Home to Me: 2012

There is something about accomplishing a goal, that makes you want to set more goals!! I am obsessed with goals today hahaha! I even goggled "making a goal page".. So I turned back to my blog ;)

This past weekend I ran in the Nationwide's Columbus Half Marathon, my 2nd half. Last fall, I ran the Chicago half and my time was 2:19, a 10:40 pace. It was my first half and I didn't love running the way I do now. Also, Sam ran the Chicago with me and he wasn't quite feeling it that day, so we walked a lot toward the end. Anyway, when I started training for this race in August, I had a little voice in the back of my head saying, "goal, sub 2 hours." I kept this thought to myself because I was unsure how realistic it was at first. As training went on, it got louder. On September 22, my first double digit training run, I officially made it my goal to finish the Columbus half under 2 hours!! I publicly announced my sub 2 hour goal on dailymile :) That to me made it real!

So I have been crazy excited about this weekend for a very long time! Sam and I drove to Cbus on friday and stayed with our friend Nick. We went to the expo friday night and then to dinner at "La Fogata" delicious Mexican, to catch up with Nick. Saturday was Sam's day, Ohio State football!! He drank all day as I hydrated for my race! I honestly enjoyed the game, and as always the social atmosphere, and then the winner's high after watching the Bucks beat Purdue in OT. (a dilemma of mine- do I root for Ohio State? or Purdue? whatever..) Either way, I want nothing else than to see Sam as happy as he is after Ohio State wins :) My pre-race dinner was a Guac turkey burger and waffle fries from Champp's lol... yes dinner of champions. I figure carbs are carbs and I'm not getting healthy food at Champp's no matter what, so what the heck. Just needs some glycogen for my liver.

As the day goes on I start to realize that my big race is almost here but it's not until Leah and Jerry arrive that I realize it's happening! I have so much good to say about Leah, but basically she started me on running and I am forever grateful! So the feeling when Leah walks in the door is indescribable. We immediately embrace and start jumping up and down screaming in excitement (sorry boys and neighbors). So I flip into nervous mode, start gathering my things, cleaning, organizing, and making small snaps at Sam (he knows how I am when I am nervous and getting ready, "I'm sorry, I love you!") This mood carries into the next morning and Sam just keeps his distance and does his part by taking care of all the other things like time, driving, and parking, so I only have to focus on me. He's amazing. As per usual, I am the last out the door and I forget my pre-race drink on the counter, Nick goes back to get it. I think "Man I feel rushed, I hope I have everything now!" So the 5 of us pile in the car and once we get on the road, I pull my Nike+ out of my jacket and omg guess what?!?!! It is freaking dead! --What?? I charged it overnight! Really? As I am freaking out in my head I am calm on the outside and hoping I am not coming off as a baby and the girl who needs her watch to run. But umm I do!! So I literally want to cry, but I'm not. Sam offers to drive back after dropping us off but I know this won't work, but thankful he offers. He reaches back to me to squeeze my hand to quietly soothe me because he knows me and he knows I want to cry. And because he is a genius, he somehow finds a way to plug my watch into his car and charge it. I still don't know how that worked. Sam and Jerry stay back to charge my watch as Nick, Leah, and I start heading for our corrals. The crowd is huge, it's dark, the porta-potties suck. Everyone is nervous and chatty. This all feels like a cluster-f to me. But I am quiet and no longer freaking out, honestly I don't think I am thinking about anything anymore, my mind is clear. I feel instantly better when it is just me and Sam. He brings my watch and he is quiet, pleasant, and smiling. He knows I don't want to talk because I am focused. So he kisses me and wishes me luck and says cute things to build my confidence.

I am in corral D and it takes 16 minutes before I am over the starting line. The first 2 miles I'm not happy at all and my 2 hour goal seems impossible. My watch won't link and these people are slowing me down! I honestly, calmly think "I can't make the 2, and I'm not too upset because I feel like there's too many external factors against me. I'll just run 13.1 at home and kill the 2 hours!" I get my watch to quickstart @ 1.2 miles, but I am still anxious. I started feeling better when I hit mile 5 and realized my time was under a 9 min/mile, even after the terrible first 2 miles. So the problem with my watch is that I started it 1.2 miles late and I don't trust it. In the past my avg pace has been off by 30 seconds and my current pace is never accurate. So I honestly just did it the most basic way and at each mile marker I looked at the time and divided it by my mile and as long as it was under 9, I knew I could make it if I kept this pace. I felt like I was running blind! I mentally and physically didn't even realize I was running until mile 5 or 6, probably because I was too busy being mad and trying to figure out my pace. I got a really tasty raspberry goo on mile 7, that I slowly ate and enjoyed and then right before mile 8 I saw Sam!! At this point I was really happy because I knew my pace was 8 something and I swear all I could think was how bad I wanted to tell Sam that "I am doing it, I'm going to make it!" That made me run faster because I was so excited to tell him at the end of the race. I couldn't wait to see him!

At 8 miles, I finally realized I was running and started enjoying it and did what I always do, made small markers. I thought run 2 more miles and you are at double digits, then it's just a 5K from there. Then when I got to 10 miles, it was the Angel Mile, which provided me with plenty of things to think about. My sick patients and their families, the love they have for one another, and the vulnerability that they wish they didn't have to show. These thoughts like always for me, go hand in hand and simultaneously with my thoughts on my life. The perspective I have on my life is a beautiful one. I know how lucky and blessed I am. I thank God and count my lucky stars every single day. Mile 10 was easy.

Mile 11, I just thought less than 2, it's the home stretch. I saw Sam again :) and then it was mile 12! Thousands of people cheering and I picked up the pace, high-fived a line of 20 little girls which was exhilarating and cute, I laughed out loud. At the last turn, the last quarter-mile it was a little up hill and I thought "wow, they want to kill you before the end, so nice" but I pushed it and normally it probably would've hurt but I don't think I felt it. And then I could see the finish line, I sprinted! It was amazing! I could feel the burn, but I wanted the burn. It wouldn't have felt accomplished without it. Then 30 yards from the finish my legs were cycling so fast I thought "great, I'll tumble across the finish." The last 30 seconds were so clear, I couldn't hear anything, I was flying and concentrating on my fast but even breathing. I said "just one step at a time, one foot in front of the other, don't fall." and then I crossed. I almost cried and I instantly was wishing I wasn't alone!! Wished I was sharing it with Sam or Leah, but knew there were plenty of strangers around me that felt the same way. It was beautiful, and the best part is I knew I beat my goal. I looked at my watch right when I crossed, 9:39 am. At this point I know I beat it, but by how much?? I still don't know. I am so excited and all I want to do is find my friends! Someone gives me my medal and I am so proud, I take a few quick pics and start frantically looking. Eventually Taryn finds me, and right away we spot Leah and Nick. I am so excited to tell them I beat it and to hear that Leah PR'd too! 1:45, 4 minutes faster than her best! Nick's time was 1:36, one minute slower than his last (but obviously still impressive, especially since he had brewskis all day yesterday). Soon after, I spot my tall Sam! I run and jump on him and tell him "I did it! I did it! I beat 2!" I finally find out my official time when a friend writes it on facebook lol!! My official time was 1:52!!! I beat it by 8 minutes!! That's an 8:35 pace. I couldn't believe it! All this time in training, I thought I was going to run 1:59, and I beat it! by 8 minutes! I couldn't be more excited and more proud! And I want to do it again, and again, and again!

I couldn't have done this race without Sam and Leah! Leah got me started on running last year! I started running in April 2011 and it was a long rocky start. I'll never forget all the miles that Leah had to drag me through and the day I stomped my foot and said "I can't go anymore!" That day is hilarious to me because we ran 0.9, I needed 0.1 more to run 1 mile. That's it, 0.1, and I couldn't do it! This is a girl who had run 4 marathons, and I was telling her I couldn't run 0.1. Looking back I can't believe Leah's patience with me. I mean, I can because she is the kindest, most patient, sweetest person I know. But without her I wouldn't be where I am today in running. She taught me how to start, maintain, and flourish in running. And for that I am forever grateful, and in Leah I have a wonderful life-long running partner and friend!

Sam is my partner in everything we do, whether it's my thing or his thing, we are teammates. He started running with me last year. Even though running is definitely not his thing he trained for and raced the Chicago Half Marathon with me last fall. He still runs with me every once awhile just so I have company, he even ran on his birthday this year for me. Sam supports my running 100%, which means: he never discourages me; he deals with my sleep/running schedule; he provides me with healthy meals, my "fuel;" he is a sounding board because I text him after every run; he bought my Nike+ watch and my iPod shuffle; he buys me running apparel; he doesn't complain when I don't drink because of running; he lets me talk about running a lot; and he constantly praises me. We had football plans Oct 21 but I really wanted to sign up for this race, and Sam compromised and let me sign up. Instead of going to the Browns game, he woke up @ 5am, dealt with my snappiness and took care of me on my day. He was exactly what I needed on my race day, and without him I wouldn't be where I am today, period.