Race Day: I Loved it!

I made a cool, short flick (about 3 1/2 minutes) about the race yesterday.  Click here to view it:

Click HERE to watch it!

(NOTE:  If the link takes you to my photo gallery and not specifically to the movie, just scroll to the bottom and you'll see the movie at the bottom of the page.  It's called "Kelli's Run From The Sun Half Marathon.")

This post is more for me than anyone else.  Actually, I guess that's pretty much the case all the time.  I love keeping a blog just like I have loved keeping a journal and scrapbooks and pictures all my life.  I never want to forget how I felt at certain moments of my life.  Especially the important ones.  

"Life is not measured in minutes, but moments."

Here are my thoughts and feelings about yesterday.  

I've been training for this race for about 3 months.  I already posted about my pre-race excitement on Friday morning.  That night, Ryan and I went to HoHoKam Stadium to pick up my race packet (bib number, timing tag for my shoe, t-shirt) and eat a little pasta dinner.  Carb loading in preparation for Saturday.  After we picked up the goods and downed some BJ's pasta, salad & bread, we visited for a few minutes with my cousin, Dyan, and her family who were there doing the same thing.  It was actually Dyan who blogged about this race in the first place and inspired me to sign up.  This was her first half marathon too.  

We made a brief visit to a friend's wedding reception on Friday night, but were called home just as we went through the receiving line.  No dessert for us.  Rowan had been complaining of a tummy ache before we left, and apparently, she wasn't bluffing.  Barrett, our babysitter for the evening, was in no mood to clean up Rowan's throw-up (I don't blame her), so she saved the mess for us.   To her credit, she piled on a few towels to at least get the spew out of view, but there was no other attempt at clean up.  Thankfully, my amazing husband volunteered to do most of the clean up.  What a good man...

Saturday morning finally came.  The alarm went off at 5:15 and I was up.  Quick power breakfast of good carbs.  Bagel with cream cheese, glass of OJ, and small banana.  Ryan and the kids were up at 5:45.  Dressed in my bright orange running shirt (Ryan's pick over the bright green), I headed over to the stadium around 6:20. Thankfully, HoHoKam Stadium is only a few miles from our house, so the drive was quick.  It was a cool morning, but I opted for short sleeves and shorts as I knew I'd heat up as soon as the run began.   Ryan and the kids met me outside by the start line about 10 minutes before the gun shot.  We took a few pics together and they all kissed me good luck.  I saw Dyan and her running buddy at the start line, so we chatted it up for a few minutes before the race began.  We felt some very light sprinkles, but nothing significant.   Since the race was being timed with the electronic shoe chip we slipped into our laces, it didn't matter when we started.  Our individual race times started as soon as we crossed the start line.   I was fussing with my iPod when the gun went off, so I was walking up to the start line sort of casually.  It was funny listening to Ryan on the video camera.   He was worried for me!  "Come on Kelli, get the iPod working!  Go!"  But I hadn't even crossed start yet.  My watch said 7:01:22 when I started.  Let the race begin.

The race started off great.  I felt terrific the whole first half and was pacing a little ahead of my per mile goal.  I really wanted to finish under 2 hours, so I was trying to pace at 9 minute miles. Every mile marker I checked my pace, and I was staying ahead of pace consistently.  Ryan, my mom, and the kids were waiting on the sidelines at about the 6.5 mile mark as I turned off of Center Street and headed back onto the canal path for the second loop.  It was fun seeing all my kiddos there and giving them high fives as I ran by.  I loved the support!  Right as I hit the halfway point, my killer iPod running mix blessed me with "Who Let the Dogs Out" and I smiled wide.  Perfect.  

I still felt good as I ran east on the canal and headed south again on Stapley.  However, within a few seconds of my entering Stapley off the canal just north of Brown Rd, the rain started coming.  And then it really started coming down.  By the time I got to University, I was completely soaked.  By Main Street, my wet shorts were starting to rub a little on the inside of my legs and I was worried I might get chaffed.  And I was right.  Still, the run was going well and I was still pacing strong.  At 10 miles, my legs were starting to feel pretty tired.  My heart and lungs felt great.  I wasn't struggling with breathing at all.  Just the legs.  I think that having to run so cautiously with extra intent in the rain wore them out a little more.  I was worried about slipping since the asphalt was so slick.  Thankfully, the rain stopped on Main Street and didn't start up again.  

It was not long after that, somewhere around 10.5 miles, that I started to play the mind over body game.  I was talking my legs into running when they really wanted to walk.  Again, I was blessed just then with another great motivational running song.  The Beastie Boys, "No Sleep Till Brooklyn."  Just what I needed, just when I needed it.   For the next two miles, I just ran. My chaffed inner thighs were bothering me more than anything else, but the tired legs were taking a close second.  There were signs posted all along the course.  Motivational things like:

"The fastest way to the finish line is by running." 

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right."

"Mind Over Body." 

And my favorite one at about the 12 1/2 mile point:  

"Enjoy your pain. You've earned it."

When I hit the corner of Brown and Center, with HoHoKam stadium in view, I was so excited.  Until I kept running and realized that that course was winding us all the way around the whole dang stadium!  It was an evil plan by the course makers for sure.  You think you're almost done, but nooooooo.  Just keep running...just keep running...just keep running, running, running.  

As I turned east off of Center into the stadium parking lot, I saw my mom up ahead with her camera.  She was there, cheering me on!  "You can do it, Kelli.  You're almost there!"  And so I propelled the legs forward some more until I rounded the stadium just outside the left field fence and started my run around the outfield.  Just as I passed centerfield and was finally thinking, "Oh my gosh.  I really am almost done!"  I could see the finish line.  My iPod started a new song:  "Climb" by Miley Cyrus.  

I am a pretty easily moved to emotion kind of girl anyway, but it just kicked in strong right then.  I was physically giving it everything I had, my legs were on fire, the chaffing was burning, and my instantaneous onslaught of emotion was vivid. The lyrics to "Climb" could not have been more fitting:  

"I can almost see it.  That dream I'm dreaming.  But there's a voice inside my head,  saying 'You'll never reach it'..."  

Literally, tears welled up in my eyes as I entered the stadium at right field and started my quasi-sprint down the line toward home plate.  I fought them back right away, but felt such intense emotion that I never imagined I would feel.   I scanned the crowd as I ran toward the finish and locked eyes on Ryan for just a second.  I had great visions of sprinting to the finish, but as I watched the video afterwards, it was hardly anything close to a sprint.  I was just so thrilled to run across that finish line.  I was happy and tired and elated all at once.  

My immediate look at my watch told me that I had finished in 1:57 and change, but I quickly forgot the seconds amidst my relief to be done.  I later pulled up the results online, and found my official chip time:  

1 hour, 57 minutes, 30 seconds.  

That translates to 8:59 minute miles.

Sweet!  I beat my goal time.  I finished the race and did it under 2 hours!  And as Jessie pointed out, I can say that that was the fastest half marathon I've ever run!  

Here are the stats:

269 half marathon runners (there were others running the 5k)

121 men

148 women

I placed 38 out of the 148 women.

I placed 16 out of 62 women in my age group 30-39.

I placed 100 overall (men and women combined) out of 269

Hooray!  Hooray!  What a terrific day.   Despite having legs that are unbelievably sore today, I am already looking forward to the Turkey Trot 10k on Thanksgiving and the next half marathon. Yes, there will definitely be another one in my future.  It was such a fun time.  Such a great experience.  

Thanks to my great husband and kids for all their support.  And thanks to my mom for being there too.  (BTW - the kids had a great time while I was running.  They played in the Kids Zone on the bouncers.  Did face painting, crafts, ate donuts, popcorn and cotton candy.  All before 9:00 am!)

Here I am right before the race.  Super happy.  Super excited.  37 years young...healthy...ready to run my first half marathon.  Could I be more blessed?