Race Recap

WOW! What a whirl wind! Usually when it comes to races there is a ton of anticipation. I usually don’t sleep very much the week of a race, I eat all weird and usually not a lot of it stays inside me (TMI I KNOW), but this race was different! Ha, 24 hours before the race I didn’t even know I was racing. LOVE IT!

My alarm clock went off early Saturday morning and just like other races I was up before it went off, staring at AA. We were up and out of the house by 5:55am. We joked and chatted on the way to the race and because AA is amazing he knew all the secret back roads so I was at the start with plenty of time. With one last kiss, a couple of “are you sure you don’t want me to walk you to the start line” and me replying with “man I need to find more running friends” I was off by myself. I got in the mile long line for the porta potty and waited and waited and waited. I forgot my watch at home so I was creeping on people’s Garmin’s trying to figure out what time it was. Finally I made the executive decision to step out of line and go find the bloggy girls who were meeting up. I knew this decision might haunt me, I had never run a race before without my PRS (TMI I KNOW!), but it ended up being just fine.

Found corral 6 and sure enough there were Mel, Amanda, Jess and Jill. We chatted took a few pictures and then it was go time. Wave 10 was off and I had a HUGE smile across my face. Within the first half a mile my sock had slipped and was now on the middle of my foot. Sweet. And I realized I shouldn’t have worn my long sleeve. For the first 3 miles I tried to figure out a good way to take it off without having to drop my handheld water bottle (which by the way I LOVE!). So finally at mile three before the mile and half climb I stopped on the side of the road and stripped it off, tied it around my waist and was off again!

Man those hills were tough! But finally we were on the way down to the lake. That big downhill felt GREAT and I was making up time! I love running along the lake, it makes me think of the Danskin Tri. I started to wonder if the soldiers with the American flags were going to be at the race or not. I started to think not, especially when we passed the GU station at mile 7.5. The soldiers were way before that last year. But sure enough we rounded a corner on the way to mile 8 and there they were. I started to realize I couldn’t breathe. I started to freak out, but then it dawned on me, I was trying to cry but the tears just weren’t coming. I got it together, said thank you to the ones who I caught eye contact with and before I knew it we were all climbing towards to I-90 bridge.

I again started to get emotional once the marathoner’s split from us halfers because last year a husband and wife made the climb together and then it was time for the wife to split with the marathoners and the husband to halfers. I was right behind him when he turned to her one last time and told her to kick some butt, that he would see her at the finish and that she was his hero. Oh man oh man I am crying writing that! I will remember that for the rest of my life.
We made it out of the tunnel and I was so glad I wasn’t running the full! I knew we only had 3 more miles to go! I made the decision that once we get off the viaduct and have less then .25 miles to go to I was going to run like I stole something. The last 3 miles went by fast, even though the last water stop was run by Starbucks employees and it took everything in me not to ask for a frap! :)

We came off the viaduct and I told my legs “you stole something….RUN RUN RUN!” I tried and then tried again. I could tell my stride had quicken but the cops would have for sure gotten me. :) It just wasn’t as fast as I was hoping. The finish line was so fun, like it always is and AA found me right away. I stopped and chatted with Jill who PR’d and broke 2 hours. WAY TO GO JILL!!! Got some water, my medal, took that dumb picture they make you take, got some food and AA and I were out of there. You know just a quick 13.1 miles, no need to stick around. :)

God was so good during this race. I was reminded that no matter how bad you are hurting emotionally, physically or spiritually that you can always pray for someone else. I started to pray for anyone that God put on my mind during the race and I think that is why it seemed to go by so fast. A lot of my prayers were cut short and a little jumbled because I couldn’t stay focused but I loved that it was a 2 hour and 9 minute convo with my main Man.

Another thing I learned was that I need to be more “loud” with the gospel during runs. So from now on I am going all Tim Tebow in races and putting a Bible verse on my legs that has spoken to me lately. I would have put Mathew 5:1-12 on there yesterday (more on that tomorrow!). I got this idea from two girls that did it yesterday. People were asking them what there verses were and they were basically proclaiming the gospel right there in the middle of the marathon! I LOVE IT! I ran behind them for a while and just started at their calves where the verse was written.

I am so thankful to Heidi and to God for letting me run this yesterday. It was just what the doctor ordered. I now have a better idea of what my training needs to look like for running and what I need to focus in on for what God is teaching me.

Thank you Jesus for yesterday. Lord I pray that as I continue to run that it can bring You glory. I pray You keep me healthy and I pray Lord that Your name will continued to be proclaimed at races. I love You Jesus!

Half marathon #8 DONE!