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Me and FasterStronger before the race!

Race Day In Review

• Despite not getting as much sleep as I would have liked on Saturday night I was up and ready to go Sunday.
• It was COLD on Sunday morning and I debated wearing compression tights instead of compression shorts – but I had never run in the tights before and I didn’t want to try anything new.
• Get to the park and use the potty before there is a line.
• Texting with FasterStronger to find out her whereabouts – oh and I’m a creeper and texted her a picture of me since I’m still faceless on here.
• Drink like a bottle of water because of nerves.
• Meet up with FasterStronger and her friend. I loved their cute outfits for the race. We drop our stuff at gear check, take our pre race energy gels and make our way to the start.
• We go to the 11 minute corral – the race starts with the seeded runners who got to wear black bibs, I kinda had to pee, but I ignore it because I know I will sweat it out and the lines are long.
• The race starts with silver confetti and we pretty much stand still for 2 minutes until out group gets to the front.
• Right out the gate I feel good, cold, but good. I am a concerns about having to pee already since it’s COLD out. However I really don’t want to lose time stopping so I vow to push through and hope to sweat.
• After my first mile I see I’m running a sub-10 pace which is exciting, but I also don’t want to over do it so I try to keep myself around the 10 min pace as much as possible.
• See FasterStronger and have our awesome High 5.
• While running I see 2 ladies with homemade shirts that say “a DIVA is a female version of a hustler” – I am immediately mad that I didn’t think download that song and put it on my playlist.
• I spent a lot of the run looking at what everyone was wearing (I’m such a girl). LOTS of pink and black. I see a number of women with iRUNLIKEAGIRL gear on.
• Like I mentioned I also was in awe of all the women themselves and how different every single one of us were.
• Around mile 4 I see ladies in line for port-o-pottys, but I decide not to stop despite the fact that I have to go and I’m still not sweating. Plus I just drank a bunch of water with my 2nd energy gel.
• By mile 6 all I can think about is having to see and decide I MUST stop. I know my pace will pick up if I pee so I try not to stress out about losing time.
• Finally right before mile 7 I see pottys and only 2 people in line. I pause my Nike+ sensor so I can track my time minus the bathroom break.
• Get in and out pretty quickly and feel MUCH better, unpause Nike+ sensor.
• I pick up my pace quite a bit to try and make up for some time and believe it or not after a mile or so I catch up with a few ladies I recognized from the pack I was running with (one girl was running with just a sports bra and had quite an ample bossum [I should have just worn a sports bra – I mean it was all women, who cares] and one girl had a camel back and awesome tights on)
• Next thing I know it’s mile 10 and I still feel good. Still around a 10 minute pace.
• Finally like mile 11 I start to sweat – it had been so grey and cloudy all morning. I’m starting to get really tired and notice people starting to pick me off.
• Mile 12 we get feather boas and tiaras (I opt out of the tiara). I keep telling myself to push through and keep up my “suicide pace.” I muster the strength to run full force and pick off a bunch of people
• The last mile of the race was not scenic – we ran through like a truck depot/parking lot which was hella awkward.
• I finally see the finish line in sight. Sadly the crowds were as loud and crazy as I hoped (however throughout the race I enjoyed seeing dad and kids cheering and holding signs for moms).
• Crossing that finish line was a beautiful thing.
• I RAN THE WHOLE DAMN THING. I only stopped to pee. No walking, no jogging, all running. I’m pretty much I ran in the 9:15-11:55 min/miles range the whole time.
• My legs felt STRONG – I remember looking down at my quads as I ran and being impressed with myself – my ankles were a bit mad at me for running the whole time, but they got over it.
• After the race it was time for medals, champagne, roses, food, pictures, and stretching.
• Met back up with FasterStronger to recap the race, chat, celebrate and then say out goodbyes.
• Try to keep moving and walking because once I sit I know it’s going to be hard to get moving.
• Meet up with my aunt for brunch, head home for a shower and 2 hour nap before my flight back where I slept most of it.

I am so proud of myself. I had a great race. It’s interesting to surround myself with you fitblrs and hear about people running half-marathons, full marathons, ironmans like it’s NORMAL. WE ARE NOT NORMAL. So at first training and even running this half I was like “no big deal” because honestly I forgot doing a half was impressive! I’ve gotten so much love and support from friends, colleagues, students, etc – plus all the fantastic messages I got from you guys (especially when I get loved on my by my “tumblr crushes” – I get so excited). I’m looking forward to my next half on halloween weekend, then after that Triathlon training I’m coming for you!