One of my greatest concerns about the race was the time.\u00a0 The race began at 6:45 AM!\u00a0 I am a night runner and I was greatly concerned about running at a different time.\u00a0 Also, I had to get up super early to get breakfast.\u00a0 During my practice run, I had ‘runners stomach’ from my breakfast. I’d gone out on a limb and tried something new for breakfast. There was a point where I HAD to walk a mile to get to a bathroom. \u00a0 So I had been getting all kinds of advice on what to eat.\u00a0 In the end though, I ate my usual breakfast because I knew what to expect.\u00a0 I didn’t know if a bagel and cream cheese would carry\u00a0 me the whole race, but it did.\u00a0 I didn’t want to change anything the morning of.\u00a0 I got up at 5:15am and walked to our local Starbucks.\u00a0 I got the usual coffee and a bagel.\u00a0 When we got home, I put on my race clothes, and we headed to the race. It all seemed like it happened REALLY quickly.\u00a0 I was lucky enough that the start and finish were in City Park, across the street from my house.\u00a0 I arrived at the race around 6:30 AM to find my “corral”.\u00a0 When you sign up for the race, you have to say how fast you think you’ll run.\u00a0 I did NOT end up in the right corral.\u00a0 More on that later.\u00a0 My friend, Thomas Elio, who was running as well was way ahead of my wave, so we didn’t get to run together.<\/p>\n
The Just Before<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n I was feeling really emotional all morning.\u00a0 I was anxious and nervous.\u00a0 I wanted to be excited but I had a hard time.\u00a0 My stomach was in knots and I was kind of dreading the whole thing.\u00a0 I wasn’t experiencing self doubt.\u00a0 I kind of didn’t want it to be over? I knew I could do it.\u00a0 I just didn’t feel at my best and it made me even more nervous.\u00a0 Vicious cycle. When we finally got to the race and found my place in line, I asked my hubby to leave.\u00a0 Even though it would be 15-20 minutes before I started, I just wanted to be alone.\u00a0 In that time I thought about where I have come from and everything I’ve accomplished already.\u00a0 Even though I was worried about being happy with my run, I knew I had accomplished something amazing before I’d even begun.\u00a0 As I approached the start line, my eyes filled with tears thinking about what I was about to do.\u00a0 I know it seems so corny but it still happens.\u00a0 I was once again going to accomplish something I NEVER thought I could do.\u00a0 Then I had to suck up my emotions so I could actually run.\u00a0 So I blasted my Eminem and got to business.<\/p>\n The First Miles<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Someone had already warned me that the first three miles would fly by and they really did.\u00a0 You spend so much time trying not to kick the people around you and weave in and out that you don’t even realize how much has passed.\u00a0 I ran through my first two rests because I simply didn’t need them.\u00a0 The pack was traveling so slowly that I hadn’t even broken a sweat yet.\u00a0 After the first few miles everyone starts to drift apart and you can find your stride.\u00a0 Mile 2 was my fastest mile of the whole race.\u00a0 One thing I was also worried about was being able to find my zone.\u00a0 Usually in races I’m so distracted that I have trouble following my timer and can’t find the zone.\u00a0 This didn’t happen.\u00a0 Because the race was so long, nearly everyone was a serious runner and was there to run the best they could.<\/p>\n Middle Miles <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The middle miles are always where I lose track of where I am. I know it seems silly to say, but there are points where I actually forget which mile I’m in.\u00a0 I regularly run 4-5 miles.\u00a0 I’m very comfortable with this distance and know how it feels without thinking about it.\u00a0 My body falls into rhythm pretty easily.\u00a0 By the time I got to mile 6, I knew I was running strong.\u00a0 My intervals were good.\u00a0 My body felt good and mentally I felt even better.\u00a0 By the time 6.5 miles hits, which is halfway, I knew I could do it.\u00a0 I completely forgot miles 6-10.\u00a0\u00a0 I know this seems crazy, especially to those that don’t run.\u00a0 But I just lost track.\u00a0 I don’t remember hearing my time for mile 7 or 8.\u00a0 At this point, I’m just running.\u00a0 The intervals feel shorter (even though they aren’t) and my body is relaxed.\u00a0 I also get to eat during this part of the race, which distracts me from thinking about how much farther I need to go.\u00a0 I ate during mile 7-8 this time which is my usual.\u00a0 I knew I had to eat before I got to the next water station. So I did, just in time to drink again.\u00a0 They had water stations every two miles, which of course I had pre-trained myself for.\u00a0 The water was cold and glorious every time!<\/p>\n The Death Miles <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Most runners have a mileage they hate.\u00a0 For me it’s mile 9 to 10.\u00a0 At this point I’ve eaten so i should feel better right?\u00a0 Usually my body feels fine at this point but I’m starting to get bored. Every time I’ve run more than 10 miles, I hate mile 9..\u00a0 I’m thinking, “Seriously, how much farther?”<\/em> It didn’t’ happen in the race.<\/p>\n When I got to mile 9, it was the first time I could think about the end.\u00a0 At this point we had turned around in the race and were headed back West down Colfax.\u00a0 This is totally awesome for two reasons.\u00a0 1) Westward in Colorado always means you’re facing the mountains, which were beautiful that morning. 2) I’m running towards home.\u00a0 There are two high rise condo buildings near my awesome historical 1920s building in City Park.\u00a0 It’s awesome because I can always orientate myself home.\u00a0 Since the race started and ended near my house, it felt like running home.\u00a0 So I ignored the street signs (because of course I know the order to home) and just put my head down and ran.\u00a0 Run. Water. Run.\u00a0 Here’s what my mind goes through those last three miles.<\/p>\n “You run three miles all the time.\u00a0 This isn’t the worst you’ve ever felt.\u00a0 You can do that!\u00a0 At the next mile marker, you only have two miles to go!\u00a0 Two miles left? Sure thing……………..Mile 11!\u00a0 Only two more miles to go!\u00a0 You can run two miles with your eyes closed!\u00a0 So what that you already ran 11.\u00a0 EMINEM…..You’re good.\u00a0 The next mile marker you see means you only have one mile left!\u00a0 One mile? Phissshhhh. That’s nothing. Mile 12.\u00a0 Holy crap.\u00a0 You’re almost done.\u00a0 Only one mile.\u00a0 Less than now. Even less now.\u00a0 LAST MILE!”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Crossing the Finish Line <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The last few minutes of the race SUCKED.\u00a0 The finish line feels so close, but it’s still pretty far away. In your head your thinking, “Really? 13.1? It couldn’t be 13….or 12.8? Who decides this anyway?” But then it’s about to happen.\u00a0 I ran the last 200 yards pretty quickly so that it would be over!\u00a0 I remember looking for my husband, who had already preplanned where he would be.\u00a0 And then I crossed the line.\u00a0 And the truth is…..nothing happened.\u00a0 I didn’t change forever.\u00a0 I didn’t find a new inner peace.\u00a0 I didn’t become someone new.\u00a0 I simply finished the race I’d been training to run because the truth is (and I have to admit I stole this from my trainer \ud83d\ude09 ) the real work was in the training; the race is the reward.\u00a0 It was in the training that I became a runner.\u00a0 It was during the training that I could feel my life changing.\u00a0 That’s when I was becoming someone new, not in the single moment when I crossed the line.<\/p>\n After the Race Chaos <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Wow.\u00a0 I had no idea.\u00a0 The first thing I did when I crossed was find my husband and hug him.\u00a0 I teared up a little because of what I’d just done.\u00a0 He kissed me and said how proud he was.\u00a0 Then you get your medal.\u00a0 They just had them to you like no big deal.\u00a0 I thought I’d have to bow or scan my badge or be knighted by the queen but…..they just hand them to you.\u00a0 I’ll let this slide because it was a firefighter.\u00a0 Then the free stuff comes.\u00a0 The next thing you know you’re getting three bottles of water and a tote bag.\u00a0 You apparently put the bottles in said tote.\u00a0 Then you get stickers and soda and granola bars and Gatorade and jelly beans and coupons and braclets and frizbees and pretzels and banans and whoa.\u00a0 CAN A GIRL JUST SIT DOWN?\u00a0 You know what the only post-race need they don’t meet IMMEDIATELY after crossing the finish line? A CHAIR.\u00a0 The swag after a race like this is incredible.\u00a0 Too bad I have “runner’s brain’ and can’t process half of what’s going on except that I’m being shuffled down this aisle of free stuff and I’m separated from my hubby who’s the only person I DO want to see? Luckily I made it to the end of the ‘tunnel of swag’ and found not only my hubby but THREE of my other favorite people there to support me.\u00a0 It was an incredible feeling to have everyone there together!![\"11231035_10102683568773769_6415932354478280623_n\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/yogapantsdiary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/11231035_10102683568773769_6415932354478280623_n.jpg\")
<\/a>Can everyone see how nervous I am, or is it just me?<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n