Not quite what I hoped, but still a PR!

Thanks so much to all of you for your wardrobe advice. I found that everyone was right about wearing just a long sleeve over a short sleeve; if I had the jacket I had planned on I would have been sweating. BUT- (for me) I was right to wear pants when everyone suggested shorts. I would have gone with tights, but don't have any yet (it isn't often cold enough here for it). I was freezing until about the third mile, and even once I became comfortable my bottom half never got hot. I find running when my legs are cold very difficult.

Ok...so leading up to the race: Friday night cookie party with the ladies. Went really well; I think I (seriously) only ate three cookies. Two whole ones, and a couple of random bites of others. This isn't too bad since we made 5 kinds! As soon as my internet connection improves at home I still have to put up pics of Thanksgiving, the Christmas tree, and now the cookies. We made snickerdoodles, peanut butter blossoms (with the Hershey kisses), sugar cookies, katy-dids, and key lime white chocolate chip cookies. We had some wine and cheese, but I only had a glass and a couple bites of cheese and cracker, which is REALLY good for me. The only bad part was we finished up late and I didn't eat dinner until 9:30, which was a mistake. I had pasta and plain 'ol tomato sauce. I had everything mostly together but still didn't get to bed until after 11...that is something else I really need to work on in the future.

My alarm went off at 5, and there were two immediate problems: my husband was STILL not back from going out with his friends, and my stomach was all on edge. The second problem was the result of the first, coupled with the cookies and late night dinner, I think. I could have killed him and blame him for my not having a better race :(

In New Orleans things don't close until 6 (if they do at all), so late nights are not completely out of the ordinary...It's also not unusual for him to be out late (he's Latin and in South America you don't even go out until after 12...). And if he does drink he will stay with friends to be on the safe side, but always answers his phone. I called like a maniac my whole ride to Baton Rouge, which is a little over an hour. I probably called 10 times. He wasn't answering and I became more and more nervous....either he had crashed and was in a ditch somewhere, had lost his phone, or was somehow sleeping through it. I figured he had lost it and tried not to worry, but come on- he knew I was getting up for my race and the least he could do is borrow a friend's phone.

Needless to say I had to run the whole race (without my phone) wondering where he was and if he was ok. After the race I borrowed Lauren's phone and found out that he had left the phone at his friends house and hadn't picked it up until he dropped his friend off at like 7 (I know- who needs to go out until 7!!). At which point he called me and left a message, but my phone was in Lauren's dad's car....so I was pissed. I asked him why he hadn't called to tell me this (from Jay's phone) and he said he didn't want me to be mad that they had gone to New Orleans (an hour drive) when he had told me he was just going up the street to hang out.....As if I'm not more mad that I had to stress out all morning and have my race ruined!!

So anyway- aside from being nervous we got to the start at about 6:45, and jumped in the Port-o-Let line and were able to hit the bathroom and walk to the start right before things got underway. It was really perfect. We only had to stand in the cold for about 5 minutes. The race took off, and it was a REALLY slow start. And I had the inevitable walkers right in front of me!! Grrr...I just don't get it; I have walked things before and ALWAYS line up at the back! The street was really narrow, and we wound through some neighborhoods. It was really cool that some local families would be out in their yards, drinking coffee and holding signs for their friends, cheering everyone on.

Miles 1-3 were good, but I was off pace from the beginning (to be under 2 hours) given that the first mile was 9:24. I think mentally for me to eventually get under 2 hours I am going to HAVE to have banked a couple of minutes over the first half of the race. I know negative splits are better, but I just psyche myself out knowing that I will have to run the second half (when I am tired) faster. Miles 2 and 3 were on pace at I think 9:06 and 9:07, and things stayed pretty even through 8, but I never made the time up.

We wound through neighborhoods, around the lake, through LSU campus, and it was a really invigorating morning and a nice time to run. There were some purely perfect moments in there too....moments where I just had to smile to myself over how happy I was to be out running...finishing 13.1 miles before half of Baton Rouge (this college part anyway!) would even be up!

The water stations were really unique too- apparently they have a competition for a 'golden egg' trophy (the marathon mascot is a chicken) for the best, most creative, most supportive volunteer station. The first one everyon was in camouflage, exercising, doing push-ups, doing jumping jacks, cheering everyone on. It was really great. Another had women dressed up as sexy vixens, another gave out candy and fruit, another had some coconut bikinis (on men!). So it was really fun.

Miles 8-10 were HORRIBLE in terms of HILLS they LIED about in the race flyer touting a FAST, FLAT COURSE. I didn't know that many hills existed around here. And these were real ones; not the baby kind I mentioned in the Ole Man River Half Marathon. They were also one after another, though luckily there WAS down hill between each one. I did laugh though at the sign someone had put up at the bottom of the last hill that stated, "HILLS, WHAT HILLS?" with a smiley face. It made my smile :)

By mile 10 the hills were done but so were my legs. On the last hill I had started following these two girls who were trucking right along. I had hoped to stick with them and meet my goal. (Not sure what their time ended up being, but if they weren't under 2 hours they were REALLY close). By 11 miles, though, I just couldn't keep up. My hip flexors and hamstrings and piriformis were REALLY tight, and by mile 12 I was again fighting a side stitch. (Same place in the race as last time!!). At mile 12 I was at 1:42 and change. Without the side cramp maybe I could have charged through it, but 18 minutes for 2.1 after already having run 11 miles would be really difficult for me; I am still new to these distances.

Regardless, it didn't happen. I was going slower and slower due to the cramp, and was really just aiming to finish running and not walking!! A couple of guys flew past me in the last 100 yards, and that was kind of defeating, but then another guy was trying and my competitive nature kicked in and I thought, "Not so fast, pal!" and kicked it in enough to finish ahead of him :)

Official chip time, 2:03:08 (I think)...Garmin had 2:02:55. I need to check for official splits, but I think I got off pace during hills, and never recovered. STILL, that's almost a minute and half off my first half marathon time. Not bad for being all nervous about my Very Naughty Spouse and going on 5.5 hours sleep! So I'll be happy with it for now, but I will get under 2 soon, darn it!!

So the night before, when Lauren called me from packet pick-up I said, "Ok, see you tomorrow...when I'm going to finish under 2 and you under 2 and a half!" (Her PR was 2:36 and change...) AND.....she did it!! Good job Lauren! She finished in 2:29:54!

Afterwards we enjoyed a few post race beers with Lauren's old friend Wendy, who missed our race because we ran too fast!! We also had some alligator sauce piquante, some jambalaya, gumbo, cookies, bananas and a hotdog (and I wonder why I wasn't hungry the rest of the day!). This race also had great stuff! The shirt was navy blue, not obnoxious in any way, long sleeve and technical fabric. Yay! We also got Brooks running gloves, and the medal is really pretty. Again, eventually I will have a picture day and put up a bunch of stuff.

Later I headed home, stopping to get some Christmas shopping done along the way. Yes, I know, probably not the nicest for the other customers in the store, but I was pretty tired and didn't want to go home and shower and then go back out...When I finally did get home I showered, layed in bed, and proceeded to eat 5 cookies while reading my book. Then I took a nap and woke up to my husband calling to see what he should pick up for dinner. He ended up finding boiled crawfish (I didn't think the season started yet, but whatever) and brought that home with corn and potatoes. I stuffed myself some more, ate more cookies, and went to bed at 9 to sleep until 8:30 am!

Ironically I was still tired yesterday...I have my fingers crossed, but think I'm coming down with something. Yesterday I worked but still felt tired and sore all day. Last night another coworker had a Christmas movie party, and we all chowed down again (cocktail weenies in crescent rolls, peanut butter pie, chocolate fondue, bread pudding, delicious queso dip and tortilla chips, popcorn, m&ms, eggnog, spiked cocoa, pumpkin beer....so I spent another night tossing and turning. Ugh. I have a wedding shower and a wedding at the end of this month (where I have to wear dresses) so I vow to tone it down from here on out. I have been feeling like crap and diet is more than half the reason.

So hear are some things I learned from the half marathon:

1) no more skipping long runs!
2) no alcohol for at least 2 days before.
3) eat better!
4) more core! I think I get my side stitches from breathing shallowly due to back cramps.
5) more stretching. For reals this time.
6) more sleep. At least 8 hours for three nights before the race (really hard with my schedule!)
7) don't become mentally undone if a couple of seconds off pace.
8) sleep more.
9) ground spouse.
10) did I mention sleep more?