Throwback Thursday 03

Junior year homecoming dance. I loved this dress out of all my homecoming and prom dresses. I hope to either make one or find another one like it when I reach my goal weight. This dress gave me a little extra sass when I was out on the dance floor with my friends.

I remember being a normal weight. This was me probably at the top of the normal weight of the BMI chart. I want to get back there so bad. Hard work and dedication are what works.

Recap of my first half marathon

Before it began:
My cousin and race partner picked me up from my house that morning. I knew I wasn't going to be able to walk let alone drive myself home. It was pretty chilly because of the wind.  We got there with about 15 minutes before the race was to start and we still needed to stand in line for the restroom. We made it to the back of the group while the national anthem was playing and I was beginning to be really nervous. The tutus were a huge hit among the race already at this point!
So it begins:
At the beginning of the run Brad had me running 4 minutes and walking 2 minutes. I think this lasted for 2-3 miles before we had to drop it to 3 on 3 off. After a few more miles we dropped to 2 on 2 off.
Halfway point:
As we ran up to the halfway point I saw the cutest little boy in the prettiest little tutu supporting his momma. It brought tears to my eyes and maybe it pushed me to run a little harder.

Tallahassee Democrat Online

Slammed into the wall:
I couldn't run anymore past mile 10.5 I wore my Vibram Fivefingers for this race which I fully regret my stupidity already. I won't be doing another race like this in those shoes. At this point my feet were in so much pain. I was walking on grass when there was grass on the sides of the route. At mile 11.5 my left foot was on fire. I knew I was hurting but I knew who was waiting for me at the finish line so I had to push through it.
The end is near:
At about mile 13 we were back to the crowds and the finish line was visible (sort of). My son was there on the side of the route. My cousin ran up to grab him and I began to run again. That energy and strength came from thin air or something. I ran all the way across the finish line with my son.

Running across the finish line.

Overall thoughts:
I was really happy with my end results for the race. I finished in 3:48:23 which may seem like walking to most people but this was pushing it the whole time for me. I trained for this race in only a month, think about what I could have done if I had longer to train. This is one of the best experiences I have had recently. I can't wait to get back to training and work towards finishing my first marathon.

My medal, it was half of the marathon medal. 

Letter to Myself, Ep 12

You had one of your biggest accomplishments this weekend. You ran your first half marathon. You trained all month for your big race and you smashed your goal time by a lot. 3:48:23 was your official time. Congrats on that girl.

Not only did you do great on your half, you lost 3.5 pounds for this weigh in. That is awesome. Back to where you started and you are going to continue to go down now. Great job these last two weeks.

You are getting new running shoes this week. Saturday is your next 5k and you will do great. Just try to recover most of this week and then get back to training next week for the Springtime 10k.

Tallahassee Half Marathon

Pace: 17’23 avg.

Distance: 13.23 miles

Monthly Total: 15.23 miles

Yearly Total: 65.18 miles

Splits

Mile 1: 14’07

Mile 2: 15’13

Mile 3: 16’11

Mile 4: 16’04

Mile 5: 15’48

Mile 6: 15’22

Mile 7: 16’24

Mile 8: 17’20

Mile 9: 16’34

Mile 10: 19’05

Mile 11: 21’54

Mile 12: 22’21

Mile 13: 19’43

Mile .23: 17’23

My official BIB time was 3:48:23 when I guessed I'd get done in 4:45:00

Running movies I've watched as of late

Spirit of the Marathon (2007)

The first ever feature-length film to capture the essence, drama and unique spectacle of the famed 26.2-mile race, the production features five runners - three amateurs and two elites - as they train for and ultimately run the Chicago Marathon. 

My Run (2009)

After tragically losing his wife to breast cancer and struggling to raise three young children on his own, real life super hero and modern day Forrest Gump, Terry Hitchcock seized on an idea. He wanted to accomplish the impossible: run 75 consecutive marathons in 75 consecutive days to bring attention to the incredibly difficult lives of single-parent families. He ran in spite of freezing rain and unbearable heat, in spite of chest pains and bone fractures that wracked his 57-year-old body. He just kept running - each day, every day - strengthening an unbreakable bond between father and son--- not stopping until he broke the finish line tape in Atlanta. MY RUN is more than a film about a guy running multiple marathons; it's a film about the daily marathons we all run in life. 

30 for 30: Into the Wind (2012)

Story about Terry Fox

Running the Sahara (2007)

Three men attempt to become the first humans to run coast to coast across the Sahara Desert.