H&H Half Marathon - First Half EVER

Well....I did it. I wasn't sure I'd do it but I did actually do it. Despite horribly hot weather, and other adverse conditions I did actually complete my very first HALF Marathon with Hills and Heels (of which I am a Lucky 13 Member).

I had previously estimated I would finish in just under 4 hours, but with about a possible 15 minutes before or after based on my previous records in my 5Ks and 10Ks. Unbelievably, I actually finished in just about 216 minutes or 3:36:18.3 with a 16:31/M. And I finished 559 out of 584 (that is in the 95.7%). I'll take that percent, and looking forward to improving it.

I had a very interesting journey, and if I had to summarize my journey I would say the overall theme for me was the fact that it was a journey. And definitely not one that began on Sunday, September 27th. It began many, many months ago. The interesting thing about a Half Marathon is that, for the most part, it is not a distance one can just randomly decide, "you know, I think I'll go out tomorrow and do this distance." This journey began many, many months ago when my doctor suggested I started exercising regularly and what morphed into my friend saying she'd be signing up for a half marathon all the way to me crying across the finish line. And I think processing this journey has still been part of the journey, which is why it took me almost a week to post this blog.

We started 16 weeks ago adding mileage weekly in the hot summer months. And we were expecting the day to be at least cooler than 93 degrees. But as I learned, expectations were not reliable at all that day. We expected cooler weather, got HOT weather. I expected it to be MUCH harder than it was, but it was much easier. I expected to get horrible blisters, but got none. And I expected it would be my first and LAST ever half marathon, even after I was already in mile 1, but I'm signing up for another in 28 days (DRC).

Up until this year, I hadn't so much as walked more than about a mile since Isabelle was born and I finished out my training with 188 miles total. But I finished strong on Sunday!!!

Here were my splits...

Mile 1 - 17:58.7
Mile 2 - 19:23.4
Mile 3 - 18:20.6
Mile 4 - 16:26.3
Mile 5 - 16:07.9
Mile 6 - 16:06.0
Mile 7 - 16:29.8
Mile 8 & 9 - 31:27.8/2 = 15:43.9 average per mile
Mile 10 - 15:30.3
Mile 11 - 16:22.7
Mile 12 - 15:23.3
Mile 13 - 15:46.8
Mile 13.0 - 13.1 - 54.7 (which is a crazy 9:07min/mile pace) to finish it strong.

Miles 1, 2, and 3 were mainly on a stretch of road that was already in direct sunlight and rather hot. There were a lot of people of which several I was judging for not being adequately dressed for a Half Marathon (as though I am an expert already). Many of them had on pants and cotton t-shirts, and I was proudly thinking I'll be way ahead of these people by the end. Until I realized most of them were only doing the 5K. I walked the first 3 with a fellow H&H 13 member and training partner, and it was great to have the company. This was her first half (as I realized it was for many, many people out there) and we were cheering each other along. As the 5Kers broke off around our mile 1.5 I did start to realize, this wasn't just OUR race, and it wasn't just OUR first, but that were one of many and that while we were excited for our day, it was everyone's race. We made a short bathroom stop at mile 1, as I didn't go before the race. I also learned to unlock my Phat Phanny Pack, a.k.a. Laura Croft Tomb Raider belt BEFORE going to the bathroom in a port-a-potty. It is hard to pull your shorts back up with a belt on and I can't imagine if it had dropped in. Lesson learned. :)

I had originally planned on going all the way to half way with my training partner and then breaking away around mile 6 or 7, but as we approached mile 3, I was finding that my patience with myself was already wearing thin. Please, please, please notice I said my patience with MYSELF. I was wanting to slow down so that I wouldn't be worn out by the time I was half way through, but I kept finding that going at a 18:30min/mile pace was actually harder for me than it would be to go the natural pace my body was wanting to go between 15:30min/mile and 17:30min/mile.

I was also finding that when walking with someone else I was wanting to complain about the heat, the humidity, the trail, the water stops, pretty much everything. I know enough about myself to know I am not only a complainer by default, but my bad attitude can bring down others. I found that I couldn't stop complaining, and that the next best option was to just not talk. Pretty much the only way I can "not talk" is to be by myself.

So, I said a short prayer, considered "discussing" it with my friend, decided it would be more defeating to us both to dwell on my decision, and around mile 3 told her I'd be heading off on my own. We had never discussed how far we'd walk together, yet I still felt rather guilty for breaking away. The first mile was tough (mile 4) as I broke off, but I really came resolved that it was just as much my race as it was anyone else, and that the most loyal thing I could do for my friends or myself would be to truly seek God's wisdom on not just where my journey would go, but in HOW my journey would go. So off I went.

So, mile 4 was mentally tough, and spiritually tough, but I had a huge sense of peace as I prayed the majority of the mile. Then as I tracked my mile, I realized I was going at a pace of 16:26.3. That was crazy fast for me, and I realized that if I continued at that pace, I'd definitely be finishing before 4 hours. In order to have finished by 4 hours, I had to be finishing each mile by at least around 18:15min/mile. My first 3 miles had already set me over that limit, so I was hoping to make up for the time. Sure enough I was making up for time. Two whole freaking minutes faster that mile!!!

Then mile 5 was venturing into territory I had already walked in my previous H&H 5K/10K/15K events. I thought, "I've been here, I can do this." And I approached miles 5, 6, and 7 with excitement. The map is here. Around miles 5, 6, and 7 I started crossing paths with several runners on their way back, and I was charged with their energy and motivation.

At mile 8, I made it around a loop around a playground that several of the runners/walkers seemed to fall into one of three categories when reaching the loop.

Category ONE: followed the loop, as the signs said to follow, a little bit of confusion, but they realized that there was a loop and appropriately followed.

Category TWO: confused individuals who had no idea there was a loop. One lady I crossed paths with after taking the loop asked me, "where did you come from" as I looped around. I showed her the loop and she would have otherwise probably missed it.

Category THREE: those who INTENTIONALLY skipped the loop. We know these racers/cheaters were intentional because people would say to them, "Uh, you missed the loop." and they would reply, "I don't care" or "I know" or I watched two ladies look right at it and continue on. And I was ready...if they had been wearing a license plate, I would have turned it into 9-1-1, but I got their description down good. One was in a pink H&H shirt (but wasn't a Lucky 13 or anyone I knew) and the other was in a bright yellow shirt. They were both in their mid 50s I'd bet, but boy howdy, I was irked...I mean, we all had to do the loop, really who thinks the rules don't apply to them. And then I was perplexed. Why would someone enter a race, pay their own money, train themselves, to only cheat themselves? None of these people were in the final running for a place or prize, I mean really, all they'd be doing it lying to themselves. But oh, well. The silver lining on that cloud was 1) it occupied my time 2) it gave me some adrenaline 3) it motivated me to beat them as I kept trying to pass them...and they were wayyyyyyy off.

So miles 8 & 9 my mind was occupied, I was irked, and then my sister called to tell me she and my nieces were at mile 10.3. That was just the motivation I needed to get through the next mile. It was such a joy to see them as I was coming around the corner. I had started coming in close on two other walkers that would walk slow and then fast as I approached them, so this was a more uplifting experience. It was so fun to see them, and I had the tough 3 miles left. Mile 10 was my fastest pace the whole race.

Mile 11 was a little slower (and hotter), but miles 12 and 13 I kicked it into gear. We were back on the road again, and it was so hot, I just wanted to be done. That and I wanted to beat the cheaters and well, honestly, the two (different two) who seemed to be somewhat junior high acting in hurrying up everytime they saw me. I thought, "I got your junior high".

At the mile marker 13, I decided to try to run it in the last .1 mile. And crazy enough, I finished in a super fast pace. I could hear my family, my eyes filled up, I passed the cheaters and junior higher's and after all the doubt, all the fear, all the plans I have ever made in my life and not finished them, all the training, all the blisters, all the lessons, all the rain, all the 5:00 a.m. mornings, all the learning new socks, new shoes, new fanny packs, all the new energy gels, all the blood testing, all the facebook posting, all the "you are crazy", all the everything....I finished!!!! And I finished STRONG!!!

I made the comment to my friend in the first mile, "this will be my first and LAST Half" but I want more...it was so much easier and achievable than I could ever have imagined.