The Huntersville Half Marathon - I did it!

On Saturday 12/12/15, I completed the Huntersville Half Marathon in 2 hours, 33 minutes, and 48 seconds.  In my age group I was 57th out of 72 finishers, and overall I was 833rd out of 989 runners.  I wasn't last!  I was happy with my time, but I felt like I could've done better.  I started too far back in the pack of 989 runners.  I was with the 2:30 pace people, but I should have started with the 2:00 pace people.  At mile 2 people were stopping to walk, and I was just getting started.  I actually passed quite a few people in the first 3 miles or so and was keeping up a 10 minute per mile pace, which is just about as fast as I could go.  The course was very hilly, which I had anticipated.  However I have never ran so many hills in one running session before.

At mile 7 I started up Winfield Creek Parkway.  It's about a mile long, all uphill. I popped some energy chews and tried to get motivated.   I started pooping out and slowing down, when a guy came up behind me and said, "Use that booty and get up this hill!" I laughed, only because I have no booty :) but I kept going up the hill.

There was a separate competition within the half marathon for "heartbreak hill" on Hugh Torrence Parkway. They timed us running down the hill and then back up the hill.  It's super steep and I was planning on walking it.  But then I saw my friend Lauren, who teaches at Burn Bootcamp.  She wasn't running; she was just there to cheer people up that mean old hill.  She saw me and came and ran with me and cheered me on.  It was super nice of her and I really appreciated it. I wonder how many times she ran up and down that hill that day.  Needless to say, I did not have the fastest time for heartbreak hill.

Right before mile 9 I passed my house.  My two girls were outside with signs saying "Go Mom" and cheering me on. It was of course very encouraging. I had to keep running while they could see me.   I rounded the corner and started up the hill on Harvington Drive.  I run this hill every time that I go for a run.  Some friends of ours live on that street, and one had jokingly said that he was going to throw rocks at me as I passed. I couldn't let him see me walking so I kept running.  He wasn't even outside!  Later he told me that he had to go to McDonald's and get breakfast. Nice.  He's not a runner.

Next I passed my friend Elaine, who took this picture of me at mile 9.  It was about 60 degrees and cloudy.  It was much warmer than everyone thought it would be for the middle of December.  I decided to wear my "Shut up and Run" tank since it was so warm.  I love this tank because it makes me feel like I have to keep running, not walking.  But the problem became that I was sweating so much that my arms chaffed.  Runner problems. Also right here I passed Jeff and Andrea's house.  They had a table set up with water for the runners.  I grabbed a bottle of water which was literally the best thing ever.  I had decided not to run with my water belt, and was regretting that decision.

At mile 10, I felt a pinch in my left side IT band, near my hip. It hurt to run.  I started walking.  After a minute or so I tried to run and it just hurt too much.  My 10 minute per mile pace turned into almost 13 minutes per mile.  I ate some more of my energy gummies.  I figured that I needed all of the help that I could get at this point.  I didn't want to stop and give up.  Besides, I had to get back to my car somehow.  I started running again. Those hills!  I was hurting.  The last mile was uphill as well.  I hate races that end uphill.  It's just mean. Finally I could see the finish line!  

Me and Frank

I think that I got to the finish by sheer force of will.  My friend Elaine was there at the finish with her 2 kids.  They ran with me the last 100 yards or so.  Her husband Frank finished about 30 minutes before me.  He's fast.  My friend Diahann was there with her 2 kids as well.  I was kinda in a daze at the finish and found some water and bananas.  I felt a little better.  I watched them give out the awards to the top finishers.  Jimmy Johnson the race car driver won his age group, but didn't stick around to get his award.  One of my friends from my UpGrade Lifestyle cycling group won her age group.  Her age group was 60-65 and she finished in 2:01, over 30 minutes ahead of me.  She's awesome.

I limped back to my car and got home.  My daughter fixed me a protein shake, then I took a shower, took some Advil, and took a 2 hour nap.  Later that day I went out to dinner with my daughter and then went to a Holiday party at a friend's house.  I might do another half marathon in the spring. We'll see how long it takes for me to stop limping.  I DID IT!!!! :)