Rock and Roll Dallas Half Marathon Race Report

**Warning Major Picture Overload**

Let me first start off by saying what a great race RnR Dallas was.  The race and expo were well organized and moved quickly (and on schedule) and overall the race experience was a great one.

I haven't talked much on here about preparing for RnR Dallas for two reasons.... 1) I was using it as a "long training" day run three weeks prior to NOLA70.3.  2) I was running with Amber for her first 1/2 mary and I was more excited for her than I was for me. Honestly, it's kinda like Christmas - I get WAY more excited about giving gifts than I ever do about getting my own.  Make sense?

We like to take silly pictures

Saturday I had a work philanthropy event in Las Colinas for the Make A Wish Foundation a 1mile fun run and 5K.  I signed up for the 1 mile b/c my friend at work's daughter is a wish kid and they were walking the 1 mile; plus I didn't really want to run a 5K on my "off/rest" day....but had to participate since I chair our philanthropy committee.  It was a great event and if you live in DFW (or any city where they host this race as a fundraiser) I recommend you participate in the next one.  Seeing all those kids get so excited was truly heart warming.

After that Amber, John and I ran some errands and then headed downtown for the expo.  I.heart.expos.  I spend way too much money, sign up for too many things, and genuinely get too giddy - but hey - that's me.  Packet pick up was smooth sailing and then we began shopping. I found my new favorite obsession, HoneyMilk Chocolate.  Seriously try it - it will change your life.  I picked up my SPI Belt (that I've been putting off buying)  I know I will need it in NOLA and it was 20% off so SCORE!

We wandered around the expo for awhile and picked up some nutrition, sport beans, chomps, honey stinger waffles (read my review here), and then matching headbands to wear on race day.  We then had our gait analyzed by the Brooks team (videoed while running on the treadmill), scored a free tshirt and then headed out.  (OH! Don't forget our Elvis Pic)

Hunka Hunka burnin' love......

Amber and John booked a hotel room at the Magnolia that was 2 blocks from the start of the race; so I crashed with them since Bill is out of town.  ( he is in Phoenix at Rangers Spring Training)  We showered and headed out for dinner at Coal Vines (the same place I ate (and bloggy meet up) before White Rock).

Cayla, Me and Amber

We shared pizza and pasta and made it our own "family style dinner".  It was a great night with good friends - I'm sad Bill wasn't there to join us and to enjoy the food but he's mingling with pros so he's not suffering :)

Amber and John

After Dinner we headed back to the hotel to prep for the race!  CONFESSION - I have a thing - I have to set out all my race gear the night prior to any race.  It makes me feel prepared and I look at my outfit right before I fall asleep and visualize the race the next day.  It can be called a little OCD but - hey - it works :)

Amber's outfit on the left - mine on the right

We drifted off to dream land around 10:00ish.  At 2:30 we were rudely awaken by the noisy neighbors next door.  I assumed they had just gotten in from a long evening on the town and would be passing out shortly thereafter.  After listening to them yell, scream and screech I had enough.  I called the front desk (6 times before they answered) to report the room next door.  The front desk sent up security which promptly shut the neighbors up for 2.5 seconds.  Literally.  When they got loud again (and I was increasingly getting more irritated) I opened our door with intentions of knocking on theirs.  The security guards was still in the hallway.  My statement to him "Are you taking care of this" - I wanted to follow with "or do I have to" but he answered before I could finish.... He was in deed "taking care of it".  At 3:30 he knocked on their door the second time.   Politely asked them to quiet down. They now have had multiple complaints and after two warnings with no attempt to pipe down he would call the Dallas PD.  One of the gentlemen (use this term loosely) went out into the hallway and talked to the guard - for another 20 min.  I heard their entire conversation.  We are now almost at 4am.  y 4:30 I was back asleep and waiting for my alarm at 6:15.  It was a restless (nearly  sleepless) night.   Good thing I picked up those 5 hour energy's at the Make a Wish event.

Did I tell you we LOVE Silly pictures?

The alarm went off and we were up and at 'em.  Dressed and feeling strong - we were ready to head to the start line and get this party started.

At the start line in our corral

WINNING!

We met Joe Dirt/Brett Michaels in our corral

The lines started moving and we made our way to the start..... off we went.

Not much to report miles 1 - 8.  It was a great run...I enjoyed showing Amber parts of Dallas she had never seen before.  We saw John and Cayla around mile 7....

 Right before the 15K mark - nature called 2 times (if you get my drift).  I didn't want to stop - by this time we were in the middle of Swiss Ave (no port-a-potties).  Great - this could be fun.  My stomach started cramping so we backed off the pace and I just hoped to make it to the finish without crying.  We saw the port-a-potties at mile 10ish but I didn't want to stop - we were so close and I was hoping to beat my WR time (even if by a few seconds).

Mile 11 and 12 sucked...as usual..... it hurts by this point and I think I said about a billion times "HOW ON EARTH AM I GOING TO DO THIS AFTER BIKING 56 F'ING MILES!" 

We entered fair park and the cheering picked up, the bands were playing and we saw our support system.

Finally a kind of cute running pic......

We finished holding hands ... I know so girly..

 

Cayla Amber and me after we finished

I really only do this for the BLING!!!!

We ROCKED RnR Dallas!

Official finishing time: 2:20:47 (40 seconds slower than WR - I blame the stomach cramping)



Silly Picture Outtakes: