Make Way ... Half Marathoner Here!

I mean, I'm sorta a big deal. I'm a Half Marathoner now. Just sayin'.

I could end my post right there. That be it. Done. But it's so much more. SO.MUCH.MORE.


My year end goal for 2015 was to complete the Esprit de She Triathlon in Naperville on June 14 as well as the Chicago Triathlon on August 30. I also ostentatiously wanted to complete a half marathon. I figured I could find something after the Chicago Triathlon and train accordingly and run a half marathon.

Run a half marathon? Who have I become? Well, I've now become a (self-proclaimed) super awesome, bad ass half marathoner. I have a friend who says 'Holla' a lot. I feel like this is a time for that. I'm a (self-proclaimed) super awesome, bad ass half marathoner, holla!

So, now how did this happen you might be asking yourself. Hell, I'm asking myself that. Well it goes back to the day the Chicago Marathon Lottery opened. I have an encouraging friend in California who had guaranteed entry to the Chicago Marathon and somehow in a brief chat, before I knew it I had so to speak (type), thrown my hat into the ring for the lottery. After hitting submit it was apparent that if chosen through the lottery for the Chicago Marathon in October, I'd have to run a half marathon prior. Maybe a 10k in there wouldn't have hurt either. By the way, I wasn't selected for the Chicago Marathon via the Lottery.

Well the planets aligned and I found a half marathon of interest. The First Midwest Bank Half Marathon. When I say of interest, it's actually because a family friend was making history in this race. I contemplated the race. Even thought about doing it. At the time those thoughts crossed my mind I had about 2 months until the race.

I kept the race in the back of my mind continuing to run longer distances, increase my speed, and really work on my swim. Yes, swim. Swimming has nothing to do with a half marathon, and that's when the half marathon sorta escaped my mind. I knew it was going on, I knew it was happening, but I just didn't know if I could do it. Running 13.1 miles in a row seems like a great idea to anyone who has done it probably. In fact it may even seem enthralling and exciting.

Well, 8 days before the half marathon I registered. It was impulsive. It was crazy. It was a bit exciting. It was 8 days prior to a half marathon, which just happened to be a week after my indoor triathlon and about 12 hours after a 5k. Hmm.

I got pretty excited the day before the race when I got to go pick up my race packet and officially get my race bib. Now mind you, I went to the wrong place at first and then was nowhere near where I was supposed to be ... BUT ... once I got there I was again pretty excited.

I got up race day morning pretty well rested and ready. Ready for what ... I didn't know. I only wanted to finish the race in under 3 hours because that's when I thought the cut off was, turns out it was 3.5 hours. Nonetheless my goal was to finish the race in under 3 hours and accept that if I had to walk at any point and time it was fine; after all I didn't exactly train a whole lot to go out and run 13.1 miles in a row. 

I was ready. I was set. There was a flurry of buzzing in the air of other runners. Some runners looked conditioned and toned, ready for a race. Others looked like me. Some runners were practicing running on a side street. I'll be honest I said out loud to my mom who was there to cheer me on "Uh, no, I don't want to run anymore than I signed up for today." It was a brisk morning and I had a sniffly nose and in prior runs in the colder air my nose would really turn to a faucet. I did the best I could and grabbed some toilet paper from the port-a-potty and since my shorts pockets had GU in them, I put the toilet paper in my sports bra. There, I said it, and there I did it. It was there if I needed it.*

Literally ... we were off. I was in the pack going over the starting line of my first half marathon. I'll admit I got a little emotional and I teared up a little. Then I told myself "get over it, if you cry you won't be able to breath and you're about 100 steps into this race".

I had started in the 240 pace group. I did this in part because it seemed like if I could keep up with them I'd finish in my goal time of under 3 hours, as well if I felt good and had no problems I could go ahead of them and find another pace group. Not to mention they were the last official pace group before open runners not in a group. 

I started pretty strong at the pace I had recently been running. Before I knew it I was now behind the 230 pace group and keeping up with them. This may have been my downfall. In reading it's a common mistake to start too fast. 

This particular run is straight out and back which means the one hill going out is the same hill coming back. This in fact is the same hill that started to slow me down. This is the same hill that when I ran over it I said to myself "Holy crap, I'm crossing over LaGrange Road right now!"

I listened to a playlist I had created the entire way. Thankfully Spotify will occasionally add songs and artists similar, so that was a nice surprise for me when songs I hadn't planned on hearing came on. I was especially happy every time an extra Foo Fighters song came on, it was like Dave Grohl and the boys were personally serenading me along the way. But I'll admit, if Dave Grohl and the boys were ever to personally serenade me, I'd hope that I weren't running and at sometimes gasping for air. I'm free whenever, and if not I'll make sure I'm free, but I'd rather the serenade not be during my running a half marathon if at all possible. So please note that, Dave Grohl, thanks.

Also along the way I thought I'd try to take photos of the miles as I went by. Turns out, bad idea. In part because I'd lose track of my cadence in trying to get the photo, or I'd end up taking a photo of the road, or worse off the butt of the person I was running behind.

I can admit and with pride that I came to a dead stop with the turn around in sight. I didn't care at that moment if I was kicked out of the race or anything. I stopped and for good reason. 

The inspiration for running the race was passing me. Johnny was on the turn around. I stopped and cheered and yelled his name. I'm pretty sure he didn't recognize me in my half marathon running ensemble, and it didn't matter. It was a great moment for me.

Ironically, the day before my first half marathon I was talking to my best friend and her mom, both marathon runners. They laughed when I said I was excited about this race as my first half marathon because running through the forest preserves would be really nice. About half way back on the turn around I realized why they laughed. Running through forest preserves, that you've actually already passed and seen once, on the same road is boring. 

I started to lose focus of actually finishing. Every time I passed a mile marker I'd actually send a text to my mom at the finish line with a countdown of how many miles were left. I'm pretty sure that was more for me than it was for her. Near the end I actually started giving her predictions of how many more minutes I would be. And let's face it, my splits were all over the board. 

I will say once I had 1.1 miles left I bolted. And once I could see the finish line I sent my mom a text and said "I see the finish line!" Actually I was running and texting and I know it wasn't typed right, but she got the idea. Again, I'm not sure if this was for her to be ready to get my photo coming to the finish line or for me actually realizing I made it.

I wanted to be done in under 3 hours. I did it. 2:50:27. Now yes, I realize there are people who can run a marathon in the time I ran a half marathon. But I ran a freakin' half marathon. WHO CARES! 

The moments after I crossed the finish line I was walking and slow at that. I was hungry. The apple I was eating wasn't cutting it. I just couldn't walk fast enough to the beer tent. My mom kept me going and got us some beer. A Miller Lite fan I am not, but that was the best Miller Lite I have ever had.

My mom and I milled around a bit, but let's be honest, I needed to eat. I was hungry. We headed out for a celebration lunch. And you know what ... I wore my race bib and medal to lunch, to two stores, doing yard work at my mom's, to the gas station, and while cleaning the apartment. I was actually a little saddened to take my medal and bib off to finally take a much needed shower that night. I had earned that medal. My first half marathon medal!

Would I do it again? Absolutely. Even typing this two weeks later I'm still giddy and proud that I did it. I have a friend at the gym, every time she sees me she says "Hey, Half Marathoner". I'm proud. I did it. Sure some people have done dozens of half marathons. Others may scoff at a half marathon. But I did one. I am a half marathoner.

*Remember that port-a-potty toilet paper I got in case of a runny nose emergency that I put in my sports bra? Well, it seems obvious NOW, but right after my celebratory Miller Lite photo was taken I had some stickiness on my phone (from spilling Powerade on myself and phone around Mile 8), and I thought "Oh, never mind, I have that make shift Kleenex!" Well I hope even reading this now my mom is laughing as much as she did that day and every time I've told the story since. Cause you know what ... you sweat running a half marathon. Lesson learned: Don't put actual Kleenex, much less port-a-potty toilet paper in your sports bra and then go out and run 13.1 miles because it holds up pretty well, but it also becomes a bit like a messy wad of paper mache.