Kristie trying out her new gloves at 330am! Gloves were essential considering it was 36 degrees when the race started!!!
Somehow my dear friend, Sarah Nannen, a runner, convinced me and 26 other women to sign up for the 1/2 marathon in Las Vegas on Dec 6th! After chatting with Trav about it over a few beers, I did it! Registering was the easy part, now I had to start training for it! Training means that I had to start RUNNING, which I don't do, so I was up for a challenge! I started off with a bang running a few times a week with Ryan around the neighborhood and Lake Miramar, but due to the heat, a trip to Chicago and just general laziness I quit "training"! I could give you a zillion excuses, but the main one was that I just wasn't interested in running. I enjoy walking. I enjoy pushing my child in his stroller without dying. Running....not really my thing! So, I continued to walk (power walk) with Ryan a few times a week around our VERY HILLY neighborhood, but was done with the 1/2 training! So, as the race crept closer I decided that I would just walk it and try and run when I felt like it! Race day morning I still had the "I am just going to walk it" attitude and paired up with my sweet and NOW 16 weeks pregnant runner of a friend, Sarah Nannen! Well, we decided to start the race running, but then to walk when we felt like it! We started at about a 12:30 pace and both felt good, so continued one mile, two miles, then three miles, etc. At the first water station I slipped on ice and busted my butt and knee and was worried I had hurt myself, but continued the race....bloody knee and all! At mile 4 Sarah had to walk, but I was feeling good and decided to continue by myself....all by myself!! Wow! Who was this person RUNNING in a 1/2 marathon and electing NOT to stop and walk?!
So, off I went on my own! The miles markers just passed me by one by one and with each sign I smiled! I was SO proud of myself! Little did I know that I had it in me!! So, at around the 11 mile marker my body started to feel the pain. My body hurt worse walking that it did running, so I would run and walk the rest of the race!! The next thing you know the FINISH LINE is staring me in the face and a wave of emotion came over me and while holding back a zillion tears I, Jennifer Bulger Kelley, crossed that FINISH LINE!!! I did it! I registered, competed and FINISHED it!! Whoo Hoo!!! As great as I felt I was sad that my husband and son were not there to hug and congratulate me, but I did have my cell phone with me so I quickly dialed Trav's number to share my good news!! I didn't break any records or qualify for Boston, but I did finish it in 2:44 which is now my Personal Record....which I will try my hardest to beat in the future.....a undetermined date! Ha! I then joined all of my wonderful old and new girlfriends for a pow wow on the floor of the Mandalay Bay to congratulate each other!! Wow! What a great day for all!! Thank you Sarah and Travis for all the encouragement!! I truly do NOT know how I did it, but I did and that is all that matters! I now know I can do it and now I want to do it!
I'm so proud of you and am looking forward to our next half marathon. How does November or December 2010 sound? That's what I'm going for, baby is due in May so I give myself 6 months. :)
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