I think I have been kind of in denial about the fact that I actually registered for a half-marathon which is taking place in TWO WEEKS. But yesterday I received my race number in the mail and that sure woke me up fast! I was like.. umm… gulp.. WHAT did I do?!?!?
I felt like I had to decide if this was Real or not. The friend who invited me to participate said that she might end up switching over to the 5K. I am fine with doing a 5k, really, but then when I got that number in the mail, and saw the route map, I thought, oh, COULD I do it?!?
Thirteen point one miles is quite a distance. I thought I’d better check out my long-distance stamina and see what happens.
So this afternoon I went over to our lovely neighborhood lake which happens to be around 3 miles around (can be stretched to 3.5 or 5K if you take a bunch of extra side wrinkles, which I didn’t). I was all loaded up with gadgets! I had my Bodybugg on (for calories & steps), and also my iPhone which was set to Runkeeper (for distance and pace info) and for my music.
I figured I could do 2 laps and then decide. After the first lap (3 miles) I felt GREAT. Then I did the second one. After 6 miles, I felt pretty good, not BAD, but I knew that last one was gonna take some pushing. I was walking at an average of 14-14.4 minute mile, and then every so often I’d run for a few minutes, around 11-12 minute mile. That felt good.
But during that last lap, between 7-9 miles I could feel things breaking down. First my skin. I was wearing stupid socks and at one point I walked into a puddle so my feet got wet and then I got a blister. 🙂 The blister really bothered me when I ran. Then my hips started feeling like old-lady hips around mile 8. The only thing that relieved them was RUNNING, but then the blister whined at me. I was pretty happy to see my car at the end of the third lap.
So, bottom line: 9 miles, 2 hours 10 minutes (average pace 14.44). My goal is to finish the half-M in less than 3 hours (15mph) so if I can keep up that pace I’m good. I felt really really tired at the end of 9, but I also felt like if I had to do 4 more I could do it. So that was really good.
I did learn:
1. I will bring moleskin, and wear better socks.
2. I will have water (water stations) and I will carry some nutrition (bars and/or Gu). I got pretty hungry around mile 8 and then after I stopped I was kind of bonky feeling. I went to a nearby store and guzzled a big bottle of Vitamin water. Then I came home and my bg was all high. Bleah.
3. I can probably do a half marathon in two weeks! Yahoozie!!!!!!
foodfoodbodybody 
January 24, 2010 at 1:50 pm
I’m excited for you!!! Good luck with the half – you can do it! Great game plan, esp. having some nutrition along for the run.
January 25, 2010 at 4:03 am
Wow. This is just SO impressive. 9 miles is SERIOUS. And no question you’ll be able to do the half. I’ve never done a half marathon!
January 25, 2010 at 12:54 pm
I think you can definitely do it! and you are going to feel so proud of yourself when you are done!
Hmm, I run at a 14 min mile pace bwahahahaha.
Just also want to add that when you are walking stay to the side and don’t be walking with other people 4 abreast, kwim?
January 25, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Hmm, maybe running would be easier on me if I tried a 14 min mile pace…. that may be the only way I get through running that marathon relay in March. I’m gonna try going slower. For real.
January 26, 2010 at 12:18 pm
For me, slower is definitely easier and more enjoyable. But it takes longer LOL. Running faster burns more calories I realize but I am such a wimp heh heh.
January 25, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Wooohoo! Hooray for half marathons, mine’s in 3 weeks. Sounds like you’ll do just fine. Good luck! 🙂