Half Marathon!

So...I've enjoyed running since I was a teenager...and probably when I was 19 or 20 started running in a couple of 10K's each year....then we moved to Maryland, had kids....etc...I still ran and worked out, but come on, most of us know how much harder it is to prioritize ourselves when life gets in the way. So...we move to New Hampshire....I meet some amazing friends....who are all runners....I mean, like real runners. Maren, Andrea, and Tiffany.

My good friend Maren looks up some races and in September, tells me...."There's a half marathon on October 29th, let's sign up for it". I didn't really even contemplate....I just signed up. Like a crazy person! Slight roller coaster - starting out as #44 on the wait list....figuring we'd never get in, then moving to #13 on the wait list, then actually getting in.....So Maren, Andrea and I get in....Tiffany didn't end up signing up because after hearing how far we were on the wait list we never thought we'd even get in!

little did we know! CAPE COD HALF MARATHON......here we come!

by the way....I promise my head is not really 3 times bigger theirs....they both just have really small heads! I look like a monster!

It was freezing when we got there....we got our bibs, stayed warm inside for a while...threw our coats in the car.... then headed for the starting line. By the time we started I think it was 43 degrees....so really, not that bad....

I wanted to see how far I could run before I had to stop and walk....I made it to mile 11....which was a huge accomplishment for me. Granted...miles 9-11 were SLOW, I had majorly slowed down, "hit the wall" I suppose they'd say, so at mile 11.... I walked to 11.7, then ran the rest of the way.

Thankfully, since this was my first half marathon, I had zero expectations, besides actually finishing the race. I knew that if I finished it, that would be a miracle in and of itself. It's a good thing I didn't have any expectations, because my finishing time was awful, but I was still really proud of myself. Which honestly is a feeling that I don't get very often. On the last turn towards the finish line, this nice volunteer man looked at me and said "50 more yards to go!".....I started crying right at that moment. Word to the wise....don't start crying when you're already feeling like you're going to die! It makes it really hard to breathe!

My sweet friend Maren, who has now run 13, count them, 13 half marathons - stayed with me the entire time. Even after I repeatedly told her to go ahead. go ahead. go ahead....she'd just say "I'm fine!" Andrea ran with us until about mile 6, we could tell she was "antsy" and was itching to run a little faster...so we sent her off. She got an awesome time...and even walked back after getting her medal to meet up with us and finish the race with us.

Cape Cod was beautiful. We ran through the small town of Falmouth, and around part of the Cape. Past little farms and light houses....It was beautiful. I definitely should have taken more pictures.

me, andrea, and maren. Love you girls. Such great memories.....