I did it!

I have been saying for years that I was going to do a half marathon. So this year, with Margaret as inspiration, I started training in September. On Saturday I actually did it! I ran 13.1 miles. In the freezing rain!! Yes, it was awful in the morning. I was really worried that it would be miserable, but it turned out okay. It was about 40 degrees and raining at 7:45 am when I was lining up. Thankfully, dressed in clothes from Jarrett and Miriam, I was pretty warm and dry. The rain stopped at mile 5 or so and it was a nice run. Thankfully, there was almost no wind, so it was really managable. My goal was 2 hours and I made it at just that. My first mile came in at 10 something and I was so bummed. I thought I had made better time, but I must have been pretty far back from the starting line. Thankfully, each mile picked up and I averaged a little more than 9/ mile.

Carly and Joiner were signed up for the Fun run, but the weather was so terrible that they went to get breakfast with mom and Margaret while I was running. They got to get shirts and race bibs, so they weren't too disappointed. We will find another 1-mile run for them to do. They had been looking so forward to the run, but they handled it well.

This is the 3 of us before the race. Coming into the finish line. I love this picture (Thanks Miriam) because I look so fast I am blurry! Not really!

The last corner!

They are full of pumpkin and gingerbread pancakes and they look sad...Why? I am very excited to be done! And I am now starting to feel cold. I couldn't get warm for hours after the race!

The YMCA where Carly and Joiner have grown up is who sponsors this Mistletoe run and they have a huge after party. So I found a dry shirt and we went in to see the music and, of course, the bounce houses. People were chowing down on donuts and pizza. I could barely eat all day. That is until we went to Margaret and Bruce's for dinner! We had yummy Indian food. I think I was scaring Bruce by how many servings I had!

Carly jumping down!

Joiner at the bottom

Thanks to Gigi and Margaret who helped me get to the race and stayed with the girls. Thanks to Jarrett and Miriam who followed the whole race, cheered, and loaned me clothes and an IPOD that has more than 40 minutes of battery!