Historic Half-Marathon Race Recap

Rachel is really good at signing up for a bunch of races and not training.

If you are keeping track:

April 6- Marathon

April 27- Half-Marathon

May 18- Half-Marathon

May 18 was not in the schedule for 2014, but I wanted  help my friend Julie celebrate her birthday. Julie and I signed up for the Marine Corps Historic Half along with our friend Devin. They were going to run their first half-marathon and I was along for the ride...err, run. CrossFit brought us together and we even have a nickname four our friendship: 

Doesn't everyone have a shirt marking a great friendship?

Well in continuing with a theme of "Oh, I have a race?" I didn't train at all. I rowed a few longs distances...but nope no training runs. I also did deadlifts the Friday before the race resulting in sore hamstrings, well, we can't all make smart choices all of the time. The night before the race little sleep was had- I even performed in an improv show and then got in my car and drove down to Fredericksburg.

Spoiler- It was another good race even though I tried to sabotage myself.

 However, I should mention that I may be the worst person to be around pre-race. Antsy doesn't begin to describe my feelings. I like to arrive in enough time: pee, check any items, pee, stretch, pee, check out the corral, pee, pee, and stand in the corral (contemplating if I need to pee again).

For the Historic Half parking is a bit of a zoo as they close down roads and parking lots, we parked a good mile from the start line, the race started at 7:30- we were parking at 7:15. Cue PANIC .

Following the National Anthem (Gorgeously sung, and a moment of stillness). I went on my fast pee journey, as the race had started by this point. Seriously, the race began as we walked towards the start line. I left Devin and Julie and started on my journey. 

About a mile in I realized two things 1) my water bottle was leaking  2) my hamstrings were sore (hey deadlifts) and 3) My Clif shot gels and melted onto themselves. I just had to laugh at the situation.

The course was good, but let's talk about course elevation 

It seems that the first 9 miles of the race is all downhill....this is a LIE. Mixed in are a ton of small, but steep, neighborhood hills. There was barely a flat moment, and if you went downhill you were soon greeted by a hill. 

The course runs through a commercial area of Fredericksburg and it is a bit of a bore. However, Miles 3-9 are through neighborhoods and into Historic Downtown Fredericksburg.  Along the course there are Marines to cheer you on and encourage you to pick up the pace.  It provides for great inspiration and motivation to keep going.

The weather was perfect, but it definitely got warm on the course. One house has set up their sprinkler for runners to run through and I was quite grateful. I passed on the tequila and fireball shots.

Around Mile 9 I realized that I was pacing ahead of schedule and somehow on track to PR...again. WHAT? I should also note that the thought of "Oh man, the race is almost done" crossed my mind. I was having a fantastic run and really enjoying the race. 

"Proof" of a fun race.

I decided to not tackle the PR for a few reasons, 1) I wanted to still be able to train the coming week and 2) I still had yet to conquer Hospital Hill and wanted to save energy for that climb.

Hospital Hill is notorious along this course. Look back at the elevation map and see if you can spot it...yup 2 miles of uphill climbs from Miles 10-12. BRUTAL. 

As the ground rose...my short legs did as the best they could. To say the hill demolished my legs is a bit of an understatement and there was still another 1.1 to go. At this point I was out of water as my handheld had leaked and I skipped a water stop or two along the course. So I crested over the top sweaty, tired, but full of pride.  I should note that a tutu- clad man helped me conquer the last few feet. Thank you, tutu man, wherever you are.

Attempting to pick up the pace for the final mile was a laugh, as Hospital Hill tanked my legs. I just accepted the pace I was running at and started a dance part. Soon the finish line was in sight. There is such a rush coming around a corner and seeing the finish line. I dug in an picked up the pace...if only because it meant I could get water faster. My father was apparently shouting my name, but I did not hear him...I had one focus WATER.

He did snap this awesome shot as I neared the finish line and I forced him to take a selfie. 

When I finally crossed the finish line I looked down and discovered I was only 7 minutes off my current PR...what??? How did that happen? I blame you CrossFit. 

As I chugged my water and ate oranges slices (seriously the best) and waited for Julie and Devin, I reveled in the fun I had while racing.  

We all met up and took many photos, drank beer, and brunched. As mentioned in the previous race recap, brunch is a KEY component to a good race.

After 5 months of racing I'm officially on a hiatus until November. This first few months have tested me and seen me conquer more than I thought I could (TWO MARATHONS???). As hard as some of the races were (Dopey and Paris), I wouldn't change a thing. I'm thrilled that I finally got my groove back and look forward to getting back to racing in November and planning for a marathon in 2015.

So time to recharge my running battery and get ready to tackle Disney Wine and Dine, and the Avengers Half-Marathon in November!

Maybe I'll train for those, just maybe.

Paris, Je t'aime...I think

Well now that it has been over a month it seems like a good time to recap the 2014 Paris Marathon!

On April 6, I ran the Schneider Electric Marathon along with 3 improv friends from around the United States, but before I get to the race I should back you up to my 'training' which I call "How to mess up your training, be saved by a coach, and somehow finish a Marathon in 3 weeks."

After I finished the mammoth that was the Dopey Challenge (which included my first marathon), I was done with running. Not just sore, but DONE. I had no desire to head out for a run, let alone train for one.

About 3 weeks out from Paris I received an incredibly stern chat/Come to Jesus talk from my coach Pablo. I will spare you the details but a few key points came out of that chat

1) If I wanted to run a marathon I needed to focus on running, not lifting.
2) I needed to believe I could run this race and that I was capable.
3) I needed to start training with an altitude mask because the air quality in Paris is horrible and as an asthmatic....that was a recipe for disaster.

Want to earn strange looks and Bane comments? Get an altitude mask.

So armed with a plan full of running, rowing, altitude mask, and yoga,  I made the most of the final 3 weeks of training. I would be lying if I said it was easy and I'd also be lying if I didn't bemoan it almost everyday. 

As a thank you I turned a joke into a t-shirt and as requested- I wore it in front of a monument. 

Inappropriate? Maybe. Worth it? Yes.

My 20 mile run crushed me, thankfully my friend Allison was willing to pick my rain soaked muddy butt up from the middle of nowhere so I didn't have to do an out and back. Have I mentioned I have a great group of friends?

To Paris

Finally the day of my flight arrived. In true fashion I found the other marathoners on my flight to Paris, and we all bonded as we stretched mid-flight. 

First mission in Paris was to find my cohort Rene and get to the Race Expo. I have to say Paris has one of the best Race Expos I've seen, as well as awesome shwag. I mean a headlamp? YES! 

Rene and I living the dream

The next day (April 4) the other half of our group arrived. 

Team Bane accounted for: Bill, Betse, Rene, and some crazy chick

Saturday morning two members went on an official 5k shake out run with the Paris Marathon group and myself and Bill stayed to do our own runs around our neighborhood.  This was just a 2 mile loop, but it was a FANTASTIC run. The best I'd felt in a long time, the weather was perfect, my stride was on track, and I felt back to me.

If I could run here everyday I would.

We settled in for a bit of Star Wars watching and foam rolling for the rest of the day. I laid out my outfit and prepped myself for the 26.2 tour of Paris. 

6am came too soon. I was a bucket of nerves as I warmed up/mobilized. We all geared up in our superhero shirts and headed to the start line. 

Upon seeing the Arc de Triomphe it hit me, I was really about to run in PARIS. 

Yes... we mixed up our superhero universes. We do not care.

Standing in the start line we all just oddly shuffled around. I was the only one in our group who had finished a marathon before, but that didn't make me any less nervous.

I'm in the back, just look closely

Soon we were off running. Cobblestones underfoot and fans cheering on all sides pushed me to a fast first mile (oops). I found Beste and we grabbed hands as we both had shit eating grins on our faces. That first 5K was a blur of sights and people everywhere. 

We arrived at the first fuel stop and I decided to fuel with fruit rather than my own. Paris only provides fresh fruit and sugar cubes on course. Let me tell you...those orange slices were the GREATEST things I've ever tasted. The nectar of the gods. Fueling on oranges would lead to a bonk later in the race, but I was only focused on eating and not slipping on the orange and banana peels.

Betse and I were keeping a steady pace and decided to just stick together for the race, however the race was going to take a down turn pretty quickly. Just before mile 8 we hit a steady hill,  and as often happens I will be a bit out of breath at the top. But as we crested I realized I was struggling to slow my breathing and realized I was wheezing.

Yup...Mile 8 asthma attack. I run with my inhaler so it wasn't a worry and we slowed to a crawl. I then realized that this race was about to come crashing down and then I started crying. This is when I owe the race to Betse. She wouldn't leave and run ahead no matter how many times I insisted she leave. She did her best to keep me positive and would hear no negative talk from me. However, I had a battle going on in my own head.

We battled on for the rest of the race. Looping back along the Seine provided some lovely sights, including Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. I was slowly loosing steam and bonking- turns out oranges do not sustain me, as filling as they feel. We switched to a 3/1 run/walk ratio as I couldn't even keep a consistent pace.

Photo stolen, though I did feel like laying down.

Did I mention I was done? Betse just kept going and dancing along and having a party. I trailed along head down body killing me. 

Mile 20 appeared and as much as I wanted to power through the last 10K. I had nothing left in me to go. My camelbak was out of water (oh did I mention it was hotter than I anticipated) and there were no water stops in sight. I should also mention that I ended up dehydrated. I would realize later that my down fall was those delicious oranges, not eating my fuel, and not hydrating well. OOPS

By Mile 22 I was contemplating stopping. Some part of my brain realized that this was an effect of me bonking. That small part of me kept me going. 

Around here I finally sent Betse on her way as walking was painful for her and I couldn't keep pace with her. Honestly, spending the last 2 miles was the best thing because I had to fight for myself. Marathon running truly is a mental battle and if you aren't willing to fight, you won't finish. Finally, I saw the finish line and I bawled. I knew my parents were there to see me finish a marathon and I saw Betse there...waiting for me.

I ran across the finish line realizing I'd done it again...I'd finished a marathon and I finished it 1 hour faster than my previous race. Was it the time I wanted? Nope. Did I fight for the time I got? Yup. Does that make it okay? Yeah...it does. 

These photos were taken less than 10ft apart. Confident to cry in 10ft or less. 

Soon after crossing the finish line I interviewed by a French Radio station....in French. If someone finds that audio please send it to me. I am 90% sure I spoke horrible French as trying to even think after a marathon is hard enough. 

We got our shirts, ponchos, and medals. We found our group and hugged.. We had done it. We ran Paris.

How we all really felt at the end.

 I bawled when I found my parents, who flew over to watch me race. 

They also brought champagne to the finish line.

My mother then massaged my legs as I was a cramped mess. Our group collected ourselves and ambled, waddled, and moaned our way back to our apartment.

Once we cleaned up and figured out how to walk we went out to celebrate our accomplishment and plan for future adventures. We did it- 6 months after Rene proposed this crazy idea, we ran Paris. 

A mighty fine view if I do say so.

Marathon 2 is now in the books and while I have a few half-marathons planned for this year I think two marathons in 4 months in plenty for now. 

See you in 2015 26.2! 

365 to Change

Rachel began CrossFit one year ago, here is her reflection on that year. 

Saying Goodbye:

One year ago today, I was 24 hours away from investing in CrossFit -- and investing in myself. Through CrossFit, I've gotten stronger, gained new skills, and gained a community of friends. 

I want look back and say goodbye to the person I was on March 31, 2013. Because on April 1, 2013, I decided to invest in myself for once.

While I've gotten physically stronger and gained new skills, the most amazing change for me has been the mental strength I've gained. Correction: the self-respect I've gained -- and the ability to hold on.

Coming Clean:

This past year, many people told me that I've been inspirational to them. I want to be that person, but first, I want to be honest. This past year has been a hard and difficult fight for myself. I want to start by getting something off my chest, because as I mark this year of change, I want to let go of the person I was. I want to be that person people believe I am, and to do that, I want you to know who I used to be a year ago.

The old Rachel was bulimic and depressed. I am pretty sure I have spent more time facing a toilet than I have putting on makeup in a mirror these past six years. The number of people I have lied to, or made excuses as to why I needed to use the restroom again, is insane. For that, I am sorry.

I battled through the worst of it three years ago, but it never really left. I never truly escaped the purging until this year. While I ceased vomiting after every meal, in the last few years, it would still happen on occasion. It became a comfort to purge; it would allow me to feel control. When I felt fat or stressed, I would purge. When I hit a depression swing, I would purge -- hoping that would somehow right the wrongs. It never did. That mentality of what order to eat food in to optimize purging, or constantly weighing myself  to measure how I felt about myself that day was always there. There was always a voice telling me I was fat and not good enough. I sought comfort in the control of the purge.

Where is this all leading? To a place of self-respect. I had no self-respect or self-confidence when I walked into CrossFit on the morning on April 1, 2013.

This past year, I found a strength within myself I did not know I had. You can't purge when you need to back squat 200+ pounds  or run 48.6 miles. This past year, I finally saw food for what it truly is: fuel. Food is no longer something to fear, but rather something I can enjoy and fuel my muscles with. I found that I can feel good about myself, not by the number on the scale, but by what I can accomplish with my body.

Now, when life becomes too much, or depression creeps in, I seek out a barbell. Seeing what I am capable of reminds me how far I've come.

Scale in a dumpster...GOOD RIDDANCE:

This year, I finally threw away my scale. I used to weigh myself morning, evening, and really anytime I was near it. I finally gave it the boot, and now I wake up and go to bed much more relaxed and happy.

I also ran in my underwear! As someone who was uncomfortable in my body, that was a huge step.

Do I still have days when I don't feel great in my own skin? Yes. But now I don't run to the toilet. I go to the gym and lift, or I run, or I phone a friend. I've learned to reach out.

Find good people and life seems so much easier.

To the Future:

So on the anniversary of the eve of me starting CrossFit, I want to say goodbye -- once and for all -- to the person I used to be. The person who did not think she was capable of much; the person who hid what was really going on; the person who did not respect herself enough.

Being bulimic has affected me, and that voice will always be there. But now – now, that voice is drowned out by the fight within me. I have caused damage to my body that I can't undo, but I've gained the strength to stop hurting myself and instead grow into an amazing, strong person.

Sure, I still get frustrated with myself or upset when something doesn't go well. But instead of beating myself up about, I take it as a challenge. I cannot wait to see what this year holds for me, because I believe in myself, and I want to fight for myself.

My new happy place. 

That Dopey Thing

This is a bit lengthy so grab a drink and some GU and settle in 

Now that life has settled down and I am not waking up at 2:50am to go run it is time to sum up all that happened in 48.6 Miles.

January 9-12th I ran 48.6 miles via 4 races. a 5K, a 10k, a Half-Marathon, and a Full Marathon. These races took place in the "Happiest Place on Earth" Disney World.

Later it would be referred to as the "Happiest F@*!ing Place on Earth," but I digress.

How did I decide to do the Dopey Challenge? On a whim. And then I dragged Sara kicking and screaming into it, too.

By the time we signed up for Dopey I had done one half-marathon and a handful of 5Ks and just started CrossFit. Some crazy part of my brain said "You can do it...lets do it." So in April 2013 I signed up for the Dopey Challenge... Asthma and all.

I continued to run and CrossFit and complete two more half-marathons, but no marathon. Dopey was going to be my first marathon.  Maybe not the smartest idea, but a crazy one.

I ran my fastest Half in Richmond in November and saw visions of sub 5 hour Marathon, and then I strained my left calf at the start of December.

My training came to a halt and visions of a sub-5 Marathon vanished. I ran a final 15 mile run in December, but never ran my final 20 mile long run.  I kept up with CrossFit during this time and that was what saved me.

If you are keeping track- the first time a I ran since December 10, was January 9. Yup I did Dopey on minimal training.

By January 1st, I was panicked, but determined to do Dopey. Thanks to the support of my freinds and an awesome coach I gained my confidence back.

Soon January 8th rolled around and I was flying down to embark on something I never thought I could do. The fact that I was no longer scared of running due to my asthma kept me going.

The Race Expo was a blur full of nerves and funny photos (I have to take my signature photo).


Soon it was time to sleep and get up for the 5K.

5K

As far as 5K's go you would think this was uneventful, but this was the first time I'd run in almost a month. I was nervous, but ready. In keeping with Disney tradition Sara and I went in costume as Belle and 'The Wardrobe.' Good news is I was the only Wardrobe.

10K

This was my first 10k. Yup, I went straight from a 5K to a Half-Marathons. What can I say? This was a fun distance and an enjoyable, but humid run. We were missing our friend Katy Beth who had to miss due to illness, but we ran as Black/White Minnie and Steampunk Minnie

By this point my left calf was starting to get a bit upset with the amount of running I was putting it through. I had been lent a Voodoo Mobility Band, which was a HUGE lifesaver. I also had packed many other mobility items in addition to Epsom Salt. I was ready for the worst.

Half-Marathon

I decided to use KT Tape on my calf to make sure it held through till the Marathon. I had everything banking on the Marathon. The weather was HOT and HUMID. Most everyone doing the Dopey Challenge was taking it easy during this race, but I really hate that. Luckily Sara reigned me in a bit. We ran a route that we first ran in February 2013 and felt 100% better.

Marathon Prep

That's 4 lbs of Epsom Salt. ...all of it was used up by Sunday.

In an effort to have the freshest legs possible I took an ice bath. Let me tell you...at first it sucks, then it feels great, and then it sucks. As the evening wore on my nerves grew. The thought that I had not run more than 15 miles and was about to partake in  a 26.2 mile race after running 22.4 miles the previous days seemed insane. WHAT WAS I THINKING? It is times like this that social media is a benefit, I reached out on Facebook and got a huge amount of support. With that I went to bed with thoughts of finishing in my head.

Marathon
Needless to say, not a lot of sleep was had. Eating breakfast was an nearly impossible task. The one bright spot? I had refreshed legs. My legs were ready for whatever 26.2 miles could throw at me.

Off we went to the starting line and we found our familiar 'Wrecking Ball' serenade. I then realized I'd forgotten the KT Tape for my calf, meaning I was about to test my calf out on an insane volume with no support. This thought brought the nerves back and almost my breakfast.  Soon we were directed to head to the start line (1 mile form where we arrived) and after I went to the restroom for the millionth time we were in our Corral.

I should mention I gained notoriety for my ability to hop the 4ft corral fence, sprint to the bathroom, sprint back, jump the fence in time to amble forward with my corral. Seriously, I got a lot of cheers and high-fives, so if nothing else I can win for a speedy pee.

Awhile back Sara and I agreed to race the Marathon separately since I tend to run faster. So prior to Mile 1 I bid adieu and plodded along to an unknown destination.

The first 5 miles were uneventful, other than the fact that I was running them. You see often with asthma I have to do a run/walk to get the breathing under control...but not today. No today was a great breathing day. Entering the Magic Kingdom was magical and on I plodded.

Mile 7 I felt a spasm from my calf and made a stop for some BioFreeze, by some I mean a HUGE glob. If nothing else Disney is great for the sheer amount of BioFreeze they have on hand (Sara edits to add that by the time she got around to the Med tents at Mile 16, they had run out of the stuff, and didn't have any left through the end of the race). I also grabbed some Vaseline because my camelbak was rubbing my neck. I had run with a camelbak before, but never in a tank OOPS. I still have the marks from that...lesson learned.

On I plodded. Soon we came upon the speed track, which at first was cool...and then you kept going. It felt never ending.

Miles 9-10 became emotional because I decided to dedicate them to people who always believe in me. Thinking about all the times people supported me or pushed me made the tears cry. I mean my parents drove me to endless dance classes and sat through some rough shows for me. My brother, though he may never admit it, pushed me to be better. His endless torment and taunts helped me to see what I could do. I could go on, but it would take awhile. Know that if you are reading this, you were in that mile with me. Also crying while running is not the prettiest, but this wasn't a beauty contest.

Somewhere in here I took a pit-stop...that lasted ages. Seriously the one spot with a large span between bathrooms was when I had to go and wait 15mins. Farewell sub 5 marathon time. It was nice knowing you!

Somewhere around the 11.5 mile marker my calf got real angry and then seized up on me. No amount of BioFreeze could dull the pain. I then realized that a goal of a 5:30 marathon was going to be impossible. This was the start of what would be a really dark second half of the marathon. I was frustrated and pissed. I had a great first few miles and was conservative with my pace and yet here I was hobbling along.

Before I go on, I want to say that never once did the thought of quitting cross my brain...never once. I was going to finish and that was a fact of which I was sure. I got myself into this and I was going to get myself out.

Mile 14- The mile the music died...No really.. I was now left to spend 12.2 miles without any music. I should note that many Disney Marathoners have described Miles 14-22 as the worst because the route is on the highways and they were not lying. Tears were free flowing at this point, old ladies were passing me left and right and I was just alone with my thoughts. I am my own worst critic and in those miles everything came out and I was letting it rip on myself. Many f-bombs were dropped those miles.

The worst thought though, that was was the one where I thought "Why did I ever think I could do this?" It took until I got my medals for me to start shaking that one off. I lost all confidence in myself. The only thing that kept me going was that I knew how much I would hate myself if I quit.

Mile 16.5 at this point you are on a 4 lane highway with a huge median separating  the 4 lanes. So you can see a mile marker on the other side and I turned around to see what mile those runners were on...they were on 21. I didn't think I could feel worse, but realizing I had 4.5 miles just to get to that point felt horrible.

Mile 17 is where you enter ESPN Wide World of Sports aka...the land of switch backs to create 3 miles. aka the worst. Somewhere in ESPN there was a fuel station of bananas and let me tell you...that was the BEST BANANA I have ever had. Seriously I think I might have cried even more.

Miles 20- For most people Mile 20 is a wall, not for me. I had tried to mentally think of the run to Mile 20 as the hard part and the 10K as the easier part. So when I saw Mile 20, realized how truly slow I was moving I vowed to run...because it was just a 10K. So through the pain I hobbled along, only allowing my self to walk for 1-2mins max. My stride was the worst thing in the world, but I was moving faster.

Miles 21-25- These miles blur together somehow. Around 22 some spectator thought it would be a great idea to yell "YOU LOOK GREAT" let me say that is not the thing to yell at someone whose hair is falling down, is sweating, is sunburned, and is crying. My response? F**K YOU PABLO. no lie...I yelled that. You see one of my CrossFit Coaches says that exact statement...usually when you are suffering so that was my natural response. Dear poor spectator...I'm sorry.

Entering Hollywood Studios meant that the finish was closer and that I was slow as ever. The photos of me in this park are depressing. My head is down and my face is scrunched up from crying. Somewhere in here someone read my name on my bib and said "You got this Rachel, You are doing it" and that was enough for me to lift my head.  Later another gentleman would say "Keep it up young lady" and I would. Soon Epcot approached and I knew I was nearly there.

Around this time I was also 99% sure they had forgotten to put out the mile marker for 25. Seriously it felt like HOURS went by between 24-25. I voiced my concerns to my fellow runners, and they just laughed. Let me tell you the relief I experienced seeing Mile Marker 25 surpassed the feelings of the previously mentioned banana.

At this point I entered the world showcase section of Epcot to many spectators. Up until this point I was avoiding the high-fives and looking spectators in the faces because I was defeated. Silly I know, but I felt embarrassed by my race and the pain wasn't helping. Up ahead I heard a father say to his young daughters (around ages 2-4) "Hold your hand out for High-Fives." I realized I was going to be the first runner to pass them so I steered toward the side and held out my hand for the smallest high-fives. The girls shrieked with delight and I started crying...again.

Hearing the joy they received from encouraging me, even though I was a runner whose hair was falling down, was sweaty, was sunburned, and was crying,  shook me out of my slump. I realized that rather than enjoying my first marathon, I had spent most of it pissed at myself. Pissed because one muscle got over worked. I couldn't see the huge accomplishment I was about to achieve. I couldn't see past the fact that I hadn't run in almost a month before doing this and I was about to finish.

At this point another runner joined me and asked if I was alright (read: still crying) and I said I was and he looked at me and said "I have a feeling I will be the same way when I see my wife." He went ahead and I was left to realize that I needed to soak in this moment.

Soon the 26 Mile Marker came into view and the Gospel Choir Disney always has at this point. With renewed vigor I decided pain be damned I'm sprinting the final .2

So I did...I sprinted with everything I had. Arms pumping I heard people cheering me on and with a high-five from Minnie Mouse I crossed the finish line.

I had done it. I had finished my first marathon. I had finished the Dopey Challenge. And you know? It still hasn't sunk in. I may have the medals and the shirts, but it doesn't feel real just yet.

Soon after finishing I called my mom and updated Facebook that I had survived and wasn't dead. I was overwhelmed by the cheers and support I received on Facebook. None of my friends cared what my time was they were proud of me and that blew me away. They were proud of me even as I wasn't. How could I not realize how awesome it was? Days later I am now proud. I finished a MARATHON with asthma and a bum calf, but even those things aside...I finished it.

I learned a lot about myself during that marathon, but I also realized the huge community of friends and family that I have supporting me. Knowing I had people tracking me and waiting to see when I would finish kept me going those lonely miles. I had told people I was going to finish, and I keep my promises.

So thank you to everyone. You got me through it all and helped me see the accomplishment and for that I am grateful.

What now? Now...now I rest and then start training for Paris. After that who knows where my feet will take me. Maybe an Ultra- Marathon. Either way I'll finish the next challenge because I'll be ready and I know that I am capable of finishing.

Race Recap - American Family Fitness Half Marathon (Rachel's race)

Last weekend, we ran the American Family Fitness Half Marathon in Richmond, VA. Touted as "America's friendliest marathon," this race certainly lived up to its spectator expectations. Beyond that, however, we had very different race experiences, so we're both going to recap for you. We'll begin with Rachel's take, but you can find Sara's version here.

Together at the Finish Line

Let me start off by saying that Richmond hosts a wonderful race and I did have a great time. As you are reading…you might not think that.

Going into the race I was unsure about what I wanted out of the race. Initially, I wanted to hit a huge PR of 2:10, but I realized that going full speed ahead might diminish my ability to train for the Dopey Challenge in January. I made the choice to not track my mile splits and just going for an easy run with 9,000 other people.

I did commit a cardinal running sin on race day…I wore new gear.  My last pair of Kilkenney’s met their demise on November 10, and I had only run in my new ones for 3 miles (for the record I love them!) I also wanted to run with a handheld 10oz water bottle rather than run with a race belt, but had never tested running with a handheld (for the additional record I love my new water bottle).  So much for not doing anything new on race day!

Morning arrived and it was cold and rainy. Sara and I were sporting sexy trash bags in the downpour  until it was time for us to line up. The rain stopped, but soon after we began running it started raining...and then pouring. After Mile 1, Sara and I separated to battle Richmond on our own.

Early in the race was our first hill, and being a Garmon with short powerful legs, I sprinted up the hill without a second thought. This would be my go to method for all of the other hills in the race, because why make the pain last any longer than it has too? 

Mile 4 saw my left calf cramp up, meaning I had 9.1 miles to go before I could get to my compression sleeves or lacrosse ball. I stretched as much as I could, but it felt better when I was moving so I kept running.

The race was a bit of a blur from Mile 5-11. I am sure I got some weird looks for my Ninja running look. For the record, a wet running mask is really hard to breathe through!

The Blerg: if you have not heard of ‘The Blerg’ please read this article by The Oatmeal. At Mile 11, I was hit hard by The Blerg.  I realized that I might not finish in 2:30, both calves hurt, my lungs were burning, and I was soaked…I was done. The temptation to just stop was there, I had nothing left mentally. The tears started flowing as I kept one foot in front of the other. I kept trying to make agreements and deals with myself, but I was defeated. As I came upon another steep hill I sprinted up to the top because if nothing else, I was going to keep my promise to sprint every hill. I started yelling at myself and then I realized how horribly I speak to myself. The things I was saying to myself I would never say to anyone, so why was I treating myself this way? I vowed then at 11.5 to build myself up. The last few miles saw a resurgence in energy and when I saw the final downhill toward the finish I SPRINTED and  finished in 2:29. That is a full minute under the worst time I wanted.

Despite everything, I still eeek-ed in under that goal. When people ask me about this race I keep saying it was GREAT! And it was, I battled myself and I won. I went out to have a relaxed run, and I did.  

~Rachel

                                                With my support crew aka Mom and Dad