The Ninth Mile: My first half marathon

At 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 6, 2010 I crossed the starting line of my first half marathon, the 3rd Annual Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon. I was really concerned - freaked out, actually - going into it. There were a couple weeks I had really flaked out on my training. I picked it back up in the last five weeks and got as far as 11 miles before race day.

That morning was a balmy 27 degrees and I was panicking that after running on an indoor track for so long, I wouldn't be able to handle the cold, especially when it came to my breathing. Nope, the weather was fine. Didn't phase me a bit.  Now I know I can run the Thanksgiving Day 10K which is right around the corner here.

The first few miles were a real treat. I got to run last all the scenic stuff that our state's capitol had to offer... the capitol building, the monument, Lucas Oil Stadium... cool stuff. I finished my first mile in 9:28. Around mile three, I caught a glimpse of my aunt, uncle and cousin cheering me on (they were there for my cousin, Phil, who's speed racer and finished in 1:32). Seeing them really gave me a push for another 2-3 miles.

But then it got boring... there were few spectators, no sights; just neighborhoods and average-looking streets. It was just me and my thoughts and, man, there were a lot of them. Around mile 8 or 9, I kept pace with a girl for about a mile before I took off. Once I hit the turn at the Children's Museum, I knew it was all downhill from there. I had less then four miles to go.

Mile 11... how I loathe you. Actually, it was somewhere between 10 and 11 where I started to shut down. It hurt... bad.  I couldn't go on... but I had to. And I did. I didn't walk once during that entire 13.1.  After all, I didn't come there to walk a race. I came to run it. I just kept moving to the next mile marker. And finally... the monument. Not quite... I had like 1.1 miles to go. I kept trudging along. It was only by will and the grace of God that I turned the corner and saw the finish line. There it was... and I picked up my pace just a teeny tiny bit.

I finished in 2:17:10... 2:10 slower then the 2:15:00 I had hoped for. I beat myself up for a minute and then moved on... I had run every last inch of a half marathon. I had did it. I crossed the finish line and got a medal placed over my head. Best moment ever.

Charles and the kids missed it... he had texted me he was stuck in race traffic. I wanted to cry... they missed it. I was running toward my babies the whole time and they weren't there. It wasn't their fault though. Phil, Dave, my aunt and uncle were all there at the end and that meant the world to me too... someone was there to see me finish.

For a few minutes I was thinking I had done what I set out to do... and I'm never running 13.1 miles again. Not ever. As soon as I was asked if I would do it again, without hesitation, I responded I'm running the Sunburst Half in June... and the Disney Half in January 2012. Now 26.2... I doubt it. I won't say never, but right now my heart's not leading me that way. But next year, I hope to come back to Indy and go under 2 hours.

I did it... I'm a [half] marathoner.