Finished. Not dead. Score!

Gosh, have I seriously not yet written up my half marathon experience? Like, the culmination of all my training and transformation and the point of this whole blog, and which happened over a week ago? I guess I didn't. Here's the thing: I haven't really done much since I finished. I dragged myself into a ditch right after crossing the finish line and I just recently was found by a dog walker. I had no internet access in the ditch. Okay, not really. I actually remained mostly upright when I finished and went home and resumed normal life, minus the frantic running schedule.

So, the race: It's all a blur, like childbirth. I'm already at the stage where I'm like, That didn't hurt! Let's have another one! We wouldn't even have to send a race to college, so it's way more reasonable than an additional child.

But honestly, I met my goals, which were modest: Run the whole thing, do not die, and don't come in last. I really squeaked out that last one, and frankly that's no reflection on me and more of a reflection on the fact that some slower people also signed up for the race. I'm more proud of the fact that I managed to put on a burst of speed (well, "speed") and pass the 4 people in front of me during the last quarter mile.

I was slow, and this turtle most certainly beat zero hares, because unfortunately not one single pack leader took a nap during the race. My sister and I managed to run almost the whole race together, or at least in sight of each other. Starting around mile 7, she periodically walked and then ran faster and caught up, or ran ahead and then walked until I caught up. I suspect that this had something to do with the fact that I did not shut up for one single solitary second until she started run/ walking out of ear shot. I may have not shut up after that, either, but she'll never know. When you run out of ear shot of your chatterbox sister, does her commentary still make noise? (Yes.) At the end, I had to run ahead, because my legs could no longer do slowish pace comfortably and vaguely faster pace was my only other option, so vaguely faster it was.

My time was 2:43, which will impress you if you've never run a half, and probably make you snicker a little bit if you have. Haha, I am totally okay with this, though. Six months ago I couldn't even run a mile, and 8 days ago I ran, yes, RAN (well, "ran") 13.1! In conclusion: Booyah.

Next up, the Hyannis 10K in Feb. Who's in?