I am a Half Marathoner!

I did it!

Yippe!

Honestly, I loved it...besides the beast blister I felt starting at mile 3! I was solo today, which was pretty boring, so I totally was that annoying girl and asked a couple who had a great pace if I could run with them. They were awesome! I ran with them for 7.5 miles straight! 7.5 miles, I have NEVER run that far. I was so impressed with myself. After that mile 8 was all hills and I could not hang. I walked to the water station at 8. Ran/walked to water station at 10. Started to feel a little burnt out because I thought mile 11 was a l o n g way off (due to a sign that had a 12 crossed out with an 11 on it). But lo and behold, mile 11 was just before the last turn around and that totally motivated me to run to 12. I walked and got water and gel blocks (OMG-so good!), by now I was starving. I told myself I would run the last 1.1 miles and BE DONE! I was so excited. I ran/chatted (not chatted like I wasn't exhausted, just chatted like "Let's bond over the last .25 mile of this half marathon:) with a sweet lady named Katherine. Seeing the finish line is not really motivating for me. It actually makes me want to stop then and there. But I told myself I would run to the end.

I was overjoyed to cross that finish line. I was so stinking proud of my body. It is humbling to think of how fortunate I am and how capable I am when so many are not. It is a great blessing and priviledge and I am thrilled to have really gone out there and given my best today.

Deep thoughts from running my first half marathon:

~I can do anything without 3 children hanging on me

~My body is fabulous and I need to treat her better (ie:get to bed and eat food that does something for me)

~Running a half marathon is like drying your hair, once you start you have to finish

~I can not wait to run with McKenzie, I even got teary eyed daydreaming about running her first race with her and wearing a shirt that says, "This is my daughter's first half marathon--->" and running by her side the whole time. I would like to be a good enough runner by then to know how to pace myself, and her, to make her comfortable.

~I would love to complete a race (of any distance) with Eric, a group of friends, my mom, my dad and my kids

~Running is therapy. Period.

I totally get why runners love running. I truly felt great today and can not wait to run another half marathon!