Baltimore Half Marathon
I’ve run a ½ marathon.
Here’s how it went ~
I have a new position at work, which I love. It has taken toll on running, actually
work in general, takes it toll on running. Ahhh, Summer, run when you want early morning, late at night
– any time – just beat the heat.
The sun is out all day and all night. I truly didn’t appreciate it when it was here.
My training was less then stellar for the ½ but I was
determined to go forward. I felt
like I had conquered the 12-mile race in August. I knew I could do this even if it wasn’t going to be
perfect.
I always get crazy nervous the night before a race. We made
arrangements to stay downtown. We
did it last year when we ran the 5k.
It was so awesome to walk out the door and the race is right there. It also allowed us to go to the expo
the night before and not have to go to Baltimore twice. My husband could of picked up the
packet for us but then I couldn’t shop.
We arrived at the expo. I
love looking around and my husband is usually done in 5 minutes and patiently waits
for me. I think I bought six 13.1
magnets and ½ zip for each of us, oh yeah, and some finisher glasses. If I was going 13.1 I wanted proof and souvenirs.
After we got done we went to dinner at a nice little Italian
restaurant near the hotel. Now I
am usually wound pretty tight before any race and my husband usually takes it
in stride. I am careful
about what I eat before a 5k but a ½ marathon – very careful. I ordered some pasta - not creamed based which I would of
love, a salad and a glass a wine, although if I don’t think I even drank
half. My husband on the other
hand, he ordered and gin and tonic (fine) and that creamed based pasta. Then he ordered another G & T. You’re having two? Okay… I was anxious just looking at his food. He totally enjoyed everything. Then, he got dessert. A big, giant dessert and enjoyed every morsel
of it. Gulp. I was hoping it would be okay for
him.
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| There he is, enjoying it all! |
Here’s the thing, when you’re running a race the next day
it’s not like you are going to go out and party the night before so we went
back to the hotel and rented a movie, A Million Ways to Die in the West with Seth McFarlane. It was pretty funny and kept my mind
off the next day.
Then sleep, sleep, sleep.
As I said, we walked right out to the start of the half then
had to walk like a ½ mile to our wave.
My goal was to make it to the lake with mile 7-8, all running, then rest
I would see how it went.
The first 6 miles were okay. My husband and I usually don’t run together but he was
recovering for an injury and we took it slow together. Then my left knee start bothering
me. I had to walk some and around
that beautiful lake. Then it kind
of worked it self out. I ran most
and walked some. When running the
Charles Street 12, there were lots of landmarks. I’m sure there were landmarks just none that I really
knew. After lake we went through
Charles Village, that was cool.
There were college kids out cheering us on. At one point there was a table with Natty Boh shots. I thought it better that I did not
indulge. I some how caught up to
my husband around mile 10. Meghan
Trainor’s All About that Bass came on my iPod, went over what I call the
Artscape bridge (really, it’s the Howard Street Bridge) and I pushed through
for the last 3 miles.
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| Running Selfie on the Bridge |
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| Getting Closer! |
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| Zaching towards the finish |
Hubby
finished a couple minutes before me even with that big meal. He still is teasing me but I’m still
not eating a big meal before a race. My official time was 2:48.53.
I’ve signed up for next half. It’s in May. The St. Michael’s Half Marathon. It supposed to be incredible flat because the Baltimore Half
was not.
One of my favorite running slogans is "I love running...when I'm done!" Look how happy I look!
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| KISS! |
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| I could of used this guy about mile 7! |
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