Belinda and I. The running duo. The 1st half marathon for both of us.
For five months, we were dedicated in our training. We had a strict schedule and we did a heck of a job sticking to it. We did our final long run two weeks before the race...12.5 miles. We were ready. And then...boom...it hit. Bronchitis (Belinda) and an injured foot (myself).
Day of the race -
6:20 am - The two of us headed to the START of the race. Belinda full of her antibiotics and myself trying to ignore the pain in my right foot.
7:00 am - The half marathon begins. The only way I can run without feeling throbbing pain in my right foot is by running on the ball of that foot. Belinda is chipper and is feeling great. I am extremely nervous inside wondering how my foot will handle 12.1 more miles.
I lose track of time but am counting down the miles at this point. On miles 2-4, we run two of the steepest hills I believe I have ever run in my life. We make it over them.
Miles 4, 5, & 6...my foot still hurts and I continue to run on the ball of my foot. My stomach begins to growl. This is not normal. I never get hungry like this on my long runs. Belinda is still quite chipper, but unusually quiet. I am too. You see, after those five months of training together, we never ran out of things to say. All of a sudden, nothing.
Miles 6, 7, 8, & 9... I am just continuing to get hungrier by the stride. I am dreaming of food. I remember back to mile 5 or 6, a fan was handing out tootsie rolls. Why had I not taken one!? I was dreaming of that tootsie roll. Suddenly, I realized at mile 10, we would be getting the "Goo". This was the stuff I never ate while we were training because it was so disgusting it made me want to vomit. I was now dreaming of this "Goo". We could not make it to mile 10 soon enough. I ran past a fan sitting on the side of the road in her comfy camping chair snacking on Doritos. I almost stopped to ask her if I could have some. I don't know why I didn't. Stupid. Visions of all kinds of foods were swirling in my head. At one point, I yelled out, "I just want a spoonful of peanut butter!" (Next half marathon, I will have my handy fanny pouch full of snacks.) Fatigue is setting in for both of us. Belinda is starting to struggle now too. At one point, I told her, "I think I'm gonna have to stop and walk." She replied with this, "Oh no you're not!" Why are you so mean Belinda? I kept running but slowed the pace dramatically.
Mile 10... The "Goo"!!! It was absolutely disgusting but I downed that tube. Belinda declined the "Goo" and just settled for the water and Gatorade. She hates that stuff more than I do. I am feeling a little better after taking that nasty stuff, but Belinda starts to really slow down. Then she says those awful words, "I think I'm gonna throw up". She stopped and my crazy partner tells me to keep going! Absolutely not! I notice a fan walking towards Belinda. She offers Belinda a water bottle. Belinda declines. I reach out my hand and take it for myself. It was so cool and refreshing. The water provided at all the 2 mile marks were so warm. That was a refreshing difference.
I know people that are now passing us have to be thinking, "Did these two crazy ladies even train?!". YES!!!
Miles 11, 12, and 13...The longest 3 miles of my life. I no longer feel the pain in my foot. I believe that went numb back around mile 8. The sun is beaming down on us. It has to be 90 degrees out now...literally. During our whole 5 months of training, we never stopped to walk except on our 1st run together (Belinda had just given birth 5 weeks prior to that run). We were now walking every 2-3 minutes.
The final 1/4 mile... I see my dad. I almost begin to cry. We know now the FINISH is just around the corner. Once we come around that corner, I see my mom. I start crying. Then, I see my two girls and husband. Belinda and I begin to sprint.
We FINISHED!
These are who were waiting for us for 2 hours and 33 minutes. (Our time WILL be beat on our next half.)
