13.1!!!

I ran a half marathon today. Yep, I did! It was quite possibly the most incredible experience of my life. I first did the Couch to 5k app in the fall of 2011. I ran my first 5k on New Year's Day 2012, and then never ran again until I restarted C25k in August of last year. I did a 5k every month starting in October, and had no intention of ever running farther than that. I even said that at work one day, but that night my cousin Pauline asked me if I'd like to do a half marathon with her this fall, and the seed was planted. In March I ran a 10k, and the following weekend I went out to do another 6 mile run. I felt good, and ended up doing 8, and the following week I did 9. Everyone was telling me that, if I could run 9, I could run 13. At around that time, I found out that the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth holds a half marathon in October. I went to college at Dartmouth, and absolutely love the area. I signed up for that race, and convinced my best friend Toni, who now lives in Massachusetts and has been running forever, to do it with me. I was so excited about running that race for so many reasons. Obviously Hanover, NH holds a special place in my heart, and running a race with my best friend, whom I rarely see, would be amazing! However, I was very heavy and out of shape when I was in college. To go back to that place and run a half marathon would help me bury some ghosts and make me feel like I'd really overcome the weight issues that have haunted me for most of my life. My concern though was that I would have a hard time maintaining my motivation to run if I didn't have a big race for 6 months, so I signed up for the ODDyssey Half Marathon in Philadelphia, and jumped right into training!

Yesterday, my friend Gail and I left for Philly at about 3pm. I have to say a huge thank you to Gail! She and I met at WW a few years ago, and have become very close. She has been so supportive of my running, and seemed as excited about the race as I was. I was so grateful that she agreed to come with me...it would not have been as much fun if I'd been alone. We went to the runners' expo, where I picked up my bib and t-shirt, and bought some socks and a tank top. Then we checked in to the hotel, and went out for an incredible Italian dinner...carb-loading!!! We polished off 2 baskets of bread, a Portobello mushroom appetizer, pasta (mine was lump crab meat, scallions and shrimp over mushroom tortellini in alfredo sauce), and shared the best cannoli I've ever had! We walked around Philly for a bit, and then got decaf iced coffees to take back to the room. I took a shower, was asleep by 10pm, and got a great night's sleep. I woke up at 5 and had a whole wheat bagel with almond butter that I'd packed for the trip. The bus to the starting line left at 6, and got us there by 6:15. They corralled us by pace, so I was in the last group to start (10 min/mile and up.) My biggest concern was that I'd start too fast and fizzle out, which I have a tendency to do. I have to say though, that I ran my PERFECT race! I averaged about 11:10/mile, which is about 1 min/mile slower than I usually average on shorter runs, and that is ideal! I did run the second half of the race faster than the first, which is what I tend to do...pick up speed as I go. At no point (well, except for the humongous hill at mile 12) did I feel like I was too tired, too sore, etc. The course was relatively flat and beautiful! We ran through parks, past historical buildings, over rivers, past lakes, and I took in everything! I sang along to my music, read the funny signs people held up, waved at the cameras, and even gave a lady a high-five! After the horrific hill, I was at the home stretch, and right before the finish line I saw Gail holding a sign that said, "Run Rose, Run!!" When I crossed the finish line and was handed my medal, it was one of the happiest moments of my life.

Few things in life exceed expectation, but today did. I could not have run a more perfect race for me, and I took in every aspect of my first half marathon. It is an experience I will never forget. I am so incredibly proud of myself...I went from doing a beginner's running app, to figuring out how I needed to train, and what I needed as support (clothes, sneakers, nutrition, hydration) to run my best race. No one coached me, no one taught me. I read, I tried, I asked questions on line...I did it. From a girl who couldn't walk around the track in HS without getting terrible shin cramps to a woman who has completed a half marathon (in 2 hours, 28 min and 42 seconds...my goal was under 2:30)! This is my dream, and it has come true.