I Survived 13.1 Miles

Well I did it, actually we all did it!  Way to go Marissa, Emily, and Marianne!! Sadly I forgot to bring my camera to the race so there aren't any pics from race day but I do have pics of the goods from the race as proof that I actually ran it.  Here is the rundown of the race:

It was a cold start to the race and gloves were a must but the sun came up which was nice.  Luckily my adrenaline was pumping so I definitely didn't feel as cold as I usually do with only a few light layers on.  We started in corral 8 of 10 so we could all start together (and get to pass people which is always a plus) so I don't think we actually crossed the start line until 7:15.  The first 5 miles were great and we were cruising along the flat streets of DC, passing the capital, white house, washington monument, etc.  Even the cherry blossoms were in bloom.  

We hit a couple decent hills between miles 5 and 7 but training here with all the hills made them seem like no big deal.  Around mile 8 I separated from everyone which was kind of annoying because I didn't have anyone to ask what mile we were at  and the race didn't have many mile marker signs.  Maybe that is a sign I need to invest in a Garmin watch!  Everything was going well until mile 11.  That's when I started to hit a wall.  My legs were feeling sore and heavy, my feet hurt, and I was running out of gas. 

  Up until mile 11 the Clif shot bloks (which I had never tried before but are awesome and easy to eat while running without immediately needing water to wash them down) and a good playlist along with adrenaline had made the first 11 miles seem like a breeze.  I then faced decision time- power through the last 2 miles and meet my goal of a sub 2 hour race or give in to a slower pace and risk finishing after the 2 hour mark.  What did I choose?  Go for it! 

My unofficial time was 1 hour and 55 minutes!  Pretty funny because when I had to estimate my time to register for the race way before I even started training I put down 1:55 without having any clue if that was going to be accurate.  Mile 11 was rough but knowing the finish line was approaching gave me the push to finish pretty strong in the last mile.  It was great having a fan club at the finish- thanks for all your support Jamie, Luke, Erin, and Nick! 

The finish line was chaotic and I only managed to get my space blanket while in the chute.  I double backed around and finally got a hold of some bling!

I wasn't even able to get my hands on water at the finish!  There were certainly some organization problems with the event, including the fact that they lost my bib.  I was so bummed I didn't get to wear a personalized bib but it wasn't a deal breaker so I shouldn't complain. 

They did have nice t-shirts which I appreciate.  Plus the swag bags had some funny things including the following:

Yup that's right, mini bottles of olive oil and vinegar!  So random.  Here is the t-shirt which lists all of the sights we ran by.

All in all it was a great experience.  I don't think I'll ever run a full marathon but I am definitely considering running another half.  It's far enough to be a challenge but not so far that it destroys you.  I'm definitely feeling it today in my quads and yesterday I was sort of waddling around! 

It's kind of crazy to think that I can run long distance after spending years as a sprinter.  My last shout out goes to Hefty for providing inspiration.  While I was running I kept thinking how I had to beat her time from the half she ran last weekend.  Heft thanks for calling to see how it went and congrats on your award- you really are a hero and an inspiration to many including me.  Miss you but we will have to plan a run together this summer.