Olivia

Where do I start?

I'm off the high of my new half marathon PR, but I'll give you a quick recap:

Like Melissa, I wasn't too pumped for this race. I ran it last year and was dreading the hilly course. Packet pick-up was non-eventful, getting handed only a bib and a lecture about having your bib clearly visible since there is no chip timing. Yes, no chip timing with a 600 person mass start.

I woke up the morning of feeling rested and ready as I could be to run. Melissa texted me to say she wasn't feeling well and wouldn't be running. I'd be lying if I said I didn't think of backing out. But I went, made a friend at the start, and off I went. I got nervous over the first few miles because the course was so congested. I wasn't hoping for a PR, but when the first couple mile splits were around 10:45- 11:00, I thought a PR was completely out of the picture. The course was completely changed, yet race directors said nothing about this, and maps handed out and on the website reflected the old course. The race became a complete bottleneck at mile 2 as we entered a single lane trail, that was also an out-and-back, so as runners were trying to merge, and run both ways on a narrow path, passing was impossible.

I had put my music on right from the start and just decided to relax and run. Once the course cleared out, I began to see my splits were speeding up, and I was on track to finish 2:10. The last few miles were hilly and tough, but I thought of Melissa and our runs. Our runs are never easy, and this would be over soon enough. I neared the finish line and my Garmin said 2:07 but I was hesitant to get excited because of the mass start, but when I saw that clock read 2:07 when I crossed the line, I was ecstatic.

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And it's clearly not my day. I have just uploaded tons of pictures to share but I can't add them to the blog. Bummer!

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Jack just turned two! He's such a sweet (and active) boy and we are so lucky to have him. In the words of Olivia's mom, "You really wear me out, but I love you anyway." Come to think of it, Jack and Olivia have a lot in common.