Thankful 13 Half Marathon 2012

Happy gobble, gobble day!!!  I started the day off the best way I could possibly think of.  I paced the 1:45 group for the Thankful 13 Half Marathon.  The temperature was perfect, it was a bit windy but at least it wasn't raining or, heaven help me, snowing.  The race started at 8 which meant that I got to sleep in, woo hoo!  Nine plus hours of sleep does a body good...REALLY good!

 Let's back up a little to yesterdee shall we?!?  I did EVERYTHING in my power to make sure that I was ready to keep my assigned pace.  Usually an 8 minute pace is easy for me but after Saturday's practice run I was a little nervous.  I foam rolled, did the P90X stretch DVD, drank my Nuun, had a carbilicious meal, ate not 1 but 2 chocolate cake donuts :) and slathered my legs in Deep Blue.  Deep Blue is from doTerra and my neighbor just happened to have some.  I begged and pleaded with her to let me use some, just kidding she is the nicest gal in town and was happy to pass it along.  I also slept in my Pro Compression stockings.

Holly and Jorge picked me up at 6:45 and we headed to the race.  We sat in the cozy car and watched a man fighting with his head dress, it was awesome!  There were a few people who were dressed up which was fun to see.  We got all lined up and we were off.  I wanted to try to bank a little time seems how I had ran the course and knew that the last couple miles were going to be a little tough. 

At about mile 3 some guy caught up to me and said "You're going a little fast for 1:45 aren't you?"  People can be pretty rude to pacers.  I wasn't that far ahead maybe one minute, relax dude!!  I decided to slow down a little, your welcome crabby patty, which made me nervous, I like to bank a little time so I can walk through aid stations.  Refueling while running can be somewhat difficult and I like to make sure that I give my followers a chance to grab a drink and such.

I had a number of different people who were trying to stick with me but this course was a little harder than I think people were expecting.  Did I mention that it was WINDY?  Wind can really put a damper on things.  At one point when there was a really strong headwind I tried to draft off a couple of fellers.  Apparently the wind was slowing them down too though so I had to try to pass them...they wouldn't have it.  They saw my sign and got in front of me again.  I wanted to chat it up with them but I could tell that they weren't the chatty Kathy types.  They were obviously friends and they both had earphones.  There was no talking going on between them and I didn't want to bug them.  We ran alongside each other for a while and then a little downhill came so I zipped past them.  That was my one chance to try to bank a little time for the hill that I knew was coming.

Not only did the hill come but a really ugly headwind...RUDE!!!  My Fuelbelt had been driving me crazy the entire time and I had dropped my gloves twice already so at around mile 11 or 12 I threw them both to the side of the road.  I needed all the help I could get, I was going to be cutting it close and I knew it.

Thankfully the last mile was slightly downhill so I was able to make up a little time that I had lost chatting with a guy at around mile 9.  I don't know my exact time but I think I got pretty dang close to 1:45, maybe a few seconds off.  Unfortunately none of my followers made it in with me, that blasted wind was brutal.

This race was amazing.  I ran with my Fuelbelt because I was nervous about there being enough volunteers along the course.  I have heard stories about races running out of water or not having enough aid stations along the course (I have not experienced this myself though).  I figured with it being Thanksgiving and all that I had better carry my own fuel just in case.  There were plenty of volunteers and they were amazing!!!  I am so grateful for all the volunteers!!!

The finish line had pumpkin pie, hot chocolate and cake.  Too bad for me I didn't feel like eating anything.  I grabbed a couple cups of water and called it good.  This race was so well organized, it went off without a hitch.  I'm so glad that there is finally a half marathon on Thanksgiving Day.  Sorry but a 5K just won't cut it on a day of feasting ;)  The course was beautiful and did I mention that the volunteers ROCKED?!?  Yes, they were awesome!  On this day of thanks giving I am very thankful that I was able to run this race.  LOVED IT!

Now it's time to head over to Mama Jex's house for a delicious feast.  I hope you are all having a wonderful day.  Happy Thanksgiving!!!

And for your enjoyment, check out my post from last Thanksgiving, just in case you are bored and need a chuckle :) Your welcome!

Febreze Addicted Robot!!!

So we have, what, 16 days until Thanksgiving?  I don't know about you but I have always loved doing a long run on Thanksgiving Day morning.  If I know ahead of time that I'm going to be eating myself into a coma I try to burn some extra calories that day.  Anyways, I am pacing the Thankful 13 Half Marathon, I can't wait!  I will be pacing the 1:45 group and would love lots of followers, so why not sign up and come run with me :)

  

After last year's Thanksgiving Day Massacre I decided that there will be NO treadmill running for me on this day of giving thanks.  I have always wondered why there are a million 5K's on Thanksgiving but no longer distance races.  Sorry but if I'm going to eat myself sick I want to run many, many miles...bring on the stuffing!! 

Plus I am participating in Pile on the Miles so what better way to get some miles in?!?

Now onto other news...I am addicted to Febreze!  Weird, I know.  I am LOVING their fall scents.  I have the limited edition pumpkin harvest and apple spice & delight and DELIGHT it is :)  I drive my family crazy as I skip around the house spraying my Febreze...okay maybe I don't skip but I guess you'll never know!!

Apparently, I'm also a robot!  The other day I was trying to comment on a blog and it was encrypted, or whatever that's called.  Anyways, I typed at least 15 different words and every time it was wrong.  I finally decided to listen to the letters.  Holy crap, that was just down right scary!  It sounded like my computer was possessed!  Don't EVER listen to the "word!"

Lastly, I have finally signed up on the Twitter!  Truth be told I don't get it.  Why tweet?  I haven't done much of anything on it.  When Facebook first came out they joked about people posting things like: "I'm going to Costco!" or whatever mundane thing they were doing right that very minute.  To me Twitter is MUCH worse than Facebook.  "I just ate spinach!"  Well, whoopity doo da...am I supposed to care?!?  Sorry if you are a fan of Twitter and I really want to like it I just don't think I get it.  I don't get the #eatspinach or #whatever.  If someone can please give me a lesson on #Twitter #I #would #greatly #appreciate #it.  It must be better than what I have made it out to be, please help!  Find me on Twitter: Stephanie Anderson @runlilmamarun

Halloween Half Marathon 2012

Ever since last year's Halloween Half I have been looking forward to running it again.  Holly and I were assigned the 1:40 pace group which was going to be perfect...I thought!  After taking an entire week off of running after the NWM and then having a week of not so good runs I was more than a little nervous.  Usually a 1:40 half marathon would be a nice comfortable run for me (I haven't run one that slow other than pacing for YEARS).  I knew, however, that this race was going to be different.  I tried to get the "pace master" to switch us to the 1:45 group but he didn't go for it, oh well.

Friday morning we went to the packet pick up which was A LOT better than last years, hallelujah!!  I did everything possible to set myself up for a good run.  I did the P90X stretch DVD, had my Zipfizz concoction, properly carbo loaded and made sure to get plenty of sleep.

Jorge and Holly picked me up at 5:10 and we headed to the mall to get on the Le Bus!  We climbed onto Le Bus and as we were walking to our seats I spotted Skip...YAY!!  If you want free entertainment hang out with Skip :)  We weren't near him on the bus but don't worry we could still hear him.  We were some of the first to get into the huge heated tent at the starting line.  That meant a good 2 hours plus of being entertained by our bouncing buddy!

Skip, Holly and I argued about whose legs were the skinniest...I would have to say that Skip's are the winner!!!  Holly's were a close 2nd or vice versa, they both have skeleton legs ;)

After we were entertained with a costume contest and partook of Paul's Swedish Fish, thank you Paul (not that he reads this or even knows who I am) we were off.  Did I mention that it was FREEZING?  Yes, FREEZING!  I was running on 2 blocks of ice disguised as feet for at least 6 miles.  Then I got really warm and wanted to rip my blouse off!!

They changed the course quite a bit this year.  Instead of 6ish miles straight downhill we did a little less than 3 down Sundance.  I was just fine running our pace downhill but as soon as we flattened out I pooped out.  I knew I wasn't ready to keep such a pace...I'm smarter ;)

We were a little ahead of pace so I made Holly slow down which was a BIG mistake, actually I probably would have killed over had I not, but it messed us up.  At about mile 6 or so we had to run up a NEVER ENDING hill...rude!  We got to run down it but whatever, I was tired and just wanted to be done.  I kept trying to get Holly to leave me but she refused!  I kept seeing us getting further and further behind schedule.  Holly pointed out that we didn't have ANY followers and that it didn't really matter if we came in late.  Then again I am a little OCD and a bit of a perfectionist and I DIDN'T want to come in late.  As I think back I should have just been the "unofficial" 1:45 pacer and taken it down a notch...next time ;) 

We were at about mile 12 when Holly said my mantra "Strong.Steady.Smooth!!"  She said it at just the right moment, sometimes I forget about my trusty little mantra.  We turned onto the home stretch and went for it.  When I crossed the finish line my name came up on the screen and it said 1:40:01...YAY!!!  We did it!  My official time says 1:40:17 but I will just go with what I saw on the screen :)  We were both sure that we were going to be a couple minutes off so 17 seconds slow was amazing to me. 

Our families were there to cheer us on and I loved it.  This years race wasn't all that I had built it up to be in my little brain.  It wasn't the races fault, it was my fault!  I knew that my body was still recovering from 26.2 miles.  That's a long ways to run ya' know?!?  I also expected a much faster course, that will teach me to look at the race course ahead of time!

Although I struggled through a good portion of this race I absolutely loved it.  It's always fun to see the crazy costumes that people come up with.  It was sad that we didn't get to have any followers but realistically I don't think I would have been able to talk to them anyways!