Tuesday, April 9, 2013

RTB- Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon




Great group of friends/running friends!


RTB is the first Half for me this year (2013) and the first Half EVER for my hubs!!
So yeah he was a little excited:) I knew that we was heading into 13.1 miles of pure you know what in HILLS!! (Here is my 2012 Recap of my first RTB experience!) I knew that I was no where close to the running shape as I was last year and not too expect anything spectacular.

YAY let's go torture ourselves, LOL!!


The look of determination...

Me, our friend Kelli and Gerard(the hubs) all stuck together for the first few miles in, then Gerard said his knee was hurting! The last run we did it started hurting him and it was bad, he would run a little and stop over and over. So I told him no problem we wasn't going to be fast anyway we will just slow down Kelli and I just kept a steady pace well steady for us because our pace jumped all over the place but in the first 5 miles #4 was the slowest at 10:13! I knew though once we turned onto Old Frankfort Pike around the 6mi mark it would begin some series roller coaster hills! I had already walked very little but I knew once I hit those hills I would really start walking but I thought maybe Gerard would catch back up to us and we could all finish together. We even walked backwards a couple of times to try looking for him. The problem with wearing the shirt they give (race shirt) is that lots of people is wearing the same shirt! By the time we got to the half way marker and still didn't see him I was worried and thinking the worst of course, "Is he ok? Is he still running? Maybe its really bad and he's just walking? Oh I sure hope he's ok!" all of that and more was going through my mind. Around mile 8 we decided to stop for a potty break, both Kelli and I had to go from the very start but didn't want to wait in the long lines, at this point I didn't really think it mattered any more and it would give us another chance to watch for Gerard. With standing in line and using the bathroom we was stopped there for about 5mins. Still no sign of Gerard. The worst hill of them all is at mile 9, a nice LONG curve to the left did I mention LONG UPHILL that has zero downhill! Umm yeah I was pretty much run/walking by this point but that one really did me in. Miles 9- 13 was the slowest with the fastest mile being #12 @ 11:18! All I wanted to do is be finished and find Gerard! With only a half mile left and I was walking I said out loud to Kelli "This is pitiful only a half mile left and I am walking and don't even feel like I can run!!" One lady that passed kinda speed walking said "Hey at least you are out here!" EXACTLY is what I said back to her:) and when she was a little ways up she looked back and said "And better than everyone still on the couch!" RIGHT again my friend right you are!

Umm yeah I am SO GLAD that's over!!

 I came through the finish so slow I might as well been walking! Kelli and I finished in 2:22 which is about 6mins slower than last year but if you take off the time in the bathroom line then its only about a minute, sounds better that way:)

Kelli & I
 And I have to give Kelli a HUGE THANKS!! She stayed right with me the entire time even though she could have left me in the dust. I told her she could go on any time but she insisted on staying with me. She was even giving me motivation when I needed it the most! We have been friends since high school and have just recently reconnected through running. I couldn't have done what I did without her so Kelli I THANK YOU:)!!!


NOW you are probably (and hopefully) wondering what has happened to Gerard (my hubs)?? Here he is on his first half marathon, the hilliest one there is (like 21 hills in 13.1 miles!!) with knee pain and I haven't seen him since about mile 4??


Cruisin' through the finish


What is going on?? How did he get there??

Not sure if you can REALLY see the look on my face in the pic above? When Kelli and I came through the finish there he was with a MEDAL on?!?!??? WTHeck ?? How did he do that? Some how he passed us without either of us seeing each other and it was before the half way point according to the times at the half way split. Apparently the knee was bothering him bad but he never stopped running, then he said something snapped or popped and it really felt better and he picked up his pace. Although I AM VERY HAPPY for him that darn turd finished one of the hardest half's and his first one ever in 2:01!! Beginner's luck I guess!!






No comments: