Pro Football Hall of Fame Half Marathon Recap!

Pro Football Hall of Fame Half Marathon Recap!!

Well I did it!!! I finished my first half marathon two weekends ago. I still can't believe it.  After three months of training all the work I put in helped me finish that day. It has taken me a little while to figure out exactly how I feel about this whole process or I would have wrote this sooner.

I am trying to get better at blogging and going back to what I originally started this for, which is just to share my life with family who lives afar and friends. With that being said, I challenged myself this year to try new things and say yes more. I wanted to do 30 things in my 30th year, but I have had a hard time coming up with enough ideas. After suffering from postpartum depression last year I felt very much lost and still do. Other then a mother and wife I really didn't know what else I was so this lead to my quest to try new things and experience life a little more. Mostly I wanted to focus a little on myself so I could feel like I was breathing again and not drowning in sadness.

Enter a half marathon. I never thought in a million years I've ever do one, but the opportunity presented itself and I said, "sure why not" before I could say no. Not only was the race an hour south of where I grew up, but it was also only $27, which is by far the cheapest half I've ever seen.

Training

I trained from February to April, which was about 12 weeks. I followed Hal Higdon novice plan and modified it to fit my life. Essentially I ran Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. I did add a Wednesday run in during April. I cross-trained Monday, Wednesday, and Friday or Sunday depending on my week. I tried to have a rest day, but sometimes I did yoga on those days or walked with the kids.

One of my Tuesday training runs.

I was extremely worried about training in the winter because I hate the cold and pretty much anything to do with it. Luckily winter wasn't terrible here again and we only had a few really cold days. I was able to run outside most of the time with a few Tuesday and Thursday happening indoor on the track at the YMCA. February rocked and I did really great at running all three days as well as cross-training then March happened. My kids and I were sick for a lot of this winter and March was one of those times. It derailed my training during the week and led really only to my long runs. I was a little stressed about this, but was told it would be okay and I would be fine during my half.

Training runs and races with some awesome ladies.

April was complete chaos. With my daughter being done with preschool I pretty much had to run indoors and it sucked. I still was able to get my long runs in, but not being able to run as much during the week was terrible. By the time my training ended I was completely stressed and feeling unprepared. I kept telling myself that it would be okay and for the most part it was.

Race Weekend

My in-laws were really amazing and kept the kids pretty much the whole weekend for my husband and I so he could come to the expo with me and then my race. The expo was a little crazy and underwhelming. I know I can't compare every race to the U.S. Airforce expo, but I was expecting more. I think part of the problem was that they were not very clear on parking directions and where to enter especially for people out of town.

We ended up meeting two of my friends at the expo, got our packets, watched our friends daughter run the fun run, and wander the expo. They had a lot of clothes, but were pretty pricey. I found some really nice shirts I liked, but I just couldn't justify spending $40+ on one. It was fun to take photos and walk around the expo, but I still wished there was a little more at it. I think we spent an hour there total. We did score previous year tech shirts for $3, which was a big win that weekend!!

Race Day

I really thought I would be more nervous or freaked out, but I wasn't. I was more annoyed and exhausted because my adorable, son decided he didn't want to sleep at all Saturday night. John and I we were up bright and early at 3:30am to be on the road by 4am. It took the whole hour and then some to get down there. Even though we arrived over an hour early, we still waited in line to park for 45 minutes before my husband dropped me off near the start line and went to find parking. That was the first thing that rub me wrong on race day.

As for the race itself, a bunch of my lovely friends from the Dayton-Miamisburg Moms Run This Town chapter were down there and we met up with the Cleveland, Akron, and Pittsburgh chapter for a pre-race photo. We had a fun time chatting with them before the race. I was also given a nice little surprise when one of my friends told me since it was my first half that she was going to run it with me. I was shocked and thrilled because mentally I was having a hard time that morning.

Akron/Canton, Cleveland, Dayton/Miamisburg, and Pittsburgh MRTT

READY, SET, GO!!!

The race was shifted back to a 7:15am start due to the massive traffic problem with parking. I'm not going to give a breakdown mile by mile or anything, but I will say I started off feeling great. It was also great to have Janie and Jennifer start off with me and Janie to finish with me. I really thought because I trained by myself almost the whole 12 weeks, that I'd be running this by myself. Having people to run with makes running much more enjoyable and it goes by quicker.

Miles six and seven were when I really started feeling it and I was grateful to have someone with me to push me through. After mile nine is when things started going bad. I started cramping really bad in my left thigh and had to stop a few times to stretch. I also just started feeling worn down by that part. I thank God that Janie was with me because I probably would have just walked the whole rest of the way instead of trying to get myself back into run/walking.

I had set a goal time of 3 hours and finished in 3:10, which I know is still great for my first half marathon, but I will say I am a little disappointed. I have to remember to give myself grace though because I trained during the winter and that Sunday was hot, humid, and way hillier then I anticipated. I think mostly I was more disappointed that some people I thought would come cheer me on, never even bothered to show up, call, or text me. With all my emotions that day, I really feel that was what made me a little disappointed in the whole day. I could have really used some of those people on that course to cheer me through especially when I am always cheering them.

Thankfully I had my wonderful and super amazing husband there the whole time and he showed up right at the areas I needed him too! Also a big shout out to Steve my step-dad who I did not know was going to be there. He totally surprised me around mile 9 and I needed it then. Of course, some of my MRTT ladies were there and that was the most amazing support I ever could have asked for. Quite a few of them waited over an hour for me to finish just to show support, which means more to me then I'll ever be able to put into words.

Burgers and milkshakes with my boo after the race!

Reflection

Now that it's been over a week, I've come to see what a badass thing I did!! This is the girl who never ran or was active during high school or college and didn't start running constantly until last year. I RAN A HALF MARATHON!! I also realized that I have created a great support system with the people in my life. I definitely wouldn't be where I am, health wise, without these amazing ladies in my life.  They continually inspire and push me to be better and do better.

As for this race, I think this race could be a really great race, but they have some learning curves to figure out. Parking was a nightmare because they scared everyone into believe there was going to be no parking downtown so everyone went to the fairgrounds to park. My husband found out later that they only had one entrance open to get all cars in and there was an accident that blocked the only entrance. There was quite a bit of parking downtown so I don't know why they were trying to freak everyone out about it. The course was the other part I didn't like. They described it as flat and fast everywhere and it was not flat. There was definitely rolling hills and that would have been nice to know so I could have modified my training. The only other thing I didn't care for where the shirts. They were way too small for woman and not the type of tech shirts I thought we were getting. Overall, I loved the medal and blanket, but I wouldn't run this one again unless things really changed and maybe they will next year when back at the Football Hall of Fame.

I've been asked a few times whether I'd want to run another one and last week the answer was no and even now I don't think I really would. As much as I know I could do it, training is hard with two little kids who do not like the stroller as much as they use too. I do have a strong feeling I will probably be "encouraged" by some ladies I know to run another one sooner then I think. Plus if the medal is cute and the fee isn't bad how can I resist ;)