Run, Girl, RUN!

Hey, remember that one day when I finally decided that running a Half Marathon today was not going to happen? Well, today was the day I was so thankful for that decision!! Yup, today was the day, and it was a morning scorcher!! I know I've groaned about the heat a few times this calendar year (because, 'tis that season where we go back and forth just enough to not be ready for the next round of heat!), but today was definitely the morning worst so far. Already in the low 80s at 6:00 a.m. and thick with humidity. Nice! AND, you can totally believe me on how awful it felt because it's not like I'm trying to convince anyone of why my Half Marathon was soooo hard ... because I didn't do it! No sympathy sought here!

It was a really fun morning, but there were a few last-minute things to do last to get ready!

Of course I had to break out the purple shoe strings to continue
with the buck-the-black theme! Daphne came to help me.

She's fierce. In her mind.

Are you as surprised as I to see just how much character laces
give the ol' shoes? Look how weird these look without 'em?

I started a tradition at my first 5K to make sure the Crew had
some sort of snack for during the run ... the junior Crewers were
much younger and less tolerant of off-schedule meals at that
point! Now, even though they can wait, they like a prize. Along
with their strawberries, I gave them a cupcake. Aaron got the
fig bar from my run in April that I didn't eat. Aaron got the short
end here if you ask me! But, he liked it.

As promised, Elly -- who stayed at home
and napped -- matched my attire!

Look close ... oh, yes I did.

With all details complete, it was time to run!

I was pretty stoked about this run. That feeling of "Wow, I'm not quite sure what I can eek out of a Half Marathon right now" was turned upside down with an "I can absolutely rock this 5K." When the Half pack took off right before our group, I did feel a little pang of, "Oooo ... could've been doing that." It wasn't huge, but I have to admit it was there. I knew I'd made a good decision, though, and I was all the more resolved to have a great run. Besides, the announcer was talking about each course, and he called the Half's Mile 10 a "death march" -- the very same mile that I originally saw on the map and because of which took great pause. Evidently, it wasn't just me!

There were 532 runners in our 5K group (495 women; 37 men ... the guys had to like their odds of placing and winning a prize, huh? Ha!). We took off, and right out of the gate, the course was up hill. We were warned about the hill (even though we were told the rest of the course was easy), but I had zero issue with that hill. If I'm going to encounter a hill, at the beginning is my pick of placement! Not only that, I run on hills all the time and I could tell my Total Gym antics were kicked in and paying off. I call that hill Victory Number One.

I'm on the far right in the purple. Not
looking for pennies.

Immediately after that hill, we went down. That's road race perfection if you ask me because I do so hate when I'm going up a hill and don't get the satisfaction of going downward after. I'm all about balance. ANYWAY, I took full advantage of the down hill and kept up my pace. I figured I'd run (vs. jog) when I could because there would be a point where the humidity was going to get me. I also told myself to keep my head up. We were on a street crossing at an intersection where I would normally scope for pennies. This simply was not the time!

The humidity. It didn't just get me. It got all of us. Right before Mile 2, you could almost visually see a collective slump from the entire field of runners. We were right in the sun, the turn around point was coming (therefore very anticipated), and we were just, plain hot. There was an aid station here, so I took one of the Gatorade cups as I passed. I usually just grab water, but when it's hot, I'll take the Gatorade. Bad move -- it was vanilla flavored. Now, I love vanilla. Candles. Body spray. Extract for cookies. Nowhere in that list is there anything to drink. It was di-sgust-ing. Note to self: Grab water on the way back. Just. Water.

Okay, that turn around point I mentioned? You need to know that these double-back lengths have been my nemisis in every run they're used because there are always more people passing me on their way back than I pass on my own way back. (It used to bug me. Grrr.) Today, however, for the very first time, I knew I'd passed at least as many people as passed me. They just kept coming! I realized right then and there that that was my own personal best of the day, and I mentally celebrated for sure. This moment was not about who I passed. It was about how far I've come.

On that same stretch, I again passed the aid station (Just water, please ... yummy ... good to pour on my face, too ...), and the end was near. I love that moment when you can hear the music from the finish line because you know you're near. I sometimes hate that moment, too, because it feels so close but so far away ... Eh, I love it more than hate it! It was on this stretch, though, that I want to note I made a very concious decision to keep going. I was so hot and just wanted to stop in the shade, but I reminded myself to just keep moving. It happens to everyone. It was also on this stretch where I had to get rocks out of my shoes. Twice. Nice.

The next thing I knew, I was rounding the gates to the finish! I was super-stoked about my finish and about our finishing prize!


I wonder if I ran it twice if I would have gotten a matching set.
Excellent stemware swag! Mine is calling for a margarita, but
its first fill was that of a berry smoothie from the race sponsors!
We were treated right from beginning to end on this run!

Of course, my very favorite moment is that when the crew gives me their finishing cheers!

Hugs abounded from everyone, but Aaron is the least afraid of
my sweat and smell. He's also the one who gets the most excited
because he actually gets what it has taken to get to every finish
line. The rest of the Pit Crew just knows it happens. And, that's
very cool, too.

With that, there's another official run in the books. Who knew this would be a welcomed and excitable way to start a weekend morning in my world? I'm just so glad it is. See you tomorrow on Total Rest Day when I can tear myself away from the pool!