half marathon

we are halfway there! by that i mean...our training for the marathon...and boy was that a slap in the face sunday! i didnt think i was going to have any pictures to post, but thanks to our fabulous friends that were waiting for us at mile 10 - dan, staci and becky - we have the rarely seen mid-race photo op! they were there cheering on the racers and passed out beer in dixie cups - so awesome...beer? you may ask? really? well - actually beer has carbs...and sugars...two necessities that a runner needs...so its a runner's friend. when we did the calico 30k the runners (hippies) all drank beer pre and post race and i thought..."what a good practice" - it was kinda funny too because a runner had a shirt and on the back he wrote "beer is proof God loves us...Romans ??... (i forget the verse he quoted...bummer) LONGEST BEER RUN EVER...it made me smile and anything that makes you smile when you are running for that long is a positive thing. period.

our time was around 2 hours 45 minutes and it was not a record, but it wasn't my worst time, but overall i was very happy with myself because i pretty much ran THE WHOLE TIME...which is NOT how we have been training. and by training let me just say that i really only started 3 weeks ago...we ran 6 miles and then a 10 mile (crazy run up a big butt hill) and then the half marathon...i so dont recommend this training schedule. but i had experience on my side plus confidence that my body could do it...plus not an option to walk since mandie and bryan were in such better shape and truckin along. at about mile 8 i developed a stoopid blister between my right pinkie toe and adjoining toe but that is the only thing that really bothered me...until then end my knees started acting up...but still...i felt good!

I realized how different the street runs are from the trail runs we have been training on for our long(er) runs. my feet found every bit of trail they could - a patch of grass here...a dirt island there...some sand over there...because it is so much easier on my (older) body. i love Long Beach and would probably run this one again, but that is probably the only one i would run...i think i am a trail snob now...and i'm not even mad about it...my body feels better - because of the easier impact - because i walk up the hills and because i have less noise in my head on trails. i love the crowds and the cheering and the overall group feel of a ton of people doing something together - that is empowering! but i will take my body being able to run longer and feeling better over that any day!

i also realized on this run that every race i have done i have done with bryan and mandie...so cool...running has helped form bonds between my brother and mandie and my sister and pete that has been so unexpected and neat...all 6 of us ran the O.C. half marathon in January of 2007 and we have done runs together here and there. i remembered writing this post shortly after i started this blog and read it the night before to encourage me...and it did...i got all pumped and remembered that even though i havent been as serious about my training as before i am still after all a "runner" and my body can do this and knows how and will do it despite my mind tricks!

P.S. i am only writing this after the pain has subsided and i can walk *somewhat* normal again. so take that into account...:)