We left the house Saturday morning for the drive to Dallas. Most of our group was to meet up at 1pm at the Expo to get our packs and enjoy the experience. It ended up I was the last one to meet up with the 1pm group as we got stuck in traffic for over 30 mins. I sat and stared at the Six Flags Superman ride for most of the 30 mins.
We finally got to the center and had to find parking... ended up in the garage.
I met up with my sister who had already picked up her race pack, tshirt and had already shopped a bit .... got my number, tshirt etc and started "shopping" I enjoyed the brooks booth, got a look at the medal, and love the booth with funny shirts that said "I dont need therapy, I run" and "will run for coffee" etc. My sister bought me a 13.1 and 26.2 sticker to put on the back window of my car (no its not on the car yet) ... she also spoiled me with a "Run girl Run" shirt. Which i love!!!! :)
After the expo we went to the hotel.... we were on the 20th flooooooor.... ahhhhhhhh.... thats HIGH for this flat lander of a gal. ... I brought an ice chest with food that I was "use to" to eat all day saturday and sunday morning before the race. The only bad thing is I meant to stop and get some oatmeal to eat the night before and FORGOT as a result I wasnt carb loaded enough.. I ate some cereal, a breadstick (the fam ordered pizza) and some more cereal... I was very concerned about tummy upset since have had such issues with eating food i wasnt use too.... so NO WAY was i going to eat out!
I had a old friend from Jr High drive up to dallas to see me... I hadnt seen her in 20 years! It was great to see her and visit with her! After a few hours of visiting I headed back to the hotel and developed a migrain! YES.. a migrain. A headache so bad I was sick to my stomach! I couldnt believe it and thought I must be getting the flu or something..... I took two tylenol and a hot shower and layed down. ... it wasnt good... not good at all.
Thankfully the med helped... I ate a bit of something and went to bed. I sure hoped and prayed it wouldnt return.
I went to bed about 10.. which was really 11.. since the time changed .... I slept great until about 4am .. I was tired but not headache. I couldnt go back to sleep so i just got up and got ready and then laid back down for a while.
We left the hotel at 6am to walk over to the hotel my sis was staying in.. which was closer to the start line. We met up with our group (all but one who was stuck in traffic) and walked over to the start line. We found our the girls corral.. some were in 13 some were in 14... 2 were in 5 and i was in 4......I stayed back in 14 with the gals for a while and visited and then went to the potty :)
Lydia and I stood in line waiting for our turn at the porta potty... just then we heard a scream and down the way another lady kinda stumbling and acting funny... ends up a lady in one of the porta potties forgot to 'lock' the door... and another lady opened it up for alll in line to see!!!! o my it was funny.. as lydia went up to go potty i said "dont forget to lock the door!!!" and we just all laughed.
I got to my corral and waited for about 10 mins for the start. I chatted just a bit with a few people but mostly just kept to myself... everyone had someone they were talking to but me... but that was ok... i wasnt alone :)
They had teh Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders dancing and stuff and then made announcements and then a prayer and we were OFF. .........I started off trying to stay up with the pacer but it was soooo crowded it was hard too so i just decided to settle in and be happy with what i could do.. I pick a lady who was obviously experienced with these races and about 20 years older than me and quietly followed behind her for most of the first part of the race. I lost her when i stopped to get gatoraide :( ... Most miles were good.. but 11.
11 always sucks.
As I ran I kept thinking of my sister and the other ladies who were behind me... I sent text to them and they to me .... (i never texted and ran before in my life so that was an experience) I got text from my friend in China and in Colorado....what nice surprises! ..
I had to stop twice to add gatoraid to my water ( i took powder gatoraid with me) and then stopped again to take my pants off and tie them around my waist. I realized about 130 into the race i was not going to make the 2 hour goal... I began thinking more and more that I really need to have some legs left so i could go back to find my girls and check on them and my sister! .... So.. i slowed down and walked a bit to save some legs for my journey after the race was over.
I finished in 2 hours 16 mins. I know I could have done it faster but I wanted to get to my people so i was happy with that time :)
after i finished, got my medal and water and some fruit and a bagle .. I headed back around the cotton bowl to find everyone.
It was great to see everyone come up as they were running or walking past. We would visit for a few mins and i would try to encourage and tell them i was heading back to check on everyone else.
I found my sister at about mile 9. She had blisters (since mile 3) and her hip was bothering her but she wasnt going to stop. She finished her first ever half marathon and I got to walk with her all the way back to the finish line and be with her!!! what an amazing inspirational experience!
After the race... I wanted to take an ice bath... but our tub in the hotel had no stopper.... so no cold bath for me.. and boy i paid the price.... doing almost 22 miles and no ice bath is not a good idea.... i had a marathon walk for 2 days and with it came myself laughing through most of the pain.... i am a believer in ice baths for ever !!!!!
i have been resting but hope to get a good little jog in tomorrow....
i have highlights i left out from this.. but its long enough ... so i will save that for later!
rock on! :)
r
We finally got to the center and had to find parking... ended up in the garage.
I met up with my sister who had already picked up her race pack, tshirt and had already shopped a bit .... got my number, tshirt etc and started "shopping" I enjoyed the brooks booth, got a look at the medal, and love the booth with funny shirts that said "I dont need therapy, I run" and "will run for coffee" etc. My sister bought me a 13.1 and 26.2 sticker to put on the back window of my car (no its not on the car yet) ... she also spoiled me with a "Run girl Run" shirt. Which i love!!!! :)
After the expo we went to the hotel.... we were on the 20th flooooooor.... ahhhhhhhh.... thats HIGH for this flat lander of a gal. ... I brought an ice chest with food that I was "use to" to eat all day saturday and sunday morning before the race. The only bad thing is I meant to stop and get some oatmeal to eat the night before and FORGOT as a result I wasnt carb loaded enough.. I ate some cereal, a breadstick (the fam ordered pizza) and some more cereal... I was very concerned about tummy upset since have had such issues with eating food i wasnt use too.... so NO WAY was i going to eat out!
I had a old friend from Jr High drive up to dallas to see me... I hadnt seen her in 20 years! It was great to see her and visit with her! After a few hours of visiting I headed back to the hotel and developed a migrain! YES.. a migrain. A headache so bad I was sick to my stomach! I couldnt believe it and thought I must be getting the flu or something..... I took two tylenol and a hot shower and layed down. ... it wasnt good... not good at all.
Thankfully the med helped... I ate a bit of something and went to bed. I sure hoped and prayed it wouldnt return.
I went to bed about 10.. which was really 11.. since the time changed .... I slept great until about 4am .. I was tired but not headache. I couldnt go back to sleep so i just got up and got ready and then laid back down for a while.
We left the hotel at 6am to walk over to the hotel my sis was staying in.. which was closer to the start line. We met up with our group (all but one who was stuck in traffic) and walked over to the start line. We found our the girls corral.. some were in 13 some were in 14... 2 were in 5 and i was in 4......I stayed back in 14 with the gals for a while and visited and then went to the potty :)
Lydia and I stood in line waiting for our turn at the porta potty... just then we heard a scream and down the way another lady kinda stumbling and acting funny... ends up a lady in one of the porta potties forgot to 'lock' the door... and another lady opened it up for alll in line to see!!!! o my it was funny.. as lydia went up to go potty i said "dont forget to lock the door!!!" and we just all laughed.
I got to my corral and waited for about 10 mins for the start. I chatted just a bit with a few people but mostly just kept to myself... everyone had someone they were talking to but me... but that was ok... i wasnt alone :)
They had teh Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders dancing and stuff and then made announcements and then a prayer and we were OFF. .........I started off trying to stay up with the pacer but it was soooo crowded it was hard too so i just decided to settle in and be happy with what i could do.. I pick a lady who was obviously experienced with these races and about 20 years older than me and quietly followed behind her for most of the first part of the race. I lost her when i stopped to get gatoraide :( ... Most miles were good.. but 11.
11 always sucks.
As I ran I kept thinking of my sister and the other ladies who were behind me... I sent text to them and they to me .... (i never texted and ran before in my life so that was an experience) I got text from my friend in China and in Colorado....what nice surprises! ..
I had to stop twice to add gatoraid to my water ( i took powder gatoraid with me) and then stopped again to take my pants off and tie them around my waist. I realized about 130 into the race i was not going to make the 2 hour goal... I began thinking more and more that I really need to have some legs left so i could go back to find my girls and check on them and my sister! .... So.. i slowed down and walked a bit to save some legs for my journey after the race was over.
I finished in 2 hours 16 mins. I know I could have done it faster but I wanted to get to my people so i was happy with that time :)
after i finished, got my medal and water and some fruit and a bagle .. I headed back around the cotton bowl to find everyone.
It was great to see everyone come up as they were running or walking past. We would visit for a few mins and i would try to encourage and tell them i was heading back to check on everyone else.
I found my sister at about mile 9. She had blisters (since mile 3) and her hip was bothering her but she wasnt going to stop. She finished her first ever half marathon and I got to walk with her all the way back to the finish line and be with her!!! what an amazing inspirational experience!
After the race... I wanted to take an ice bath... but our tub in the hotel had no stopper.... so no cold bath for me.. and boy i paid the price.... doing almost 22 miles and no ice bath is not a good idea.... i had a marathon walk for 2 days and with it came myself laughing through most of the pain.... i am a believer in ice baths for ever !!!!!
i have been resting but hope to get a good little jog in tomorrow....
i have highlights i left out from this.. but its long enough ... so i will save that for later!
rock on! :)
r
Comments
Man, you are a really nice to put in so many extra miles to be with your sis. I'm an ice bath believer too and can't imagine racing long without one. Hotel tubs are now the first thing I check when I get into a room.
Sis