I ran a half marathon

So I ran my first half marathon on Saturday in Richmond, VA. Here is my training schedule (borrowed from someone else, thus the "planners" don't belong to me):

Before the race:


Start of the race:

The scenery was wonderful during this race. We ran many bridges over rivers. I was surprised by a few trails we had to run: steep, rocks, roots, the works. I was happy just to not break my ankle in those parts. I was also surprised by the many flights of stairs we ran. It was fun running along a major highway and getting honked at. We got cheered on by spectators, but there were also long stretches without seeing anyone besides the runners. And the runners were so spaced out that there were plenty of times when I could only see Becka's heels. Becka was a chick who I found myself following almost from the beginning. Her pace was perfect, so I just zoned out and watched her heels going along with the music in my ears. With her permission, I followed her for about 10 miles. Thanks to her, I don't even remember huge stretches of the race, and I believe it was because of her that I got such a good time for me: 2 hours, 30 minutes, 10 seconds. (In the video below it says 2:34, but I started the race 4 minutes after the first heat.) I came in 346th place, and 23 people finished after me. I met my goals for time and for finishing (not to be dead last).

End of the race (you pick--tiny or lopsided version):

Becka and me:





The last mile was an absolute killer, and my foot was bleeding by the time I finished, but this was one of the best things I ever did in my life. I was absolutely high and full of myself afterward. Let's do it again!