I'm a diva!

Day: Sixty Three

Photo taken on Sunday, October 3, 2010 in the living room while icing my knees and enjoying a celebratory Smashed Pumpkins beer from Shipyard.

Today I run my first half marathon.

I use the Hal Higdon half marathon 12 week training schedule in order to prepare myself for my longest run to date. I always find the even weeks to be easier than the odd weeks and there are a few occasions when the schedule causes a minor breakdown and I dissolve into tears on the treadmill in mile 2. Luckily Steve is there for each occurrence to rub my back and talk me down from the ledge. In the three months I train, Moma sends me encouragement cards which I display on the mantel to remind me on days I'm about to throw in the towel to just keep going because I can do it.

And I do!

Kim and Preston decide to drive all the way up here after dropping mom off at the airport because they too want to be there for me and cheer me on during the race. I can't explain to you how incredibly happy and loved this makes me feel to have my sister and nephew joining my parents this morning. To have the support of friends and family is what makes this goal of mine possible to accomplish.

At the start of the race I'm nervous but as usual I converse with other runners and this always puts me at ease. I see my fan club when I head into the first mile then on my way back towards the starting line in mile 3. I catch them again around mile 8 and I'm feeling so fantastic and grateful for 8 pain-free miles. Unfortunately around mile 9.5 my body starts to gradually break down. Stiffness starts in my hip joints and a pain winds its way from the bones down into my quads, limiting my movement a bit. My stride shortens considerably in mile 11 and by mile 12 I'm in so much pain I have to pull off to the side to stretch my lower back. Even with the tiara on my head and the pink boa draped around my neck, I start to doubt that I'll find the energy to cross the finish line. But once I enter Eisenhower Park and hear people cheering in the distance I find a hidden energy reserve and pull through the last half mile. When I cross I seriously cry like a baby as I'm swept up in Steve's arms then passed off to Moma. Even Kim's buddy, Jay, has stayed to congratulate me even though his wife, Erin-Kate, came in almost an hour ago (she's an amazing ultra runner and came in 6th overall). It is such an emotional day for us all so my parents take me and the fan club to a wonderful breakfast at Maureen's Kitchen to celebrate.

Thank you everyone for your advice, support, and love through the past three months! You're the best!

^_\

 (Kim wrote a beautiful piece about her impromptu NY trip here at her BLOG.)