Each Day Is a Gift

Got up at 5am.  Lowell and I had a quick breakfast of banana and OJ before heading over to Karen's so she could follow us to Thanksgiving Point.  Got there at 5:50.  Used the bathroom.  Met Toby, Catherine and RAD at the packet pick up pavilion.  Temps was in the high 30s, calm.  PERFECT running weather! 

We ran the beginning miles of the course;  RAD and Catherine turned around at the hairpin turn (2.5 miles).   Lowell, Toby, Karen and I ran further north then turned east around the backside of the Thanksgiving Point business park and back to the start.  Had to walk to take my albuterol on the uphill climb east of the Marriott Hotel.  So mad at my asthma.  Forgot to restart my Garmin so lost a mile data.  But Karen's Garmin showed that we've run just a tad under 5 miles so I ran to the car to ditch the jacket and gloves to make 5.

Ran to the start as the announcer said 60 seconds before the race.  Waited for the gang to go over the timing mat.  Got to hang with Misty a little bit and cheered JakeK and Walter.  SO EXCITING to see the Elites breezing by! :)  Rachel shot out in front of the 1:55 pace group.  That girl is on fire! :)  Lowell, Karen, Toby and I hang back at the 9:20 pace.  All was well until we hit some uphills where my lungs just wouldn't let me run!  It was very kind of Toby and Karen to stay close.  

Running thru the gardens is crazy fun, beautiful tulips in full bloom, the rose garden arbor was romantic, so was the merry-go-round, the butterfly garden has fun hedges to run thru, my favorite was the children's discovery garden and the biggest man-made water fall.  :)  Then comes the golf course with its undulating rollers...yikes...it kills any oz. of my rhythm...I would blast down the downhills only to come to a halt on the uphills.  When I say hills...I mean rollers...but they felt like mountains! :)  They are so NOT fun!

Got a little bit of headwind when we headed south which took my measly breath away.  That was the beginning of my "wall".  I could not pick up my pace without a hint of asthma attack coming on...so I jogged/walked until we got off the golf course.  Toby and Karen and Toby's friends started pulling away.  When I saw them at one of the hairpin turns, I cut across to meet them.  I would've been DQ'd twice today...hahaha!!! :)

On the straight stretch (NOT too many of those, this course has more turns then Rapumsel's curls) I was able to keep a steady pace but still couldn't keep strides with the gang.  I saw a prego girl and wasn't about to let her beat me so I ran with her until the last turn north with about 0.2 or less to go.  Her family was there to cheer her in.  I "kicked" it in after the turn into Electric Park.  I could see Toby but couldn't catch her.  I peeled off a few yards from the finish just before the barricade and continue to run on the walkway to circle around the finisher's corral.  I didn't reset my Garmin, so not sure what my time for the Half was. 

After finding the gang, we used the pop, dropped off Lowell's finisher medals in the car and went out for 4 more miles.  We ran about a mile out and turned back to see if Lowell was coming and realized he must've decided not to come.  Debated whether to call it quit...I would've if RAD didn't stay with me.  I had to take a lot of walk breaks.  THANKS Rachel for staying with me! :)  Karen and Toby ran up ahead and turned west to make sure they got in 4 miles, RAD turned to join them.  I ran the last mile of the race and passed some of the half-marathoners.  Got some cheer from the people in my Stake (both during the race, after and now)!!! :)

It was SUPER COOL to see Lily, Walter and met in person JakeK, Andrea and Runningafterbabies who all took podium.  CONGRATZ!!!  WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!!!! :) :) :)  Lowell took 2nd in his AG!  After the award ceremony, we went to IHop for yummy brunch!  :)

OH!  How could I forget the Altra Maniacs (jun and Matt).  They were running everywhere cheering and spreading AWESOME STUDNESS!!! Got to see them 3 times on the course and they even ran a little bit with me on the golf course rollers AND hang out at the award ceremony.  I'm still smiling thinking about it! :) :) :) :) :)

*****Hit 55 miles this week!  At this stage of my training, I feel fortunate that I can put in the mileage...but...my fitness is not there...I am running SO SLOW!!!!  Will just have to accept the fact that I am getting oldER and I may never ever PR again! :(  With that said, I have not lost my love of running...well, it's the only thing I know how to do! Hehehe! :)