First Half Marathon EVER!

So this past weekend I ran my first half marathon!! I did a 12 week training plan and started right after I came back from my cruise in January. I traveled down to Philadelphia on Saturday, checked out the expo center and picked up my race gear and most importantly my bib which tracked where I was for anyone who wanted to track me via internet.

This was the first ever Love Run hosted by CGI racing and all the proceeds went to the Philadelphia Education Supplies Fund. There were 10,000 people signed up and ran the event which was really neat. I liked that they had the corrals set up by the time you *thought* you were going to finish.

Well, I had no idea so I put between 2:15 and 2:30 not really having any idea. I was not far off the mark. See, the thing about my training was it was ALL done on the treadmill. You read that right, there was no venturing outdoors to try and see how I would do in the elements. So I was thrilled to see my time and pace when I was finished.

Pretty fabulous pacing and net time if I do say so myself. I was beyond excited and had told myself that as long as I get in *under 3 hours* it was all good. The best part is the pacing by the end is what I had been running on the treadmill when I was training.

 Started off the race very excited! I made sure to hit every camera I could so that I would have options to pick from. Notice the color of my blue coat and that I am dry. No rain at all, just wet streets. Little did I know that was ALL about to change. Ugh.

Mile 6.5 and the rain has begun! It was not too bad at first and I was just glad to be half way done with the race and my mission was to find a port a potty. Waiting in line to use the bathroom changed EVERYTHING. It began to rain pour cats and dogs. Legit! So I moved my butt so that I could get done ASAP and into clean clothes.

Finally hitting the finish line and throwing my hands up in the air because I did it! Never in a million years did I think I could run a half marathon and here I am, I did it. Do not mind the time clock because it took 6 minutes from where I was standing in the corral to the start line where the clock actually started counting. Hence why my finish time is 6 minutes shorter.

Oh and since I loved it so much, I signed up for ANOTHER half marathon in November in Philadelphia! That makes race #13 that I am signed up for. Maybe next year I will get wild and crazy and do a triathlon! Who knows.