It is done. I finished my first half-marathon.
I can't believe I, Amy, and half-marathon are in the same sentence (with finished as the verb instead of watched or admire or something like that). There is something really weird/wild/incredible/etc. about doing something that you never would have imagined yourself doing. I know if someone would've told me in high school that I'd one day choose to run 13.1 miles, I would've laughed in their face. Running for fun was never on my life-time list of to dos.
Yet there is something incredibly rewarding about doing something that you never thought you could do. It kind of makes me start to think about what other things I thought were just outside my reach. Like, climbing Mt. Everest or wrestling a crocodile in the marshlands of Florida or water skiing down the length of the Mississippi or joining Circ De Soleil. It's like the whole wide world has opened up into a long list of now-attainable aspirations.
Okay, so I'm mostly joking about my new bucket list. I have a pretty strong grasp of what skills and talents I do not possess (like speed, jumping ability, strength, dancing skills, etc etc etc). Some things can change while others just can not. Still, I may pause one half second longer and think about if I can do something before quickly dismissing some notion. Like making a fondant cake or running 13.1 miles.
All that to say I am happy to have finished my race and I may even run another one someday. Maybe. For a while I think I'll be a 3-4 miles, 3 days a week kind of girl. That sounds kind of nice right now.
And for you hundreds of people reading this and wondering "could I run a half marathon??" The answer to that question is absolutely yes. If a slow, IT band/hip pain- infested woman (am I a woman or a girl?) who has had a baby and hated running can do it. So. Can. YOU ;).
Here is the before and after of our threesome: Amy, Katherine, Carly. And I thought I was accomplishing something, running after a baby. Katherine has two and Carly three! Way to go, ladies. You are amazing!!!
I know you're curious. We all have medals. Did we win gold, silver and bronze? In fact we did. We swept the 25-30 age woman category. Can you believe it?! I know, we're amazing. But then again you just noticed the lady in the background is wearing a medal too. She must've been in the 30-35 category.
4 comments:
So proud of all you ladies!! Your before and after picture look no different (besides the medals!)...meaning none of you look like you even broke a sweat....I would be beat red, soaking in sweat passed out on the grass in my "after" photo...that is IF i could even run a city block!! ;)
You girls are amazing! Congrats on finishing and doing an awesome job!! I'm hoping to do a half next year...you girls are my inspiration!!
Yeah Girl!!! :) Ahhh, so proud of you & Car for training so hard and completing this goal! You girls rock & I must admit, I am inspired to train and maybe do one next year. Like you though, I have not really thought of myself as a person who wants to run for fun or really enjoys it... but maybe I would? And, the feeling of training for something & finishing such a huge feat, has plenty of appeal! Carly said it was way hot.. I bet, man, can't imagine runnin' in that heat for that long! Loved the update and commentary.... a huge congrats to you all! :)
too bad i almost died in the heat!;) man, i wish we could do the october one together too.
kind of sad to see that all of our hard work is over!
love you!
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