I did it!!!

I am still disappointed in myself that I didn’t train, but I finished it and I had the time of my life 😀  The entire experience was seriously a blast and I can not wait to (train first!) and do it again.

I ‘tracked’ myself and had the updates sent to my e-mail so I could check my pace later.  Here’s the final e-mail:

EMILY WAX, 02:37:55 (NET) @ Finish Pace 12:02 .

Waking up this morning at 3:15 was no where near as painful as it should have been, I think I was running on excitement.  I had layed out all my stuff the night before so the morning could be pretty stress free.  Kristen lives 45minutes away from Disney so we dressed and checked our stuff and then ate breakfast in the car.

I had a bagel with a little bit of strawberry cream cheese and a Rockstar.

I also packed some mid-race snacks into my new belt pack.

I took way too many things but I wanted to be on the safe side.

Camile and I were both running in the race and it was really nice to have Kristen to drive us there, soo much less stressful than finding parking.  She actually slept in the car for most of the race!  We reached the course around 5am and began the 20minute walk to our starting corral.  I drank a TON of water last night with dinner and it definitely caught we with me; we used the porta-potties 4times before the race!

It was pretty cold out (40*) but once we got into the corrals I was so excited it didn’t even matter.  We were in the last corral so our start time was about 30minutes after the original group.  Sadly the five corrals didn’t do much to help the bottlenecking, I felt like the the race never really thinned out.

My longest training run (more than a month ago) was only 6miles so I really wasn’t sure what to expect.  I wasn’t even positive I was going to finish, although I’m pretty stubborn once I set my mind to something.  In the end I ran the first 8miles, a pr in and of itself 🙂  I did the run/walk method for the rest of the course, although I attempted to run the last mile.  I never really stopped to walk but I was definitely dragging from 12 – 13.1.  I got something to drink at all but 2 of the water stations; I walked through them but never stopped running for more than 30 -45 seconds to drink.

Here’s a breakdown of the race (approximately) –

• I started running as soon as I crossed the start line
• mile 1 – mile 5: running
• mile 5: stopped for 7minutes to use the restroom
• mile 5 – mile 8: running
• mile 8: at 1hour and 33minutes
• mile 8 – mile 12: running and some walking
• mile 9: took an Espresso Love Goo (this was really tasty!)
• mile 10: at 1hour and 58minutes – apparently I was really booking it between 8 and 10!
• mile 12.1 – mile 13.1: running, but dying, I really really wanted to sprint here but I was just spent

When I saw that I crossed the finish at 2hours 38minutes I was shocked!  I figured that if I finished I would take at least 3 hours.  AND I feel pretty darn good!  My already injured leg hurts a ton (8+ out of 10) but the rest of my pieces feel pretty ok.  I did ice my legs in the car though.

With ice from the gas station where I got a Big Gulp of Coke Zero.

Mmmmmn!  I told my husband after the race that I’d probably go home with the first man to hand me a diet soda but thankfully Kristen was able to fulfill the craving for me 😉

Here are Camile and I post race.

Looking happy!

Camile got pulled off the course around mile 8 for not maintaining pace so she was a little angry.  She pr’ed as well though with 8miles and I am super proud of her.

We left from the race to go get breakfast at Perkins.  I wore my heat rate moniter so I know I have a 1968 calorie deficit to make up but sadly my hunger is pretty stifled.  I ordered sunny side up eggs which came with buttered toast and breakfast potatoes.

I was not hungry enough to kill this whole plate,

I’m definitely still a good 1000calories in the hole.  I feel pretty good though so I’m not sure I’ll force myself to eat if I’m not hungry.

Today was a great experience.  I did learn a few things:

1. I was in the wrong corral.  I spent the first 4miles running much slower than I was able to and weaving in and out dodging people.  Next time I think I will list my pace as at least 12minute miles so I can start off at full force.
2. I should have taken another Goo closer to the finish.  Next time I will aim to take one every hour or so.
3. I need to get my leg checked out by a doctor, asap!
4. This experience, which was probably the best day of my life, would have been more fun if I felt like I had earned it.  I am so excited to start actually training once my leg heals!

 Have you done any half/marathons?  What was your experience like?