Wk #13 Marathon Training- Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon

The schedule said 5, 8, 5, 20 BUT we had already planned on doing the half marathon so we divide the 20 into 7 and 13mi.

However this is how my week went:
Saturday- 7mi/1:08:46
Sunday- 13.1/* See my time below

Yep that's it! Why? I have lots of "good" excuses, BUT  I had already decided I was going to only run once during the week due to my leg issue, I was feeling like maybe it needs a few days rest. Tuesday I was feeling pretty good and thought I would go ahead and go, this week was our awful crazy hectic week at work and by the time the end of the day came I talked myself right out of running. Wednesday and Thursday was pretty much the same I was tired from work and just decided not to go, Friday was horrible at work but I knew I wasn't going to run anyway since that would put me at running 3 days in a row and my leg more than likely wouldn't like that! Sheri was out of town all week and we had already planned on running together Saturday morning since we had to go pick up our packets for Sunday. Oh yea~ on Wednesday I started the 30 day challenge on EA Active for Wii towards the end of it on Wednesday and Thursday my leg was hurting from the lunges. Now back to Saturday, neither one of us was really in the mood but it all worked out we ran in town which led to a couple of extra stops for traffic:) but we still had a good pace (9:49)! I felt pretty fresh (since I hadn't ran all week) but I did start to feel tired around 5.5mi but that is when the gale force winds began, I felt like someone or something was pushing me back!

Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon
This is a local race that just started last year, this year it was taken over by new directors and they reversed the course. There isn't really an expo just a couple of local companies set up and pick up your bib and shirt! If you saw my last post  then you already know I was Lucky #13 and the shirts were really nice so we decided to wear them(see a pic here of my shirt). I really wanted to do decent and I told myself I was going to try hard. This was my third half and I wanted it to be the first one I didn't have to walk in. But I tried not to think too much about it so I wouldn't cause any extra stress on myself, that tends to cause my stomach to be horrible and I didn't want that! When I got up I felt pretty good I wondered if running the 7mi the day before would bother me but it didn't so far. The race started at 8am and it is about an hour away and last year the traffic was awful so we decided to leave plenty early this year which meant I got up at 4am to prepare. I haven't been eating anything before when we do our long runs except drink a cup of coffee so that is what I chose to do for this. (I know that it something I need to start doing though it eat just a little something) We stopped for a potty break on the way and again once we got there so I was feeling good about that. The weather was PERFECT it was a little cool about 43* but it was sunny!

Mile #1- 8:57
#2- 9:12
#3-8:59
#4-9:45
#5-9:21
#6-9:09
#7-10:54* WTH???
#8-9:16
#9-9:06
#10-9:31
#11-9:24
#12-9:31
#13.01-9:25

Miles 1-3: These miles were pretty uneventful, except for the fact that I took off a little faster than I should have. I always get caught up in the race day of people starting fast even though I TELL myself NOT to do it. Some how I got ahead and Sheri wasn't by my side, I decided I would walk through the water stop around mile 3.5 and take my first GU and hopefully get beside Sheri again. Success, took my GU and Sheri (which I knew that she was) was right behind me!

Miles 4-6: In these miles things started getting interesting for me. About 1/2mi after I took my GU my stomach started churning and cramping and I needed to use the bathroom! I thought "Dang" first of all but then I thought no problem I will just stop at the next water stop, the first two water stops had potties, the next one didn't how great for me! So I tried to just not think about it and just keep on going. Around mile 5.5 I started thinking about last year and this location was where I started walking (except last year it was about mile 8~the course was reversed!) and I let that mess with my mind a little and started thinking about the bathroom again. Sheri and I was together all of these miles, the weather was still great sun was shining about 50* but the wind was starting to pick up.

Miles 7-11: This is where we entered a big farm( the start of last years race) and I could see the potty ahead! I looked over at Sheri and said" I am going to speed on to the bathroom, don't worry about waiting for my just keep on going!" And that I did I looked down at my garmin right before I stopped and it was at a 7:something pace~When ya gotta go ya gotta go!!! And what do ya know I was the first person to use the potty, I was trying my best to hurry and the stupid toilet paper wouldn't come out~ugghh~ I ripped it and jerked it out finally! Before entering the bathroom I grabbed a cup of water so I drank it while I was in there hopped out and off again! I really wanted to catch back up with Sheri but wasn't so sure I would be able to so I had to refocus get myself together and just run! I once again took off a little too quick, once I got out of the farm area and back on the main road I tried to get my pace right and comfortable for me, the entire course is rolling and there was some pretty decent size hills in these miles. I wasn't able to catch back up with Sheri:( I started getting really tired and my heels were killing me around mile 10 and I really considered walking a little but I talked myself right out of it reminding myself that there was ONLY a 5k left and if I keep running just maybe this will be my first half marathon that I didn't walk in?!?!?!

Miles 12-13.1: The mile markers were way off when I came to the marker for mile 12 my garmin was at 12.20 so I was trying to figure out in my head when I should begin picking up my pace to finish, I thought around 12.85 would probably be about right. These last couple of miles was still hilly so I wanted to plan my finish save some energy and finish strong. There was some little kids giving "high fives" as we passed them and the last little girl told me "You are almost done its just around the corner!" YAY is all I could think but I told her "Thanks!" I am not real sure where I was at for distance but my time was at 1:55:something and all I was thinking was GO GO GO! I knew I wasn't going to finish under 2hrs but I WAS going to be as close as possible. To my surprise that little girl was just about right, I rounded the corner and could see the finish line, time to start kicking it in now! I saw the hubs (Sheri's hubs) cheering my on as well as some other bystanders which really helped push it through the end. Unfortunately I didn't look at the time clock it said your name as you crossed, I would have liked to see it, I was more focused on trying to have a decent photo finish:) I stopped my garmin looked down at it~OMG I was so close~my official finish time was.......................
                                                 2:03:10
Hooray a PR not only on this course but for a half marathon PR!!! I beat last years time by 23mins and my last half time by 9mins~AWESOME!!!! Sheri was even closer she came in at 2:01:31~AWESOME!!! If only I hadn't stopped for the bathroom then I think both of us would have made it. HOWEVER this is also the FIRST half I was able to RUN the ENTIRE thing without walking!! That fact alone thrills me to no end!

More to come......