The Battle was fought.........did I win??

In November I had the crazy idea to sign up for my FIRST HALF MARATHON!!!! The 1/2 would not take place until February, so I had the best laid training plans and the time to do it.

Well then I had a to go and get a little thing called a Stress Fracture in my foot..... Not a deal breaker, it meant no running for a minimum of six weeks. That is OK, I told myself, I can do the elliptical and keep my endurance up. It worked out that January 1st would be my 1st allowed attempt to run. But I was told to start off slowly maybe start on the treadmill so there would not be so much pounding on my foot.

First let me back up and say that during my recovery time I did not sign up for ANY races, HOWEVER I had already signed up for the annual Turkey Trot, and had convinced quite a few first timers into signing up also. Well I COULDN'T let them down could I? I mean I had already signed up. Luckily, I think, there were a few people that would be walking this 5k, so my theory was that I would walk with them. I had made a promise to my husband that I would NOT run any part of it. I mean he practically made me sign a blood oath.

Unfortunately, the course was on alot of brick roads that had they been level and nice would have been OK, but I am talking crater's in the road at one point and the next mountains. Lets just say that at the finish line(really about 1/2 way to the finish) I realized that this was not one of my better ideas. Can you say EXTREMELY sore foot and not to mention my other leg was killing me, as I apparently tried to compensate and put more weight on that leg most of the 5k.

Are you ready for my excuses....cause that is what they are, not very good ones either. Here they go: So between the holidays, my foot, sore tight quads that led to extreme low back pain---all of this AND my very own private pity party led to VERY POOR training for my 1st 1/2 marathon.

BUT, I finished it!!!! I did it and I was NOT picked up for being soo slow, I was NOT last, they were NOT packing up everything as I was crossing the finish line, and I did NOT fall out on the side of the road crying because I could NOT finish.

My time??? 3:11:20. Was it the time I hoped for when I signed up? NO!!! Was it better than the time I feared??? ABSOFREAKINLOUTLY!!!! I did fine(well as fine as I could) until mile 11. Miles 1-10 were run in a little over 2 hours The last 3.1 were HORRIBLE. I walked the last 3, I was hurting everywhere except the foot that had the stress fracture(my biggest fear) My hips hurt, I had a horrendous cramp starting in my calf, my quads were screaming, but I kept telling myself I would not walk across the finish line. Luckily that .1 started around a building from the finish line, so not a whole bunch of people saw me walking. When I got to the building I managed a sloooooow jog. As I crossed the finish line, my first thought was........ I can NOT wait to do this again with a solid training behind me!!!!