RussVegas Half Marathon

I never thought I would be a runner. I ran a few miles here and there. By a few I mean I ran about a mile and called it good. I would even bump it up by a mile and really think I was rockin' and rollin'. Then, I ran a 5k. Then a few more. And finally, in December of 2013 I talked myself in to signing up for a half marathon. 

And I didn't look back. 

I even got lucky enough to get Emma to say yes and embark on the journey with me. 

We have logged countless miles and I am so thankful for our friendship. 

She finished her first half yesterday with a time of 2:18! It was awesome!

This was my 3rd and I set a personal record at the same time. 

It was a lot of fun but there are also things I always forget until I am actually doing the race. I will share with you because I know you are dying to know. 

1. The butterflies you have waiting in that corral are enough to make you think you have to poop. Is that just me? It's a horrible feeling. Then the paranoia sets in of maybe this isn't nervousness but a real poop. Then, before you know it your speed walking across that start line and you say a little prayer that it IS nerves. 

2. You train running intervals. Guys- people do this. They intentionally run a race this way. Me and Emma are those people. We are faster this way. I shaved 5 minutes off last year's finishing time running intervals. We run for 2 minutes walk for 1, run for 2 walk for 1 until we cross that finish line. So the people who start walking 2 minutes into the race doesn't mean we are slower than you. Or less experiences. Or tried. Or overshot it. It means we run differently than you. So don't say, "you're doing good girls" in a sympathetic tone  or "it's okay to walk if you need to". We know. We know what we are doing and we are confident in how it gets us across that finish line with a 10:25 minute average pace. 

We are interveral runners. We've got this. And we may even beat a few of you. 

3. There comes a moment when your legs go numb and you're just running. This happens between mile 3 and 4 for me. Every single long run. 

4. There also comes a time when I get a pain that's not so much a pain as it is a nuisance. This happened right around mile 6 and my side hurt. I ignored it and it eventually went away. 

5. And the time you want to say screw it and hop off the course. I was feeling done around mile 8. It wasn't fun anymore and knowing the course like the back of my hand I knew I still had so far to go. 

6. I honestly forgot how hard miles 11-13.1 are. To be blunt, they sucked big time. Like I could feel us slowing down a little bit and I looked back and could finally SEE the 2:20 pacer. And to beat 2:23 was my ultimate goal so there was absolutely no way I was letting him pass us. 

7. Then there is THE hill. The overpass on Phoenix that also starts mile 12. It's brutal. But, not for us!! We trained on that overpass for 4 months. We ran it at least twice a weeks sometime 3. This is were we had an advantage. We kicked it up a notch and ran like it was part of or normal training run. 

8. Having people on the course who know you is the best feeling ever. Having people say your NAME is that little boost of confidence you need. I swear it makes a difference. Thank goodness for people on that last mile. 

9. Crossing the finish line is a lot more exciting when you PR. It's a fact. 

10. Lastly, I am grumpy, pissy, hungry, and feeling like I could poop myself at any second after the race. I am not in the best of moods. I am tired. I just want a cheeseburger but not at 10 in the morning. I am happy, but irritable. 

So much goes into a half marathon. 

They are truly a challenge, but also are becoming "just" a half marathon. Which is shocking to say and I feel like a jack wagon because I know people who would love to "just" run a mile. 

I was there once so I'm kinda allowed to say that. 

I look forward to my next half. I'm not sure I'll be shooting for a PR, but I am shooting to add a little more bling.