V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!!!!

I DID IT!

I completed my first 13.1 and now I an proudly adorn my car with the cute pink 13.1 sticker I purchase at the Expo.  

I went to bed last night, had laid out my outfit and gotten all the things ready for the race, bag packed refuel belt and GUs/ jelly belly beans....I set my alarm for 5:30 and went to bed around 10, after I had called my mom. There's nothing like hearing her voice or words of encouragement and knowing how she's behind me 110%.  I love that lady- mi mama! I had told her if I was struggling real bad for the last 2-3 miles I might call her and she would just have to talk to me. Talk to me about dad or read me stories lol. It would be a very one sided conversation full of her speech and my heaving breathing.

Woke up, got dressed and had breakfast, glass of water, hard boiled egg and a banana.  I ate a pack of raspberry power bar gummies before the race.  I peed like 3 times before we left.  We walked over, there were so many street closures... plus it was a nice little warm up.  There were people running all over the place to warm up. I dunno, I don't really feel like running more before running A LOT....call me crazy. 

Jenna and I- our pre-race pic. I look tired!

There were TONs of people all over, thankfully they had many port-o potties. I didn't use, but we did find our friends in line.  I was supposed to start in Coral 23 and Gary in 19. My goal was sub 2:30.....or rather my hope. We ended up moving up corals since it was taking along time for the corals to move through.  The first coral went at 8:00 and we didn't start until like 8:30. Marathoners were in the front of course, unless they thought it would take them a longer time to finish. Gary and I started together briefly and then a quick kiss goodbye and I released him to do his thing....I watched him weave in and out of people and then he was gone. 
 No- we did not start in coral 3

H St- the home stretch mile 11

There were tons of supporters along the route it was really nice. Even though they weren't specifically for me, they weren't not for me either if that makes any sense.  The first four miles were on pace for me: a little over a ten minute mile. Then as usual around mile 4 my feet fell asleep. Then came the loooong hill. Slow and Steady, one foot in front of another. I just keep looking at the pavement in front of me, or the person in front of me. I passed many a walker but I just told myself I would not walk it.  About the 10k came the gross super steep part of the hill. DISLIKE, but I made it. I just kept plodding along.  I felt pretty good, my left ankle did start to get sore around mile 7. Miles 11 an 12 were in North East and I felt at home running down H St. 13th St. was another slow incline hill. My legs were getting super tired. I thought maybe I should walk for a second, but my legs didn't like that either.  Nothing was making them happy at that point. The last .1 of the half was another incline- GROSS..... but I long leg sprinted to the finish and came in sub 2:30 at 2:19:58. I had really wanted to come in below 2:20 by the end.

My legs don't feel too bad, but ask me again in the morning and we'll see.  My right foot around the arch was super sore after the race, but it's getting better. I grabbed all the free stuff that I could. Free is free after all. 

After meal: Italian, veal parm and Gary got baked ziti with Italian Sausage. There was too much sauce for me

 And....Dessert, YUM! Fro- yo, PB for G on the left and Choc/Van for me with lots of sprinkles- the container was real low so I didn't get my usual mass amount

Love you Daddy!