My first half marathon

You know life is busy when an entire month flies by of exciting things and you don't even have time to think about them, much less update a blog. I like to think of May as my "self-betterment month"... running my first half marathon, getting LASIK done, followed by June, which was a definite music party month, with CMT Awards, CMA Fest, Bonnaroo, and lots of friends to host and show around my town. These things, while a ton of fun, also have a tendency to make time fly without you realizing where it went!

8 weeks ago, I ran my first half marathon! It was awesome. And hard. A lot harder than I was expecting, actually! Going in, I thought I was ready...I had run the complete 13.1 miles twice without feeling as if I was dying, and I was pretty confident that the adrenaline of being at the event would kick in for some extra energy. And it did, but that boost ran out about half way, and then EVERYTHING hurt. My knees, my ankles, my hips, my calves, but I kept on running. Actually, I managed to only walk for water breaks, and I finished in 2 hours and 25 minutes. Could I be faster next time? Hopefully. It may help if I didn't have a 2 week training break due to LASIK surgery and then a 4-day bachelorette bender. But hey - always room for improvement!

You know it's a Women's run when...

The actual experience was really fun. I ended up running the Toronto Women's Half because I was out of town for the Nashville one (which I still want to do!), but the weather and set-up were really great. There is something about wearing your Lulus and running shoes all weekend, and telling everyone you are running "the half marathon" that is very empowering and exciting. I definitely felt proud wearing my number bib, and rocking the finishers necklace for the rest of the day.

My "official" race photo

So would I do it again?

Yes, but...
...I would have to start training all over again. I haven't run much since that day, due to the heat and giving my joints a break from the impact.
...I couldn't until at least late-fall or winter. Just too darn hot to run in the summer here!
...I wouldn't necessarily do the same one, but would love to try the Nashville Rock n Roll series, or the Disney parks! I could definitely become a destination marathoner.
...I would always want to run with friends. Pretty sure it saved me and kept me putting one foot in front of the other.

End of the story? I accomplished my goal I set in January: To cross the finish line in an upright position with a smile on my face. I did something I never thought I could do. And I am crazy proud of that :-)

Crossing the finish line!