13.1? Check!

So, remember back in December when I posted this? Or in January when I posted this? I had to read back on those and laugh a little. Anyone who knows me knows I am not much of an athlete. I lack the coordination. However, I think I've found my "sport." I've decided I can still aspire to be a runner because it doesn't require catching, throwing, aiming, shooting,

passing...you get my drift...

This past weekend I completed my goal for the year and ran my first half marathon!! I did the Silver Strand Half Marathon in San Diego, which supports the Challenged Athletes Foundation. It was amazing and I loved it!! It was pretty much the best one to do as a first timer. It was relatively flat, we had absolutely b-e-autiful weather, and it was on the strand between Coronado Island and Imperial Beach, so the bay was on one side and the ocean was on the other side of us while we ran. Did I mention it was beautiful?! I really wish I would have lost focus for 2 seconds to take some pictures, but oh well. You can take my word for it.

Me and my beautiful mom before the race

Me and my friend, Trisha, before the race

I was so excited to do this, but I really didn't want to spread it all over my blog and facebook until I finally completed it, since it was a personal goal I had set for myself earlier this year. I don't know if I would call myself a runner yet, but I do really, really love running and I'm still an aspiring runner. Who knew I would ever say I loved running?? I took pretty much everybody's advice and ran to different things throughout the year until I figured out what I liked. I will happily report that I listened to Harry Potter books on my long runs and also during my actual Half. They were perfect! I for sure had some other song mixes that would pump me up on shorter runs, but something about audiobooks adds to the relaxion/zen I feel when I run.

The morning of the half I felt as prepared as I was going to be. I didn't miss a day/mile on my training schedule, I carb loaded in Little Italy the night before, got plenty of sleep (even though

I woke up a kajillion times to check the clock), and tried to force myself to eat something that early in the morning before the race. The weather was gorgeous and I told myself this was just like any other run, just a smidge longer...and with about 4,200 more people than I usually run with! I ran it with a girl I work with and we both did really well and had a great time. It actually got a teensy bit hot around mile 10 when we hooked into a radio tower area on the Naval base. There was also a little hill, which normally wouldn't have bothered me at all because I trained on

hills here in Vegas, but for some reason that tiny little hill seemed so daunting at 10 miles! By

mile 11 I was turning around the tower, I had dumped water on my head, which was alarmingly refreshing, and chanted to myself for the next mile that I only had 2 miles left while my pace

began to increase again. By mile 12 I was stoked again! I was chanting "1 mile" to myself and my pace was picking up until I turned the corner and saw the Finish line about 3/4 mile down the road. That made me really excited (plus Harry Potter was just about to fight a dragon in the Goblet of Fire challenge) and I turned on the juice! I think I sprinted the last 1/2 mile and totally felt the adrenaline rush! It was awesome! My mom was there taking pictures at the finish line and I was so happy to see her. I finished in 2:45:23, which I am very happy with as this was my first attempt at being a runner and running a half marathon!

Crossing the finish line - that was the gun time on the clock, not my actual chip time.

Still - it surprised me when I saw it!

Me and Trisha right after we finished our lovely 13.1 mile morning jaunt!

So, I accomplished all of my goals: I finished it, I wasn't last, I ran the whole thing (minus a few slow steps here and there at the aid stations where I drank something because who can drink out of those cups and run, I ask you??), and as an added bonus I did it in 2:45. All in all it was a fantastic experience and I'm excited to sign up for something else. Anybody up for another half or maybe a relay soon?? Huh? Huh??

My beautiful, smooth, straight ponytail turned into a sweaty, curly, tangled mess by the end and was dripping on me as I stretched. Yum.