13.1

During the past 11 weeks I have run over 200 miles. After I signed up I wasn't sure if I could do it! 13.1 miles seemed like a really long way to run and the race seemed really far away but the time came sooner than I expected. Before training for the half marathon I had never ran more than 5 miles but during training 5 miles was a short run.

The race was much easier than I thought it would be. It was cold and rainy but I think that was the perfect weather for the race. Around mile 10 I started to get fatigued but I only had 3 miles left. I could run 3 miles in my sleep but that wasn't after I had already run 10 miles. I finished in 2 hours and 10 minutes and 368th out of almost 800 participants. So far this is one of my greatest accomplishments in my short life!

Here are a few things I learned while running:
1. I can do anything I set my mind to!

"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired." -George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian

2. I have running rituals...
3.I have to have my ipod (even though i listen to country or pop music)
4.I must have gum
5.If I'm running with someone I have to run on their right side
6.I have to know what mile I am on at all times
7. I don't like to run on straight roads (I don't like seeing way far into the distance)
8.I like to read the subtitles to CNN while running on the treadmill.
9. Blisters are ugly and painful

10. There is no greater feeling than accomplishing something you thought was impossible!

4:30 am before the race

Around mile 7

My race partner, Katie, and I wearing our participant medals.

Post race massage