It's a Success

So this crazy girl talked me into doing the hardest thing I've ever done: complete 13.1 miles. Our goal: cross that finish line together even if we have to drag the other over it.

 

I can't say that I stuck to my training plan or even half of the training plan, but I crossed that finish line with my best friend by my side. It was the Disney Princess Half Marathon and it was the most exciting race I have completed so far. The atmosphere is electric and tutus are everywhere.

At mile 6... See we are still smiling.

At the starting line, I couldn't get my music to work (note to self for the next one: make your playlist BEFORE being surrounded by a bazillion people on the phone network). Panic set in. I've never run without music. My fingers frantically click at the screen, trying every app and music storage I have downloaded, and nothing worked. My best friend took one look at my wide-eyes and slightly-sweaty-from-the-panic-and-humidity brow and yanked her headphones out. She talked me through the first half of the race, keeping my mind off of my struggling muscles. 

At mile nine, I felt like I was dying. And again at 10. By the time 12 came around,

I was next to hysterical, running on fumes and cheerleading not only BF's feet but mine to keep moving as well. All I can think that if I stop moving and I'm not going to finish.

"Oh my God, I see the finish" faces

 

 

In the end, we crossed the finish line and my best friend of 15 years gave me my medal. A sense of invincibility hits you, followed quickly by utter exhaustion, which we quickly countered with a trip to Universal. 

Moral of this story: try because you may surprise yourself. I'm applying this mentality to my writing now as well. I keep stopping because I am afraid of not succeeding, but I can at least try.

Side note: We also got to see these crazy kids cross the finish at the Disney Princess 10K... One of whom it was her first race ever. She also just signed up for the Peachtree Road Race 10K. Looks like we have a runner. ;)

Mucus and (Half) Marathon Training

Today marks the (re)start of my marathon training... and I'm dying. No really. I think I coughed up a lung. 

My best friend talked me into this insane idea that maybe, just maybe, I could be ready for a half marathon in February, marking my first year anniversary running. I was egged on by her blog: http://kprunningdownadream.blogspot.com/, where she called me out after I agreed to run the 13.1 miles with her. 

I have a love-hate (mostly hate-hate) relationship with running. All my life I told people I despise running and that I run funny, which was true until I practiced a few times. I ran the Cupid's Undie Run as my first race, raising money and awareness for the Children's Tumor Foundation. Granted, it was only a mile and there were adult beverages before and after. It was my "gateway" run. Bonus: it was for charity and we won Best Team (Go Red Jaguars: Kirsten, Ann, Lauren, and Corey)!




In March, I ran for the charity  Andee's Army benefiting children with traumatic brain disorders. This time was a 5k with my dad and Ann. If you are every struggling running, you need a friend like Ann. Her teacher-ness follows you along the road as she claps and cheers you on while she runs beside you.




April marked another 5k called Run the River (which assists a non-profit benefiting local homeless people) and new running shoes. It wasn't until then that I realized I wasn't actually using a shoe built to run. My speed and practice picked up.

A week or so later, I was in my next race, the Athens Twilight 5k, with my dad and sister. I was grateful just to finish, to be honest. There was this one hill that just about killed me. My dad will tell you that I swayed a bit. Something about that Georgia heat and humidity hits you like a ton of bricks if you haven't been practicing for it. My sister placed in her age category though! 

The day finally came in July to run the Peachtree Road Race (10k), which was the goal I had been working toward all along. It was awesome! Maybe I didn't train as much as I could have or run the whole way, but it was a huge rush and I am glad I did it (faster than I thought I would, too!). 





Which brings me to now: I haven't raced since the Peachtree and I've been on again-off again running because of my migraines, scheduling conflicts, and general apathy. I am two weeks behind on training for my half in February. To get back on the right foot, I've made/stole a plan from Hal Higdon's Training Programs. 

The good news is that if I fail at training, there are other shorter races that weekend. But I want that 13.1 sticker bad now. This coming from a girl that ran the mile in high school in 15 minutes. :)