Fitness Friday-I started, I ran, I crossed

So last week we talked about challenging ourselves.  Did you find a challenge?

My next challenge was the Aramco Half Marathon here in Houston on Sunday, January 13.  13.1 miles of a whole lot of running.  It rained.  It was freezing cold.  The wind blew.  I had not been running since it had been raining here.  I felt so unprepared.  I wanted to quit right from the beginning.  When the race started and throughout the race, I saw some inspiring signs:

-This was a great idea a month ago (I thought-2 weeks ago it was a great idea)
-Who suckered you into doing this? (My husband-I blame my husband)

Let us go back.  My husband had been training all year long to run in the Chevron Houston Marathon a full 26.2 miles.  Then the unexpected happened.  He injured himself 2 weeks before the race.  The doctor told him, no running, no marathon, not happening.  Well guess what, we had already paid the $100+ entry fee for this race and I did not want to lose that money.  All my friends willing to run where already running, so I decided to step up to the plate and run the race for my husband.  Except I cannot run 26.2 miles especially not without any training.  I have ran a half marathon before, 3 years ago, so I thought I could at least try.  So we paid another $30 to switch his race from a marathon to a half marathon, and now it was do or die time.  I did not get nervous until we picked up my package the day before.  Was I really doing this?  I only trained for a 5 days and then nothing the next five before the race.

So the day of the race was here.  I was at the start line ready, well not really, but no going back now.  The course starts in Downtown Houston and for the next mile you are going on a bridge.  It was drizzling before the race, then it poured, and just kept raining.  I wanted to quit.  My mind kept telling me- QUIT already!!  But I didn't.  Right when I was almost done with mile 1, and looking for a reason to quit, on the down slope of the bridge passes a blind runner, yeah, blind runner.  I knew I could not stop now.  I kept my pace and kept running-mile 2, mile 3, mile 4, mile 5, mile 6-YES.  I finished a 5K, and now a 10K-then I see a sign:

-If you were running the Conoco Houston Rodeo 10K Run, you would be finished (I laughed!  and wished I was done)

But I knew I was half FINISHED!!  I kept going.  Right before mile 9 at mile 8 my body started cramping.  It wanted to shut down on me.  My left leg was giving me a hard time but I kept going.  Then at mile 10, my right back side started hurting.  It was our turn around point, but for the marathoners the signs said keep going.  I told myself I am near the finish, why stop now, the full marathon runners are still going.  I kept going.  I could see Downtown Houston in front of me.  My body was cramping and shutting down, every step I took, every step closer seemed like it was never going to end.  On the left side of us where the marathon runners running towards their finish line.  Just when I wanted to quit again, I thought- they have ran twice my distance and are still running-KEEP RUNNING and FINISH FOOL!!  As the last mile came, the Rocky song came on, and I gave it my all.  I ran across the finish line.

Previous Half 2010- vs- This Yr Half 2013

Hippity ROC Half     Time 2:57:53     Pace 13:35/M
Aramco Hou Half     Time 2:36:24     Pace  11:56/M

Though this was not on my list of things to do this year, I can now cross a Half Marathon off my list for 2013!

Never say never!!!  You can do anything you put your mind to!  So what is it going to be?  You don't have to do a half marathon, just put one foot in front of the other and take the first step to doing something.  What will your something be?  START-DO IT-FINISH...

Total miles for 2013 Goal-35.22