I am happy to say, I completed my first 1/2 marathon!! I had very low expectations for the run as I signed up for it on a whim and hadn't done serious training. Bill was supposed to leave yesterday for deployment, so I figured it would give me something to do. But as usual for the Navy, he was delayed for a couple of weeks and is home. We attended the Khaki Ball last night and got home around 2230 last night and I got into bed right away.
I was up at 0500 and ready to go. I drove up to Bellingham and found parking close by, just 2 blocks up and 1 block over from the start/finish. I was a little startled as I was getting my stuff together and getting ready to get out..there were 3 raccoons hanging out in the little tree area by the dentist office I parked in front of, just hanging out on the ground and then climbing the tree. I was able to get there about 20 minutes before the race started a I picked up my race packet yesterday.
It was a little cool this morning, but nothing that a few stretches and some jumping around didn't take care of...lol. The race started off, and I had gone to the back of the pack for the start. It started out in old downtown and moved through residential areas, nice and flat. I had a great run in the beginning-ran the first 7-7.5 miles, which that in itself was an accomplishment as the most I run on normal days is 3 miles or so. I was extremely happy with that and pleased with myself! At about the 5-6 mile mark, I had thoughts of asking one of the many bikers for the Oyster Run for a ride...lol. Miles 8-10 I had foot cramps occasionally, usually alternating from one foot to the other. I took more frequent walk breaks in the last half of the race, in part because of the cramps and because I was just getting tired and sore! My frequent running was paying off though, as it was only body aches and I was having no problems breathing(in the past, when I started running, I'd get that shortness of breath where you can't take a full deep breath, but had no problems with that at all today). I finished the last few miles with short walk breaks, but finished the race running. I met my goals for racing...finishing upright, under my own power...lol. It was such a GREAT feeling to turn tht final corner and see the finish arch just up ahead and I couldn't wait to get there.
I enjoy the people watching aspect of the runs as well. There was the barefoot runner, which I hadn't seen before. The guy in a running kilt was interesting too. At the 10.5 mile water station, there was a plumbing company handing out water. They had put inspirational and funny messages up a bit too after their station(which ended with an add for them). They were also handing out little plungers...so I got to finish the last 2 miles or so of the race with a guy in front of me with a plunger sticking out of the back of his pants...lol.
Right now, I have ZERO desire to even look at my running shoes. I'm sure though once I'm recovered I'll be looking forward to my next run(5K next weekend...lol), and future 1/2 marathons. That is my other running goal...to enjoy it enough to want to do it again!
Oh, my unofficial time(based on my Nike+) was 2 hours, 48 minutes. I'm very happy with that as when I signed up for the Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon in Seattle next summer(it was the first 1/2 I signed up for), when it asked my what I thought I'd finish in, I said 3 hours. So for not having a lot of training under my belt for that distance, I'm extremely pleased!!
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