So I finished a half marathon on Sunday! Ask me if I would ever just 'run' 2 years ago, and I would have told you that you were crazy!
I'm not a runner, in fact I hate running. But I love triathlons so .. I have to do it. I have a half ironman coming up in about 7 weeks so I HAD to figure out how to run! As you know, I have a triathlon coach. She has done wonders for me, keeping me honest, and getting my legs moving! In Feb, I could not run 10 minutes without stopping to walk! I took her workouts and my chi running and made it happen!
I could not do ANY Of this without chi running, hamstrings, hip flexors, calves.. all feel just fine after. So that goes to show you, it WORKS! I had a 1:1 with running coach Vince a few days before and it was all I needed to make sure I was ready!
I'm in peak training for my 70.3 so I didn't just do a normal half, I had to go in with fatigued legs. I had a 55.6 mile brick bike ride on Saturday, came home went to bed, woke up and went to the half marathon!
My friends Ericka and Ali did the race with me. Ali made me sign up, and I'm thankful as I now know what to expect. Ericka did it FOR ME, and did my pace. She could have finished so much sooner. I love training partners. Thanks guys!
The race started out great, although it was warm. I was pleasantly surprised at the scenery. When I think of "Pawtucket" I think of the railroad tracks, not the beautiful trail we were on! About every mile and a half Ericka would say "how far?" I'd respond like 1.92, 2.5, etc..and every time with a big grin she'd say "REALLY? ALREADY?" - so cute! Everything was good through mile 10. I didn't "HATE" it.
Around mile 10 my feet started to really hurt. I somehow got a blister completely UNDER a toenail (how does one do THAT??), and my EDS was acting up, the keystone bone in my foot had collapsed onto my arch. Ouch! I'm used to the pain though so just stepped through it, HOPING that this would not be the case for any long run.
Ericka agreed that it got hard around mile 10, that last 5K felt like the first 10 miles! We kept going though! There were three women behind us that were power walking. We joked a little with them, and mostly stayed in front of them. It's a little depressing that walkers can be as fast as we were, but I know my pace and I have to live with it.
We came into the last mile and we could hear those 'walkers.' About this time I realized that I had started to chafe my ENTIRE RIB CAGE! seriously? I am really conscience of body glide and I GLIDE appropriately. Until Sunday my longest distance was 7.5 miles, the increased distance and heat (it was 85 out), apparently did a number on my chest. I think it's going to scar :(. Lesson leaned that's for sure. The real kicker is that I brought a tiny body glide WITH ME on the run, but I just didn't feel it until it was too late.
About 50 yards to go those damn women decided to run, RUN REALLY? NOW???
No frickin way, I yelled "ERICKA RUN" - as you can see, she did. I did pass the finish line before them. I was kinda happy I had it in me to SPRINT the end, but annoyed, WHY? WHY RUN THEN?
I'm embarrassed at my running time, but I'm pretty fit these days and that is what my run is! I have about 47 excuses to why it's slow, namely the Ehlers Danlos. I hate when people ask "what was your time." (don't feel bad if you were one that asked me, EVERYONE does it). It's not about the time, it is about FINISHING. "how did you do? how do you feel?" those are questions I now ask anyone else doing races. I had a constant pace through the whole 13.1 miles, that's something that many can't do, so I am happy with that. If you ever want to see how I did, I'm easy to find.... typically very near the bottom of the list. But you know what? I'm ON THAT LIST!
I'm glad they were all there to see me throw up too.. that's becoming a must for hot races for me. I guess I will just always do that at hot races, and I shall have the bag ready? whatever... I can take it LOL!
Thanks to John for riding all the way out to the finish line to take pics too! You guys all rule!
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