever I decide, onward I will run.