I said I would update soon, and well, since school ended I've lost my blogging mojo. Not sure if it's because of work or what. But here goes the 1/2 marathon story (motivated by
DAR who is running her own half this upcoming week).
After running the Marine Corp Marathon in October (which, oops, I 'accidently' signed up for again), my running became thready. I kind of expected that to happen, but it couldn't have happened at a worse time: the beginning of the coldest, snowiest winter I hope to ever experience.
Let's just say this place is windier than Chicago (you want wind farms? we've got the land), and absolutely horrible about clearing out snow. This Florida girl learned how to run in cold weather last year. She didn't however, learn how to run on frozen over snow. The snow storms (there were three) literally put a freeze on my running.
And when hubs casually questioned why I hadn't signed up to train for any sort of race, I knew I was in trouble. I was officially in that dark and crazy place known as "I WILL NOT go on meds seasonal affect disorder"
I had to train. A friend had asked me to consider doing the 13.1 marathon in NYC with her. She asked in December. It was now February. I half-heartedly began training for the half that was scheduled for the first weekend of April. I told my friend 'Maybe." (6 weeks of training, pshhh)
I skipped weeks in my training plan. then on my birthday, I ran 10 miles. Oops. I told friend I would do it. But I still didn't sign up for the race. It was pretty likely that my friend wouldn't be able to run the race....she had this little thing called an ADOPTION to take cafe of. (she was waiting for some travel dates...)
As expected, friend received the call to pick up her baby in a land far far away. She gave me her bib number. I ran 10 miles once more. it was horrible. I still didn't know. But then....it was going to be a GORGEOUS WEEKEND in NYC. Hubs was going to be out of town. And really, what was I going to do in for a three day weekend in this windy state?
Yeah, it was a no-brainer. Arrangements were made. I found a friend to travel up with me (granted I would have traveled alone, that's how crazy I was). Next thing I knew, i was driving through Times Square looking for our hotel on Lexington Ave.
Pre Race Meal: Mussels and beer with nursing school classmate and a high school classmate that I haven't seen since high school graduation.
Race Day: Bagel, juice, and coffee for breakfast. Subway to Queens. Use of porta potty (no trauma).
Race: course...super flat except for a few overpasses. and hello circles. lots of loops and figure eights...crossing the start line 3 times is not cool. Crowds were sparse to non-existent. Entertainment...plentiful along a 3 mile spread, but overall, lacking. I only Gu'd twice (much less than my first half marathon. Overall? with the knowledge that I had at one point trained and completed a marathon, the idea of running a half was in the category of "eh, just another long run. here goes"
Final time? 2:05 something what, did you get that? my first half was slow and easy, and included goofing off, singing and dancing at a 2:16 something time.
I was thrilled
Post Race: stretch, subway ride. shower. walk walk walk. We walked and shopped the entire city. Middle eastern food for lunch on the upper west side....traditional Jewish pastries to snack...books stores, wine stores, massive pillow fight in Union Square (!) and then food at my high school classmate's apartment, plus more shopping, and finally, a deliciously expensive margarita (and yes, dinner) at a snazzy Mexican restaurant just around the corner from our hotel. we didn't get in until midnight. Between the wine, tequila, and oh yeah, the 13 mile run, let's just say it was more than the white noise of the city that put me to sleep....
