Half Marathon #5

Pre-race- fresh and full of energy. We hope.

On Saturday I ran my 5th half marathon.  Why? I don't know. But here is how it goes in my brain:

• Run a race of any distance.  Feel triumphant and inspired, so sign up for a race of increased distance, preferably a half marathon.
• Calculate how long I have to up my mileage. Immediately reconsider whether I want to do this.
• Contemplate selling my bib and dropping out of the race altogether.
• Begin training, adding a mile on to my long runs each weekend.  6 miles? Ok. 7 miles? Fine. 11 miles? WHAT WAS I THINKING?
• Enter depression and negative self-talk. I can't do this, I am too slow, why can't I just feel good? Is that my knee hurting???
• Week of the race: begin checking weather obsessively. Begin listing possible outs: bad weather, illness, fatigue. Also begin incessant complaining to all friends and family about what a bad idea it is to sign up for a race like this.
• Night before: try to sleep. 
• Day of: wake up early, in fear that I won't hear the alarm. I have my morning ritual of coffee and an English muffin with peanut butter, then I go pee about 6 times because I don't want to use a port-a-potty. 
• Get to the race and still need to use the port-a-potty.
• Start running. Run for 2+ hours, counting every mile and wondering why I paid money for this.
• Finally cross the finish line.  There are then two possibilities:
• I feel a sense of elation at a job well done, which leads to a desire to sign up for my next race, hopefully also a half marathon.
• I feel disappointed at my performance, and decide I need to sign up for another race and seek retribution. 
• Sign up for another race and start all over again.

Post-race glow. I am crusted over with salt from my sweat.

That said, I really had a good race.  The weather was unseasonably perfect. I drove in and out of town with two friends/running buddies, even though we didn't end up running together.  I ran 5 miles with my friend Lori before her foot started to hurt (she had a broken toe, she is amazing that she did it anyway!) and then ran by myself until around Mile 11, I noticed a man who looked quite similar to my OB, who had delivered all 3 kids... and so I decided I would say hello, and it was him!  We ran together for a little over half a mile and talked a little- he was encouraging and supportive (probably more than he was when I delivered my kids!) and it gave me the boost I needed to get through the end of the race.  He said I look like I am in great shape- not hard to accomplish when I probably weighed close to 200 lbs the last time he saw me! Then when I crossed the finish line, he was waiting for me to high-five me! It was really exciting. And then I checked my results and found out I had run my fastest half marathon yet!

With my OB- who is in better shape than I am

My friends finished after me and we sat and stretched and enjoyed the sunshine before heading out of town to our families.

Lori didn't like my taking her picture

When I got home, we had brunch with Eric's college friend from Maine and her husband, who had also run the half marathon. We spent a couple of hours out on our patio talking in the sun and relaxing. Now I have the long Thanksgiving weekend to look forward to, with family and lots of food!