Half Marathon

Candi and I have been training for the Hospital Hill half marathon since January. I haven't run it since before I had kids so it's been at least seven years.

We followed our run one mile walk one minute pace except saving some of our walks for hills instead of directly on the mile marker. It was hot and humid. At our first mile walk we saw David, my co-worker Amanda's husband. I don't think he recognized me at first. I'm pretty scary without makeup and coffee.

For some reason it was one run where I just couldn't seem to think of any new stories to talk about. We really enjoyed running through the aid stations with sprinklers. I think mile 10 was entirely up hill. Somewhere on the way up someone at an aid station gave me ice cubes. I put one in the front of my sports bra and one in the back. Then I kept taking the one in the front out and putting it on my face. My face just felt so hot and red.

Candi walked to try to cool off a little bit on that hill but said my pink bouncing blob kept her going.

I finished strong but hot at 2 hours 36 minutes, which is actually about 9 minutes faster than I honestly expected to finish, but is the 11:56 pace we have consistently been running on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Candi was right behind me and the kids and I got to cheer her on, along with Sam and Alex.

I am so proud of us. We are two mostly-full-time working moms with hectic schedules and all that goes along with usual life - like sick kids, being out of town for work or vacation, etc. and we still managed to make this a consistent part of our schedule. We set a goal and reached it. I have to admit I was a little teary when I finished because it is something we really did for ourselves, all by ourselves. Neither of us are morning people and yet we managed to get up before 5 am twice a week and are considering making this part of our schedules three or four days a week now instead of just two. I am proud to cross the finish line and show my kids that it's good to have goals and push yourself and be healthy.

One of the best parts about training for this has been all the good girl time I have gained. We honestly hardly ever talked during the week before this, we would just chat it up on the weekends. But now I get to see my BFF almost every other day with no distractions of kids running around, or dinner to fix, or a kid getting out of bed asking for a drink. We can have full undivided attention conversations about whatever we want. Although what we really wanted during this last run was just to be done!

Candi saw the red bull girls afterwards and asked them where they were at mile 10 when she really needed them!