Well folks, I did it. I finally ran my first half-marathon. And it was awesome/sucky/hard/fun all at the same time. How is that possible? Well, a lot can happen in two hours and ten minutes.
The Worst:
- It was rainy and I had to dodge lots of puddles. I missed dodging quite a few and ended up with soggy socks and wrinkly feet.
- The first 8 miles were basically uphill. Typically if you train in Enoch, you are fine with hills, ‘cause we have a lot of them. But I trained mostly on the treadmill…
- These two dang little kids, probably 14 and 11, stuck right by me the whole time. They’d run up ahead, then stop and walk, then run again and pass me. I could not get rid of them! And then one of them finished before me. Grrr…
- I was also beaten by an old man with a mullet.
- At about mile 10 my hips and knee started aching and cramping. They didn’t let up for the last three miles. I can barely go down the stairs today.
There’s that dang kid!
The Best:
- It was rainy, so I stayed cool the whole time! I was worried about being too warm in my long sleeves.
- The course wound through several neighborhoods, so there were lots of old people and little kids standing on their porches and driveways cheering us on. One family even had their car stereo turned up really loud for us to hear.
- Just after Chad had stopped to see me at about mile 6, he drove past and honked. The girl next to me said, “Was that your husband, awww!” Then she saw Tess in the back seat and said, “Do you have a baby?!?! How old?” I told her and it made me feel awesome.
- This chick was right behind me right at the end and one of her friends came to motivate her and she was trying to get the girl to pass me (I could hear her talking about the girl in the pink shirt.) Heck no, you are not going to pass me! And she didn’t.
- I got all emotional two times: once when I saw a lady stop to give her little boy a high five and he was really excited and then as I was making my way to the finish line and I could hear the roar of the spectators in the distance. Got just a little teary. Awesome.
Still looking happy at mile 6.
Not looking quite so healthy afterwards…
The only thing I learned is that running very far really hurts, but makes you feel really good. Also, I will never run a marathon.
I have to add this little video Chad took of the finish because you can see a couple of old men and that dang kid beating me! Also, I pretend to look happy when I am really dying inside. And outside, I guess, because I felt like I was about to barf.
