HALF WAY TO MY GOAL!!!

This past Saturday was easily the HARDEST day I've had yet. We met in Portolla Valley, and ran the Stanford "Dish"...For locals, you know how hilly the Dish is!!! It was a BRUTAL first 6 miles to say the least, with lots and lots of hills. My legs felt like complete jello and I was actually pretty unsure how I was going to be able to finish the second half of the run. I ran with a friend/running partner Sarah (A Nike Women's Marathon Vet) for the first half, and being able to pace myself/chat with someone definitely helped. The second half of the run was basically straight up Alpine Road. It was my goal to run 12 miles that day, but when I got to the 12 mile turn around point, I knew that if I ran just ONE more mile, I would have completed a HALF marathon distance. So, I dug in and got energy from SOMEWHERE and was able to squeeze out the extra mile. My legs were totally throbbing and my shoulder blades were hurting from moving my arms back and forth for so long, but I did it. There was a HUGE feeling of accomplishment, when I realized I was half way to my goal of completing a full marathon...It was also awesome to be welcomed back to the starting area by my fellow TNT participants, who had finished before me. Lots of hugs, cheering and hugs. I can only imagine how emotional crossing the finish line will be...I've got about 10 weeks left until the race. Hard to believe!!!! Here is a picture of me and my running buddy Sarah, right after we finished running....Headed home for an ICE BATH!!!!!!!

Double.Digits

Two weeks ago I hit a huge milestone. I ran my first EVER double digit run! It was a nice, cool morning, foggy, and we ran along the ocean in Half Moon Bay, so it was a gorgeous run. I finished in a little over 2 hours, which is right where I want to be, time wise. The last mile or so, I got pretty emotional and definitely teared up, as I realized how much I had just accomplished. Never in my life did I think I would be able to run that far...I also thought alot about our honorees and their familes and how much they have endured to be where they are today. It was an awesome day, to say the least. After the run, I participated in a "Half Moon Bay Run" tradition, and jumped into the (freezing!) ocean. The coaches and mentors have really hammered it into us that taking ice baths after long runs helps get your muscles back into action quicker and also helps to dull the aches and pains...So, this dip in the Pacific acted as such. Fun!!!! Above are pictures of me in the water/ice bath and also with my 'mentor' and HS friend Maria, after the race. :-)