So Relieved!

As most of you guys who read this saw on Facebook - I did it! I ran a half marathon. I'm so happy! More than anything, the anxiety of the unknown is gone. Everyone was telling me to just enjoy the experience but I really wanted to get a good time. I guess I'm competitive! I reeeeeeally wanted to run it in two hours, although I knew that since it was my first one that would be unlikely. A girl can hope though!

Saturday we had to drive down to Long Beach to pick up my packet and bib (too many people to have you pick up your info on race day.) And coincidentally there was a VIP night for a new Buffalo Wild Wings that Aaron sold in Lake Forest. So, afterwards we headed over for a free night of fun and wings. I, obviously, was not eating wings but we sure had fun! Just look at these sweet faces.

Aaron's going to kill me when he sees that I posted this picture but it's too funny. Two cheerleaders from the San Diego Chargers were there raising money for charity.

After dinner we drove to Manhattan Beach to stay the night with Marin. Being the awesome cousin that she is, gave us her room and hit she the couch for the night. I hardly slept a wink, kids coughing, potty breaks, husband snoring, toilet leaking, you name it. Just as I began to drift off my alarm sounded at the awful hour of 4:15am. The drive to the race was short but the traffic was crazy. They estimated 35,000 participants and spectators. That's a lot of people!

We parked and got down to the starting area to use the bathroom - the lines were insane! They have people start the race in waves according to their estimated finishing time, the faster people in front. Given our wait at the bathroom we missed our wave and started at the back of a wave with thousands of people who would be mostly walking. Ugh.

They need to make rules for races just like when you're driving! Faster on the left, slower on the right. Not only does it slow you down but it's frustrating and uses up precious energy to jump curbs, run through grass & gravel and around cones to get by people. Don't even get me started about the people who would box me in.

I felt great the first half running on the road. Seeing my family at mile 6 was awesome. Little Noelle running beside me screaming, "Mommy! Mommy! You're running a race!" was emotional. Then we turned and ran through a marina and down to the beach which I thought would be awesome but, for me, was difficult. The bike path seemed to drag on and on. We turned back out onto the road around Mile 10. This is when it kind of started to get suck-y. My big toes were rubbing against my second toes causing blisters, and in order to go easy on my really painful bunion on my right foot I was compensating with my left leg, which caused a shooting pain in my hip. At mile 10.75 there was a hill until mile 11 and that took a lot out of me. I really wanted to start walking, my head started telling me I could probably speed walk faster than I was jogging, but I just tried to lose myself in the music and push ahead. Then I couldn't remember if I was coming up on mile 11 or 12. I could see the mile marker sign but couldn't tell what it said. I was never so happy to see the number 12 in my life! My music stopped so I had to get it out but I dropped it and it went sliding through the crowd and I had to chase it down.

My cheerleaders. Noelle told me how much she loved ringing that cowbell.

Finally, I came running down to the finish line. I saw Auntie in her pink shirt plastered against the chain link fence. Then I saw Aaron & Noelle, Julianna, and Jo all screaming, hollering, and jumping up & down. I have the most amazing friends! Can you believe they drove all the way down? They even made me an awesome sign!

Crossing the finish line was the best. All I remember thinking was, "Goodness gracious it's over! I did it!"

Afterwards, I felt pretty good. My stomach was upset, my legs were tired, knees ached and I wanted an omelet. Bad.

According to Aaron's calculations my finish time was 2:12 but I looked it up and my chip says 2:19. I'm really happy given all the traffic I encountered. I say, "Not bad" when I still need to lose 20 pounds and less than a year after having a baby. Here are my stats:

Overall: 4788 out of 10675
Women: 2158 out of 6420
F 30-34: 376 out of 1033

Overall, it was a great experience. Noelle keeps saying "Mommy, you ran and won the race! You crossed the finish line and won the race." I tell her, "Yes, Mommy did win the race!"

A big shout out to my darling husband who was such a great support through training and race day and to my Auntie & Unc who went through so much to be there for me during my first race. And lastly to Marin, this was all her big idea.