My first half marathon--I did it!

Last Sunday, I completed the Woodrow Wilson Half Marathon.  After training for three months, it was such a relief and accomplishment to cross that finish line.  It was a long morning, but completely worth it!

4:30 am: Woke up, took a shower, and ate a piece of peanut butter and banana toast.

5:15 am: Drove to the finish line, parked my car, and hopped on the shuttle to the start line.

5:45 am: Arrived at the start line. Froze outside and contemplated how I was going to spend the next 2 hours before the race started.

6:30 am: Plugged in ipod and started to get 'in the zone'

7:28 am: Still waiting in line to use the port-o-potty...

7:30 am: Quickly make my way to the 8-9 minute mile section.

7:35 am: RACE STARTS!

A ripple of energy and excitement filled the air as over 2,000 of us waited for the gun at the start line.  We began at Mt. Vernon (home of George Washington) and followed the George Washington Memorial Parkway.  I tried to keep a fairly even pace for the first few miles, but I was all over the place. I trained solo, so I was really distracted by everyone else on the course.

 

Due to the course's design, it was impossible for spectators to watch until about mile 6.  I was so used to running through the National Mall that I actually got a little bored.  Luckily, pedestrian traffic picked up around mile 7 and by that time, I was warmed up (it was 47 degrees in the AM) and keeping a fairly steady pace.  I also knew that I would get to see my friends around mile 10 or 11.


As I made my way to mile 8, I felt pretty good.  I just kept telling myself that if I could make it to mile 10, I could definitely finish.  Around mile 9 and 10, we crossed the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.  As I looked to my left, I saw a birds-eye view of Washington DC.  Although incredibly windy on top of the bridge, I picked a man and tried to keep pace with him until we successfully crossed the Potomac.

Running to National Harbor at mile 11, I saw my roommate and boyfriend waiting for me.  I had anticipated this moment since the start of the race and I was so happy to see them!  However, after I passed them my energy level dropped and I started to feel tired.  I felt a little defeated as I climbed the two largest hills on the course.  This was the most mentally challenging part of the race--but as Eminem's song "Lose Yourself" came on I reminded myself that after all the work I put in, I had to push myself to finish the last two miles.

The wind blew the 12-mile-marker over, but as soon as I passed it I kicked up my pace.  With only a mile left and a jolt of energy, I ran at a 7:45 min mile pace.  People lined up to cheer us on during the last stretch.  The only thing going through my head was, "I just want to be done. I JUST WANT TO BE DONE!"

I crossed the finish line at 1:53:05 and averaged a little over 8:30 miles.  I met my goal!

We went out to a wonderful brunch at Brasserie Beck where I ate the 1500 calories that I burned off that morning.  I couldn't imagine a morning spent in better company or with two better cheerleaders!  Thank you all for your support--I really, really appreciate it :)

3 months later...I race tomorrow!

Cue Rocky music.

@#^@!%!% I am running 13.1 miles in less than 24 hours. Three months ago, the longest I'd ever run was 6 miles (once.)  This past week, I was more anxious than excited about the race.  When I woke up this morning I had butterflies in my stomach--but more from excitement than nerves. I'm picking up my race packet in about an hour--the countdown officially begins!

Accuweather (which I've been compulsively checking for the past two weeks,) has not forecasted rain. YAY! However, the morning temperatures will be between 47-50 degrees.  That's a whoooooole lot cooler than what I've trained in.  Thank you Autumn, for FINALLY showing your face.  Did you really have to choose this upcoming weekend?!  Stumped on what to wear, I consulted google (of course) and came across this link on Runner's World.  I took some of their suggestions into consideration and decided on the following:

 1. Champion short sleeve running shirt.  I've trained a lot in this hot pink top because it is light-weight, keeps the sweat off my skin and allows others to see me easily.

2. Nike Dri-Fit dual hoodie (I can't find the original, so here's the closest thing.  Also, I won't wear this during my real race, only for warming up.) I love it because it hugs my skin, keeps me warm, and stays out-of-the-way while I run.  The best feature is the dual hood--one acts as a normal hood, but there's a lighter one under it if you just need a little protection from the cold (which I will need tomorrow morning!)

3.Under Armour long sleeve.  Scratch that. I've actually decided not to wear this but since I already took the photo and made it pretty, I didn't want to have to redo it.  Instead, I've decided to wear a long sleeve polyester shirt over my pink one so I can easily take it off when I've warmed up.

4. Champion padded sports bra.  BEST BRA EVER.  It's incredibly supportive, soft and unlike some of my other bras, the elastic doesn't scratch my skin.

5. Feetures! socks.  I purchased these at a running store last week.  The socks are specifically designed to provide more support and keep your feet dry while you run.  Labeled on the socks are "L" and "R"  to provide the best fit to each foot.

6. Nike Dri-Fit spandex.  Definitely high on the list of favorite purchases.  I've trained in these babies all three months--it doesn't matter the weather, they are great!  They fit nicely, keep my skin dry and are easy to run in.  I've never had a problem with chaffing, but they are a sure way to protect my skin after 13.1 miles.

Not pictured: My ipod, ipod armband, my Garmin Forerunner 305 and heart rate monitor, Brooks shoes (pictured above), and sunglasses.

Also, if you're wondering what to wear while you train, here are a couple of tips I've learned as I've trained the last three months.

1. Do NOT wear anything cotton. It absorbs sweat, becomes heavy, and sticks to your skin. Also, it causes chaffing. I made the mistake of wearing cotton shorts and a cotton tank on two separate occasions and really regretted it both times.

2. Invest in a good sports bra.  I bought two padded bras when I started training more and there is a huge difference in the amount of support they give.  I used to double-up on the cheap target spandex ones--now, I can never go back.

The race begins at 7:30 AM at Mt. Vernon Estate in Alexandria, VA.  I'll run north along the Potomac and cross the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (touching a bit of DC soil) and will end in National Harbor, MD.  We are going out to brunch after to celebrate and ending the night with a wine party at our place (yay, I can drink again!)  After all this hard work, I can't wait until tomorrow!