"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired." - George S. Patton

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Seattle Rock and Roll Half Marathon!

I go by quite a few nicknames these days, Honey, Mommy, Home-skillet, Crazy lady.. etc. You know what you can call me now? FINISHER.


Yes sir! On Saturday morning, I accepted my first medal and crossed the finish line at the Rock and Roll Seattle half marathon. I can say without hesitation, that besides giving birth 3 times, and marrying the love of my life, this was the most amazing moment in my 26 years. I thought I "got" the whole thrill of training and running and all that, but it wasn't until I burst into tears after two hours and fifty something minutes of hard work that I began to really understand this underground world of running. 5 months of hard work paid off on so many levels.



I don't think I could have chosen a better race to run for my first half. The Rock and Roll was extremely organized, entertaining, motivating, uplifting and surreal. Everytime I saw another band my heart would practically jump out of my chest because I knew I had just conquered another mile. The 27,000 other people all around me had worked as hard as I had for this exact moment. 27,000 people around me were pushing their bodies to the limit and loving every second of it (okay, so some of them probably weren't loving it too much, like the guy I saw crying in a ditch at mile 9).


Thanks to my wonderful friend Lacey, I learned when to take disgusting GU, when to eat the terrible salt packet, when to slow it down for a minute so I wouldn't burn out, and when to pose for the camera. I also learned the hard way not to drink too much water before the race, as I added about 15 minutes to my time waiting for a porta potty.



The most rewarding part of the race, for me, was not that I worked my body up to running 13.1 miles in a row. It was that I had the courage to do something for myself, work extremely hard to achieve a goal, and follow through. I watched my best friends, my parents,my kid's and husband's faces after I crossed the finish line and for the first time in a long time, they were obviously proud. And not the the kind of proud they are of me for not getting seconds at dinner. The kind of proud that says they might have been a little bit inspired.



So this is just the beginning. I wasn't even out of the Qwest field gates before I already started planning my next half and my first full marathon. After so many years of just feeling below average and like I was missing something, I found my thing. I am good at this and this is something that is all mine. This is something I am proud of myself for, and this is somethng that not everyone can do, or has the courage to try to do.



I want to send a huge thank you out to all of my supportive friends, family and readers who emotionally helped to push me all the way to the finish line. Mostly, thank you to my awesome husband who, although skeptical at first, has stood by me, bragged about my journey to others, and watched our crazy children while I was training. After the race, he told me he wants to start training so he can do this with me.



Mission accomplished.

Photobucket

9 comments:

  1. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I had a similar experience at last years race. I was working on losing weight and needed something to take me to the next level. I thought about signing up for the Rock and Roll, but was scared. What if I couldn't do it, what would it be like yadda yadda yadda. Then I pushed the button and paid the money and haven't looked back since.
    last year I did two more half's and a sprint triathlon. I was going to do the full marathon this year but then found out I was pregnant so I walked the half last weekend at 22 weeks pregnant. I am looking forward to next year when I can pack my summer with Triathlons and marathons and running with baby.

    Its just beginning for you. Try everything that you can because you know your body can handle it if you just train for it, Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Aww what a good blog! I won't say "I'm proud of you" again (for like the tenth time), but I am! I still cannot believe how good your time was. I've always believed in you, but you totally exceeded my expectations on that one! To make an understatement: Good job!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congratulations! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I got chills reading it. A finisher YOU ARE! I don't even know you and I feel proud. :) I'll be running my first ever half this coming fall and it's also part of the Rock N Roll series. This blog post makes me even more excited than I already am. Again! Major kudos to you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congratulations! Your post couldn't be closer to my feelings. I teared up reading it. By day 3 post-Seattle RnR, I am signing up for the Victoria half marathon in October. The running never really clicked for me until this half. I kept feeling like I was pushing and pushing to get in the training, it never really flowed. But now I understand the runner's high and the 'bug' one catches.

    I started out using running as a cheap way to lose weight, with no specific goal in mind, other than the scale showing less weight. I still have a good 10 lbs to go but I'm no longer looking at the scale. I come from a LONG line of depression and think exercise is the only thing that has stopped me needing to be medicated.

    I'm so glad you posted your blog on the facebook page. I needed this. More than you know.

    Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow. What amazing comments!
    Seatowngirl, it's people like you that inspire me everyday. I can't wait to do more races! Maybe we will do the same one sometime!

    Alissa, I talk to you every day so you know I appreciate all of your motivational speaking! I'm excited for you to have your own experience! soon!

    Jamie, I can't imagine a better way to kick off a running career than at a Rock and Roll race. It was absolutly awesome. Good Luck to you!

    Cindy, I completely understand the depression thing. I was so tired of being medicated, and running has honestly given me a whole new outlook on life and the depression is long gone. I think as women, we naturally need something for ourselves or we will forget who WE ARE. Thank you so much for the support. We ladies are all in this together! :)

    I could have never done this without the support of the readers!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for reading my blog, and for the advice. I just have to tell you that your blog has been a LIFELINE for me these past couple of days! I wish that we didn't live on separate sides of the country because I would SO tag along pitifully while you ran! You really have given me hope and I relate to you so much! I also struggle with depression, for as I can remember. And I'm 5'7 and weigh 215 lbs. My running is the pits lately...I can't seem to get over a mile. CONGRATS on the half. You rock...please please please keep rocking so that I can read about it and get vicariously high from it! (sheepish grin!)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just started following your blog via a friend not too long ago and have really enjoyed it. I started running a couple of months ago and have fallen in love/disgust with it :) Congratulations on your first 1/2 marathon. I think you're amazing and look forward to more (funny & inspiring) tales about your journey.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow. Thanks, Heather. I totally understand the love/hate relationship with the running. I compare it to people that are addicted to tatoos or something. They hurt like hell, but you just can't stop! Good luck on your running career! Thank you for following. Woo!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Congratulations on your first Half Marathon!! It's pretty awesome, huh? What an accomplishment for you. I love hearing of other Moms going out and setting such a great example for their children, and inspiring other mothers around them! Just awesome!!! I have a super supportive hubby too, and I know I wouldn't be able to do what I do without his love and support...and watching the 3 kiddos :).

    Way to go....and if you think 13.1 was great...wait till you cross the 26.2 finish line!!!!! Again, congrats!

    ReplyDelete