Marathon of a Weekend!

I'm no longer a "one hit wonder" as I've now completed two half-marathons. Do two halves equal a whole? Um, no. Prior to this race I was contemplating entering the Olathe Marathon in April for the whole marathon instead of the half...all I could think about during this race was 'heck no!' to that idea. We'll see. This race was pretty much just to prove to myself that I still had it in me. Training was much more difficult this time around as it seems like with motherhood comes a lot of guilt. I'd feel guilty about making Cade go with me on runs, I'd feel guilty missing out on precious evening time with Matt and Cade when I was running, and I'd feel guilty if I skipped out on running. I'm having a tough time balancing things I need to do "for me" and feeling selfish when I take time for me. I estimate that I did about 1/3 of the scheduled runs so I really didn't know what to expect come race day.

Preparing for the Tulsa Half Marathon...we stayed at my aunt and uncle's house in Tulsa and had a great weekend with them! I thought it might be really cold as it was November 21st, but at race start time it was 67 degrees! Needless to say, I did not need my fancy headband or new running gloves.


Matt filling out the emergency contact info on the back of my race bib in case they found me along the side of the road somewhere (which actually isn't funny as a 27- year-old man DIED at mile 10 of the half marathon).


Uncle David and I heading to the race. He and his family were such troopers to let us stay with them, cheer me on at the race, and cart us around all weekend.


Start line...I'm way back...in group B


But there was still confetti flying when I ran through


I'm in the dark green tank top on the far right edge. You can see my back. I like to start out fast. I know I'll slow down if I need to but I know I'll NEVER speed up so I might as well start fast. It's a theory that works for me...but I did feel like I got passed the whole race.


Matt and the Roberts family drove around from place to place to cheer me on. This is about mile 6. I love this pic because my leg looks freakishly skinny. Don't worry, it's an optical illusion. :)


This race was much harder and much less fun than my first half marathon 2 years ago. Could be the lack of training or could be that I wasn't as enamored with race day as last time. This course had lots of little hills and it was pretty windy. Temperature was great. I remember feeling like I could've started walking before reaching mile 2 even. I knew I couldn't let myself do that or I'd end up walking the whole thing pretty much. It was my goal to at least run the first 8 miles and then re-evaluate. It was hard. I ran pretty slow. But I ran. At mile 8 I told myself I could make it to mile 10. At mile 10 I told myself I could run the whole thing. Again, it was slow. But I did run the whole thing. I remember seeing my watch tick past my first half marathon time at about mile 11. I kicked in at the end when I saw the sign that said 300M left.



I crossed the finish line feeling like I did the best I possibly could have done. Which is pretty much all I could ask for. I felt good that I'd done it. RELIEVED that it was over. No more training...no more guilt. Official time: 2:15:21, averaged 10:23 miles, 22 minutes slower than my last race


Get out of my way sports bra girl...


Thanks for the support!


Cade, you might be running next to me the next time I do a race. :)


Later that afternoon, we took some family pics in a beautiful park that was on the race course. Thank you so much Aunt Pam for being our photographer! We had to wake Cade up for the session...


But once he got used to it, he really cooperated well.




It takes a village...




Aren't my boys so cute?


A little drool on Dad's head.


A lot of driving and a lot of running but a great weekend. Thank you so much Pam, David, Nathan and Zach! We love you!

See G-Dog Run!

Go G-Dog go! Gentry committed to running the KSU Homecoming 5K so I made the trip to Manhattan to partake in the event and spend a day hanging out. It took some encouragement...but she ran the whole thing and did well! Great job G-Dog! What a fun day with my "best girlfriend!"

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The difference a little support makes!

Author's note: This race became so much more emotional for me than I expected. I got a little windy here explaining so I give you permission to skip down to the pics if you want. :)

The Story:
Last April I decided that running was going to be my "thing." I was going to be a runner. I can always pick out the women who run...disciplined, fit, and they wear fancy digital watches. I wanted that. I wanted to be hard-core.
So we're off...but running for no reason got kinda dull. How far should I run? How often? How fast? Why am I running? I needed a goal. After surfing the internet for running tips/routes I decided to dabble in a 1/2 marathon training program and picked out a race to enter. I trained for about 4 weeks before actually signing up for the Omaha Marathon...and before telling anyone I was thinking of signing up. After a 9 mile workout I thought, I can do this. If I can run 9...surely I can run 13.1?
Training was tough...especially when school started. I was feeling so overwhelmed already...and then had to add long runs onto my days?! Matt was such an awesome supporter! He trained with me a good portion of the time--solely because I didn't have time to get my workouts in until after dark and he wouldn't let me go it alone. (Wait, did that sentence make it sound like he was running with me...because he was biking...but I still enjoyed his company and appreciate his effort). I didn't know if I could make it 13.1 and I missed some training sessions here and there...but 13 weeks into attempting to be a runner...race day was upon us.
Hands down, the best thing about this experience was the support I received from my family. I was so honored when they all planned to come watch the race. So here we are...in Omaha...for the packet pick-up and pasta party. Only a few tears during a "what the heck am I thinking" moment when I looked around the convention center at all the hard-core people preparing to race...in the same race as me. My dad helped me through that one and I ate the pasta at the party even though it was like 4 in the afternoon and I wasn't hungry. If everyone else was eating this...I was too. Woke up at about 5am on race day and gave a quick interview to documentary producer Mike Keeley before venturing to the start line. Also kept reading the verses Hebrews 12:1-2 in reference to throwing off everything that entangles us and running the race before us with endurance, fixing our eyes on Jesus. I know this verse isn't referring to a 1/2 marathon, it's referring to living a life on earth for Christ--but it still provided such comfort and motivation for this small race I was undertaking in the big race of life. Might seem like a strange concept to some, but I definitely felt God's presence and strength during the race.
At the start line I kept thinking this was a goal I had set, I trained for this, now it was time to just do it. I kept thinking this is going to be hard, it's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't going to be hard my family wouldn't have made the trip...woudn't have made T-shirts to support me. This is going to be hard. It's supposed to be. I survived...and it was hard. But it wasn't deadly. It was actually FUN. The actual event of the race, running the 13.1 miles, was fun! It was exciting to see all the people lining the streets cheering the runners on. It was actually pretty emotional. The atmosphere was great and the route was really set up well. It was hilly, but I knew once I got up the huge hill I'd be able to go down it.
The point of my whole "story" is, I know there are a lot of people out there who have done much more heroic and hard-core things than run a 1/2 marathon...but the sense of accomplishment I felt when I finished the race and my family greeted me at the finish line is indescribable. It felt so great when they were proud of me. I achieved my goal...and it felt amazing! I know I'm getting all sorts of motivational speaker-ish, but I can't explain the feeling I got from meeting my goal. Surpassing my goal! So I just have to put that challenge out there...do something crazy. Do something you think is beyond yourself. Set a goal...work toward it...achieve it. Because otherwise you're just letting life pass you by, right?

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Hard-Core Runner?

I'm too lazy to take my own picture of my new shoes and running paraphernalia so I had to just steal this pic from someone else. It is NOT of me running. (I could never wear this tight of stretch pants and my running shoes are much cooler).

My newest endeavor is to be a runner. It could be a life-long hobby with tons of benefits. Have you ever seen a fat runner? I aspire to be one of those 40-something ladies who still has a great body due to the running. I've run several 5K races over the years but never been super-hard-core about it. But since the last 5K in April...I've caught the obsession. I love feeling the runner's high. For me, it's always been much more about the idea of being a runner than actually participating in the act of running. But the time has arrived, with no gym membership and my hiatus from teaching aerobics...I must find a new fitness plan! I've got new shoes, a fancy hoodie with a pocket for my iPod, my motivating playlist...I'm ready! So I've been logging 20-40 minutes of running a day and feeling pretty good about it. I even decided to buy a book about running with training tips and workout plans and such. Browsing the books was an interesting experience...seemed like there was no happy medium. They were either trying to get you to follow a 10-week training plan to work you up to running 20 minutes (which I can already do due the the sheer fact that I'm young and somewhat in shape I guess) or they were training you for a marathon. We're talking a training plan where you ran 3 1/2 hours some days! I almost fainted looking at the training plan. 3 1/2 hours!!! "Bye honey, going for a run, be back in 3 and a half hours!?!?!" Seriously, is that what it takes to be a hard-core runner? Who has that kind of time even? I don't want to run marathons...I just want a lifetime of toned muscles and a healthy heart. Is that too much to ask?
I've decided to search the internet for a manageable running plan rather than buy any of their crazy books. Maybe this is just another passing phase, but I really don't think so. The question...can I call myself a runner yet? It's all about the mindset even if I'm just starting with 20-40 minutes...that's better than nothing right?
Friday at my yearly check-up when my doctor was taking my blood pressure, listening to my heart, and pressing on my stomach she asked me if I was a runner. I replied with a huge smile, yes, yes I am.