Illinois Half Marathon

Life has gotten busy. You could probably tell since my blogs have gotten fewer and fewer in between. I'm not into blogging enough to actually put this on top of my priority list. Actually, I'm not sure if it even makes the list.

Somehow I've squeezed in a half marathon. Isn't it funny how I can manage to train even in the busiest of times, but can't find the time to go for even a short run if I'm not training... priorities!

This was my fifth half...yes, my fifth! And, I did GREAT! Knocked a good 16 minutes off my best time. Sadly, I missed my goal of under 3 hours by 1 minute and 22 seconds :( I was seriously disappointed... as in had to stop myself from crying disappointed. I calmed myself by telling myself I actually did get under 3 since I stopped to use the restroom at mile 9. If I hadn't of had to do that, I would have made it in WELL under 3 hours.

It was a great race! The absolute perfect weather, perfect amount of people, flat course, etc, etc, etc. My brother and sister-in-law drove me to the start line... it was FREEZING!!!

They started the full marathon, then a 10K and finally the half. It was a tad confusing. I really should read the race packets more closely... I'm only ever concerned about my start time. Traffic was pretty bad, so my brother and sister-in-law went straight to mile 3 and waited for me there instead of making their way to the start. I kept my phone in my pocket and didn't get a single picture during the race; maybe my family did, I should ask.

I ran the first 7 miles without stopping!!! Yes, sir, that's the longest I've ever run... EVER! At one point I wondered if I could run the whole thing, but soon knocked myself back into reality. My brother and sis-in-law (SIL) saw me at mile 3, conveniently next to the Starbucks. My brother offered his scalding hot coffee, which I politely passed on.

There weren't a terrible amount of spectators which was kind of good. Great cause I had three people out watching for me so they could get around really easily and see me multiple times. Most of the race was through residential areas so people just sat in their lawn chairs on the yard to watch. Many kids out wanting a high fives!

Around mile 6.5 I saw my brother and SIL at the top of a slight hill. I still felt pretty great and the adrenaline from the longest run in my history was pushing me forward. Then came mile 8-10!  The worse part (as always), but here we were in a park so there was no one around, it was boring, and I hated it.

I made it through the hell that was the prairie park and found my mom was stationed at mile 10. By this time I had my head down and was just going; never looking up. Soon there after we pasted a cemetery where they were digging a grave; this of course made me giggle inappropriately. I just kept thinking they are already getting ready for me!

We turned and there were the ROTC Navy men ringing the touchdown bell and of all miracles the Stadium!!! I had one mile left and I miscalculated that I had 15 minutes until the 3rd hour. I rounded what I thought was the last turn and there were my mom, brother and SIL! I nearly started crying as I told them I'm going to PR! Then we just kept running... running past where I thought we'd enter and then past what I thought was our second option. (have I mentioned I need to read the race packet closer). Finally we entered the stadium:

I was digging in and could care less about getting a picture.

Memorial Stadium's End Zone!!

It was soon after that I got a text from one of my friends saying "Oh Katie... 1 min. 22 secs. away... I want to kick ur timing chip's ass."

Looks like this won't be my last half marathon!