A 13.1 mile party in the Street

In January, my sister, Colette and I talked each other into running a half-marathon.  The half-marathon we choose was the inaugural Morgan Valley Marathon.  We both thought it would be great to run in our home town.  A place we know and love.

The race was scheduled for July 31st.  I started training in mid-April for the run.  I ran sprints, did running intervals, went for some longer runners, worked out hard with my trainer, pushed my self to do many things I never thought I could do.

I don't consider myself to be a runner and I don't really like it very much either, but I have always wanted to say I ran a race that was more than a 5k.  As I the day of the was approaching Colette and I both realized the race course was going to be a bit of a challenge.  Within the first 1/4 mile of the race you go up a hill.  The course continues to wind through the foothills of Morgan, climbing for the next 7 miles.  I was scared.  I hate hills.  I live in the hills and I run on as many parallel roads as I can find.

Rather than getting my self nervous and full of anxiety I decided to mentally prepare myself for the hills and the course.  I told myself that if I had to walk up the hills it would be okay.  There is no shame in walking.  I learned that if I let myself have a good time.. what I like to call "a party in the street" while running I will be fine.

I broke the course out into 4 sections in my mind.  I would focus on making it to the Morgan Cemetary.  That is where the really hilly part would start.  The end of the hills would be a the Porterville Church so my next goal was to make it there.  After the Porterville church I would start to go down hill and made my next focus point the Y at Young Street.  After I made it to Young Street all I had to do was make it home.

During my training I kept telling myself, I am going to run a half-marathon.  I can do hard things.  I will accomplish my goal.  I will be energized and have fun and enjoy every moment. I learned to run with Quench Gum and my own water.  Before I started the race I had chocolate PowerBar energy blasts. At about mile 9 I would refuel with a PowerBar and some Gatorade.  I also packed some Raspberry Gummy Energy Chews.  The most important thing for my party in the street was my 4 hours and 11 minutes worth of music.  I would start it out loud and strong and keep it pumping.

I was very excited the day of the race and was ready to get started.  I had all of my plans intact and ready.  The gun was fired and I started to run.. my music was really loud.  I made it to the Morgan Cemetary in no time and felt great.  I was surprised I felt so energized.  The next thing I knew I was at the Porterville Church.  I felt like I was cruising.  I seriously still felt really great!

About a mile after the church my iPod started freezing.  That put a little damper on my excitement and good feeling but I just kept running.  When a song with a good beat would come on I would pump my arms and sing along.  I am sure some of the other runners thought I was crazy.  By about mile number 11 I started to get tired and wanted to be done.  I didn't look over the end of the course very well so I was surprised that we had to run behind the high school on a river side trail.  At this point my legs really started hurting.  After I made it off the trail I knew I only had a mile left to run and knew I could do it.  The last mile wasn't bad.  By the time I could see the finish line I felt energized again.

As I came across the finish line it was so fun to have most of my family there.  They were all cheering Go Annie! Go Annie! and pumping their arms like I did while I was running in the street.  It was an amazing experience to be done.  I hugged my sister Colette and said we just ran a half-marathon.  Remember how we did that.  I was great!  I will do it again.  Maybe?  Someday? Who knows?  I have some other things I  am trying to concentrate on right now but what I do know form my 13.1 mile party in the street is that I can do hard things!!!