I love when I get to see a home game at Target Field and the Twins win. The fireworks go off over the scoreboard, and U2’s “Beautiful Day” plays over the PA while we all file out of the stadium, thrilled to see our team win another game. I put that song in the middle of my half-marathon playlist, and it helped carry me through yesterday.
It was, indeed, a beautiful day! And “lucky 13″ was quite lucky.
I woke up at 4:30 am, put on some coffee, and took the dog out quickly. Carrie was already up, and we drank some coffee, got ready, ate breakfast, and chatted. Sean was gracious enough to get up early and drop us off at the starting line with about 20 minutes till the start.
I went back and found my spot, between the 13:44 pace group and the walkers. The walking section had a lovely group of Team in Training ladies, who gave me plenty of inspiration for the race that followed.
I just got in one last bathroom stop and it was time to go! I ended up crossing the start line with the 13:44 pacers, and I figured I’d stay with them as long as I could. The first 6 miles went by in a blur. Sean found me when I was coming by Mill Ruins Park at 1 mile and when I came back at 5.5 miles. It helped to see him, for sure.
The pacer I was running with was Dean, and he was a most excellent pacer. We caught up to the other 2 13:44 pacers around mile 6, and they were fantastic as well, though I didn’t catch their names. Finally, in mile 7, my groin muscle on the left side started to hurt, and I had to let them pull away. I ended up racewalking most of the rest of the course, alternating with walking the big hills.
By the turnaround at mile 9.5, my groin muscle wasn’t hurting, but my legs were feeling the activity. I had a great boost just after the turnaround. 3 people were cheering on the runners. One woman was wearing a large red sombrero, another had on a large Mickey Mouse glove, and the 3rd had on a tall American flag hat. As I came closer, the woman in the sombrero was trying to read my shirt. I slowed down a little, she read my shirt out loud, and then yelled, “Woo-hoo! Go PriorFatGirl! Look at that skinny little thing running down the road!” It made me smile for at least a half-mile. I did some running where I could, but racewalking kept me going faster than regular walking, and I was hopeful, by mile 10, that I would be close to 3 hours.
Miles 11 and 12 went by quickly. Coming into the last valley before the last big hill, I looked and spotted Sean and Mel about halfway up the hill. That gave me some oomph to start up the hill. As I got closer, I took off my headphones to just listen to my breathing, my footfalls, and was waiting to hear the sounds of the crowds as I got closer to the finish. Then I could hear Sean.
He was telling all of us, in his best drill sargeant voice, that if we looked up, we’d see the American flag, which was at the top of the hill, and that it was flat after we got to the flag. He’s a great support system, not just for me, but for others too! Mel came out and walked with me to make sure I didn’t need her support to run it in. I was feeling great, and I racewalked most of the big hill. Once I saw the mile 13 marker, I ran.
It felt so amazing to hear the crowd and see the finish line in front of me. I sprinted to the finish, as usual, and as I crossed the line, I knew I was closer to 3 hours than 3:10, which had been my stretch goal. I felt the tears come, and I felt so *accomplished*. No, I didn’t run the whole thing, but I gave it my all and completed a half-marathon. Through my tears, I grabbed my hard-earned medal and kissed it. I grabbed a banana and water and the food bag and headed out of the finish area.
Sean and Mel came along within a few minutes, and I savored the experience of completing something that once seemed impossible, back in April 2010 when I could barely run 30 seconds out of any 7.5 minute segment in C25K.
We settled in to wait for Carrie. She’d started in the 4:00 pace group, but came in around 4:30. We were both exhausted but glad the race was over. We headed over to The Depot and then to the car. Sean went off to fly airplanes with a friend of his and Carrie and I enjoyed a delicious Indian buffet at my favorite place in the Twin Cities, Curry’n’Noodles!
I took her to the airport, and Jetta and I went to Petco for more dog toys and other supplies. We headed off to her first session of Obedience 2 at The Canine Coach, where she did wonderfully. Sean came for the last part of class, and then we had a nice dinner at a mexican restaurant near The Canine Coach’s Minneapolis location.
I slept really, really well last night. And I have a whole new source of confidence and enthusiasm today. I also start school today, so that will add an interesting twist to things. 
I hope everyone had a great weekend!
