After 2 years of no running what so ever I am starting all over again with a goal to be running a NY marathon in 2020! The first run I did this year was the National Women’s 8K wile my cousin ran the National Women’s Half Marathon. 🏃🏻♀️
How I signed up:
A few weeks ago my cousin told me she is running a half marathon in DC on May 5th and that I should do it as well! We were going to be in DC area anyways for my cousins birthday so I was like ‘oh yea, let’s do it!’ While signing up I saw that there is a half marathon plus an 8K running on the same course and just starting 30 min apart so I signed up for the 8K (thank you brain!) I was scared of the half because literally the last time I did a half was in March of 2017! Then I got pregnant, then I had the baby and then I just got lazy, no other excuse will really do here. I just became lazy.
Weeks leading up to the run:
I did ZERO training. Don’t ask why, I don’t have a valid answer. I could say, lack of time since I was full time work plus school two nights a week and still wanted to spend time with my daughter BUT I won’t use this one since I know there are mothers, even single ones, who can juggle work, school and a work out. They probably even cook!
Race day:
I woke up at 5:30 since we were to leave the house at 6:15. I showered, I even went to the bathroom which never happens on a race day! In the process of getting ready my daughter woke up, in a good mood as always so I changed her diaper and did some huggies and kisses 😍 She is so lovable in the morning! Anyways, back to getting ready, I made myself a toast with jelly which I ate on the way, grabbed my Gatorade and off we went.
We walk out of the house and it’s raining but at least it’s fairly warm. We got to the park in 15 minutes and we were dropped of right at the Lincoln Memorial (my favorite in DC.) We did what every runner ever does before the race, we gave up our stuff to the volunteers and off we went to use the potty. 🤣
Then it was almost 7am so my cousin went on to the course to get ready for the run and I walked her off all the way to the start. I then had about 30 minutes for myself so I stretched, walked around, peed again (after giving birth I can pee A LOT.) I didn’t take my phone because for one I had no pouch for it and for two I wanted to do this run without any pressure of time.
Crossed the start line at 7:32am and the first mile was a bit rough. I actually stopped after mile 1 and walked for a few minutes but then I told my brain that this isn’t why I am here so back to jogging. Let’s face it, I don’t run! I jog and more like a turtle race jog. 🤣 the next two miles were hard although towards the 3rd mile mark I finally got comfortable with the jogging thing.
I don’t know why but no matter the amount of training I do the first three miles are a disaster for me. It’s like my body screams at me “wtf?! This is why we woke up at 5am?! Hell noooo, you stop this nonsense, I don’t like this at all.” 🙅🏻♀️
After 3 miles my system calmed down and said “OK, clearly you are not stopping, might as well adjust.” During this run I have no idea where the mile went between 3rd and 4th, like that little sign for 4th mile came super quick! I was so deep in thought that I didn’t pay too much attention to the fact that I am running. On the last mile I started to think what my timing was since I had no watch and I refused to ask anyone. I thought I am fitting under an hour and then this pacer from the half marathon ran past me. Both the half marathon as well as the 8K started and finished at the same exact spot and on the last mile the two met. I knew I will see some half runners but I did not expect to see a 1hr 40min pacer running past me at all! I did a quick math, since the half started at 7 and my race started at 7:30 and the pacer just ran past me then it would mean I have been running for over an hr now. I got mad but couldn’t really do anything at that point so I just gave everything that I had to finish off the race, my time was 1hr 10 min. Which really is terrible in my mind because I know I can do better than that, I just need a little practice
So I have 9 more races this year to build up my training towards the marathon next year. YIKES 😀
Normal Life as Per Me 