Saturday, January 5, 2013

I Ran Back to Back 13.1s and Survived!

The end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013 went in exactly the same way.  With a half-marathon!

Last year I ran this race, only I did a 13.1 one day and a 5.1 the next day.  It was a crazy-ass challenge, since I had a really messed up foot.  But when I finished I vowed that next time I'd run 13.1 both days.  Sometimes I have really big "ideas."

I really didn't think that I would actually be able to do this when I signed up for the race.  Of course I thought that running the 13.1 on New Year's Eve would be great.  I was plenty trained for it.  However, I had very little belief in myself for being able to do another 13.1 on New Year's Day.  I mean, I've never DONE that. 

Call me a pessimist.  But, I completely stunned myself by PRing on Day 1 and never stopping to walk (not even one step) on day 2.  Both of my races were completely awesome experiences!
Supplies laid out and ready to go for three half marathoners!

The race on New Year's Day went off amazingly well.  Which is pretty surprising considering nothing was in my favor:
-The weather sucked
-My new Brooks hadn't come in and I was running in 300+ mile shoes
-Isla had been sick all.night.long (read:  Amanda got 0.0 hours of sleep)
The 6 a.m. Desitin Crew (Desitin on our feet prevented blistering...it was BRILLIANT)

But as it turns out, none of that really mattered.

I started out the Eve run at a nice and relaxed pace.  This is something new to me.  I was able to run with a friend who had the same finish goal as me, and same crazy attitude.  We embraced the suck together and ended up having a really fun time on our run. I finished the race a couple of minutes behind my friend and a lot of minutes behind my brother, but I was still THRILLED with my time!

When I finished, I had the absolute honor of being able to cheer in my running partner as she finished her first half-marathon!  I think that is what made this race so special!  We had both worked very hard for this day and it happened. 


Instead of going home to relax in my hot tub, I spent the afternoon at the pediatrician's office with a sick Isla.  Neither of us slept, since her fever ran so high, but I did manage to wake up in time to run the race again on New Years Day.

At the start line my friend asked what my goal for this race was.  It was to finish, vertically.  I hoped I could do it under 4 hours.  I. Was. Exhausted!  I started with the plan of walking through every water stop so I could take a break.  The first mile was exhausting. But by mile 3 I felt really good.  By mile 4 my body was in the groove.  At mile 5 I decided new goal;  Run race without stopping/walking.  And, thanks to my friend who kicked my head out of the gutter at mile 10, I did it!  My time wasn't a PR, but..honestly..it wasn't bad, and I was pretty freakin' happy to finish only 6 minutes slower than I had the day before.

 Two half marathon medals on the awesome challenger plate

Finishing that second 13.1 in two days was a moment that made me cry.  I was more proud from that finish than my marathon.  I can't wait to see what challenge I present myself with next!