Mile 8.2 - dying for some fuel
About to the kids, my Dad, and Steph
Part of my fan club along the way!
The other part of my fan club minus Steph
The posters they made for me - so cuteHere's a short recap of the big event....big for me anyway!
4:50 am - alarm goes off. What? I just went to bed...literally a few hours ago.
5:30 - out the door and on our way
6:10 - get dropped off downtown...in the dark....eerie feeling but lots of people around! We fortunately had a man with us so we weren't 3 women roaming in downtown Phoenix alone:)
6:12 - near the race, listening to the band. What do we do now? Race doesn't start for more than 2 hours!
In the meantime....we grabbed some bananas, put our chips on our shoes, put our race tags on...and people watched!
8:00 - decide we better use the restroom.
8:01 - WHOA!!! Porta potty jam!!! Thousands and thousands of people lined up to use the facilities.....we waited, and waited and waited. Finally....done. Relieved and ready.
8:25 - head to our corals. I in # 9 - others in 19 and 20-somethings - so time for me to head off on my own. I ended up having to run to my corral and finally just jumped in at 11 b/c everyone was moving already.
Approximately 9am - I ended up starting, the starting clock was at 26 minutes.
We're off! Amazing! Never thought I'd really do it - but I.just.crossed.the.start.line people!!
Takes me about 1-2 miles to "warm up." Steph had let me know they were around mile 2.6 so I made sure I took up a good pace to get to them. Was so fun to see them.
Kept cruising....kept cruising...staring at the wonderful sites of downtown-central Phoenix! Oh wait - I tried NOT to look!
I was doing really well until about mile 6 - then started feeling malnourished - I didn't eat a whole lot. I knew I should but I didn't have much of an appetite. They did not have the water stations in the spots that I needed them so I choked down two little energy beans. They actually worked. At this point, I was still doing about a 9:45 or so minute mile.
Mile 7 - I really have to pee. Port a potty's around? Check. But there's a line and I didn't want to slow down. So I kept cruising. I passed a band somewhere around this point that was a little middle school band playing the song that Hunter "dances" to at preschool chapel - so I got a good laugh. Steph texted me at about 7.6 - that they were around mile 8.2 - YAY! I didn't expect that. I was so thinking about walking but I wanted to get to them as quick as I could. I was slowing down at this point - not walking - just running like I was 80 years old. I probably walked about a total of 2 minutes all together the whole time. When I'd start to walk - I'd see people pass me that were twice my size, or 3 times my age, or that had something on the back of their shirt that read "running in memory of my Mom" or "my beautiful niece".....so I felt compelled to kick it in the butt! Keep in mind - I was also running in honor of my beautiful niece - I just didn't have the gear this time around as I 1) hope to lose more weight before May and 2) wanted another motivator to run another one soon - and who wouldn't love to have a running shirt made that honors their adorable niece?!
Turn the corner to mile 8 - and had this plethora of people yelling "way to go!!! You're almost there!" "It's just around the corner!" Hello, people...at this point, the race is just beginning. We are NOT almost there!
Mile 8.2 - took a nice break to see the kiddos. They were adorable and I had a chance to shove a few bites of banana down and some water. My sister was awesome - she knew just what I needed since she had done this several times before! I always told her it was easier to RUN the race than to spectate with kids. I think she agrees now :)
Was pretty sore at this point. Could feel two of my right toes rubbing together. Gross.
Mile 9 or so - finally got to use the restroom! Whew! Right around mile 9 we started going a little uphill and North which was the opposite way of the finish line....so a little shug of the shoulders going on at this point!
10, 11, & 12 kind of cruised by. I ran most of it - slowly - but I was running...or shall I say jogging? I don't know! Steph texted me that they were near the finish - by the stadium. I was sort of looking around for signs of encouragement - or motivation. I remembered I had gotten this cute little note that my sister Jenna gave me to put in my shoe and think of around "miles 11 and 12" that read " I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." So, in my shoe, and gross as ever - it definitely came to mind at this point. Oddly enough, after I began to think of the verse - I was thinking "man, everyone has all sorts of sayings and 'in memory of's' on the back of their shirts but not once did I ever notice any with Bible verses or signs along the spectator line. No lie - 2 minutes later, I saw a shirt with the exact verse on the back of it AND a sign! Crazy! But true - just when I needed the strength the most - the Good Lord popped up and reminded me that I COULD do it. I certainly didn't want to walk the last few miles or anywhere near the finish line. One foot in front of the other. I kept on going! Knowing that I was lucky to have the ability to run - and to use those legs the way I was! I read a sign around mile 11.5 or so that read "the pain is only temporary!" How true!
Finally, at mile 13 - hearing "you're almost there" was real music to my ears! Woo hoo! Although that .1 mile seemed like 10 - I was indeed, almost there.
2:56 and some seconds on the clock.....DONE! Do the math, according to the clocks I finished in 2:30....but the official time on my chip read 2:38. Either way, I'll take whatever!
It felt great! Finally - something I really wanted to do - didn't necessarily prepare the way I should have - but I did it. Had a massive blister on one of my toes and scratches on my back that looked like a cat got me?! Not sure how I got those but they sting!
We spent the rest of the day eating lunch, then home for a "nap." Well, I didn't actually get a nap b/c I had one child lying in front of me on the couch and the other on top of me - but I got a little rest...and got to see the Cardinals beat the Eagles! GO CARDINALS! How fun is that?!
Then showered, off to church, and I even made dinner. Must have had some major adrenaline going on yet last night I guess! In any case, I slept great last night and wasn't too sore today - just one of my calves hurts pretty bad - but in those 2 hours we waited downtown before it started - you'd think I would've thought to S-T-R-E-T-C-H!!!
Still deciding whether I should do the full in May - I really want to but need to come up with a way to juggle training, motherhood to 3 obnoxious, active little boys - work - and school. In the meantime, I'm going to keep on running! Going to look for another 1/2 that I could run to try to improve my time and train a little harder in between now and May....so stay tuned! I will be finally whipping out my personal trainer gift card I got from Sanjog's Mom over a year ago - (no expiration date:) ).....so looking forward to whatever is next. Whether it be shaving 30 minutes off of another half or making the brutal attempt at a full...I'm excited!
Stay tuned also for more pictures of Grandpa's visit! We're having a blast! Just super busy and had the computer crash two nights in a row so a little behind to say the least.
Thanks for all the well wishes! If anyone's up for running a marathon - let me know!
5:30 - out the door and on our way
6:10 - get dropped off downtown...in the dark....eerie feeling but lots of people around! We fortunately had a man with us so we weren't 3 women roaming in downtown Phoenix alone:)
6:12 - near the race, listening to the band. What do we do now? Race doesn't start for more than 2 hours!
In the meantime....we grabbed some bananas, put our chips on our shoes, put our race tags on...and people watched!
8:00 - decide we better use the restroom.
8:01 - WHOA!!! Porta potty jam!!! Thousands and thousands of people lined up to use the facilities.....we waited, and waited and waited. Finally....done. Relieved and ready.
8:25 - head to our corals. I in # 9 - others in 19 and 20-somethings - so time for me to head off on my own. I ended up having to run to my corral and finally just jumped in at 11 b/c everyone was moving already.
Approximately 9am - I ended up starting, the starting clock was at 26 minutes.
We're off! Amazing! Never thought I'd really do it - but I.just.crossed.the.start.line people!!
Takes me about 1-2 miles to "warm up." Steph had let me know they were around mile 2.6 so I made sure I took up a good pace to get to them. Was so fun to see them.
Kept cruising....kept cruising...staring at the wonderful sites of downtown-central Phoenix! Oh wait - I tried NOT to look!
I was doing really well until about mile 6 - then started feeling malnourished - I didn't eat a whole lot. I knew I should but I didn't have much of an appetite. They did not have the water stations in the spots that I needed them so I choked down two little energy beans. They actually worked. At this point, I was still doing about a 9:45 or so minute mile.
Mile 7 - I really have to pee. Port a potty's around? Check. But there's a line and I didn't want to slow down. So I kept cruising. I passed a band somewhere around this point that was a little middle school band playing the song that Hunter "dances" to at preschool chapel - so I got a good laugh. Steph texted me at about 7.6 - that they were around mile 8.2 - YAY! I didn't expect that. I was so thinking about walking but I wanted to get to them as quick as I could. I was slowing down at this point - not walking - just running like I was 80 years old. I probably walked about a total of 2 minutes all together the whole time. When I'd start to walk - I'd see people pass me that were twice my size, or 3 times my age, or that had something on the back of their shirt that read "running in memory of my Mom" or "my beautiful niece".....so I felt compelled to kick it in the butt! Keep in mind - I was also running in honor of my beautiful niece - I just didn't have the gear this time around as I 1) hope to lose more weight before May and 2) wanted another motivator to run another one soon - and who wouldn't love to have a running shirt made that honors their adorable niece?!
Turn the corner to mile 8 - and had this plethora of people yelling "way to go!!! You're almost there!" "It's just around the corner!" Hello, people...at this point, the race is just beginning. We are NOT almost there!
Mile 8.2 - took a nice break to see the kiddos. They were adorable and I had a chance to shove a few bites of banana down and some water. My sister was awesome - she knew just what I needed since she had done this several times before! I always told her it was easier to RUN the race than to spectate with kids. I think she agrees now :)
Was pretty sore at this point. Could feel two of my right toes rubbing together. Gross.
Mile 9 or so - finally got to use the restroom! Whew! Right around mile 9 we started going a little uphill and North which was the opposite way of the finish line....so a little shug of the shoulders going on at this point!
10, 11, & 12 kind of cruised by. I ran most of it - slowly - but I was running...or shall I say jogging? I don't know! Steph texted me that they were near the finish - by the stadium. I was sort of looking around for signs of encouragement - or motivation. I remembered I had gotten this cute little note that my sister Jenna gave me to put in my shoe and think of around "miles 11 and 12" that read " I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." So, in my shoe, and gross as ever - it definitely came to mind at this point. Oddly enough, after I began to think of the verse - I was thinking "man, everyone has all sorts of sayings and 'in memory of's' on the back of their shirts but not once did I ever notice any with Bible verses or signs along the spectator line. No lie - 2 minutes later, I saw a shirt with the exact verse on the back of it AND a sign! Crazy! But true - just when I needed the strength the most - the Good Lord popped up and reminded me that I COULD do it. I certainly didn't want to walk the last few miles or anywhere near the finish line. One foot in front of the other. I kept on going! Knowing that I was lucky to have the ability to run - and to use those legs the way I was! I read a sign around mile 11.5 or so that read "the pain is only temporary!" How true!
Finally, at mile 13 - hearing "you're almost there" was real music to my ears! Woo hoo! Although that .1 mile seemed like 10 - I was indeed, almost there.
2:56 and some seconds on the clock.....DONE! Do the math, according to the clocks I finished in 2:30....but the official time on my chip read 2:38. Either way, I'll take whatever!
It felt great! Finally - something I really wanted to do - didn't necessarily prepare the way I should have - but I did it. Had a massive blister on one of my toes and scratches on my back that looked like a cat got me?! Not sure how I got those but they sting!
We spent the rest of the day eating lunch, then home for a "nap." Well, I didn't actually get a nap b/c I had one child lying in front of me on the couch and the other on top of me - but I got a little rest...and got to see the Cardinals beat the Eagles! GO CARDINALS! How fun is that?!
Then showered, off to church, and I even made dinner. Must have had some major adrenaline going on yet last night I guess! In any case, I slept great last night and wasn't too sore today - just one of my calves hurts pretty bad - but in those 2 hours we waited downtown before it started - you'd think I would've thought to S-T-R-E-T-C-H!!!
Still deciding whether I should do the full in May - I really want to but need to come up with a way to juggle training, motherhood to 3 obnoxious, active little boys - work - and school. In the meantime, I'm going to keep on running! Going to look for another 1/2 that I could run to try to improve my time and train a little harder in between now and May....so stay tuned! I will be finally whipping out my personal trainer gift card I got from Sanjog's Mom over a year ago - (no expiration date:) ).....so looking forward to whatever is next. Whether it be shaving 30 minutes off of another half or making the brutal attempt at a full...I'm excited!
Stay tuned also for more pictures of Grandpa's visit! We're having a blast! Just super busy and had the computer crash two nights in a row so a little behind to say the least.
Thanks for all the well wishes! If anyone's up for running a marathon - let me know!
1 comment:
That was an amazing accomplishment! You should be soooo proud of yourself. I think you should go for the full! I mean, you just started training and did the half! That was awesome. Congrats!!
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