My half marathon!!!

What an amazing experience, I completed my first Half Marathon this past Sunday and it feels GREAT!!! I am so glad that I found Jackie she was a great running partner and an amazing friend. She got me through the hard training and I couldn't have done it without her.

I left for La Jolla early Saturday Morning, my mom came with me. When we arrived in La Jolla the first thing I did was pick up my race packet and T-Shirt, had some lunch at the expo then we headed over to our hotel. When we arrived to the hotel our room wasn't ready so we decided to hang out at the beach since our hotel was across the St. from the beach. The kids really enjoyed the beach, building sand castles and collecting sea shells. After a couple of hrs on the beach I received a call to let me know our room was ready, we checked in and what an Beautiful view I had of the beach, it was absolutely beautiful I didn't want to leave my room I felt so relaxed. Shortly after my dad and a friend arrived and we decided we had a kitchen in our room that we would go to the market and cook our own dinner. We went to the local market picked up some steaks, chicken, salad mix, rice, and a loaf of artisian bread. We got to the room and started cooking my Pre-Race Dinner. It was Delicious, I'm so glad we didn't go to a restaurant it was so nice to eat and be comfortable. After our dinner we all went to the beach for a walk, La Jolla at night was so nice the sound of the waves and seals gave me a relaxation feeling and I couldn't wait to get back to my room and go to sleep. I was in bed by 9:30 and let me just say I didn't get the rest I was hoping for, the sound of the waves was the best, but I had taken a laxative early in the afternoon so the effects were still looming and had to get up a couple of time to use the rest room and I also think my nerves had something to do with it. The night went so fast I was up by 4:15 AM and received a msg from Jackie that she was on her way to my hotel, I jumped in the shower, got dressed and had a small breakfast of oat meal and wheat thin bagel with peanut butter, I also took some Immodium AD to stop the effects of the laxatives. When I made my way downstairs it was CHAOS!!! The line for the busses that were taking the runners to the start line was CRAZY!!! I couldn't find Jackie I was looking but knew that she had probably jumped in line and knew that I wasn't going to find her, I got in line and made it the start line, when I got off the bus I searched for her and couldn't find her, I was then trying to prepare to start this race without her and wasn't happy about it. After a few mins of searrching I jumped in line for the porta potty's I wasn't even in line for 5 mins when Jackie Found me!!! We were so happy to see each other, I was soooooo HAPPY!!! Once I found her I knew I was going to have a great start. Jackie and I then did a stretch and small warm up and it was soon after that we had to make our way to the START. Here was the moment of truth we were going to find out if all the hard training was going to pay off. Once we were off the adrenaline kicked in and the feeling was good 13.1 miles I was ready, Jackie and I stuck together for the first half of the race and then I was on my own, La Jolla course was tough there was alot of hills and a 420' elevation trail run, once I got through that I enjoyed the beautiful scenic route but didn't allow it to distract me, I was focused. By mile #10 I was feeling really good and then mile # 12 came and oh boy really did they have to put a hill on the last mile!!! When I finally got through that last hill it was good as soon as I seen the finish line this burst of energy took over and I sprinted to the finish. My goal was to finish under 2 hrs and my chip time was 1:57:41!!! Yeah I had done it and it felt AMAZING, I was so emotional and happy that I had completed my first half marathon, the feeling is undescribable. When I found my family at the end I was so happy and they were so happy and proud that I had finished. Shortly after we ran into Jackie and her family her time was 1:54 I was only 3 mins behind her. We were so happy!!!! There is nothing I regret my time was PERFECT!!!


After a couple of pictures I was ready to go back to my room and take a hot shower, there was a beer garden that I had planned on enjoying after the race, but I think after all that running you don't even think about putting a drink in your body, so it was up to my room for a much needed shower. When I took off my running shoes I discovered a Blood Blister on my foot!! I knew the shoes I had worn were the wrong ones, the good thing is that the blister didn't bother me while I was running.

Yes I had to take a picture!!!! It was soo gross, I had to pop it the second I got a hold of a needle.(oh and some alcohol) Once I was showered all I wanted to do was enjoy a beer on the patio, I called the hotel it was 10:45 and check out was 11 I was going to ask for a 12PM check out, But could you believe they wanted 100. for a late check out!!! I told them forget it I'll get out. I checked out and then we were on our way home. We were trying to figure out lunch and the one meal I wanted to have after my first half marathon was IN-N-OUT Burgers!!! Oh yes my post race meal was so Freakin GOOD!!! When we got home my mom offered to take the kids home so I could get some rest, I took advantage and said yes!!! But ofcourse I think I still had some adrenaline in my body but I couldn't fall asleep. I was all alone at home and I couldn't sleep, that was a big BUMMER, I don't get that opportunity that often and here I was wide awake. I called my mom and asked her to bring them back, we got dinner out of the way and shortly after it was bed time. 1st Half Marathon done!! Next is Rock N Roll San Diego, I heard it's a flatter coourse so I'm hoping to knock off some minutes, I have a good month to train.