A recap of race day!

Yesterday was my third half marathon.  I realized that each half I have completed have happened during special times in my life.  The first was 2 weeks before I got married.  The second happened right before I turned 30 and yesterday I finished while carrying a 17 week old baby in my belly.  They all have so much meaning and I will never forget any of them.

I signed up to run this race in January.  I had no idea at that time that I would be pregnant come race day but I was determined to finish none the less.  Training was minimal due to morning sickness but I walked as much as I could whenever I could.  I did a 9 miler last Sunday and felt good so I knew I could finished 13.

I went into the race telling myself it was not about the time or speed I kept, it was simply about finishing.  The gun went off and I set off step by step.  Immediately I was swallowed up by all the runners but I just smiled and cheered them on.  By mile 4, I was with other walkers and felt better about the pace I was on.  I stopped at 2 Burger King's, one in Canada and one in Detroit, to use their bathrooms.  I was tempted to buy hashbrowns but opted against it.  Just kidding, sort of.  I also stopped and waited for a friend at mile 8.  She signed up with me but didn't have time to train so I talked her into walking the last 5 with me.  Mostly cause I knew I would need the motivation at that point.  I'm glad she came and joined me.

Matt decided to sign up for the full last week, with no training at all.  He is so crazy.  He was on a 3:30 pace until mile 20 when both hammies cramped up so bad he almost fell over.  He had to stop and stretch.  He would run 200 feet and then cramp up and have to stop and stretch.  He finished the race this way.  I missed him at the finish line cause he headed straight into the medical tent.  They gave him electrolytes and wrapped his thighs with ice.  They wanted to give him an IV but he talked them out of it.  (One the docs in the tent was one of the docs who worked for the Ignition and knew Matt.)  He drank a Red Bull before the race and thinks the caffeine was the reason he cramped.  They say never try something new on race day.  This is a good example why.

I'm really glad we both finished and did this together.  We are both sore and hobbling around but are also soaring with excitement and adrenaline.