That's what place I took for my first ever race!:H
I'm sure as most of you know and many of you have asked on chat:thanks: , I ran a 1/2 Marathon over Labor Day weekend. I wasn't going to post about it, because I started thinking that running is all I ever talk about any more and you guys are probably getting pretty bored of it!!!
HOWEVER, you have all been so incredibly supportive and many have contributed extremely generously to the Team in Training program, and now every time I get on chat, people ask "Becca, how was your run?" It's awesome and heartwarming! It was my warm up run before my "real" run on Oct 22nd.
So I'll give a little summary of how it went. You can read it if you want, and if not, that's ok too! I love ya still!
We got to Virginia Beach at 5am on Sat. after driving over 12 hours through some rain. Not too bad though, considering the torrential storm that had gone through (Ernesto!). We slept a few hours, then headed to the Race Expo on Sunday. Holy lots of people. Got our race numbers, timing chips, etc. Bought this stuff called "Gu" that's like a shot of carbs, calories, aminos that you take when you are getting tired, say at mile 6 and mile 10 or so (a half Marathon is 13.1 miles). Went to a sports bar to watch the Buckeyes whoop a$$. Drank water and gatorade only, I promise! Walked around the beach and the boardwalk and checked out parts of the course. What a beautiful oceanfront, if you have never been. Not a lot of high class stuff there--very touristy and a lot of junk stores, etc., but the beach is awesome. Had our pasta dinner along with a seafood buffet that night! yum! I did have one glass of wine because I was so nervous I thought I was gonna puke. Just wanted to calm down and enjoy the moment... oh, and SLEEP that night! Which I did not.
I tossed and turned until 4:30 when our alarms went off....
5:15am in the car on the way to the shuttle to the start line. Nervous nervous nervous!!! We all drank lots of water and gatorade, ate Cliff and Power Bars like true Athletes! By just after 6 we were at the Virginia Beach Convention Center for the start. There were people doing little sprints and stretching muscles like crazy. I kinda lunged a few times, stretched my calves and my back...heart racing, head spinning.
Over 21,000 people had registered for this race! It was insane! We were corralled for a "wave" start, with the Elite runners from Kenya, Ethiopia, China, etc. starting at 6:45. Wheelchairs started before that, with the most famous being Team Hoyt--Dick and Rick Hoyt. You may have heard of that father and son team, where he pushes his son the entire way on these races. They were there and completed this race! Talk about an inspiration.
By the time our corral got to the start line, it was 7:25. "Corral 17--GO!" The horn blew, and I was off with the 16 000 people in front of me and the 5000 people behind me. There were 14 bands on the course (hence "Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon"), and about 20 cheerleading squads from local high schools to keep you going. Also, the local neighborhoods came dressed up and cheering, often squirting water at you (YAY!) or playing music. The first about 8 miles went really well. I did have to stop and pee once that took a few minutes cuz there was a line. Hubby had to stop THREE TIMES to go to the bathroom,... one time, he actually had to well... you know.... let's just say he ended up renaming our Gu "poo".
Miles 9 and 10 sucked because it was hot and on this long stretch where I knew we turned around at 37th st. I was at 5th st. and counted every dang street up...it was hot and there was no shade and only 1 water station. I got light headed and thought I was gonna hyperventilate so I walked for a few minutes. Ah, water station. Drank the first one, took another one and dumped it on my head, then good to go again.
Turned for the final 2 miles along the boardwalk along the beach! SO much cheering and encouragement, but at this point, you kinda wanna go "shut the hell up, I'm tired and soaking wet and I can see the finish line but it's still TWO MILES AWAY". Sorry, that sounds mean, but it's true! My best words of encouragement came from someone who had already finished. She was wearing her medal already and she shouted "COME ON! THE FASTER YOU GO, THE FASTER YOU'LL BE DONE!" That did it. I was off and running the distance, watching my watch because I really wanted to do it in under 2 1/2 hours.
Finish line! A guy collapsed behind me. There were several people in a medical tent. But they pushed us through, got us water, an icy cold towel...ahhhhhh., and our medals! We got free sandals, food, and were able to go down to the beach to go in the ocean. The beach was scattered with a mixture of people passed out and others celebrating their accomplishments with icy beers!
What a rush! Seriously, I'm still on a high. It was awesome. I'm so motivated to do even better in San Fran, and here's finally where the drinking thing comes in! Once again, can't do that kind of thing when you're hungover. Can't train when you're drunk. And I WILL train.
My finish time was 2:27:56. I have a couple numb toes, and had to lift my legs into the car with my hands the next day, but I'm ok now. Yoga/stretch/strenth today, hill training tomorrow!!
That was really long, but now I don't have to keep interrupting chat to answer your extremely thoughtful questions! Of course, I have pix if anyone wants to see them:H Oh, actually, go to www.rnrhalf.com/home.html
for actual official race pix.
I'm done jabbering on about it now! Back to supporting everyone else. Until san fran...
LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:h
I'm sure as most of you know and many of you have asked on chat:thanks: , I ran a 1/2 Marathon over Labor Day weekend. I wasn't going to post about it, because I started thinking that running is all I ever talk about any more and you guys are probably getting pretty bored of it!!!
HOWEVER, you have all been so incredibly supportive and many have contributed extremely generously to the Team in Training program, and now every time I get on chat, people ask "Becca, how was your run?" It's awesome and heartwarming! It was my warm up run before my "real" run on Oct 22nd.
So I'll give a little summary of how it went. You can read it if you want, and if not, that's ok too! I love ya still!
We got to Virginia Beach at 5am on Sat. after driving over 12 hours through some rain. Not too bad though, considering the torrential storm that had gone through (Ernesto!). We slept a few hours, then headed to the Race Expo on Sunday. Holy lots of people. Got our race numbers, timing chips, etc. Bought this stuff called "Gu" that's like a shot of carbs, calories, aminos that you take when you are getting tired, say at mile 6 and mile 10 or so (a half Marathon is 13.1 miles). Went to a sports bar to watch the Buckeyes whoop a$$. Drank water and gatorade only, I promise! Walked around the beach and the boardwalk and checked out parts of the course. What a beautiful oceanfront, if you have never been. Not a lot of high class stuff there--very touristy and a lot of junk stores, etc., but the beach is awesome. Had our pasta dinner along with a seafood buffet that night! yum! I did have one glass of wine because I was so nervous I thought I was gonna puke. Just wanted to calm down and enjoy the moment... oh, and SLEEP that night! Which I did not.
I tossed and turned until 4:30 when our alarms went off....
5:15am in the car on the way to the shuttle to the start line. Nervous nervous nervous!!! We all drank lots of water and gatorade, ate Cliff and Power Bars like true Athletes! By just after 6 we were at the Virginia Beach Convention Center for the start. There were people doing little sprints and stretching muscles like crazy. I kinda lunged a few times, stretched my calves and my back...heart racing, head spinning.
Over 21,000 people had registered for this race! It was insane! We were corralled for a "wave" start, with the Elite runners from Kenya, Ethiopia, China, etc. starting at 6:45. Wheelchairs started before that, with the most famous being Team Hoyt--Dick and Rick Hoyt. You may have heard of that father and son team, where he pushes his son the entire way on these races. They were there and completed this race! Talk about an inspiration.
By the time our corral got to the start line, it was 7:25. "Corral 17--GO!" The horn blew, and I was off with the 16 000 people in front of me and the 5000 people behind me. There were 14 bands on the course (hence "Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon"), and about 20 cheerleading squads from local high schools to keep you going. Also, the local neighborhoods came dressed up and cheering, often squirting water at you (YAY!) or playing music. The first about 8 miles went really well. I did have to stop and pee once that took a few minutes cuz there was a line. Hubby had to stop THREE TIMES to go to the bathroom,... one time, he actually had to well... you know.... let's just say he ended up renaming our Gu "poo".
Miles 9 and 10 sucked because it was hot and on this long stretch where I knew we turned around at 37th st. I was at 5th st. and counted every dang street up...it was hot and there was no shade and only 1 water station. I got light headed and thought I was gonna hyperventilate so I walked for a few minutes. Ah, water station. Drank the first one, took another one and dumped it on my head, then good to go again.
Turned for the final 2 miles along the boardwalk along the beach! SO much cheering and encouragement, but at this point, you kinda wanna go "shut the hell up, I'm tired and soaking wet and I can see the finish line but it's still TWO MILES AWAY". Sorry, that sounds mean, but it's true! My best words of encouragement came from someone who had already finished. She was wearing her medal already and she shouted "COME ON! THE FASTER YOU GO, THE FASTER YOU'LL BE DONE!" That did it. I was off and running the distance, watching my watch because I really wanted to do it in under 2 1/2 hours.
Finish line! A guy collapsed behind me. There were several people in a medical tent. But they pushed us through, got us water, an icy cold towel...ahhhhhh., and our medals! We got free sandals, food, and were able to go down to the beach to go in the ocean. The beach was scattered with a mixture of people passed out and others celebrating their accomplishments with icy beers!
What a rush! Seriously, I'm still on a high. It was awesome. I'm so motivated to do even better in San Fran, and here's finally where the drinking thing comes in! Once again, can't do that kind of thing when you're hungover. Can't train when you're drunk. And I WILL train.
My finish time was 2:27:56. I have a couple numb toes, and had to lift my legs into the car with my hands the next day, but I'm ok now. Yoga/stretch/strenth today, hill training tomorrow!!
That was really long, but now I don't have to keep interrupting chat to answer your extremely thoughtful questions! Of course, I have pix if anyone wants to see them:H Oh, actually, go to www.rnrhalf.com/home.html
for actual official race pix.
I'm done jabbering on about it now! Back to supporting everyone else. Until san fran...
LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:h
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