Hello Honey Darling Dears!
Wednesday: ummmmm so this race is on Saturday and I am not even remotely ready. My last run in 2014 was less than 4 miles. I might be starting to freak out right now.
Thursday: Packet pick up day! My mom went with me to the DC Armory to get my race stuff and roam around the expo. It is always great fun to try all the products and see what there is to see.
Friday: I think I'm pretending that this isn't real. Friday involves pizza and movies with some of my best girlfriends. Before bed I get all my stuff ready for the morning.
Saturday: up at 5am. The dogs seem surprised to be up so early. Make a kale smoothie for the road (kale, banana, pear and pineapple). Also eat a breakfast sandwich with turkey sausage, egg and cheese. Begin morning hydration. Drive to metro and head into DC. Meet some nice folks on the metro. Get to the starting area and see a fellow
Team Z member. Stop and chat and listen to the National Anthem together. Part ways and head for respective corrals. I had somehow missed the part in Coach Ryan's email about meeting the team at 6:30am, sort of sad about that, but my own fault for reading it on my phone in tiny font.
The race: I jump into a corral and make my way to the starting line. I cross the starting line and the race begins. I realize that I really really have to pee...like badly. The first few port a potties on the course have locks on them. Not going well so far. Finally find a port a potty and get in line (for was felt like 20 minutes). I see the 2:30 pace group pass by and then the 2:45 group pass by. This is a disaster already. Finally use the port a potty and get back on course. I run, enjoy the course and keep my eyes out for fellow Zs. I run all the way to mile 6 where there is a large hill. I walk up the hill and run into Ryan, Ed and Val. Thank you so much for being there! You guys really helped me to keep going. For the rest of the race, I walked up the hills and walked the water stops. I kept running by making little goals of catching people in front of me.
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| Race Bling! |
My official clock time: 3:23:01
My clock time minus potty breaks: 3:07:22
After the race, I found some Zs and we went and cheered for the marathoners out there. I got home around 2:30, including a stop and 7-11 for some giant bags of ice. This ice bath made my life complete. I took an amazing 3 hour nap after this.
Lessons learned: umm don't be a lazy slug and train for the next one which is in April (Nike Women's Half).
Sunday: A little sore? Yes. Overall though feeling good.
I went to the race by myself so I don't have any photos of me before, during or after the race. So hopefully when the race photos are posted there will be some of me.
