My half marathon update!

Christy · **My half marathon update!**

Instead of re-writing everything out, I will just copy and paste a snipit from my blog! It gives you a sense of where I was as a runner awhile ago and where I am today. All of it leading up to my mixed emotions post race!

Here you go ~ pictures to follow:

I was feeling good about our training. The weather conditions this year, compared to last, had been perfect: we were running in 40-50 degree temps. That may sound cool to you but to a runner it is IDEAL! I had found "the groove" and was finally able to share my experiences with my fellow "Running Moms". Things were looking up! I had even convinced myself, based on our training together, I could complete the half marathon in two hours (or possibly less) if I could maintain my 9:00-9:10 minute mile. I was feeling GREAT!!!!

So I'm all psyched up to run this race today. I have my GUs. I have my trusty running tights. My Nike +, hubby and boys at the finish line....Today is the day I would complete my first half marathon. My first 13.1 mile run, in fact. Our training only took us to 11 1/2 miles so to think about finishing another 1 1/2 miles on top of that would be exhilirating! This all sounds good right?

Well, wrong!

This week, of all weeks, OKC decides to go SUMMER on us. We had temps up in the high 80's...and it's been HUMID. It's just awful! Because this is also "taper week" (meaning running is at a minimum) I haven't even "trained" in this....we've been training in much cooler temps.

So off goes the starting gun and every runner around me at the Starting line wonders "will I make it to the end without dying of dehydration first?". A valid concern, let me assure you.

I won't go through each mile with you, but I will say that this was a TOUGH day for me. All that I was hoping for to "kick in", didn't! Firstly, my pace, which is normally in the 9 minute miles was instead averaging anywhere between 9:30-10:20 minute miles; my GU didn't take; I could not find my groove; the heat was exhausting; the hills were never ending. And of course, just this week, as I mentioned above, the weather has changed. In the last 48 hours, we've been warned of an impending storm which is literally blowing in (and tornados all around us in neighboring counties) and into our face for over half the course! I'm here to say we runners felt the brunt of that today! If it wasn't because of the heat, my pace was clearly affected by the HILLS. Every time we had an opportunity to get on a straight-away and find our groove, we would turn the corner and there was a hill. Once we got to the top of it, there was another corner, then another hill. It was very frustrating. Now one would think: there's hills in Oklahoma? I would ask the same thing.....and would answer NO....but apparently they decided to put all the ones they had in this course. It was awful.

I am a bit disappointed with my pace...and with my overall feeling about the run; I was hoping for all this joyous moments and to experience the "adrenaline" rush of being in the race and finishing it successfully; however I had none of that. I had no kick at the end. I had no kick during the race and I WALKED THREE TIMES! I never walk....well not "never" but I rarely walk. When I took my GU at mile 6, I was hoping to "sail" into my 10th mile...when it didn't happen, I knew it was going to be a long second half of the 13.1.

Overall, I'm happy to be among the Running Moms and to be included in the "marathon" group of people I know. I am glad I did it and I'm glad to see my body could carry me all that way. I am trying very hard not to dwell on my time, which really isn't all that bad (2 hours, 7 minutes, 25 seconds) but when I thought I could do it in less time and know my body wasn't responding the way it normally does, I can't help but feel a little disappointed. But like I said, I am happy I did it...and so glad it's over.

I'm retiring from running for awhile. It has consumed most of my mornings at the Y for the last few months and it had preoccupied my mind and the way I think about things for weeks too! It will be nice to just "go for a run" next time I do, without having a purpose but to actually enjoy it and not focus on my time. I have even decided that it's OK that I am more of a shorter distance runner, or maybe even a multi sport athlete (we'll find THAT out this fall when I complete my first duathlon: run, bike, run). I'm perfectly happy saying I completed ONE half marathon and then sticking to shorter races. I think 6-8 miles is my happy place anyway ~ you would have NEVER heard me say that last year!