Well, peeps. I did it!
Actually, I did two things. I crossed off
one of my goals and ran the Kansas City half marathon. I'm not going to lie, I'm super proud of myself/kinda feel like I can take on the world.
I think I have a lot of stories and feelings from that day, so I'm going to communicate my experience by categorizing it, because that's how I do.
Best part: Aside from finishing itself, seeing my husband and his parents as I turned the last corner. I was jamming to "
I Will Wait" and all I saw was Eric smiling at me and cheering me on. He stepped out onto the course and I ran over and kissed him before beasting (in my mind) the last 300 meters.
Second best part: I mean this in the nicest way possible - passing people as I raced for the finish line. We weren't racing, but I really felt like I was winning.
Worst part: Miles 8-11. They were long, boring, a steady incline and when my back started to really ache. No dice.
Second worst part: Taking too much to drink at the mile 9 aid station. Until and after mile 9, I took one cup of water and one cup of gatorade. But at mile 9, I took two waters and a gatorade. That sloshed around in my stomach for a bit and slowed me down.
Grossest part: My fellow champions might say any spitting I did while running (this is something I always do - get over it), but it was most definitely when Eric and I got in my car to leave and I got a whiff of myself. Was that a wet dog hiding in my car? Nope, just me.
(If you thought of
this when I said 'Nope', high-five yourself for me because you are the cat's meow.)
Scariest part: Starting out. I was so paranoid that I would start too fast and crap out immediately. Thankfully, I used my brain and started in a pace group that was slower than my regular pace. After mile 1, I broke away and did my own thing, and the relaxed start was a huge part in being able to run the whole thing.
Tear-worthy moment: Generally, all the people along the course cheering on all the runners. I want to be friends with A-L-L of them. Specifically, this one older woman at mile 9 that told us all she was so proud of us and admired us. I wanted to cry and hug her, but instead smiled, waved and said 'thank you so much' as I ran past.
The "holy-crap-that's-amazing" moment: At mile 11, a parade of policemen on motorcycles came through signaling all runners to get over to the right side of the road. It didn't make sense until I saw they were escorting the marathon leader. The night before, I thought that moment would make me feel sadly pathetic, but it was not that at all. As he passed the rest of us, I couldn't help but clap and cheer for this guy, running double the distance we were in less time. Some humans are amazing.
Best surprise: There were some things working against me that shouldn't have allowed me to not only run the whole thing, but to finish under my time goal. For one, I have a bad knee that had not been holding up well in my training. Another was that in the last 3 weeks before the race, I was sick for two of them and didn't get in ANY of my long runs, which is not cool and made me extremely nervous. Those aside from this being my first race longer than a 5K, not knowing the route and being so nervous I thought I would poop myself were reasons I was terrified sleepless Friday night.
Overall, I loved it. The training for it was not my favorite, but I'm so glad I did this. A lot of people say after you run your first half marathon, you become hooked. I don't know if I am; I think I'd like to do another one, but it's up in the air. I know it's really not that far compared to a marathon or iron man or some other competition for crazy people, but for the past few days, I have felt like a minor league super hero. It's amazing what setting and accomplishing a goal feels like. Me likey.
Also, you have to give me a little credit for sharing this photo. Eric looks schmexy, and I'm a mess of sweat, stank, unflattering clothes and slicked-back hair.
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The things I do for this blog.
