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!!!
