half-marathon, vol. 1: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

i did it.  i successfully completed my first half-marathon.  all the hype surrounding half-marathons is true.  the pain, the exhilaration, the adrenaline, the excitement, the pain, the unadulterated joy, the love, the pride, and the pain...it's all legitimate.  it's intoxicating.  it's addicting.  it's an accomplishment.  it changes you.

i'm part of a club now.  i can put that "13.1" sticker on the back of my car.  i'm a legit member of a running brotherhood.  it feels pretty damn good.

after this post, you likely won't have to hear about this damn race ever again except for a few relevant references for future posts. it's mostly because i'm sick of talking about it but more so because i am not a person that believes in coasting on one accomplishment.  i mean, there's a reason i don't walk around with my high school DECA trophies or that one ribbon i won from a coloring contest at the grocery store.  that's not to say i don't believe in a good, long, sustained celebration after a major accomplishment, but i find i don't do a lot of forward moving if i stay in one spot for too long.

the good

i finished.  i finished in under 3 hours.  my goal was 2:38.  more on this "time thing" later.  but the good thing is, i did it.

also good: there is no shortage of positive energy in a race.  all the runners are rooting for one-another.  all the  spectaters want you to do well.  total strangers outpour a tremendous amount of support, well-wishes, high-fives, shots, hoots, hollers...its indescribable.  it is a tremendous encouragement.  really, really awesome.

the bad

until mile 7, i was having the run of my life.  i was making the best time ever.  i felt amazing. i was keeping pace right alongside "clay matthews" at the 2:30 marker.  then, around mile 7, without warning, my left knee started burning.  three strides later, the pain was incredible.  i couldn't bend my knee without tearing up.  never, in all my training or in all my life, have i ever experienced that kind of sharp, burning, relentless pain in that area of my knee.  i walked it out, stretched it out, watched the 2:30 marker fade into the distance.

the 2:40 pacer stopped to see what was up as she watched me struggle, jogging 20 seconds here or there and then hunching over on the side of the road to stretch.  she, having struggled with the same issue all her life as a seasoned runner, informed me it was most likely an IT band injury.  basically, i pissed off the ligament that is responsible for connecting most all your muscles from your ass to your knee--it controls the movement of the leg.  you don't want to get it angry but i totally did with all the downhill sprawls and uneven paths. 

i had to walk the last 5 miles or so.  the medics at the finish and the personal trainers in my office affirmed the pacer's suspicions.  i need to start a rehab program to get the IT band to "calm the hell down" so that i can get running again.  but for now, i need to take a few weeks off and get healthy.  kind of a bummer but a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.

more good

a runner from milwaukee had the same problem but her started more around mile 3. super nice chick named devon.  we decided not to quit and to support each other the rest of the way.  remember what i said earlier about the positive energy in a race?  you can't find nicer people...really.  just a testament to the bond that runners have on the course.  we support, we rally, we finish :)

(finishers!)

the ugly

i lost a toe nail during the race.  tmi? probably.  took my shoes off and found a bloody toe with a missing nail...whoops.  guess that "post-race pedi" will have to wait a while...you know, until i have all my toe nails again.

again, all the hype is true.  it finally happened: i'm a runner.

*special shout-out to my husband who sacrificed a trip to the hampton hot tub, a dinner at potbelly, and all body heat reserves just to help me do this damn thing.  <3  he says i've never looked happier, not even on our wedding day, than i did in the race pics.  i told him that it was 100 times less painful to marry him than it was to finish this race.  i was ready for the race to end but this marriage thing...i want that to last a long, long time :)