mickelson trail half marathon

I conquered half marathon number 6!

I  woke up before my alarm went off at 0500. I tried to lay in bed, but then I started thinking about the race too much and got my tummy in all sorts of knots. so I just decided to get up and get going. I didn’t want to be rushed.

my stuff was all laid out and ready to go for me the next morning. I had to make a few game time decisions on wearing shorts or capris. I went with the marty pants (you’ll understand the name in the next pictures). and whether to wear the headband or the hat. I wore the headband to the start, but took the hat with just in case.

mom and I left the hotel just a little before 6. buses were suppose to start loading at 615. well….my dad would be so disappointed I wasn’t on the first bus to the start.   we saw buses driving through town as we were headed to the bus drop off location. I made it to the start with about 70 minutes to spare though!

I kept checking temperatures and when we left the hotel it was 38* in town and closer to 33* at the start. I was pretty bundled up and was prepared to throw away clothes if I needed to.

I just found a spot at the start and ate a couple bananas and looked for people I knew. before I found anyone I had this feeling of not wanting to be there. I didn’t want to run this race. I wished my mom was there because I wanted to go home. thankfully I ran into some people I knew and without them even knowing my feelings they had changed my mind. I remembered why I loved this. why I was there.

I went to throw away all my garbage and I was going to head up to where my mileage pace was and there was my mom! it was crazy coincidence. she was standing in the same spot I had been standing before  I went to throw away my trash.

we walked up closer to the start line together and I kept counting down the minutes. I started to get excited. I knew I had put a lot of training into this half and knew I had the ability to gain a PR. I just had to keep everything in check for the next 13.1 miles.

I was bundled up just a little bit at the start. I’m the kind of person that if I get cold….it takes me a long time to warm up. I would rather be over dressed at the start. there were people walking around in what they were racing in. I couldn’t look at them without getting the chills myself. they were making me cold. they had goosebumps and were shivering like crazy. I started to shiver when I started to take off all my layers.

changed into the hat…and see the marty pants! if you haven’t seen madagascar you have no idea what I’m talking about. I think I would have been easily comfortable with shorts. but I got so many compliments on my capris!

ready to rock and roll!

miles 1-5 are gradual downhill. I knew I needed to pull back the pace but I was feeling so good.  went out a little fast. suffered a little at the end of the race.

right after mile 5 there is about a1 mile (I think a little longer than 1 mile) gradual incline. my legs weren’t actively burning running up the hill but my pace slowed down probably a minute worth. once I topped the hill I knew I was home free. the rest was again downhill or flat. this course is fast, but I don’t think a guaranteed PR unless you’ve put in the miles and hours of training.

going into this race I was hungry for that PR. I knew I had put the time and dedication into it, but was worried I had set expectations too high. mile 7-10 seemed to just click by.

10-13 was hard. mentally tough for me. I knew I was so close to being done. I just kept telling myself…”its just an afternoon stroll with twogees.” only twogees wasn’t with me. I wish she was.

I was on track for 1:45 at one point and I was ecstatic. then I hit about mile 12.4 at 1:45. my watch had been hitting miles earlier than the mile markers  they had on the course.

I got a super intense gut cramp at their mile 12.9 (my garmin was about .4 off at the end of the race). on man did that thing kill! I made it around the corner and finished in 1:49:55. hello new PR. even though this is a mostly downhill course. its not far off my old PR and it gives me something to push for. I tucked that bad boy in my back pocket…got my medal and proceeded to the massage tent. I have never had a massage post race. but now I think its totally a must!

holy tight calves! but it felt so great to massage them out.

I got some new hardware to add to my wall!

and what would be a race without my “happy dance” as my dad calls it. mile 11 there was a photographer I spotted and gave them the best happy dance leap I could. I’ll have to wait until photos are available to add to my collection!

the weather was fabulous, the course was amazing. I loved all the spectators able to be around the course. it really kept my spirits high and gave me those extra boosts when I needed them.

mickelson….I will be back next year!

and maybe can convince my family….ALL my family to join in on the fun!