Halfway There

Are you a schizo if you write like someone is reading, when in fact no one is there?  HAHA, I think I must be but I am acting like I have an audience and having fun.  C'est La Vie ;)

Hey guys!!!  Well I finally made it to my big run day.  Found a nice trail I had never run before, but the distance would put me around the half marathon territory if I did it twice.  It was around 6.4 miles each time, so I would run it twice and then add a third little jog back to make sure I covered all my territory.  Chose Seven Oaks Trail in Belmont, NC, turned out to be a beautiful place that led me around the lake.

That morning I got out of bed at 5:00 am and immediately began drinking water and had a bowl of oatmeal.  I had decided I needed about two and a half hours for my food to settle and planned on starting my run about 8:00 am.  Had my hydration pack cleaned and ready to go, one banana custard gel pack, my trial running shoes and set out to a location I had never visited before but had nice reviews on the trial finder I used.

Took a while to find, stupid GPS but I left early enough to get there, warm up and start by 8:00.  My anxiety is through the roof but I am pretty hyped considering my ankle hadn't been hurting and my
time had finally come.  I had no doubt I would finish this, I was so jacked up by the time I started.  Because the way the course was set up, running out and back being my halfway point I decided to leave my hydration pack in my car for the first half.  I had run several times without carrying water so I felt good about my decision.  After my first leg I would grab it suck down my gel pack and hopefully finish my second leg of the run.

I did just that.  First leg of the run went smooth.  Great trail, very scenic and was feeling strong after my first six and a half miles.  Got my hydration pack on and sucked down my first gel pack, not knowing if I needed it or not.  I was pretty sure it wasn't necessary for a half-marathon distance but I didn't want to take any chances.

My second leg proved to be a success.  The hydration pack worked as advertised and wound up acting as more of a comfort blanket.  I drank from it twice more out of curiosity than need.  Didn't
hurt my back or disrupt my running.  If anything, it made me feel like a crazy guy running through the woods with this water bag on my back.  Even had a sweet couple cheer me on and ask if I was training for something which proved to be motivation enough to push me through to the finish line.  Had a few thoughts of twelve miles being proof enough as I approached the end of my second leg of the run but determination would have it that I forced myself back out a third time to get the needed distance to make it official.  I actually ended up doing 13.28 miles when it was all said and done.  I had the biggest endorphin rush upon completing my run.  I couldn't feel a thing wrong with my body, I felt amazing and was smiling from ear to ear.  Not too long after finishing my run my beautiful wife began texting me with congratulations, love and praise.  I felt like a million bucks!  Found out that my wife and two boys were watching my run via my Map My Run app, it has a cool feature that allows followers to watch your progress on runs.  So that was cool hearing my wife and kids were back home cheering me on.

I about forgot about my time and pace.  I followed along with what everyone says about longer runs.  I slowed my pace down about 20 to 30% and ran 11 minute 46 second mile pace and finished with a final time of 2 hours 36 minutes.  When I look back I may have been able to push myself a little bit harder but all I wanted to do was complete my run.

Driving home I still felt great, felt so good I offered to grab the family breakfast at Panera.  I was feeling good, was being the operative word.  When I tried to get out of my car after cooling down on my car ride home, it proved to be a little difficult.  Tomorrow is going to hurt.