Seattle Half Marathon Finisher!

So Sunday I walked a half marathon. I really don't know what I was thinking. I had trained for three months off and on, nothing spectacular. It was haunting me for months and I just dreaded it. But I had three goals, well two really. The first was to just finish it and trust me I really didn't think I would be able to. The second was to not get last or not be the last walker. Third, I actually did have a goal to walk twenty minute miles finishing with a four hour and twenty minute goal. Then I set another goal realistically giving me another hour! So to finish walking 13.1 miles in about five hours.

So here are some things I recall about the race (good and bad)

1. People were not cheering for me but rather the runners racing pass me and lapping me a second time. Obviously they are the hard core ones and I felt like an idiot a lot of the times just walking.

2. I distinctly remember on mile 5 thinking "why do people do these things?"

3. An old woman passing me on mile 10 with two canes! Yes that's right! Kind of funny now...or not.

4. Intense pain at mile 11 and seriously thought of quitting.

5. Jim coming to my rescue and walking the last half mile with me as I was limping in my right foot from mile 10 to mile 13. He knew I was about to lose it.

6. Jim knowing I could finish.

7. The cancer patients that we were raising funds for made me cry as they had their pictures posted along the route...or it could have been from pain.

8. The rush I got from people handing me water and gatorade and I would take it drink some squish the cup and throw it just like a true marathon expert.

9. The nice views of the men who would run past me with their shirts off (I'm being honest here)!

10. The adrenaline in the first 4 miles walking down fifth ave.

11. The sense of accomplishment I felt when crossing the finish line and getting my medal and beating my original goal time by ten minutes (four hours and ten minutes) despite not being able to walk today.

I now can answer my second observation question, "why do people do these things?" The feeling of doing it alone was great. Would I do it again? It was like that time I went to Punxatawney to see the Groundhog come out in Pennsylvania. Glad I did it, probably won't do it again for a long long time. But hey if you ask me to walk for a couple of hours with you I totally can! Six miles is cake now!

In all honesty, it was very hard to do all that mileage at once. I am glad I had Karen and Jim cheering me on, those two are hard core! My future Mother-in-Law ran it in two hours and forty-seven minutes. I won't give away her age but she is almost double my age. She's awesome! I was so glad Jim finished with me as I was limping and he just walked along knowing I could do it. My love for him quadrupled that day! At one point I called him up and said I am the last walker and then when he came and found me at the end he said there are tons of walkers behind you. BUt I was alone for the last 2 miles with no walkers in site...that is until Jim pointed them out behind me. Way behind me. I wasn't last! I finished it! And I finished it ten minutes under my ambitious goal! Though I am still dead two days later. :)

PS-the pics are scare of me because well I decided not to wear makeup! Sorry beware!