I did it

I really did it!

 Months and Months of training and prepping and crying and physical therapy and doubt came down to this morning. It had been six and a half years since my last half marathon and the course was so very different I had no idea what really to expect. When I first signed up for the Holiday Half I had a time goal in my head, one that was big but one that based on recent 5k results I knew would be very doable if I just stayed consistent. Well then the training started, and then the back pain started, and then it started getting cold, and then the shin splints started. And even a week ago, I was in serious doubt of my ability to actually do the half marathon. 

Then this morning came. We got to the starting area, and though it was cold and windy and rainy I was feeling good. I was able to get my legs stretched out a bit before starting. I managed to find 3 out of 5 friends who I knew were up there doing the race too. And then, the gun went off and the snow machine started spraying. Miles 1-9 were amazing. My shins didn't hurt, my back didn't hurt, every time I looked at our pace it was a little bit faster than the time before. I was feeling great.

 And then well, things unraveled a little bit. The police were opening the route back up to traffic at a different time then the website had said the course would be closed for, the volunteers manning the aide stations were starting to pack up, I mean I knew I was slow but seriously, there was a rather large group of us all on pace to finish well under 4 hours and they were already packing up. And I started to get pissed, and that got in my head, and that is one thing that has derailed a lot of training for me, I haven't been good at getting back out of my head. And then mile 11 seemed to last forever. And then I got pissed that I was pissed instead of enjoying the race.  They had told us there would be gingerbread cookies during mile 11 and I just really really wanted a cookie. And the mile just kept going, I'm still not sure how it as longer than any of the other miles, but just before mile 12 I finally got my gingerbread cookie. And just like that, I wasn't pissed any more. I knew the finish line was less than 20 minutes away. And somehow before I knew it, the last turn was in sight, and it was a short downhill run to the finish line. 3:37:15! That time was so freaking beautiful to me. 

Everything about this experience was different than my previous half. at no point did I ever want to quit, the thought never even crossed my mind. I felt great afterward, I mean I was really glad to be done, but I felt good. I didn't throw up at any point, I was able to actually walk somewhat normally into Red Robin when we stopped for lunch on the way home. And the BEST part, I beat my last time by 21 minutes! It wasn't quite the original goal I had in mind when I started months ago, but considering all the roadblocks my body faced in the last several months, it's super amazing to me. 

As I sit here and reflect on the journey of not just this half but my whole wellness journey in 2016 I am so humbled by the support I have received along the way. My friend Randi who not only talked me into the half marathon in the first place but then did it by my side, even though she had every reason to bail out at the last minute.  The amazing team at Andrew PT, specifically Don, Nathan and John, there is no way I would have been strong enough to have done this without not just the physical work we have done together, but all the things Don has talked over with me from a running training standpoint as well. And I have no idea if I would been able to stick any of this out without the encouragement of the guys at Bitter Runners, their encouragement every week has been so amazing to me. I love having a group.