Thanks Jeff Shadley for encouraging me to run my first 5K in 2005 and now a 1/2 marathon! I was so nervous leading up to our morning trek to the event at 5:30am but very impressed once there how organized everything was (at the expo too). As soon as we arrived I was able to calm down, mainly thinking about how Jeff was going to run 26.2 miles in such a short time, unfathonable to me - WOW! You're AWESOME and such an inspiration to others...
I wasn't sure which corral had passed once I finally made it through that last horrible porta potty line, so I just started running. I then of course noticed that my race # was quite a bit lower than those around me, so I just concentrated on my own pace (thanks for loaning me your Garmin Jeff). I've never run without my shuffle, that was my only concern at this point but obviously I didn't need it as I enjoyed every minute of the run. As I've never had to guess a race time before I figured it would probably take me about 2.25 hours to run a 1/2 marathon! As soon as I realized it was easier for me to keep at a 9 minute mile rather than a 9.5 or 10 I then just really really wanted to finish before the 2 hour mark and I did!
My family headed to the finish line to watch me come in with the other 2:10 mile runners having no idea I was already finished, turned in my chip, had a snack, picked up my UPS bag and waiting in the family reunion area :).
Thanks again Jeff, I wouldn't have done this without you coming to share you family with us for the week, I look forward to doing another - think about coming again!
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