I did it!

OK, so I'm a little late getting this post up, but I wanted to share...Last weekend, I finished the half marathon!!!! It was an amazing, inspiring, exhausting experience that I would do all over again in a heartbeat! My original personal goal was to simply finish the race. As I started training and running longer distances, I started putting more pressure on myself. (you do know me, right? :) ) I wanted to run the entire time and finish under 2:30. Well, I did it. I ran the entire time - even though the definition of running could be challenged on some of those hills - and came in at 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Here's a finish line photo courtesy of my wonderful photog bestie JS.

Wow, I look tired in that photo.

Here's a glimpse into my thought process throughout the race...

At the start line: Wow, this is the first all-women half marathon in NC?!?! Cool. Damn it's cold, let's get this thing started!

Mile 0.2: Look, there's Scott, Tyler, Jake and my mom! HI!!! Oh crap, don't trip waving at them.

Mile 3: Feeling good! Only 10 miles to go.

Mile 5: Wow, they put a lot of hills at the beginning of this course. The rest HAS to be pretty flat.

Mile 7: Getting a little run down and I just ran out of water in my bottle. I'm going to take one of these GU things.

Mile 7.1: Damn, that GU stuff is nasty!!! Yuck!!!

Mile 8: Oooh! I'll take a picture of the mile-marker and send it to Scott.

Mile 8.2: Ahhhh, he texted me back. "Go girl go!"

Mile 10: Wow, was I wrong about the rest of this course being flat. What!?!?! There's another hill!?!

Mile 12: OK, please don't stop working (me talking to my legs)

Mile 12.5: Reading one of the signs from supporters "If this was easy, everyone would do it!" . 

Mile 13: O-M-G!!!! I am actually going to do this! Cue my "finish" song. Don't Stop Believing, by Journey, performed by the cast of GLEE. :)

Mile 13.2: DONE!!!