Cowtown Half Recap!

On Sunday, February 24, 2013 I ran my first official Half Marathon! 
Before the race started, I met up with these fellow MRTT ladies! 

Pic from How My World Runs

It was freezing cold (yes 33 degrees is freezing to this Texan! haha) and I was hoping it wouldn't warm up too much because I run so much better in the cold. I ended up wearing my jacket the whole time and was completely comfortable! We had a wind advisory in affect and I think the wind made it even cooler. This was also my first time to run with my new haircut and with my hair down! Didn't bother me at all! Short hair for the win! :)

I was in the very last Corral to start.

Yes, I know I'm slow. Get Over it!<---Saw that saying on several shirts throughout the race! 

Looks like I need one! haha :)

I had to post this pic, because I have no idea what I was doing, nor remember even taking it! Haha!
About 20 min before the race, I headed to the porta potty's. Yeah, I should have gotten there at least 20 min prior! I didn't end up making it to the front and just headed to my coral instead. I just thought that I would wait until the first one I saw on the course to go. Well that didn't happen either. Looks like everyone else had the same idea! 
This is the one thing about the entire race I had to complain about. They needed more Porta Potty's! It was ridiculous! OK anyway...

I started off telling myself that I was going to stick to my run 3/walk2 intervals and just take it slow. So much for listening to myself... I ended up running the first 3 miles without stopping to walk! I felt great and I didn't want to stop! I told my self that I only had 10 miles to go after I finished that 5K and I was doing great! 
I had this guy in my sight and did not want to lose him!

He was the 3 hour pacer, and I just knew if I could keep up with him, that I would be doing awesome!
At mile 4.5, I could not hold it any longer and finally had to stop to stand in line for a porta potty. At that time I watched my 3 hour guy leave my sight and got a little down. But I knew I had to run my own race and I could still get pretty close to that 3 hours if I just kept going!
I was so very proud of myself because I was running MUCH more that I was walking! I hadn't trained like this and I have no idea where this strength was coming from! I guess it may have been part adrenaline and part spectator support! There were a few small bands lined up along the course to play for us and you don't realize how much that helps you along until you experience it!
Mile 6, half way there, and I feel a pop in my left hip. It popped so hard that my left knee actually jerked sideways. It was crazy and I knew something wasn't right, but the insane half marathoner that I am, I refused to stop! It actually felt better to run than walk at this point, so I just tried to keep running. We ran the Stockyards where the streets were paved with bricks. It was really neat and I really tried to take in all of the scenery! I had to stop and take pictures when I saw this:

Yes that's a field of Cactus! I just thought it was cool to see, so I had to take a pic!
I wish I had taken pictures of some of the signs along the way. I just didn't think to pull out my phone then! I had 4 signs stand out though. One from my fellow MRTT momma and BRF that said "Stopping: Ain't Nobody got time for that". Love it! Another one said "You trained longer for this than Kim Kardashian was married". That one made me smile. Then we came across one where a dad was holding a sign that said "You Run and I'll Rock" and his son, who was about 10ish, was playing his electric guitar for us! It was so cute! And then last, and my favorite..."Run Faster. I just farted". OMG we all busted out laughing at that one!
Then came mile 9. Mile 9 will be known as the mile that almost killed me! Right before mile 9 we saw this lovely view and I was just thinking how beautiful of a city I live in now! 

Then as I got closer to that skyline, I saw what was ahead...

Can you see it far in the distance? The street going UP!

Yeah the hill from H-E-Double Hockey Stick!

I swear, it seemed to go on forever.

It was probably only a quarter mile or so, but to someone with a hurt hip who had just run more of 9 miles than she had ever done, it was about 4 miles long! HA!

This was the view at the top and it was a really pretty building!

I was so happy to see it up close!

Then we turned the corner and had to go up another small hill.

Yeah, there were a few rolling hills.

I took pride in the fact that I ran (not walked) all of the hills up until Mile 9!

I also took advantage of every single downhill and didn't walk those either!

After Mile 9 though, my hip was done. It did not want to move anymore.

I did one of those try to jog, then walk, then try to jog things all the way to the finish line.

I did get to see more pretty views of Downtown Fort Worth though!

And I was super happy to see this downhill around mile 11 or so...

I did take advantage of this one and jogged the whole way down!

 After this downhill and around mile 12, there was this looooong bridge we had to go across.

We were all tried and there was no spectator support to push us through.

It was a pretty long bridge too for someone who was so close to the finish line and yet, so far away!

At mile 12.5 we had yet another uphill towards the finish line.

That was juts plain mean of them! HaHa 

I saw my BRF and fellow MRTT momma (who was unable to run due to a hurt knee) and she sai she would see me at the finish line! :)

When I turned that final corner and saw that finish line, I tried to run as hard as my hurt hip and tired body would let me!  I actually looked up and saw 3:36 on the timer and my heart broke a little. Then I realized I had started way after the gun went off and perked up a bit! And ran harder!

The silly person that I am, I had signed up for race day text messages for myself!

So I actually knew what my splits were and my finish time right after I finished!

I was actually glad I did, because when I saw my 5K split, I was ecstatic! That really helped me to push even more and make myself want to actually make that time!

My 10K split was a little worse, but still good for me!

At the Mile 11 Split, I realized I was not getting my 3 hour time, but I still thought I could beat 3:20 which was the goal I had set for myself!

Here are my Splits:

*5K Split : 41:47 : Pace 13:27: Estimated Finish Time of 2:56:15

*10K Split: 1:29:44: Pace: 14:26: Est Finish Time: 3:09:18

*Mile 11 Split: 2:42:12: Pace: 14:45: Est Finish Time: 3:13:18

FINISH:

3:14:29

Pace: 14:50

That may seem soooo slow to some, but for me, I was super proud!

I finished a real half marathon!

If you could have only seen the JOY on my face!

I was so excited!

My route on Nike +! 

Yes, apparently I ran a little over 13.1 according to Nike +! :)

Over all, this was such a good course!

I am already thinking about running it again next year!

I would love to see if I can beat this time and conquer that 9 Mile Hill of Death while running!

I think this was a great first Half for me and it did exactly what everyone said your first half would do.

It makes you want to do it again! Soon! :)

Thank goodness I already have another one lined up March 24th!

My Cowtown Bling!!!

Can I wear it everywhere I go for the next month? Please?! :)

All of the awesome shirts I got!

They were giving these stickers away at the expo!

I love it! I plan on turning it into a magnet for my fridge! :)

And the most amazing hot pink finisher shirt ever! 

It's so cute and I can't wait to wear it on my runs! :)

Or when running errands. :)

Or everywhere! lol :)

Well, there you have it! My first half marathon and the beginning of the rest of my life!

That's how I feel!

I'm still in awe that me, Sarah, the non sporty band nerd, has completed a half marathon!

This is the new me!

The Half Marathon Finisher Sarah!! :)