Bring on the month of GRATITUDE! I have so much to be thankful for.
This past weekend is just a small dose of all the good things I have in my life: family, friends, health.
On Labor Day 2014 I ran a sub 2 half marathon. Since then I have run 28 more and always chasing a sub 2 hour finish. Saturday morning it happened! Let me rewind a bit... In August, Michelle joined me in Dubuque for the Alzheimer's Half Marathon. I hadn't been following a training plan and the night before I decided I would try 1 mile/ 1 minute intervals. I finished in a 2:09. I was shocked at that and felt really proud of the under 10 minute per mile average pace. At the end of September I ran the Quad Cities Half marathon in 2:03:+
With the Galena River Fall Half Marathon just one month from the QC Half, I was curious to find out if I could break 2 hours again. While I haven't been following a training plan, I have been getting in the miles and feeling really good while running. My average paces have been just under 10 per mile. It left me wondering, could I average 9:05 for 13.1 miles?
In case you didn't know, it Halloween week (hahaha) and that can be crazy at any school. Friday was a pretty crazy day with a cross country send off parade, a fire drill, and the Halloween party. By the end of the school day, I was really wiped out. After a 2 mile shakeout run and a solid dinner, I was feeling ready. My "race plan" was to run 2 miles/ walk 1 minute. It seemed like a good way to step it up from what I had done in September.
I thought for sure I would sleep well Friday night so that Saturday would be a well rested run. NOPE. I couldn't find the clothes I wanted to wear for the race. I didn't fall asleep easily Friday night. I was awake at 4 am on Saturday. OY!
As I was getting ready on Saturday morning, I got a notification on my watch that my poor sleep had increased my recovery time and that I needed to take it easy on Saturday. That wasn't what I wanted to do. I wanted to go for a sub 2 hour half marathon finish time. We pulled out of the driveway pretty close to on time but as we drove up Alona Lane, I realized that I didn't have my phone. Luckily we were still close to home and I was able to find my phone quickly.
Arrival at the race and packet pick up was smooth and simple. I used the porta potties quickly and headed back to the car to stay warm. All the nerves hit. I was in my head big time. As I was lining up at the start, Michelle gave me a hug and I began to fall apart. I cannot tell you how much it meant that Donna and Michelle were here with me this weekend. They believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. A thank you will never be enough to let them know how much I needed them in that moment. It can seem easier to give up on goals at these moments but they didn't let me forget that I had it within me to hit the goal time.
Michelle noticed something behind me and pointed for me to turn and right there was Roger and Kate. They believed that the race would be a good one for me, too.
With the strength of other believing in my, I was able to believe in myself. I was strong and ran a great race. When I came through the 11 mile mark, I passed my cheer squad and I wondered if I could hit my goal. My watch wasn't reading overall pace and the GPS had gone a little wacky so I had no idea what my time was. Michelle hollered, "1:39." That meant I had 21 minutes to make the final 2 miles.
At about 12.9, Donna and Michelle were standing and cheering for me. I felt like I could do it.
When I saw the finish line, the clock was reading, "0:00:00." That didn't help me... I ran through the finish and stopped my watch: 1:56:40!!!! I did it!
Confidence does not come easily for me, but I am starting to see my potential again.
As November begins tomorrow, I am beyond grateful for all the connections that help to build me up.
