Big Ole Honkin' Catch Up: Part 1 - Half Marathon

Wow! It's been 6 months since my last blog. Obviously I am not too good at keeping up with this. I've been thinking about blogging for a while, but I'm not going to lie....with it being so long, I've been a bit intimidated to even start! So here we go. It might take me a few posts, but there are just things that I want to document more for myself than for the hope that people are reading about my busy/but mundane life. ;)

In January I ran my first half-marathon!!!

Shortly after the 5K I ran in October, I decided I wanted to run a half-marathon. I figured I could train/prepare for a year and run the Rock-N-Roll in November 2013. However, I started talking to some running friends who insisted that if I was already up to 5 miles that I could easily get to 13.1 and long before November of next year. So I started a running plan on runkeeper app and started looking for a half-marathon to run. I decided on the Herothon in San Antonio in late January. My friend Misty was suppose to run it with me, but she had to back out at the last minute due to some family health issues.

Andy was a huge help in my training. I would run 2 short runs during the week and one long run on the weekends. Once my long runs go up to 7-9 miles I really needed help. He would drop me off places so I could run home, bring me water and a fiber bar when I needed it and sometimes pick me up when I couldn't make it another step.

I started having knee problems once my miles increased. I went to my school athletic trainer (perks of teaching on a high school campus and working alongside the athletic program). He gave me some hip and lower abdominal excerises to do to increase stength in those areas and take the pressure off my knees. However, my left knee was still killing me. Sometimes to the point of tears. I went back to him....2 weeks before the race and told him, "I don't care what you or I have to do. I have paid for this race and trained for this race so I'm running it. Just tell me how to get through it!" He thinks I have a tilted knee cap and so the constant motion of running aggrevates it. He suggested a knee brace and told me to rest my knee until the race.

Race Day: Andy and Lyla got up with me at 5AM to eat breakfast and head out to downtown SA. The race started at 7AM. At this point I hadn't run more than 10 miles in my training, but everyone told me if I could run 10 by myself I could run 13.1 at the race. So off I went. Setting a steady pace and looking forward to seeing my cheering section along the route. The nice thing about technology is Andy could call me to encourage me along the way and find out where I was and let me know where I would see them next. The first 3 miles were a breeze. I was thinking, "this is easy! I'm so doing this again!" Then mile 5 hit and my knee started hurting a little. Downhill is always the worst. However, at a moment when I was really struggling I looked up to see "I can do all things through Christ" on the back of another runner's shirt! Thank you Lord, just what I needed. Andy called and said him and Lyla were at the bottom of the hill at about 5.5. Seeing their faces was just what I needed. Gave them both a kiss and a hug and continued on my way.

At 6.5 I saw my parents...signs, cow bells and all! My school athletic trainer was working the med tent at 8.2 so after the encouragement from my parents I set my goal for seeing Scott. He came running up alongside me, asked about my knee (which was feeling a little numb at this point....7 miles was real pain), gave me some encouragement and sent me on my way. Andy called to say him and Lyla were at the 9 mile marker...Yay just what I needed. This is where little goals were a big help. Andy and Lyla handed me water at mile 9, my parents were at mile 10 (with a protein bar), Andy and Lyla made it to mile 11 and because this was a loop I saw my parents again before mile 12. And then it was the last stretch. It was hard, I was tired, but I had a goal to run the whole thing and do it in under 2:30. Luckily there were pace keeperes along the way so if I kept the girl with the 2:30 sign behind me then I was good. The last little half mile was up hill...seriously!!! I came running in to cheers and finished in 2:28:09! WooHoo!! Met my goal!

It was a great experience. The training part was the worst, but the reward was AWESOME!!! I've kept up with my running although my longest distance since that race has only been 6 miles. But I've got to listen to my knee which still hurts frequently. I probably should get it looked at, but my two athletic

trainers at school have said the only thing a doctor could do is surgery and I'm not willing to do that! I plan on running the Rock-N-Roll half this coming November. I've heard it's a blast with music and huge crowds. I can't wait.









Upcoming Blog Posts: Spring Break, Lyla's 4th birthday, Lyla's dance recital, Summer Fun