OUC Half Marathon: Race Report

My two biggest fans before the start...it's awfully early !  

The official race report is .... I did it !  I completed my first Half Marathon and absolutely loved it !  The race was held on December 3rd.

 I had been paying close attention to my training splits and really figured I would finish in about 2:15.  Always having to set a "better" goal, I alerted my family that I would really be trying for 2:10.  At the starting line, my father (always pushing me just a tad more) suggests that he thinks I can do it in 2:05.

Final chip time:  2:02:17  I was thrilled !!

The race was great.  The weather was great.  It was really well organized.  Apparently, they have quite a bit of experience since this was the 35th annual race.

My husband, my children and I arrived the night before and picked up my packet.  That took one stress factor away because I would be arriving to the starting line with my family in tow and I didn't really want to have to get there any earlier than absolutely necessary.  My father even arrived to meet us at the hotel at O-Dark-thirty to drive to the race with us that morning.

I was surprised to find myself a little nervous (and definitely excited) the night before and the morning of the race.  I was really praying that my knee would not bother me too much (after an awful trip and fall on the sidewalk in November during an 11 mile training run).  After the fall, the pain had been quite intense but I had really decided that I only had a few weeks until the race and I was going to finish the training and run the race as long as I could tolerate it.  Glory to God for all things, I was able to get through those last few weeks.  I cut out all of my weights, my cross-training etc...and just did the running that I had scheduled each week.

I had planned to start out slow and easy.  I have not run races at this distance so I tried to read a bit about strategy -everything I read said to stay slow and steady.  That was my plan - not to burn out - so that I could finish strong.

A few weeks before the race, my sweet Aunt sent me an early Christmas present....a Garmin !  Oh, I love this thing.

The first few miles just flew by.  I didn't think about my knee, I didn't think about my breathing...I just felt like I was flying through the miles.  (I know, a 9:20 pace does not actually constitute "flying" in the world of running...but I never said I was a FAST runner).  For me, this was a pretty quick pace to stay with the whole time.  But I was feeling good.

I saw my family at the starting area, about 1/4 mile after the gun.  I figured I wouldn't see them again until the finish.

Lo and behold, at precisely the 6.5 mile mark I see the gang in the distance.  My husband, my kids in the BOB stroller and my Dad !  I was waving, giving the old "fist pump", yelling out my time for them...Oh, I cannot even tell you the joy that little visit gave me.  I can't lie, I ran to the side to kiss and squeeze my kids !

The next few miles continued to feel strong.  Then I hit mile 10 and I just felt like I hit a wall.  I had to start pushing myself to maintain my pace.  Mile 11 came and my iPod went DEAD.  Dead !  No music.  None of the last few energizing, motivating songs that I put on there for the last 3 miles???  I was SO mad I wanted to throw the whole thing to the curb !  But I looked at my watch and noticed I was on course for a sub 2:05.  Heck, if I pulled out some speed for the last two miles I could go below 2 hours.  Wow, my father would be shocked if I pulled that one off !  While logically, that wasn't possible....I tried anyway (sucker for a challenge).  I picked up the pace to where it needed to be for that time, but couldn't hold it.  I couldn't hold it for 2 minutes at that point, never mind 2 more miles.  I tried that twice.  I was done.  I pushed to maintain that sub 9:30 pace I had kept the whole race and next saw my dad at the 13 mile mark, with the finish line in sight.  He yelled out to me and I could honestly barely raise my arms to him.  My hubby and kids were a little bit before the finish line and the sight of my them brought tears to my eyes !

I am already planning on another one...I loved it !  Next time, I'm dragging my sister along with me.  Thirteen miles is a long way to go alone !


Mile 1  9:34
Mile 2  9:20
Mile 3  9:37
Mile 4  9:33
Mile 5  9:18
Mile 6  9:17
Mile 7  9:12
Mile 8  9:08
Mile 9  9:24
Mile 10  9:21
Mile 11  9:30
Mile 12  9:17
Mile 13  9:32
plus a smidge...

It's time to head home...Mama is TIRED !

Mother's Daybook Entry (modified)

Outside my window

My windows are open as I prepare the house for sleep...it really is a beautiful night, I have no complaints.  Earlier today, I WAS complaining that it was too warm to be December weather - so I do hope the days cool back down the way they were a week ago !  

I am thankful

For all of my family and friends who supported me on my quest to run my first half marathon !  I did it - full race report to follow !  

From the kitchen

We are smack in the middle of the Nativity Fast - so there is nothing extravagant going on in the kitchen right now.  I will say that breakfast is sometimes a challenge for my husband, since he often has to be able to eat something that can be eaten on the go and that does not really require any preparation. So during the Fasts, I usually try to prepare some kind of breakfast bar, smoothie, or muffin that he can take.  The problem is that the muffins I make in the typical cupcake pan are not filling enough and he takes about 4 of them !  I decided to go to Michael's armed with a 50% off coupon and get a larger muffin pan.  They had two big choices - KING and JUMBO.  I went with the biggest !  

Needless to say, these are gigantic !  They are MORE than a meal...they are more like a mini-cake !  I DARE him to say these did not fill him up.  I didn't even have anything to store them in so I had to use my soup containers that I use when I make broth !  One for each muffin !  I have to admit that I went back to the store and bought the jumbo size yesterday....I think they might work out a little better !  I just thought I would share a bit of kitchen  humor !!! 

I am thinking

I am eagerly awaiting this upcoming weekend when I will be so blessed to baptize a little boy, Gabriel !  What an honor.  I cannot wait for this weekend...post to follow (with pics of course) !  

I am wearing

BOOTS !  I am wearing boots !  I don't actually NEED to be wearing boots, but I am.  I am wearing them because it is December and one should not be wearing flip-flops or sandals in December.  I just can't bring myself to do it anymore.  I decided I could forego the tights right now, but the boots have come out of the storage boxes !  

We are creating

The kids are always busy creating something.  Although I am truly the least crafty woman I know, I can google with the best of them !  I may not come up with the good ideas, but I can certainly follow directions !  The kids wanted to make a craft to bring to Yiayia and Popou's house for Thanksgiving, so we made these place card settings.  

A few plans for the rest of the week

Tomorrow we celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas.  My children and I will attend Church services and then we are going to continue to make it a special day.  We plan to meet some friends and go to the Children's Museum !  It will be our first time there and we are really excited !  Of course, there are a lot of special activities going on right now during the Christmas season - so we are busy every single day !  As a matter of fact, sometimes we are so busy we fall asleep in the weirdest of places !  

on my iPod

Well, that thing went DEAD at the 10 mile mark of a 13.1 mile race....I was NOT a happy camper.  I am quite sure I charged it fully...you would think it would last 2 hours !  (hmm, perhaps I could justify a few minutes off of my final time if it had kept working)!  

Beauty in the home/Around the house

The home is decorated for Christmas. We put our tree and decorations up the day after Thanksgiving. The kids were so excited !  Usually we wait to decorate a little later in the season because with toddlers it can be a disaster...BUT we took a chance now that Demetri is 3 and so far he has only destroyed one ornament ! 

Sophia

My little girl is really enjoying school.  She loves her gymnastics.  She can't wait for Church every week.  She wishes she had Greek dance every night.  She is just really loving and enjoying life right now and that makes for a very happy Mama !  Of course, she is five.  We have our arguments about clothes, hair, ice cream, cleaning her room. She whines, never wants to sleep, throws her clothes all over the floor constantly.  But to me, she is the BEST little girl in the world and I cannot imagine even a MINUTE without her in my life !  I just look at her smile and she lights up my whole day !  I am so thankful for the little Blessing that I am honored to call my daughter !  

Demetrios

I have a 3 year old who loves to watch the sun come up.  Literally.  He gets excited when he wakes up and it is still dark out because he anticipates the sun coming up.  He asks "is it morning yet"?  And if I tell him it is not, he will go back to sleep.  If I tell him "it is, but it is very early"....he asks me to open the blinds and watch the sun !  I love that.  I love that he even notices !  

He still loves riding his bike(s).  He now has two. He has his balance bike which Yiayia and Popou gave him last year for his birthday.  He also has a new "pedal bike" (as he calls it) which they got him this year.  He didn't actually NEED a new bike really, but they thought he was jealous that his big sister had a bike like that now.  He loves to ride the pedal bike in the street, the driveway etc.  BUT when it comes to all terrain riding, going up the bumpy hills in the yard, splashing through puddles - he still grabs his balance bike and off he goes !  He is my little adventurous one !  It is so much fun to watch him.  

(as a side note:  I don't know why my pictures are not uploading correctly to the blog.  Most of them have a weird hue, or lines going through them.  If anyone knows why this is, or how to fix it...feel free to leave me a note).