First 1/2 Marathon

so, apparently, this is the "100th post" on this blog. Happy 100th.


moving on.


this weekend, I ran a 1/2 marathon. I was a little concerned, because of being stricken ill last week, and I am still a little on the wary side of random muscle cramping. (I have recently been experiencing random muscle cramping. not too often while running, but more frequently biking, and even more frequently swimming. and, then there is the random nighttime muscle cramping in legs, combined with my intermittent restless leg syndrome. anyhow...) but, none the less, after a yummy fueling dinner on friday night, a relaxing day on saturday (which included making valentine's day truffles for my friends!!!) I was up to run on sunday morning.

I woke up at about 6:30 (race was at 8:30), and mosey-ed on downtown on my bike. Weather was absolutely phenomenal, with not a cloud in the sky, and brisk air. I stopped by my favourite coffee shop for a quick little espresso, and down to the roundhouse. Ran into a few people I know, including a client of mine who is a ironwoman (who is in the photo above!), and a former trainer from my work. got there, and everything went fine. my anterior tibialis were tight for the first 2 miles or so, but then that worked out. I got a random, unexpected stitch in my side with about 4 miles to go, but that got worked out as well. there was only one time where i took a deep breath in, and felt the "oh, so, i am not *totally* over my lung sickness" feeling, but that didn't happen again, so i was thankful about that. I almost puked about 50 meters from then end, and then right over the line, but didn't. and, the last km seemed a lot longer than it should have been.

all of those things being said. I don't have a watch, so I don't really know what pace I run at, normally. what normally happens, is I go along, until about 5 miles to go, and then I ask someone how long we have been running for. they tell me, and then i decide to pick it up a bit, or keep it as I am. This time, i when I asked how long we had been going, I realized i was going a bit slower than planned on, so I knew I had to pick it up a bit. and, right at about that time, a fellow named erik asked what my pace was. I responded "oh, somewhere about 1:45-1:50." he said "i would love to finish in that time." so, i said "let's do it!" and, I had a pace friend for the last 5-6 miles. so, that was really nice. I honestly don't think that i would've finished as strong if he wasn't there. So, thank you Erik haatvedt, whereever (and, whoever) you are. it was great running with you.

finish time: 1:47. not a PB, but only :30 seconds off. for being really sick last week, I am really happy with that. that puts me at 24/135 in age group, and 192/1117 for overall female. so, this running thing isn't going so badly afterall....



after the race, I made it up to the cafe again for breakfast, and a meeting about going snowshoeing next weekend. I am off to Elfin Lakes with my friends erik, celine, and tim. Should be a *great* time.


oh yeah, and today, where I am sitting in the library "doing homework" I can look down onto a sidewalk below, where it is chalked: "hug someone you love." that is a good tidbit for the day :)