Lincoln half marathon recap (very late)

Holy cow, I just realized I haven't done my recap from my half marathon in Lincoln in May!!! I know you've all been on pins and needles....or not. But I'm going to tell you anyway.

If you recall, I got back from the Philippines on April 30, sick as a dog. The half marathon was on May 7. Yay - NOT. After I got my Rx drugs to make me feel better, I did feel better, but I hadn't ran in nearly two weeks. Good for my toe, bad for my lungs/legs/goal. I was still gunning for a 2:00:00 finish; my coach and husband and friends and family assured me I could still do it.

I had too much sun the day before the race - on an extremely HOT Saturday. I had a great supper and night with some friends we stayed with (bless their hearts for letting all 4 of us crash there). I slept on Squirt's little mattress while the brat (said in good fun) stole my couch. Ugh.

Anyway it was raining when I woke up to get ready but the rain didn't last. I found my pace group and talked with a gal I ran with in Omaha.

It took about 15 minutes after the gun to get started, but as soon as I started, I knew this was not going to be my day. My legs were like lead, just awfully heavy. I was seriously done around mile 3. THREE! I kept going with the pace group for about an hour or so. I was gung-ho about finishing on time. And then I knocked some reality into myself when I felt the goose bumps and lightheadedness that comes before heat exhaustion.

I'm used to running with enough water. There is not enough water on routes. I think on my next run I'll stop at water stops and fill my own bottles. Anyway, my epiphany was that I was either going to keep going at this pace and earn my first DNF (did not finish) OR I could slow down, just run slower, not really worry about time, and still get my medal. So I tearfully walked for awhile, gasping as my long-ago exercise-induced asthma caught up with me (for the first time since college) because I was so upset.

I really wanted to run 2:00:00 but I really enjoyed the race more when I slowed down. I mean it was sad; we ran past the Nebraska state capitol (which may not mean anything to most of you but I think it's cool) and I don't remember it at all. I walked when I needed to, I ran most of it. I cried a little off and on.

I almost tripped over a cone at the end - that was loud and fun (I screamed). And I finished. I got my medal and was done. Literally, I couldn't have gone any longer. I finished in 2:08:11 - a PR!

I don't think I'll be running for a time any time soon but I have been talking with Big A about running a full marathon in Kansas City in October. I've been injured since the half. My big left toe has metatarsalgia; which is the bone is all messed up in the knuckle. I've ran probably less than 5 miles until yesterday.