America's Finest City

Today marked the final race day for my triple crown series! I completed 3 half marathons this year and I couldn't be more excited about it. Well, maybe excited isn't the right word to describe my emotions surrounding the races {as I sit here with ice on my knee, covered in icy hot, having been awake for 17+ hours and the day from hell - but that's a story for later!} I think the best word for my accomplishments is proud. I never would have thought that running 13.1 miles was possible for me. I've never considered myself a runner before {though, to date, I have run 349 miles this year alone!} But I did it - 3 times this year! And I'm thinking about doing it again {all 3 races} next year! I know, I'm crazy!!!!!!

This race started out as one of my best races ever. The first half was amazing! I was fast {it was downhill} and I rocked it. Makes sense, I trained up to 5 miles this time - oops - so those miles, plus 1 more were excellent.

up in the top right corner of each screen shot you can see my average pace

From 6 on, I was miserable. My hips hurt, my quads were screaming at me, and I was starting to get discouraged. We ran past the airport and through the rental car return area. I was huffing diesel fuel and jet fuel...I was over it. From 6-8 miles I was having to talk myself into not walking the rest of the route. I kept telling myself, "I've run half of it with a good time, just walk the remaining miles." I knew I would be so disappointed if I just gave up on myself, but my time started to slow.

I did feel a little better around mile 9-10. I got a second wind of sorts {though my average time was much slower than I wanted with no hopes of fully recovering to what I was shooting for} Right around mile 11 there was a hill...and it was long. It started off gradual and I was able to run some of it. My goal was to start running again at 11.5 after a brief walk-for-water at the water station around mile 11, but the run didn't last long. The hill killed me! The hill lasted until after 12 miles so I just walk/jogged it. Once at the top people just kept saying, "it's just around the corner!" and, "one more turn and you're there!" so I just ran.

And then the street with the flags hit me like a ton of bricks. I missed Lane. I cried. I was mad that I was crying on the route. I sucked it up, remembered him pushing me and pulling me across the finish line at La Jolla in April, so I just kept going. Anna and her girls were there just before the finish, so I knew I had to look like I had myself together when she saw me {since I later lost it when I told her I cried on the course!}

As I saw Anna, I waved to her and her twins before I took off sprinting.

I found it somewhere in me to just run, and run fast! I could see the finish and I wanted to be there. I wanted to cross and be done. Get my medals and call it a day...

So, it was my worst overall time of all of my races, but Karin and I did all 3 of the triple crown series half marathons this year. We got a special medal for the completion of the 3 runs in addition to the finishers medal from the run today. When I walked around after the race my medals clinked together, and I couldn't be more proud to sound like I was walking around with a cowbell around my neck!