The Mini

Last Saturday I ran my first mini marathon. What an experience! At 13.1 miles, it was the farthest I've ever run in my life. It was hard, but felt really good to accomplish.

The back story is this: Not too long ago I caught myself eating ice cream while reading Women's Health. I realized my love of fitness is hard to reconcile with my even greater love of food. It's a tough balance to achieve.

 

Thanks for the visual, internet clip art

I enjoy exercising, but my efforts have usually been fairly casual. I wanted to push myself. I have a few friends who had done or were doing the half marathon, so in January I made a goal to run it, signed up and started training. Still too casually, but training, nonetheless.

The night before the race I was too nervous and keyed up to sleep. I had come down with a cold and worried about breathing through my nose the next day. I felt unprepared. My goal had been to finish the course in 4 hours, but I was scared I wouldn't finish at all. I said a series of very serious prayers. When morning finally came, I had a bowl of oatmeal, chugged a Gatorade,  donned my 7-year-old Nike's and anxiously headed out. 

I told you it was hard, and it was. But as I ran, I found myself really enjoying the experience. Imagine - the sun shining, people on all sides cheering you, drum lines playing, and 15,000 sets of shoes pounding the pavement. We ran through downtown Louisville and all the way to Churchill Downs where we were able to run around the infield. I kept myself jogging at an easy pace most of the way, but really started to feel it around mile 10. Mile 13 went on forever. Finally I saw the finish line and sprinted down the last leg. What an incredible feeling!

I finished at 2:36, and want to try for 2:15 next time. If this is what accomplishing a goal feels like, I need to set more and get to work!

Downtown Louisville. We ended the race there on the Great Lawn

The face of a true champion.

Just kidding.