Accomplishment and Relief; But Weakness Revealed

Holy French Toast - What an experience! On this beautiful morning in Minnesota at about 7:15 a.m., Sarah and I stepped off on our 13.1 trek. We joined the 4:30 marathon pace group, led by the awesome Pacer Pete from Baltimore. Boy did it start off feeling great!! Sarah and I had to pee nearly right away, but the lines for the porta-potties were too long. And amazingly, the ones in line were women - because of course men ran into bushes and tree lines to relieve themselves, easily. Sarah and I couldn't hold anymore, so at about the 4.5 mile mark, we followed 3 other girls into the bush to pee... I said to Sarah as we ran back on to the course, "Now we are real runners - we've peed in the bushes!"



All was well for me for quite awhile. My 10K split was 1:02 - not bad. We plugged along and finally caught back up with Pacer Pete. We stayed with him past the prison and into the start of the neighborhoods. All was still well. I had survived a few hills. I was still feeling pretty good. Then we came up to the hill / overpass over Hwy. 36... and I started to feel almost faint. I wasn't sure if I was going to be sick or pass out. So I listened to my body and slowed quite a bit. Sarah held back to hang with me for awhile, but when I hit the next hill at about mile 11, I had to walk it. Sarah went on, and I'm glad. I ran the straight aways and the down hills, which is when my knee really started to bother me. I couldn't see Sarah anymore, but I kept trying to keep going. My pace by this point was so slow, I could nearly walk as fast. I ran the last mile and was really feeling it in my knee. My breathing was fine. I crossed the finish at 2:18 - 3 minutes off pace, so I guess that's not too bad. Hey, I finished.



I iced my knee right away and sat with the ice as Sarah and I each ate an orange (a dry orange!). The ice really helped... But I told Cis that I really need to talk to Andrew about my knee - because I don't want that to hamper my marathon training or the actual marathon.

I have to admit, I'm more scared about the marathon now than I was before I ran the half today. I also understand even more how awesome Cis's accomplishment was of finishing at 1:57 for her first half.

I'm still very tired - and I took a great nap this afternoon.

So - One run is in the record books! I've officially run a half marathon! Holy French Toast!


* 10K -- 1:02:36
FINISH -- 2:18:09
PACE --10:33