More running in the cornfields...

Whispering: You guys... I ran 13.1 miles yesterday.

I cannot believe I have completed my first half marathon.

It was technically my second long distance race, but the race I did earlier this spring was Dam to Dam and it was 12.4 miles just shy of a full half marathon, making yesterday's half,  my first half marathon!

Going into the race I had planned to run my typical ten minute intervals like I do all my long runs, but lately I have been running my short runs during the week without stopping to walk. We started the race and I figured I would just run the first three miles or so and see how I feel... after ten minutes passed I didn't feel like stopping at all. Then twenty minutes passed, and thirty, forty, fifty, sixty...all the way up to 2:10....  and I was still running! After I got to mile 7 and didn't stop, I began to think this could be either the smartest thing I have ever done... or the dumbest.

I was worried I was dumping too much into the beginning of the race and the second half would suck. I told myself at mile 10, I could stop and walk, but mile 10 came and I still didn't want to stop (go ahead, make the Forrest Gump jokes. I was thinkin' it too!)

I barely stopped for water (which bit me in the ass later) until mile 11. This was when I stopped to walk and drink water and eat an orange. I tried to get going again and find my groove like before but I just couldn't get moving. As soon as I stopped to walk, it seemed out of "nowhere" all the ache and soreness seemed to appear. I walked most of mile 11 and then for the last mile I ran.

Looking back, I did not drink enough water during the race. I took water with both GU packets, but barely any at all. My stomach was upset and the water and and GU was NOT helping. The entire race I was just focusing on how it was FINE and I did not need to stop and use the bathroom.... 

Here's how it all split out for me:

Mile 1: 11:38
Mile 2: 9:56 (no idea why this was so fast. Must have felt really good here!)
Mile 3: 11:40
Mile 4: 11:43
Mile 5: 12:21
Mile 6: 12:19
Mile 7: 11:39
Mile 8: 12:06
Mile 9: 12:39
Mile 10: 12:40
Mile 11: 12:32
Mile 12: 12:36
Mile 13: 14:04
Mile 14: 11:28

You might be wondering why I go through to mile 14. Well, I use the app Runkeeper (if you're on there, come be my friend!) and it said I ran almost 14 miles, so I'm not sure about that... but you can see  that 14 minute mile where I stopped to walk. It was actually mile 11 and then I picked it back up for mile 12.
I really had such a good time, and I am incredibly proud of myself. For Dam to Dam (which was in June) I ran 12.4 miles in 2:50 and I hit a major wall at mile 9. I could not go anymore and I walked the rest of the way. For this half marathon I finished at 2:47 (10 minutes over my goal, but that is OKAY) and I am so incredibly proud that I ran the first 11 miles. I am in shock that I could keep going and so overjoyed with that feat! It is a little heartbreaking that I was just shy of running the entire thing, but considering I did not think running the entire thing was *ever* a possibility, I will absolutely take 11!
Last fall when I was taking the PE Methods class I struggled to run ONE mile in under 13 minutes. A year later and I just ran 11 of them in a row at around a 12 minute average. Isn't that insane?! I am so in awe at what we can do when we put our minds to it and I am so grateful I have this ability. I will never take it for granted again.
I have so much to recap from this weekend, so I promise I will be back this week with a very picture heavy post recapping more about the half, my weekend with Lisa and much more!
Oh, and the headline is deceiving.... we did not see a single cornfield on this course. ;)