It’s over two weeks since I crossed the finish line at 2hrs and 48 minutes!

 

Two ladies full of pride!

 

I had great weather and I did it! I ran 13 miles. It was unbelievable that I did it, especially because I barely made it past 9 miles in my training.  Not bad for my first Half Marathon, not bad that I have only been running for 9 months! I know I don’t have the details fresh in my mind but the course was awesome, nice and flat and most of it thru Liberty State Park with NYC and statue of liberty as the backdrop. Amazingly my fellow blogger Jen who I havent seen in like 10 yrs since we worked together taps me on the back on the potty line. What a nice surprise, just the fact that she was able to Waldo me in the crowd was great!

My weeks leading up to the race worried me as I had to take it easy. My body got run down from all the running, so what I  did the last two weeks is run 8 or 9 miles on sunday and take the whole week off and did it again the week before the race and took the week off before race day. It worked! My body was well rested, I had the energy jelly beans and Gu’s when I needed a kick in the butt.  The water stations saved me. I was a little annoyed that I had to run 3 miles to get to the first water station but what can you do, I did it either way.

So the running, I lined up at the back of the line with the 12 minute milers and beyond, and I have to say I didnt do that bad. At the start of the race you have to step on this thing on the floor that basically registers your start of the race electronically, if you don’t step on it you didnt run that day. Well it was funny bc it was so crowded a few people went around and I started to follow and then I remember oh no I have to step on that thing, lol, so I doublebacked a few steps and tracked my existence that day-too bad for those who forgot. Thank God I didn’t forget.

I was equipped with my grandma fanny pack stuffed with my drinking gels and phone with the running app and music on, everything at my fingertips.  Halfway thru I ingested my gels and those things work, giving me enough energy to keep going and make it to the next water station. Throughout the race I continued to tell myself you can make it to mile 6-you did the GWB race, you can make it to 9-you did it last week, then after that it was pure mental GO THE DISTANCE thinking.  I thought how cool it was that I was running a half marathon and the encouragement of everyone got me through the last 5 miles. I was texting my husband every time I felt weak, and he texted me back “You can do it.”  It was great to get the instant feedback. I also heard the notification sounds of my Facebook friends leaving me messages which encouraged me. Around mile 8 I saw Jen, I clapped for her and that gave me motivation to keep going. Leaving the park, the crowd was cheering giving me high fives-TOTALLY COOL and adrenalizing if that’s even a word. lol.

I tried to keep a decent pace, calculating each mile in my head and motivating myself to keep the same pace.  My first 5 miles I ran a 12 min mile, the next 5 suprisingly I ran a 13 min mile, and after that I just couldnt do the math and keep myself going.   My final half mile was anything but pretty, I probably walked maybe a mile of the whole Half , it was in spurts I wouldnt let myself walk more than a minute after water in fear that i would fall too far behind and be disappointed in the end.   There were points when my legs just felt like they were going to fall off! ugh!!! and I saw some people just walk off the course bc they were in pain. Let’s just say I was ready to pass out I was so tired, my muscles were just DONE; then from a far I see Pete who lives near the finish line. Him and his wife were there cheering me on. Tara took pictures and Pete started running the last quarter mile with me, motivating me to pull through and not walk and get to that finish line quicker.

I crossed the finish line and it wasnt a pretty picture, lol. I was face down just concentrating so hard just to step on that electronic sensor at the finish line. I was emotionally S-P-E-N-T at the point.

 

Fighting to the finish

 

My husband was there to take the finish photo and I just went straight for the curb to pass out. Can’t even imagine what a marathon feels like. I clocked in at 2hrs and 48 minutes, average pace of a 13 minute mile, WAY TO GO ME!!LOL..

Post race reaction: Well I am glad I did the Half marathon. It’s funny bc it reminded me of how a woman feels after her big wedding party is over. All these months of training and then after that day its all over. There is no more training, everyone congratulates you on that day and then it is over. Oh well do I sign up for another? My girlfriend Otavia asked if I wanted to do the Disney half marathon-in January. I don’t know if I want to do another so soon. I ended the race with a dark toe nail, ugh, which I hope doesn’t fall off.

This runner is going to take it easy for the next few months and get her toenails back in shape so I can go get a pedicure again! I’m gonna try and do a few days of running a week and see if I get the urge to do another half marathon or just do shorter races.  NYC has a half marathon in March- who knew? So MAYBE I’ll sign up for that, it would be cool to run around NY where I am originally from. If I do I’ll BLOG UP again. Til then hope all enjoyed and got motivated from my experience.