yesterday i was a gong show, today i am a train wreck.
i ran my second half marathon today. the cinco de mayo half in snoqualmie. our friends from cresent bar mentioned this winter that they were doing it and that i should think about it.
so i thought about it and signed up.
when i ran my first half, the rock and roll last june, i finished almost 3 minutes past two hours so naturally my goal was to finish sub 2 hours. if it was 1:59:59, i would have been perfectly happy with that, or so i thought. ( i also had a horrible afternoon recovering from the run).
i've struggled the last two weeks. wrestled with my mind, thinking about how all i wanted to do was finish under two but in the very dark recesses of my brain i wanted to finish 1 or 3 minutes under.
i was so nervous all week and extra nervous this morning. i knew i could do the distance, i just didn't know if i could get a good time-i don't push myself much when i am running.
well, i did it. the course was beautiful and there was barely any incline. i highly recommend it if you'd like to feel very successful at an 8 k or half marathon.
i ran a fast (for me) first mile and continued to do so for the next 4 miles. i was kind of shocked when i looked down at my watch. my biggest struggle was determining if i could maintain that pace the rest of the run.
by the time i hit 7 and 8 miles, i was getting kind of excited that i was going to beat my goal.
between mile 10 and 12, i had the great opportunity to run with a co-worker of eric's, peter. i told peter not to feel like he had to stay with me but we kept pace together for at least two miles. once i hit mile 12, i was tired but feeling like i was going to make it so i tried to pick up the pace.
i ran through town and was absolutely ELATED when i could see the high school not far off and then the ultimate thrill was looking up and seeing my sweet family right there on the curb cheering me on and waving. ULTIMATE THRILL. i wanted to cry but there were no tears. the only fluid left in me was in my bladder.
i peed my pants a little. yes, yes i did.

that was approximately the moment. fortunately it didn't really matter. see how soggy wet it is?
and you have no right to judge until you've been there. i really should have gone just one more time before but the lines were super long.
you run the last 300 meters or so on the track. it was a lonely run. i wish i could have really speed up for that 300 meters like i had practiced in my speed work, but it wasn't happening for me.
and i finished.

that was clock time not my chip time. turns out my official time was 1:52:05. i ran 8 minutes 33 1/2 second miles. and of course i am a little pissed at myself that i didn't kick it into high gear and shave that 5 seconds! but, i will never see that time again. you'll see why shortly...

photo with peter, one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. yes, we've established the fact that i have BIG ears and visors do nothing for them.

and one with kim. we road to the race together and had a great morning. she is an awesome runner. and fast too!
we headed to the gym to change into dry clothes and 15 minutes later the stomach cramps hit. eric's going to be so grossed out with me for talking about this. but i really don't care. it's alternately funny and disgusting and maybe a little bit sad.
before the race i, you know, pooped twice. i was feeling as high as a kite. monumental feet for the distance runner, right? apparently, all my water drinking, miralax consuming, fiber eating missions over the course of the last few months haven't been working as well as i had assumed.
i puked on the way home. and dry heaved. the girls were in the back seat. i think they were terrified.
and once i got home, it was a 5 hour puke and bowel movement fest. it was really NOT good.
the moral of the story is that i think i'm going to go see a naturopath about my little issue. maybe gracie and i can get a 2 for 1 discount?
fortunately eric has been mr mom today and my caretaker. i told him we could make mother's day today. i'm sure he's thinking "is this going to be what it's like every time she runs a half? cause it's not what i signed up for!"
i sincerely hope not or my half marathon running career is going to be really, really, really short.
on that note:
Happy Mother's Day!!