I Met the Challenge

10-10-10...Not only is the date unusual and memorable because of the number sequence, but the date will remain important in my life because it was the day that I completed my first half marathon! My pace...10:10! My friend Jackie and I should receive a special award for running that particular pace on that particular date! What are the chances?

My journey toward that day began in the spring of 2009. When I first donned my running shoes (actually, they were tennis shoes that seemed to work at the time) and took off on our gravel road, I certainly did not envision ever completing a half marathon. Heck, at that time I only dreamed of being able to run a 2-mile local race. My boss had begun running half marathons, and though I envied her stamina, I did not believe that it was something I would be able to do; I wasn't even sure I wanted to run that far. As I kept adding miles to my runs, running a half started to seem slightly possible. Last spring I even considered running the Women's Half in Nashville that was to be held in September, but then the extreme heat hit the Midwest, and I quickly gave up on that idea. This summer my husband announced that he wanted to run the Evansville Half in October. I had friends who had run it, and I knew that it was a fun, and more importantly flat, course. If my husband thought that he could run it, I was up for trying. I talked with one of my running partners, Jackie, and she agreed to run with me - if I promised to stay with her the whole race. So, our training began in August after we had run our local 6-mile race.

We read books and magazines to get training information, but we didn't really stick with one plan. We just ran a long run each weekend, gradually increasing our mileage until we ran 13.1 miles, and ran 3-4 short runs (about 4-5 miles) during the week. We didn't do any speed work, and just ran hills a few times. There were runs that we were both questioning our ability to complete the distance. Another running partner, Jennifer, also ran with us a couple of times a week. She was also training for the half, but had more of a time goal, so she ran with a faster group too. The great thing about training with friends is that when one person is having an off day, usually the other can bring her up. There were, of course, times when we both spent our runs whining about aches and pains. Through all of the ups and downs of training, we stuck together. That's what running friends do.

The weekend of the race was a busy one. The race was on a Sunday morning. That Friday night we had to attend the high school football game where our daughter was performing in the band. On Saturday we had a band contest out of town. Then we had to be out of the house by 4:15 am the morning of the race. I am not a morning person - at all - but that morning I didn't feel too bad. I was nervous, but not like I thought I would be. Gary, Jackie, Jennifer, and I arrived in Evansville, found a parking spot, and boarded a school bus that would take us to the starting line. I usually hate the wait, but it was a pretty morning, and being with my husband and my friends made the wait go by rather quickly. I could feel the energy of the other runners in the air. Our other friends arrived, we had a picture taken, wished one another well, and went to our respective corrals. Jackie and I lined up between the 10 and 11 minute pace cards. The sun was coming up, a prayer was offered, and the gun went off. My first half marathon. I felt great! Because there were over 2000 runners, the start was slow. It took about a mile for the crowd to begin to thin out. We were then able to get into our groove and just run. Our plan was to maintain about a 10:30 pace, but we found ourselves going faster. As long as we felt good, and weren't really pushing too hard too fast, we just kept going.

This race was very well-managed, and the attention to detail was impressive. On a path through one of the parks, someone had written the names of all of the cities represented in sidewalk chalk. That might not seem that impressive, but you would be surprised at how much those little things take your mind off of the running. We ran through parks, a minor league baseball field, nice neighborhoods, not-so-nice neighborhoods, a neat Main Street area, a brick road, and a river walk. We talked about our kids, our jobs, our training. If we were really hard-core runners, we would have been focused only on running our best race and we would not have talked - we are obviously not hard-core! We wanted to have fun, and to complete the race in a decent time. Neither of us had dreams of placing; we were going to PR even if we walked! I did the motions to the chicken dance as we ran past a woman playing the song on her accordian (I had never heard the chicken dance played on an accordian - interesting!), I did little dancy moves as we went past someone blasting rap music, and I threatened to sing, but Jackie threatened bodily harm if I did that. We had fun!

As we reached mile 12, I knew we had it made. I was still feeling good, even as many runners started to walk. At that point, there was no way I was going to walk. We jogged slowly enough to be able to drink water (without too much of it going up my nose), but we never slowed to a walk. Approaching the finish line that was lined with hundreds of spectators was amazing. I knew my two youngest daughters were there somewhere, and Jennifer, who had already finished, was there supporting her two slower friends. Our race bibs had our names on them, which I kept forgetting, so random people would yell our names, and each time I would wonder how he or she knew me! My brain was occupied with trying to reach the finish line, it couldn't be bothered with such details! As we came within a few feet of the finish line, I grabbed Jackie's hand. I wanted us to complete this journey together, just as we had started. It was just as I had envisioned - amazing! Our time: 2:13:07! Seven minutes faster than anticipated. Not bad for two 40-something year old women who didn't begin running until mid-life. What an amazing feeling of accomplishment! I think that even my girls were pretty proud of their old mom!

Jackie couldn't enjoy the moment too long because her son had confirmation the same day, but Jennifer, my girls, and I went to watch my husband cross the finish line in his first marathon. This man has an artificial knee, hadn't run in years because of knee problems, and yet he worked diligently to be able to run 13.1 miles. This wife was terribly proud! As we watched other runners cross that line, I stood in awe of the array of runners - from a 13 year old girl to an 87 year old man. From over-weight middle-aged men and women, to young, buff college students. Runners truly come in all forms, and they are all working hard to meet personal goals. It was an inspiring day, and one that I will always remember. We all cheered as Gary came through the finish. We had all met our goals, and we all felt fantastic.

Will I do it again? Absolutely! I was exhausted by the time we got home (the Ihop pancakes didn't help), and I was sore the next day, but that feeling as we crossed the finish line was worth any discomfort I have had as a result. I ran a half marathon. I RAN A HALF MARATHON!!

One Week From Today...

It's a gorgeous day today: temps in the low 60s and sunny.  The best part is that I am at home!  After an incredibly busy week, I was determined to stay home, and to do what I wanted, which thus far has included staying in bed until 10:15, watching a worthless Lifetime movie, eating Grippos chips and monster cookies leftover from a band party last night, straightening up from said party, and working on laundry.  I do have a rather large stack of papers that need to be graded, and I vow to get to that, but first I needed to write.  Since school started I haven't had much time to update my blog.  Between work, running, band obligations, and Thirty-One parties, spare time is at a minimum.  Life should slow down a bit in November - oh, wait - then holiday preparations begin, so maybe it will be January before things slow down. 

One week from today is the Evansville Half Marathon.  I, along with Gary and several friends, am running it.  A half marathon is 13.1 miles.  That's a long way to run.  Jackie and I have run 13.1 miles, so we know that we can complete the mileage - in Tell City, on our familiar routes, without 3000 other runners, and without the pressure of having to finish.  Can we run it in a race?  We are not concerned with placing (that would be crazy), we just want to finish in a respectable time, without walking, puking, or injuring ourselves.  We have trained adequately according to all of the literature, but one just never knows what kind of day it will be.  My stomach is my main concern (Thanks, Mom, for giving me your unpredictable stomach!).  I know what to eat, but my stomach is the first to go when I am nervous, and I certainly don't want to spend time in a porta-potty!  The most nerve-racking part will be the drive to Evansville - at 4:30 in the morning - and just waiting for the gun to go off.  Once we are about a mile into it, I will relax and get into a groove.  Jackie and I plan to stick together; we have spent countless hours pounding the pavement together, so we want to complete this journey together (and neither of us wants to spend two hours and twenty minutes running alone - we like to chat).  Our other running partner, Jennifer, will be much faster than the two of us, so we are counting on her to be doing cartwheels at the finish line as we cross!  I have often read that visualizing a goal does wonders for achieving that goal, so I have been visualizing Jackie and I crossing that finish line, and I have a spot reserved on my car for a 13.1 sticker.  There was a time, not too long ago, that running a half marathon was not even a consideration.  Now it's actually a possibility.  I can't wait to join other runners as I reach this life-goal. 

Last weekend, Gary, my sister Bobbi, and I ran the Susan Komen Race for the Cure.  If you ever have an opportunity to participate in this event, take it.  It is an awe-inspiring morning.  It is not about running fast; it is about supporting an important cause.  Both years that we have run, the weather has been perfect.  My favorite shirts of the day:  "Save 2nd Base" (get it??) and "Just for Tits and Giggles". 

There were 14,000 people registered for the Race for the Cure!  The majority were walkers.  I decided to run with my sister, and I am so glad that I did.  She hadn't been running much, but ran 3.1 miles that morning without stopping.  I was so impressed!  The second half of the race we were also with Gary.  That was the first race that he and I crossed the finish line together.  I am so proud that he continues to challenge himself.  I believe that he has inspired a lot of people who have seen him out running.  Most know that he has an artificial knee, and that running isn't easy for him.  What a testament to the power of desire and dedication! 

If you are awake at 7:00 am next Sunday, say a little prayer for me.  I will be shaking in my Asics!  I will most certainly be writing about my experience, and who knows, maybe next year some of you will join us!  I want to wish Jackie, Jennifer, Kim, and Jennifer C good luck in the race!!  Kim, we know you will kick butt - make us proud!!