Birthday Race

In september, I told Erik, I knew what I wanted for my birthday this year!  At first, he looked at me and said, "hasn't it been your birthday all year?" He was referring to my many purchases made at B&H!

I then explained that I wasn't talking about a gift.  All I wanted for my 28th birthday, was to complete a 1/2 marathon!  He looked at me sort of funny, like, what kind of gift is that?  But then, being likeminded in the gift giving department, he understood.   I have mentioned before, we just don't do gifts, or at least do them well.  When we need something, we just get it, so it makes gift giving not very exciting and sort of lame!

So back to the race!  The gift I was asking him for, was more than just the race itself.  By agreeing to let me do it, it also meant, he was going to have to give me training time.  It was an easy answer for him, "of course you can!"

So with all that said, I completed my first 1/2 marathon, 13.1 miles at the Rock 'n' Roll Denver!!  I didn't run it fast, but I finished!! It was such a huge accomplishment for me because I never thought I would/could run that long!!

Back in May I did my first race, which was the Cherry Creek Sneak, (5 miles). Then in August I did my first 10K.  So why not go from a 10K to 13.1 miles!?!

As you all know, I am not a morning person, but Sunday I was all jazzed up and ready to go at five in the morning!  I downed two cups of coffee and then started my hour drive to town.  I was rockin out alone in the jeep, beyond excited about the race!  

That dark morning, Denver was glowing gorgeously with it's beautiful city lights and I started to get emotional.  Maybe lack of sleep, maybe a little hormonal, but there is just something about being apart of an event like this, it makes you feel special!  

The national anthem started at sunrise, 6:55, the massive crowd became still in an instant. How can you not get emotional at that point!

During the race, I even got choked up a few times. I know your thinking, gosh this girl cries a lot.  Well, it was just one of those days and it's the good kind of crying, so don't worry!  There is something so incredible about a massive amount of people coming together and accomplishing the same goal.  We are all different ages, different races, from different walks of life, and listening to all kinds of different music on our ipods, but we are all trying to do the same thing, finish the path ahead of us!  

It didn't matter that I came to this race alone because everyone around me, all these people I had never met, we felt connected. We were all cheering for each other and encouraging one another, amazing!

2894 marathon finishers and 9139 1/2 marathon finishers!  Thats a lot of miles!

With one five minute potty break, at about mile six, my total time was 2:25!  I crossed the finish line in a sprint, received my finishing medal from miss Denver and then immediately started to walk ridiculously slow.  I have never been so sore, that quickly after running before. Everything hurt.  It probably took me about forty minutes to walk the ten blocks back to my car.  The way I was walking people probably thought I had injured myself, no just really sore, with a few flulike symptoms!  But knowing I had finished strong, was a great feeling!  

Not a very attractive picture with my mouth hanging open and all, but I just ran for over two hours, give me a break!

Big thanks to my love for letting me accomplish this!  Thank you my dear friends for supporting me, encouraging me and watching me kids so I could run, love you!  

If you have never been in a race, you need to, you're missing out!

Next year, Erik is running with me!