Race Recap

I signed up for the Scenic City Half Marathon thinking I'd have plenty of time to train. I've never trained for any of my races. I just wing it usually. The only other experiences I have with half marathons are from two I did while I was in college (and pretty out of shape) in Nashville, the Music City Half. Anyway, between the wintry weather, sick kids, a husband gone on business, trying to move houses, and another surgical procedure for Abel, the training did not happen. I barely got out there and ran. Those are my excuses anyway. Still, I didn't do too shabby. Although, if we were basing the race on the photos the folks at the race took, then you'd think I almost died. They're pretty hilarious and sad looking. This is the best one:

First off, it was cold. I wanted to quit before I started. Still, even with snow on the ground, I knew I'd be mad at myself if I backed out of the race. That's my step-mom beside me. She is a fitness machine. She actually enters races and wins (ha!). I was grateful to have her by my side, especially around miles 9 & 10 when I really would have stopped running and mostly walked the rest if she hadn't been there.

On the last mile, we had a bit of an uphill trail and I thought, "Really, people who designed the race. Really!" but we kept plugging away and sprinted the last little bit to make my official race time 2:21:36 and my pace 10:49. That is definitely a PR for me. The other two halfs (should I say halves? haha) I've done, I walked a lot. I don't recall my time but it was much closer to three hours. We were doing great for the first 6 miles or so, keeping a ten minute mile or under, but then the hills and additional miles slowed me down a lot. Julie could have kept going without me, but she ran alongside me instead. I loved having this time with her. This was our second race we've done together.

Now, I'm scheming when my next race will be and how I'll beat my own time. I think I'll take a break from halfs (again, awkward) for a few months, but maybe I'll sign up for a shorter one soon.

It sounds silly, but a couple times I was drawing strength from scripture written on race shirts I saw or that one guy I was behind for a time. His shirt said "Never give up." I'm going to rest my foot which I hurt while running and then get right back to it.

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