Race day arrived with nervousness about the weather, the route and significant questions as to my sanity. I could not decide if I was really ready for the rain, the wind and the hills?! But thanks to the pushing and prodding of my girls - I managed to get myself out to the starting line.
Me and my
entourage! They took their jobs very seriously and worked to encourage me, to get me pumped up and they even made an attempt to shield me from the rain (that one did not work out so well). I think they enjoyed getting into the spirit of the race and were just as pumped about it as I was; which is a good thing because it took them nearly as long to get to the finish line by foot, train and bus as it did me running!
In the final moments before the start ... there were thoughts of home. The girls cleverly decorated my fashionable trash bag with just about every Las Vegas phrase they could think of.
This picture was taken just after topping out at the crest of the longest (not steepest ... nor even close to the last) hill section in the course. My mind was racing in all different directions as I crested the hill ... I remember most of them (is that normal?). There were several thoughts about the having focused to much on the weather and not enough on hill preparation; there was the lingering smile of reaching the top in a "take that" manner! This was directed at the spectator who called me out by name and told me to focus and get my backside up that hill (not a direct quote - but you get the idea); there were the thoughts of shock that I was really running in France and Spain and there were the ever present thoughts of my loved ones who were supporting me from so far away. I ran with them in my heart.
And best of all ... I finished! Woohoo. (I was SO thirsty, I could think of nothing else) My official time was 2:07:13. Not to bad having spent those two hours running head first into the wind, along with enduring several rain showers, chugging up hills and trying not to roll down the other side. I was (okay, okay ... and still am) pretty pleased with myself.
In the final moments before the start ... there were thoughts of home. The girls cleverly decorated my fashionable trash bag with just about every Las Vegas phrase they could think of.
This picture was taken just after topping out at the crest of the longest (not steepest ... nor even close to the last) hill section in the course. My mind was racing in all different directions as I crested the hill ... I remember most of them (is that normal?). There were several thoughts about the having focused to much on the weather and not enough on hill preparation; there was the lingering smile of reaching the top in a "take that" manner! This was directed at the spectator who called me out by name and told me to focus and get my backside up that hill (not a direct quote - but you get the idea); there were the thoughts of shock that I was really running in France and Spain and there were the ever present thoughts of my loved ones who were supporting me from so far away. I ran with them in my heart.
And best of all ... I finished! Woohoo. (I was SO thirsty, I could think of nothing else) My official time was 2:07:13. Not to bad having spent those two hours running head first into the wind, along with enduring several rain showers, chugging up hills and trying not to roll down the other side. I was (okay, okay ... and still am) pretty pleased with myself. 
8 comments:
Great job, so proud of you. A question have you gotten taller? tu mama
YEY you made it, am so proud of you Iknew you could do it.
Your a finisher. Praise The Lord. Keep it up. Uncle St
AWESOME job!!! You are an inspiration to me! And, holy crap, you're skinny! Not that you were big before, but, wow, you look GOOOOOD, girl!!
I'm so proud of you! We have the doll your mom made of Hannah on display in our living room, so we think of you all (and her cookies LOL) everyday!
Excellent! Well done! It is exciting and I am proud. Love you, 909
The smile says it all. So proud of you. Certainly a forever memory, plus you got to share it with the girls.
Becky Hunt says... I miss you very much and I am very glad that you finished the race!
Good for you! And Jeff would be jealous as he missed his half marathon in San Antonio because of a sprained/stress fracture? ankle.
I have to concur with another commenter--you look to be a shadow of your former self:) which may be why it was hard running against the wind. pd
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