Run Jenni, Run

Sunday marked my second half marathon in 3 months, which becomes more and more humorous to me every time I think about it. As my mom puts it, I didn't just dislike running when I was growing up, I physically hated it. Loudly, and publicly hated it. And now I choose to run multiple miles on end. It's just funny.

All week I'd been eating my healthy oat bran craisin muffins for breakfast, lots of fruits and veggies throughout the day, and drinking buckets of water. I was hydrated, fueled and ready to go. Oh, and can I mention scared. Saturday I picked up my race packet along with some goodies at the Expo - including a bunch of free samples, and my very own Stick. Best. Thing. Ever. I also got my very own pace bracelet, a 5:00 finish bracelet, which I was pretty sure was too fast for me. I went home, washed all of my racing gear, and headed to RO'Ds for some delicious grilled steak, veggies, and potatoes. The lovely KD gave me a good luck balloon, and I headed home to get to bed early.

Sunday's plan was to wake up at 4:45, head downtown by 5:30, and meet up with some friends at 7th and Congress by 6:15am. I was wide awake by 4. As I got ready I must have unpinned and repinned my bib number to about 4 different places, finally deciding on the place it started. I went through all my pre-run routine, and had everything I needed. I grabbed the last muffin to nibble on my way, and headed out by 5:30. After parking the car, I headed towards Congress - and decided to turn on my iPod for some pre-race inspiration. It did not work. WHAT! I was frantic. I tried again, I reset it. I knew I had left it plugged in all night, but I was concerned that maybe all the songs had been erased. I checked my watch to see if I had time to go home and come up with a plan B, but I did not. Then I heard one little note of music. I tried to make it happen again. It was shortly after that when I realized the headphones were not plugged in. Crisis solved, iPod working. Once I met up with my friends I realized I had forgotten my pace bracelet. I said aloud, "Crap, I'm going to be doing math all morning" - and it was true. The number of times I calculated '11 minutes times 9 miles is 99 minutes, minus 60 is 1:39:00, but 12 minutes time 9 miles is...90 plus 18, so thats 108, minus 60 is 1:48:00, but crap, what was 11. Ok, so if I'm between 1:39 and 1:48 then I should be ok.' or how about 'if a 5k is about 3-ish miles, and a 10k is about 6-ish miles, then 20k is about 12-ish miles, so at 12 miles if I'm running 12 minute miles I should be at...ok, 144 minus 120 is 2:24:00.' I'm embarrassed how long these simple problems kept me stumped.

The race started a tad late, and the first three miles were a slow but steady incline. I seemingly struggled through my initial 6/1's (6-minutes running, 1-minute walking - I have to start this way or I will crash out way too early!)I had a wonderful group of friends waiting for me just as we turned the corner between miles 3 and 4. They were there smiling, with signs, and cheering. A much welcome difference from San Antonio. They said I was doing great, I left my jacket with them and indicated I felt like crap. It was true. I was unaware of the steady incline and just how tough that would be for my already difficult first 3 miles. The next 3 were mostly down hill, and the 'high' from my friends and the signs kept me moving too. By mile 6 I was comfortably into some 10/1's and was pretty close to an 11 minute mile. I was aware that I was already feeling better than San Antonio, and I was now in my groove. Britney Spears' Circus was playing a few extra times on the iPod, to keep me going. (ugh, I know, Britney, but seriously...this one did it for me.)

Somewhere after mile 8 I realized there was something wrong in my shoe. I couldn't quite figure it out, but it felt like a rock, or something completely digging into my right foot. I eventually stopped and untied the sucker to check it out. Of course, nothing. So I put it back on, something still piercing my foot, and I just put it out of my mind. Back to some math. I was trying to calculate the time that my friends running the full would be done: 'if it's 2 hours for me now, and they were predicting a 4:20 race, and it's 9:30am, then they have 2.5 hours left, which is...crap, what time did I say it was, ok 9:30 plus...crap, how much time, ok, 2.5 hours. so 10:30, 11:30 - between 11:30 and 12.' Amazing, I forgot all about the thing poking my foot.

After mile 9 an unexpected friend was chillin' on the corner. It was so great to see her, because she's been pretty sick lately, and just her effort to get up and down there meant a ton. So after seeing LR, I was off and running again. Shortly after, the first group re-appeared along with their signs. It was another wonderful surprise to see them. And the last push I needed to feel like I could tackle the mother of all hills. (NOTE, the people in this picture are happily seen running DOWN said hill, I most definitely was going in the other direction, and a bit less happy.) I did notice the slowing of the herd, many people hunched over and walking up, my own "running" was slow, but a dedicated run. Halfway up, RO'D's smiling face as he starts jumping up and down cheering for my approach. Everything he said to me may have been a lie, but he feel in step along side me and said "You look great, you're the only one kicking it up this hill" He said he'd run a little ways with me, and together we passed the other group of friends he was with. I looked over at him and breathlessly said "I'm tired as shit" and he chuckled and said "Oh, I'll slow down!" He crossed the 12 mile mark with me, at 2:24:15 (note, from previous calculations this is nearly exactly a 12 minute mile). As he left he said "you look great, keep going you're almost there, I'll see you at the end." and he high-fived me on my way.

I thank him for getting me up that hill, but the last mile was still pretty tough. I kept slowing down, but tried to turn it on to keep up the 12 minute miles. There was one more small incline, and despite the "Keep Going" lovingly spray painted onto the road, I took a break to walk it up that one. I was running when I saw the 800 meters to go sign, and I didn't look back - ran it all the way in. 2:37:30, which is a consistent 12-minute mile pace, 15 minutes shorter than my time in San Antonio, on a course with many, MANY more inclines. And, I was still standing at the end.

I think, of the whole ordeal, the biggest accomplishment came the following day, when I was nearly unsore (except for one small toe/toenail issue), and even contemplated going for a run at one point.

Besides my own accomplishments, the day as a whole was spectacular. I was in awe of all the support, from friends nearby and family and friends who weren't. The attitude of the runners, the spectators, the city as a whole - it was fantastic.

This weekend I am jumping into week 7 of a training program for the Capitol 10K, where the goal is to run the entire thing continuously, without my beloved one-minute walking breaks.