one and done

February is the shortest month of the year, but I felt like I picked the longest race to run...or so it seemed!  Actually, I didn't pick this race, Shannon picked it for me!  When you tell people your goals, they hold you to it and help you get there.  So she found a February race in Williamsburg... We ran the Colonial Williamsburg Half marathon on Sunday, February 27.

Here we are headed to the start line...notice my shirt?
It reads, "I am only doing this so i can post a picture on Facebook"

The race started at 1:00 pm.  I thought I like that idea, however, it throws off the whole pre-race routine.  i thought I had eaten enough.  I thought I had drank enough water...until there wasn't much water on the course and what water there was it was warm.  Not what a runner needs on a warm February day.  I was hungry before the race even started!  Once I crossed the start line I had my music pumped up and I fell into my pace.  Shannon was quickly getting smaller and smaller as she zoomed ahead.  I waved and said, "See ya at the finish, Good Luck!"

I saw mile marker 4 and hear a rumble.  It took me another few steps to realize that was my stomach growling.  Oh this wasn't good.  I had 9 more miles to run!  I turned up my music and kept running.  I had to walk a few times because i was getting tired.  i told myself if I could make it to mile 7 I would be home free.  After singing out loud and passing a few people, I saw mile marker 8.  Now I was really hungry and starting to get thirsty...the next water stop was at mile 10.  I could make it there.  I could drink 3 cups of water....after that stop i pumped up the volume and started singing out loud to PINK.

I felt like I was always running up hill.  I learned in science at a young age, what goes up must come down.  I was waiting for the down part, but it never came.  Williamsburg is supposed to be flat...are all the hills in one spot and happen to be on the course?  ugh

Finally I see mile marker 12 and I have one more mile to run until the finish.  The course marshals were still cheering even though I know they were ready to wrap it up and go home.  ha, funny thing, I was ready to wrap it up and go home too!  I was so hungry at this point I really thought I wasn't going to make it to the finish line.  Couldn't these smiling officials move the finish line?

I have 3 more turns until I see the clock.
I literally had to tell my brain and body to put

one foot in front of the other

to keep going.

I hear Shannon cheering and running along side the finish as I cross.
FINALLY - I see those red digital numbers that tells me I am finished - 


2:36.03  

That was the hardest race I have run...one and done...I am not running that race again!

Thank goodness my parents came to the race to cheer for me and drive home after the race.  I will leave it up to you to decide what happened on the car ride home....ugh