What better way to spend Mother's Day weekend than running. Cuz isn't that what I do all year long as a mother? Run around, getting everyone where they need to be, getting them what they need, cleaning up what they needed....you know the drill. Well this year, my friend Nicole and I signed up to run the Hippie Chick Half Marathon--a 13.1-mile race only for women the day before Mother's Day.
I must admit my training wasn't quite as good as last year when I prepared for my first half marathon, but I had a goal and figured it was something that wouldn't be too hard to reach...finish in under 2 hours. I finished my half-marathon last year in 1:57, and that race had a HUGE hill in the middle of it. So I figured this "flat" course would be a breeze. Well I made a very bad assumption though. This race was chip-timed so I figured I would not worry about being close to the front of the pack at the start of the race. What I didn't realize, until it was too late, was that they were using gun start time rather than a timing pad at the start of the race. Ugh. The clock was against me for hanging back. (My running partner Maria, who has been out of commission for 9 months now due to a broken femur assured me that had she been there she would have known that and NOT made that error. Yah, thanks for the reminder Maria that I am not a smart runner without you.) No worries though, I'd make it up I was sure.
The first half of the race went really well actually. The course is a loop that you repeat twice. My time was great the first half. In fact, my time was great the first 11 miles. Then I realized I really did need ONE MORE pack of Gu. Why or why did I leave that other pack of Gu in the car? (again, Maria's wisdom kicking me in the butt here for not being smart). I think my last mile was about twice as slow as all other miles of the race. Ugh. Oh, I was going to be so close to my goal mark.
Well, finally, finish line in sight...my trusty Garmin on my wrist telling me that I was finishing in 1:59...PERFECT. Oh, but no...the official clock showed 2 hours and 11 seconds. 11 seconds!!! NOOOOO!!!! My official time was 12 seconds slower than I wanted it to be. I tell you the Garmin said 1:59. The Garmin does not lie. The lack of timing pads at the start of the race lies!!!!
So, I made my goal, if only by my own watch. And you know what, I did pretty good. I came in 40th in my age division and 134th out of 640 women...not too shabby. At least, not until you ask a 6-year-old. When I got home from the race, Trevian looked at my finisher's necklace (yes--they gave out finisher's necklaces with a charm rather than medals). They had additional charms you could buy at the race. I bought 3 extras so my necklace had 4 charms on it. Trevian looked at the necklace and saw the 4 charms and said "Mom, did you get 4th place?" I said "no, I got 40th place!" She looked at me and said "oh Mom...that is BAAAADDDD!" Thanks Trev.
Nevertheless, I finished the race, I had a great time, and I loved seeing so many women--all ages, shapes, sizes--out there running the race and seeing that their health is important to them and that they love the rush of the run.
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