Warning: I feel like I am rambling. Stick with me, there is good stuff- you just have to look for it.
After the Race
The best investment I made during my 1/2 marathon was paying 5 bucks for some company to text my loved ones as I crossed different parts of the course (when I started, at 3 miles, at 6, around 10 and then when I finished). I'd double hop on the sensors when crossing them to make sure everyone knew where I was in the course. This was especially helpful for my husband because it let him know when I started the race so that he could wake up and head up towards the finish line. My mom had my kids and she was able to follow along 60 miles away from the finish line.
As soon as I crossed the finish line I was given a medal. A real life medal! This one:
After getting my medal, I grabbed my iPhone to call my mommy! The conversation went like this:
Me (bawling the entire time): "Mom, I did it! I really did it!"
Mom: "of course you did and now you never need to do it again"
Can you tell that she was a bit worried about the entire experience? :) I couldn't believe that I had completed a 1/2 marathon! Amazing is the only word that I had. After calling my mom, I somehow made my way to the "finishers area". There were people everywhere handing out fuel. I took a banana and a chocolate milk. It was the best chocolate milk I've ever had. I thought about sitting down, but worried that I'd never get back up again. It was so cool to see so many people finishing that had started around the same time as me. I was normal (as normal as it is to run/walk 13.1 miles for fun!) I wasn't the last girl on the course. I had met my goal! I finished and felt great.
After eating a banana I called hubby. He was waiting for me at the baggage pick up. He had made it! It means the world to me to know that I was walking towards someone who had loved and supported me through the entire experience. There were so many people! I walked past the medic tent where I saw people with huge bags of ice on their knees. I didn't need that. I had trained. I had prepared. I didn't need ice. I didn't need advil. I just needed a skinny carmel latte!
Hubby was waiting for me at baggage pick-up. The meeting up was seamless! We got my bag and headed towards Starbucks. He stood in a very long line (apparently I am not the only runner that likes a good latte) and I made my way to the bathroom while wearing my medal. This sweet lady in line at the bathroom saw me waiting and said, "Congratulations on finishing". YES, she gets it! It was all about finishing. I had finished.
In case you ever wondered- it is very hard to get up from the toilet after moving your body nonstop for nearly 3 hours!
We made our way home. I slept part of the way. My mom had made a great victory dinner for all of us to enjoy. I slept good that night.
The week after my 1/2 was hard. I was sad. School and the 1/2 ended at the same time. I was a bit lost. I lacked direction. I didn't want to run, but my other workouts didn't give me the umph that I got from running. It's almost 3 weeks later and I am still struggling to figure out this post-race, post-school routine.
Do I do another 1/2? Maybe! Do I starting to think about a full marathon? Nope, not at all! I have no desire to complete that distance or commit to the training necessary to do it well.
Mostly I am thinking about doing a triathlon. I got so bored training for this 1/2 and think I'd really enjoy the training if I was doing multiple sports at once. I swam in high school. I know how to swim, but am not fast and I've NEVER swam in open water. I love spin class. I don't even own a bike. Must get a bike if I am going to do a tri. :) Lots to think about....
I still have a numb big toe from running, but everything else has returned to normal. I'm going to spend the next few weeks focusing on my eating. During training, I could eat whatever I wanted, but I'm finding that my body no longer needs to extra fuel and it's showing up in places that I don't like. THANK YOU so much for the kind messages and support that I've received during training. It meant the world to me and kept me going on those more difficult runs. Here's to the next adventure!
~Kari
