I did it!

I did it! I finished my half marathon! Not only did I finish it, I ran it faster than I thought I could (1:59:16 - about a 9:06 min/mile pace). As we were driving to the start, I was telling Don that if I ran a 9:30 min/mile pace, I would be really happy. I thought 9:45 was more realistic. He said, "You should try to do it in under 2 hours. So, just try to run a 9:28 pace and you'll be able to do it!"

I got to the start of the race and lined up with about 200 people for the port-a-potty. I waited and waited...and waited. Someone started singing the national anthem. Then the gun went off and people started running the race and there I was stuck in line for the john. I finally started the race about 20 minutes after the race had officially begun. Luckily, I had a chip on the back of my race bib which started my time only when I crossed the starting line, so I wasn't worried.

Don and my parents were worried, though. They were waiting about a half mile after the start and when I still hadn't come 20 minutes after the gun went off, they thought maybe I got mugged or something. I finally ran by and they were relieved. And so was I...that I'd gotten to use the port-a-potty prior to the race. I thought about just starting and stopping at one of the aid stations. Good thing I just waited because a ton of other people had the same idea and there were long lines at all of the port-a-potties at every aid station the whole race. That would have seriously messed up my time.

Sam was a great fan. What a sweet boy!

It was a perfect morning. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the blossoms were coming out on all of the trees. The sun was rising behind the hills and everything was just turning green. After I had been running for ten minutes, I looked at my watch and got really worried. Where was the first mile sign? Was I just running really slow? Where was the mile sign!!! What was my pace?!

There wasn't a mile marker until mile 3. This was so frustrating because I really needed to know what my pace was so I could make sure I didn't over or under-exert myself! The mile markers were very sporadic and they mixed the marathon and half marathon markers together, so I thought I was at mile 6 and then I ran a couple more miles and there was mile 7! What?! Also, they ran out of water, gatorade, and cups at several aid stations.

Around mile 4. Just before the turn around point.

Asking Don if that was really mile 7 since I'd seen mile 6 a couple miles before...

But, I have to thank the poor race management for my time. If I had known where mile 1 was, I would have probably tried to keep a 9:28 pace from that time forward, thinking I would end up with a time under 2 hours. Instead, I ran a lot faster. Don had miscalculated. I would have to run under 9:10 min/mile the whole way to be under 2 hours. If I had known that before I started I would have said, "Impossible!" I ran my 10 mile the week before the race at 10 minute mile pace. I never would have thought I could run 13 so much faster.

The course was beautiful and there were gentle downhill sections for a good part of the way. I listened to my music and was relaxed and happy the whole time. I did get a couple side aches, but just pushed through the pain and they went away. My parents, Don, and Sam were on the side cheering for me at 5 different points. It was a lot of fun seeing them there and helped me push myself harder knowing I'd see them again soon.

About mile 10. Feeling great!

The last 3ish miles were downtown. We ran up the hill toward the capital and turned at the Eagle Gate to run by Temple Square down to the Gateway where the race finished. It was really neat running downtown and running in to the Gateway with hundreds of people cheering on the sides and on the bridges overhead. It was a really exciting atmosphere; perfect for a race finish.

When I was finishing, I couldn't see my parents or Don, so I wandered around looking for them. I found them and lined up for my post-race massage. The guy who gave me a massage was definitely an odd dude. He told me that gluts were his specialty. Ughh. Luckily, there were hundreds of people milling around or I might have been freaked out. Definitely not someone I'd want to be alone with.

Coming up to the finish line. Wondering where my family is...

A medal for being a finisher! What a great feeling!

Don ran the Salt Lake Marathon five years ago just after we'd started dating. It was fun to repeat this picture five years later...

Anyway, there is the story of my race. It was a great time. I would do it again tomorrow if my thighs didn't hurt so bad! I guess I'll join the league of the clinically insane (a.k.a those who love running).