National Half Marathon

National half marathon is a tale of two stories.  Story #1 is my time.  After my first Disney world race, I though I would never hit that time again and it would be my eternal half marathon PR (personal record for the non-runners out there).  Then in the princess half, I beat that time by just over two minutes.  I was shocked and thrilled (especially after being sick).  But certainly that would be my PR!  Then national half marathon came around.  I beat my Disney Princess time by about 3 1/2 minutes, finishing in 1:45:31.  I am still in total disbelief about this and SO happy.

It was cold!! And all clothes left on the course get donated to homeless shelters, so it's nice to stay warm at the start (and look ridiculous).

But now for Story #2.  I was placed in corral 4 (or pink, or D, or something like that) which I found out was 8:10 to 8:40 min/mile expected time.  Perfect for me.  The race was crowded at the beginning, but compared to trying to get out to a good start in Disney World, it was a piece of cake.  So I did what I was used to and started passing as many people as I could.  Only this time, the people in my corral were actually running the time they were signed up for.  So I quickly found myself running much faster than expected - except I had no idea.  How is that possible, you ask?

-The people that set up the race decided not to post any sort of mile marker until mile 10.  You could guess when you were around mile 5 because the relay teams switched off (half marathon relays are made up of three legs of 5 miles, 5 miles, and 3.1 miles), but by that point I had already gone way too fast.  I haven't run a lot of races to know what is normal, but from the number of people complaining, I'm pretty sure that most races post signs at each mile, so this led to a lot of people running too fast or too slow. 
-But I have a Garmin watch, so I should have seen my pace, right?  Well, my Garmin watch couldn't correctly connect to satellites in time for the start of the race, so I never knew for sure if it was working correctly and just assumed it was wrong when it showed my pace.  Though it turns out, it was mostly correct.  It's a great piece of technology and I highly recommend it to someone racing a lot, but it's almost so cool that I'm still learning to trust it.  And somehow, being surrounded by all these fast people, my body didn't realize it was going so fast.

You can probably see where this is going.  First half of the race I was booking it!  Second half, not so much.  For the first time, I walked during a race.  Mainly just 10-15 seconds when I was really struggling, but that tells you how I was feeling during the second half.  It was by far my least impressive performance in that sense, but no need to dwell on that because it still turned out well.  And even if it hadn't, bad races are bound to happen when you run 12 in a year.

Once again though, something great happened.  At one point as I was walking on the right side of the course so I didn't interfere with the people running by, some kind woman gave me a little pat on the back as she passed and said something to the tune of "you can do it, come on and go!"  And I did.  Not that it was the last time I took a quick walk break, but I got my head back in the game thanks to the kindness of some stranger.  As for the woman, I only wish she had an idea how much her quick comment helped me out, and now I'll try to do the same for others in a later race who look like they need a little encouragement.  Runners may be an intense bunch, but it's like you're part of some club and everyone is instantly friends, and I have found that most of them are some of the nicest people you will meet. 

I felt the need to explain all that though, because the point is that you can have a great time without necessarily running your smartest or "best" race.  I still managed to finish in 1:45:31, putting me right around 8:03 minutes/mile.  That's a half marathon time I NEVER dreamed I could complete, and I'm very excited.  The 11, 12, 13 Challenge is not about time, but of course I still want to celebrate the victories when the training pays off. 

This picture does not include me, because they couldn't find me.  But you can see why we might have missed each other!

The only slightly sad part: Adam and Kristen (my sister) and my friend Amanda (who ran Princess with me) had come out to cheer me on.  I was expecting to see them somewhere around mile 5 - they try to decide ahead of time where they will be so I know to keep an eye out, because it's easy to get in the zone during a race.  Kristen was going to wear a bright pink sweatshirt so they were easy to recognize.  But somehow, I never saw them!  Maybe because I went out quickly they hadn't gotten over there yet, or maybe we somehow just all missed, but it was disappointing.

Anyway, I couldn't be more happy that they all came out to cheer and I still got the boost just from knowing they were out there in ~30-35 degree weather to cheer me on.  My friends and family are the core of this challenge and what keeps me going.  Kristen and Adam were up at 4 AM to get ready for the race and take me over, and Amanda woke up to come cheer us on around 7:30 AM on a Saturday.  That's just amazing.

And speaking of great friends, Matt ran this race too!  What's even crazier is that he ran the NYC half marathon last weekend, so this was his second race in less than a week!  That is real toughness right there.  Afterward, we relaxed for the afternoon and went out to a nice celebratory dinner and drinks.

 

 And the woman who told me to keep going?  It gave me hope and inspiration, which is what I want to do for others who are struggling with a long-term disability, or have a family member who is.  The 11, 12, 13 Challenge is now a quarter of the way complete for me - and I'm only feeling more and more enthusiastic about it.

Princess for a day!

What could be better than getting the chance to be a princess for the day?  Race #2 was again in Disney World - there aren't a lot of races offered nearby in January or February so traveling was in order.  Not that going to Florida in February when DC is freezing is punishment.

Before I talk about the weekend, I should update you a bit.  After my half marathon in January, I started to get some really bad pains in my left calf that kept getting worse.  I was having some really challenging runs but continued to train despite some recommendations that I should take some time off.  If you know me, you're probably not terribly surprised by this. 

On top of that, in early February, I did a typical run of about 8-9 miles on Sunday and was fine.  But when I woke up on Monday, I was feeling pretty bad.  By Monday afternoon I decided to leave work a little bit early because I was getting worse.  I ended up missing the rest of the week from work (well, I tried to go back on Thursday but was immediately told to go home) and just felt terrible.  I went to the doctor and they said I had an ear infection and possibly something else on top of that.  I spent the week essentially coughing like crazy, feverish, and unable to get off the couch for more than 20 minutes.  I had planned to run a 14k that Saturday (for Valentine's Day), but it was clear that wasn't happening so I just changed my focus to the half at the end of the month. 

So a week and a half sick, then a week and a half where I got in three terrible runs, and then it was time for the half marathon.  We had a great weekend planned for Disney with Jeff and Amanda, so it wouldn't be a big deal if I walked and jogged - I just wanted to finish.

OK, now back to the weekend.  This Disney trip was a little bit different because the race was on Sunday instead of Saturday.  I took a half day from work on Friday, then sat at Reagan for an hour or two while they tried to get planes off the ground despite gusts of 60 mph.  We ended up getting to Florida a little late but all in all it could have been a lot worse.  We had a quick dinner since we got in late and rested up to enjoy Saturday. 

Saturday started by going to the Expo to pick up our race numbers and tshirts.  I had done this for the previous race, but this time there was a long wait.  Though it was annoying to wait so long for your number, I got to talk to two other women in line who had some great running advice and shared some race experience, so I actually ended up enjoying it and might adjust my race schedule for some of the races they suggested.  After that, we explored Downtown Disney, had a nice pasta dinner at the restaurant at Old Key West, and got to bed early.

Race day rolled around and we were in surprisingly good spirits for waking up at 2:40.  Amanda and I headed to the starting line and left our princes to cheer us on.

Remember how I expected this to be a terrible race?  I'll never quite understand it, but I felt great.  Sure, there were the ups and downs like any race.  But I felt SO much better than the race before.  Maybe taking the time off was actually just what I needed after months of training.  It's now been a little while since the race, and though my pain is back, it seems a LOT better and I'm hoping to fight it off this time around.  Who would have guessed that being sick might be a blessing in disguise?

And in a way, that's exactly why I'm running this challenge.  I'm learning to see the good in every bad thing that happens, because there's always a reason.  I'm not there yet, but I'm trying - and I've never felt better. 

So Amanda and I finished and it was time to celebrate and enjoy.  Amanda and Jeff are Adam's friends from college, so I've known them for a few years now.  I've always known they are fun to hang out with, but this weekend I learned that they also make great travel buddies!

We had such a great time just laying out by the pool, talking, exploring Hollywood Studios, eating Mickey Mouse waffles and ice cream, and overall just enjoying the weekend.  And Amanda is a great runner, so I'll see if I can't convince her to run more with me in the future. 

Another wonderful weekend, a great race, and one step closer to completing the 11,12,13 Challenge.  This challenge continues to be a huge positive influence in my life.  As I said before, I did this for my mom at the start, but I'm learning a lot about myself in this journey.  And I couldn't do it without such great support from my friends and family.

My first half marathon!

My first blog post will document a huge milestone: I have officially completed my first half marathon. 

In terms of the challenge, that means there is still a lot to go.  But the good news is that I loved it!  There is something about the sheer exhaustion you feel when you cross the finish line and know you have given it your best.  I've been amazed by the personal satisfaction that I have felt in training for this challenge.  My goal, of course, was to help my mom by pushing myself to new levels.  But somewhere in there, I have gained so much personally from the challenge.  Let me tell you a little bit about my first race.

The race was in Disney World, which we all know is the happiest place on earth.  I've never been obsessed with Disney, but I've always loved the way people leave their inhibitions at the door, and you can see people of all ages looking silly and wearing Mickey ears without worrying what others will think. 

Here's some details of the trip:
I took Friday and Monday off from work, so Adam and I flew down Friday and landed around 1 PM.  Friday was basically getting there, seeing my friend Matt, getting settled, picking up our race numbers, eating a carb filled dinner (along with everyone else who was running the race, so it seemed) and getting to bed super early.

The race on Saturday started around 5:40 AM, and you had to be there by 5.  The last shuttle Disney provided from our hotel was at 4 to make sure you were there in time, so basically we woke up at 2:45 AM to make sure we didn't miss it.  What an early morning!  Luckily I was running on sheer adrenaline and was surprisingly awake even though I'm not a morning person.  You can see Adam's candid of Matt and I getting ready for the start.  It was cold!

I'll leave out a lot of the nitty gritty, but it was awesome.  The beginning is tough because there were almost 22 thousand finishers in the race, so the starting line is crazy even with seven (I think) starting corrals.  But once I got going and wasn't weaving every step of the way, I loved it!  We ran through Cinderella's castle around mile 6 and about a mile later I started to drag.  I realized that eating breakfast at 3 AM was not keeping me satisfied around 4 hours later, so that was a lesson learned for next race.  But the thrill of crossing the finish line is something I'll never forget.  My friend Matt and I started out together but got lost in the crowd in the first two miles.  He found me about a half mile before the finish as we were running through Epcot, and we were able to finish the race together.  As for Adam, he spent the race running around Disney trying to see us, and even just seeing him for a second around mile 4 and 7 gave me huge emotional lifts and helped push me to the finish.  And he got a quick picture!

Everyone always asks me about my time.  I'm reluctant to post this because I know that I will run a variety of courses, with variable weather and variable levels of exhaustion as the year goes on.  And for me, time is really not my goal - I consider the challenge to be enough of a push.  That being said, my goal was to run under 2 hours and 10 minutes (about a 10 minute mile) with my push goal to break 2 hours.  I ended up finishing at 1:51:09, which is just under an 8:30 min/mile pace.   I was so excited!  The race couldn't have been smoother though - it was a very flat course and the weather was on my side.  Though I know my competitive spirit will kick in most races, my #1 goal is always to finish and not to see my time as a definition of success.  They gave us all Donald Duck medals at the finish line, and I know it sounds dumb, but there's so much pride in that medal - it's a physical representation of the months of training that went into the race for me, and my goal to help my mom.

After the race, we went to a celebratory dinner and then spent the next few days exploring the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.  It was fun to get to spend a lot of time with Matt - he lives in New York, so we don't hang out very often.  And Matt has been huge in getting this challenge off the ground.  His moral support is one of the big reasons I even took on this challenge, so it was perfect to run the first race with him and get some time to hang out in Disney. 

And also, Adam and I celebrated our two year anniversary, so overall I couldn't have asked for a better weekend.  I'm pretty lucky, right?!

My thoughts on the challenge now: It's go time!  I know I'm only one race in, but despite some injuries that have started, I'm feeling great.  I know that a lot of people think this challenge is crazy, but I believe in it so much, and with my sister helping with the fundraising, my dad's generous donation commitment (and hopefully many others!), and a ton of support from my boyfriend and friends, I know I can do it.


I have spent a lot of time thinking exactly what I want the challenge to be.  I toyed with the idea of a half marathon a month.  The problem is that races are highly concentrated in the spring and fall, so it would be very difficult for me to finish the 12 races without essentially doing one every two weeks during prime racing season or traveling to random places more often that I think is possible with my job/schedule.  I'm not convinced this would be good for me, so I've decided my best goal is to do as many half marathons as possible and the rest as 10K or longer.  I think I can reasonably accomplish running 8 half marathons and the rest as 10Ks  +.  The only reason I would not complete this goal is injuries, which obviously I can't predict.  So far, I'm registered for three more half marathons and one 14K race, so I've got a solid foundation!