I spent the day before the half-marathon coughing and cranky, although I did fit in a lovely 4-mile walk with a friend and an ice-cream date with El Bandito. We were smart enough to go park the car in the neighborhood of the finish line, and then wind our way home via a grocery store, public transit, and the fancy new ice-cream shop and soda fountain.
I've had this lingering chest congestion (which I still have) for a couple of weeks, and it was worse the day before the half-marathon than it had been. So I was a little worried.
There are advantages to a race in one's own backyard. I got to go back to bed after eating breakfast. El Bandito came and saw me off at the start -- the previous two years, I've done the 5K at this race, so he's gone straight to the finish rather than the start, to be sure of getting there in time. This year, he got to see the chaos of nearly 10000 people, and then head off to mile 6 to wait for me.
I was afraid I was going out too fast. But it felt good. and I did force myself to take my scheduled walk breaks.
I got to high-five El Bandito and keep on moving.
Two friends were standing on a corner at mile 7ish, and that was awesome.
I need to remember to do either gu, sharkies, or something a little sooner -- I swallowed half a stinger waffle around mile 8, but that was later than I should have.
El Bandito was waiting around mile 12 again, then at the finish.
I had fun. I crossed the finish line smiling, and didn't even think to check my time...
which was better than my stretch goal.
it was actually a lovely way to spend a Sunday morning.
I'll do another.
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