1/2 Marathon - Recap

It's been 4 days since the 1/2 marathon and I still get a "high" every time I think or talk about it. It almost seems surreal that I actually did it. I better document it now so I have proof!

The morning started bright and early when my alarm went off at 4:15am. Despite my overwhelming nerves earlier in the week, I actually slept well the night before and woke up excited and energized - well as excited and energized as I could be at 4:15 in the morning. We ate a light breakfast, stretched and were out the door a little after 5. We arrived at Riverport, the starting point for the race, at 5:30 and met up with Erin, Jason's sister. It was freezing out and we had to stand around for almost an hour and a half waiting for the race to start. We finally lined up at 7:00 according to our estimated race pace. It wasn't until this point that I started to get nervous again. I was surrounded by thousands of people and my anxiety started rise. As soon as we started moving though I was fine and my excitement returned.

We crossed the start line about 10 minutes after the official start and we were off! It felt so good to finally be running although it took a few minutes for my legs and feet to warm up after standing in the cold for so long. From that point on and I just ran and ran and ran. Jason's mom asked me after the race "what was the hardest point for you?" And honestly, I don't really think there was one. There was never a moment where I thought about stopping or felt that I couldn't make it. I just kept going and the miles kept passing. There were people along the majority of the course cheering and even though I didn't know them I felt like they were cheering for me. Some of them even shouted out my name as I passed (my name was on my number pinned to my shirt). It really kept my spirits high the whole time. Jason's parents parked at the halfway point and we were so excited to spot them. I was yelling out and waving as we ran by!

It's hard to tell but that is Jason in the middle in the red shirt and me in his shadow :)

Miles 7,8, and 9 passed by and finally we got to the 10 mile marker. This was the point I was waiting for and where I knew the end was getting close. 3.1 miles left. I could do 3 more miles. As we got closer and closer to the finish line I was thinking "wow, i'm really going to do this!" When we rounded the corner to the finish line the adrenaline really kicked in and I picked up my pace. We saw Jason's parents again on the sidelines and that gave me another burst of energy. Then a few minutes later we saw my family and I got another little burst. I crossed that finish line with everything I had. It was an awesome moment and one that I will always remember. I had tears in my eyes as Jason and I took those final steps. It was a feeling of complete happiness and pride.

Passing Jason's parents nearing the finish line

Waving to my mom and sister - almost there!

You can click here to see official pictures of us crossing the finish line!
Greeting my family after the race

My amazing husband and training partner - I could not have done this without him!

Through training for this race I've found a love for running. Something I never expected when I started this journey 3 months ago. I fully intend to keep running and maybe even train for another half marathon next year. I saw this quote today and thought it would be the perfect way to sum up this experience: "Running uncovers the universal truths and profound humanity hidden in the miles, revelaing that life, like the (half!) marathon, isn't about the finish line. It's about what you learn along the way."