Dallas White Rock Half Marathon Race Report

It is finished…… I did it!  I completed my first half marathon!  13.1 miles of smiles, high fives, cheers, and all around goodness!

Sunday morning my alarm went off at 5:15am.  I jumped out of bed anxious to start the day.  I hopped in the shower (to wake up); this has become customary before any race… I always shower.  For triathlons it helps if my hair is wet to braid – for run races I just like to fully wake up in a steamy shower…. I know who showers before a sweaty endurance race?

After my shower I dried my hair and pulled it back into a pretty good ponytail, if I do say so myself….. dressed and headed downstairs to eat breakfast.  Breakfast consisted of some pineapple chunks (about a cup) a medium sized orange, and a Smores Luna Bar. 

It wasn’t much but I knew it would be OK on my stomach and the Port-a-potty God wouldn’t be calling for me come start time.  I peed before we left the house and didn’t pee again until after the race….be jealous of my bladder J (enough icky talk)

Bill was less than bright eyed and bushy tailed on Sunday morning.  He had a late guy’s night out on Saturday and let’s just say I saw a McDonald’s bag in his front seat, he didn’t get home until nearly 2:30am AND there was advil by the bed…… drunk? Yes!  Hungover…. You betcha!  But he was such a trooper – so sweet to me that morning.  He drove me to Fair Park and by this time I may or may not have been a little cranky.  Traffic on I-30 was terrible….traffic tends to make me nauseous (only if I’m not driving) so I kind of snapped at him and said something to the effect of “WE ARE NEVER GOING TO MAKE IT”….his response…. We have an hour and half… which was a true statement.

We made it, as Bill had indicated, with lots of time to kill before the race start.  It was cold and crowded but I was so pumped to be there.

I headed back for the corrals and Bill went to find everyone who was meeting him there.  On my way back to my corral (M) I ran into Jason and Karen and was stoked to have actually found them in the 20,000+ racers.  Jason headed to his corral (just behind the Kenyans…so jealous of his speed) Karen and I stayed back and waited….and waited….and waited…..

I ran into a friend from high school, Kristen, who conveniently I ran into the day I did my nine miler at White Rock.  It was great catching up with her and I was able to meet her boyfriend Garrett.  (He took a pic of us which I will steal from FB and post here).  She is such a sweet sweet girl!  We ran together for the first 2 miles then she took off at her 9:40/mile pace and I set in for the long haul….

So before the start – I took this picture….

The balloons, the fire, the volunteers…all AMAZING.  Seriously this is probably one of the most well organized races I’ve had the pleasure of participating in.  (The Turkey Trot should take some lessons)  As we inched up closer to the start I started my playlist…. Ready for it? 

You know want to know what I listened to …don’t judge….. this is in no particular order…I always hit shuffle right before a run….. BUT I made my own playlist specific to White Rock b/c I knew that the last thing I was going to want to do was to pull out the iphone and try and skip through songs….here we go…

Big and Rich – Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy

Imma Be – Black Eyed Peas

My Humps – Black Eyed Peas

Womizer – Britney Spears

Crazy Bitch – Buck Cherry

American Boy – Estelle and Kanye West

Single Ladies – Beyonce

Undo It – Carrie Underwood

Accidentally in Love – Counting Crows

Like a G6 – Far East Movement

Watcha Say – Jason Derulo

Dirt off Your Shoulder – Jay Z

Leavin’ – Jess McCartney

Natchitoches Blues – Joey Green

Don’t Stop Believein’ – Journey

There it Go (The Whistle Song) – Juelz Santana

California Gurls – Katy Perry

Tik Tok – Ke$ha

Let it Rock –Kevin Rudolf

Shake It – Metro Station

Say Hey – Michael Franti

Party in U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus

Work It – Missy Elliott

Grillz – Nelly

I know you want me – Pitbull

Crazy Eddie’s Last Hurrah – Reckless Kelly

Subterranean Homesick Blues – Reckless Kelly

Disturbia – Rhianna

Shake That Thing – Sean Paul

1234 – Schwayze

Stuck Like Glue – Sugarland

Bring Em Out – T.I.

Semi-Charmed Life – Third Eye Blind

Proud Mary – Tina Turner

That’s Not My Name – The Ting Ting’s

I Do!! – Toya

Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla ICE

Blister in the sun – Violent Femmes

Hey Mickey – Toni Basil

Sexy Back – Justin Timberlake

Holla Back Girl – Gwen Stefani

Hit Play – and set it for a comfy 13.1 mile run…

Miles 1 – 3

I checked my watch for the first time as I crossed the timing mat at the 5K mark….32 min. 46 seconds….. 10 seconds faster than the Turkey Trot…. I’ll take it (10:33 per mile) I was feeling great!!!  My friend Ashley had met me at mile 2 (she’s training for a half in January in Austin).  I was so excited to see her and have her run with me!

Miles 4 - 8

I set in a good pace at mile 4.  I was warmed up my calf/shin wasn’t hurting and it was awesome running through uptown.  At one point we saw a bar, The MAT (McKinney Avenue Tavern) selling $1 jello shots… who on earth would take a $1 jello shot during a half/full marathon is beyond me but perhaps it was more for the spectators.  I was becoming jealous of all the Starbucks cups along the race route…all the warm spectators with their coffee and signs….but then I remembered…. I get to finish under a balloon arch and say I ran a half marathon….what do you get to do with your warm hands, ears and toes……hahah j/k.

At the 10K mark I remember saying “I’m half way through” – I still felt great!  I was high fiving the crowd, I had taken ½ a pack of chomps at mile 4.5 so I was fueled and feeling good.  At mile 8ish we hit an uphill that sucked….but I pushed through and ran it.  It helped to have Ashley there, even though we didn’t talk much I knew she was there next to me and supporting me.

Miles 9 -11

I think this is when I hit the “Runners High” – I don’t really remember them; I remember seeing the 10 mile flag b/c Ash said she was peeling off at 11 to head back to her car.  We hit 11, half-way hugged and said goodbye….. she headed for the car and I headed for the finish….

Miles 12 – 13.1

This 1.1 mile was the hardest mile of my life.  I had come down off any sort of “high” and felt every jarring pound of the pavement.  My knees were hurting, my shoulder was hurting, and I wanted water and a hug from Bill.  Miley Cyrus Party in the U.S.A. brought me into the finish….thank God for Miley!  I think I finished with a smile through my tears…. I was certainly smiling on the inside … I really want a good finishing picture.  Call me vain but I want a fun one for the blog.  I ran the entire 13.1 miles…. I didn’t stop and take a walk break; I didn’t stop b/c I was tired, I didn’t stop just to stop.  I ran and I conquered every fear I’ve ever had of running, every pain I’ve felt for the last 10 weeks was so worth crossing that finish line.

2:20:07 seconds was my official half marathon time. 

STATS:

Overall: 5465 / 9581

Sex: 2704 / 5692

Division (25-29): 536 / 1090

5K Rank and Time:  6018 – 32:46

10K Rank and Time: 5902 – 1:06:08

15K Rank and Time: 5628 – 1:39:32

Runners passed – 238

Runners that passed me – 113

For the fun of it – I was ahead of 29% of men finishers J

At the finish we were escorted into the Automotive building for medals, t-shirts, food/water.  I was so out of it…. I got my medal/shirt from the volunteers and then I think I cut in front of like 10,000 people in line for food and water.  If any of you read this, I’m sorry – I wasn’t trying to be rude; I was seriously disoriented.

I called Bill and met the family and Cayla outside the building.  My stomach was starting to turn and I needed to walk it off.  After a few minutes of walking I felt great again and began to crave pancakes.  I.love.pancakes.

We rode the little sky thing-y at the fair so Shelby and Coop could have some fun and then all of us headed to breakfast/lunch at my favorite Café Brazil.  A classic breakfast with pancakes did it for me!  I was a happy ½ marathon finisher!

Bill and I headed home… he had a work dinner Sunday night at an AMAZING steak house in town…. I was looking forward to rest and relaxation.  I iced on and off for about three hours during the Cowboy game (BOO-YA we won in OT), and oh yes – I showered…a hot hot shower!!

I made Chicken Noodle Soup for dinner which was just what I needed…. I curled up on the couch with soup, hot chocolate and my two ice packs for a night of Sunday television by the light of the Christmas Tree.  The only thing I was missing was Bill……..

What I learned:

1. I can do it – b/c I did
2. I’m a middle of the packer….. not showing off/not falling behind
3. My body is capable of ANYTHING I put my mind to….it’s getting my mind in the place of believing in myself to do it (Bill’s been telling me this for YEARS!)
4. Everything is worth it when I hear Bill say – “I love you Al and I am so proud of you”

Here's today at work:

More pics to follow tonight (I only uploaded the iPhone ones) I'm getting a massage at 6 so we shall see :) If not tomorrow for sure!