{oshkosh half marathon: part 2}

Race Day

My day for the Oshkosh Half Marathon started at 4:40am. I can’t even begin to tell you when the last time was that my eyes had see that number on the clock and I was getting out of bed. I didn’t even know there was morning time before 5am, haha!

But I rolled out of bed, just not feeling the run. I mean, it was WAY early! I had set everything out the night before so I knew I wouldn’t forget anything. I still forgot two things… sunglasses and chapstick. Luckily it wasn’t sunny out, so didn’t miss the sunglasses, but did miss the chapstick!Victoria picked me up by 5:15am and we were on our way! I don’t think either of us was too excited to begin with because it was just so darn early. We chatted it up per usual on our way to the run. We ended up getting a good parking spot and didn’t arrive too early before the start of the race. We got our bibs and then chilled for a bit inside the building before heading out to the start line. We were going to use the bathrooms before the race started, but the woman’s line was super long and neither of us really had to go. Just precautionary, haha!

We took our before run picture and then headed out the doors!Yeah, we rock some awesome shoes too!And today Victoria even rocked some even awesomer (yes I made that a word) leggings that I must try and get some of!The 5k path and the half marathon path split from each other pretty early on in the race so Victoria and I didn’t even get to run together at all. Prior to the race I had set myself up behind the 2:20 pace guy (finish the race in 2 hours 20 minutes). I had a goal of finishing under 2:30, but also knew that with my current knee issues, it might take me longer.

I started out nice and slow and steady and kept the 2:20 pace guy in my sights for about the first five miles. I was feeling pretty good. I saw Jay’s grandparents and mom around the three mile mark and that made me smile! Also around that time I had started to get that familiar knee pain that I’ve been talking about. I was a little worried about it then because I knew I had another 10 miles to go, but I kept my pace slow and steady and just continued to put one foot in front of the other. The miles continued to pass and I continued to tell myself that I could do this… for me… and for Boston. I would finish!

Around the seven mile mark I saw my honey, little man, my mom, and Jay’s grandparents and mom again. I handed off my gloves to Jay because I was getting pretty warm by then. I was continuing to push through the knee pain and just kept going! I figured that at least by that point I was over halfway through!

I hit mile 9 and started to doubt myself. I knew at that point I only had four miles to go, but I was starting to feel the fatigue in my legs. My breathing was still pretty good, no huffing and puffing, but the legs were getting tired. It didn’t help that I must have missed the mile 10 marker because I was thinking that mile 9 was the longest ever!

I saw my family again shortly before mile 11 and that gave me just the push that I needed to continue. It also helped that shortly after seeing them, I saw the mile 11 marker and knew that I only had two miles left. I started to think that I really could finish!

I also have to add that somewhere between mile five and six I passed the 2:20 pacesetter and knew I could probably push myself to finish in under 2:20. I hadn’t really set a goal out for myself when starting, other than to finish. I had a time I would have liked to beat, but wasn’t going to push myself. After passing the pacesetter… it was then that I set a goal for myself to get under 2:20.After mile 11, I saw my family two more times before crossing the finish line and seeing them so much at the end of the race really kept me going! As I was approaching the finish line I took my earbuds out so I could hear all of the cheering from everyone! It was really kind of awesome and exciting!

It was so exciting to cross the finish line and seeing that it was under 2:20! The official results have not been posting online yet for the chip timing, but here is what my watch said after I crossed the finish line! I CANNOT BELIEVE IT! I am in utter awe at myself, especially since my training this last month has been pretty lack luster. I KILLED my original goal for my first half marathon!And of course we needed our after race picture! Victoria rocked her 5k! We told ourselves at the beginning of the race that we were not going to let our heads get to us during the run and that we were going to finish happy and I think we both had great runs! Just what we needed!I am DAMN proud of that medal! Damn proud!

Jay keeps saying that I should think about doing a full marathon. I don’t know about that yet. Right now I have no ambition to do one, but that may change!

Half marathon finisher! Can’t believe I just ran 13.1 miles without stopping!

CIAO! LOVE ME!