Rock and Roll Mardi Gras Half Marathon Feb 13, 2011

I DID IT!!!! WE DID IT!!!! I ran 13.1 MILES!!!!

With my trusted running partner in crime, Raven, by my side until she decided to 'smoke' me in the last 2 miles! that skinny girl can run! We finished it.

No walking.

No stopping.

I crossed the finish line in a respectable 2 hours 31 minutes and 6 seconds!!!

First half marathon done, and I am happy to say it was a great experience. My foot gave me a little trouble, but I made it without having to stop and stretch it. We had fun. There were bands all along the way and sunshining skies!

My stats:

Pace 11:32 min/miles

6793 out of 10,272 overall

783 out of 1,255 'for my age'

3,796 out of 6527 'for a girl'

Not too bad. Or at least I am proud just to say.

I trained smart. I trained when I didn't feel like it. I even trained in sub 20 degree weather.

I finished without any walking.

And I was injury FREE!!!!!

All my goals met, and smiles on our faces!

And a special thank you for my sweet husband at the finish line waiting patiently on me to cross the line!!! Who would not run 13.1 miles to get to this hottie?

And our friends The Weeks for joining us in New Orleans and celebrating the weekend with us! It is always great to get away with friends and just enjoy one another's company....even if it is only for a little while. Thanks for supporting me always! It was a great Valentine's weekend!!

Here is a link to pictures from the race! and even a quick video of me crossing the finish line!

http://www.asiorders.com/estf.asp?EVENTID=75429&PWD=&BIB=20488

Countdown to ....ROCK and ROLL!

Yep...it is offically almost weekend of my very first half marathon! I have trained, it has gone well for the most part. I am 'sort of' babying an ailing right foot, but getting new shoes should fix this right up. Even though the new shoes stopped the progression, it is still talking back to me a little! Lots of stretching, some ice, and elevation and general TLC is my mainstay til Sunday!

In less than 3 short days...I will be a half marathoner!!!!!!! Yep, you heard it! I will no longer be saying, I want to run a half one day...I will be saying...I am a runner! I have completed a half marthon!

Shockingly too, so far I am not worried or nervous. Just ready, prepared and excited! As I know that the nerves will likely arrive, I am just looking enjoying the moment of having done the work and looking forward to the FINISH line!

So check back Monday for my very first Race review! I'll own up to what the garmin says when I cross that line. no matter the number! I will be smiling and happy that I am a finsher...while I have numbers of possibilies in my mind and have trained enough to know what I am capable of..I hope to be smart, run smart, but push myself to finish with the best time I am capable of! That is all the expectation that I have! with it being my first....it is sure to be a presonal BEST!

Hope your weekends go as planned, so far the weather is shaping up to be FANTASTIC and I can't wait to have a great run. Last tow have been hard iwth illness and ailing foot! So with a great 12 miler just before those last two not so great runs....I am due a great run and with sunshine skies....I'm looking forward to enjoying running for at least 13.1 miles~!~!~!

YUK!

So for th past two days my hair has been greasy. I am gross!

Why?

Because starting Saturday afternoon, my daughter started vomitting and having explosive diarrhea...right after a day out to lunch and running. She and I shared a coke at my Aunt's store...and the rest is history.

She got better late Sunday.....I came down with it yesterday morning...and right now is the first moment I have felt human!!!!!!!!!

I have managed to hold down 5 crackers, a coke, and half a piece of toast this morning! wooohooo! This has been the worst 36 hours I've had in a long time. My only wish is that Laila had not gotten it and just me. SHe loves to share though! Hope justin doesn't get it...because the whole ordeal is miserable....then you are too weak to hold your head up. One day when my child is all grown up and we don't have stuff like this. I will actually take a day off to just be at home....rather than rithig around in misery!

Do you ever get to just take a 'me' day?

Not me...it is always something that we have to do....once a year a vacation....and still end up exhausted returning to work. the rest are saved for child sickness. THis is the first time I have been this sick in I can't remember when. Back to the couch.........