The atmosphere at the race was so much fun. How could it not be fun, with people dressed up as superheros everywhere you looked! There were a couple of crazy people dressed in costumes with long sleeves and pants, and they must have been so hot! I was dressed in a bathing suit-like Wonder Woman costume, over a sports bra and running shorts, and I was hot. I couldn't imagine how these guys felt running while covered in superhero gear from head to toe.
During this race, I "hit a wall." I had read about this mysterious "wall" that most runners hit during long races. It's that moment or moments during the race when you start doubting yourself, when your mind and your body are both telling you that you can't do this and asking you to stop running. I didn't experience the "wall" when I ran Broad Street, and that was a 10 miler. So, I didn't expect to hit it during this race either. I thought I wouldn't encounter it until I ran my first full marathon in November. But, I did hit that wall, and I hit it very hard.
Somewhere around mile 7, I started losing my energy and I felt like my entire body was moving in slow motion. I knew I was still running, but I wasn't passing anyone anymore. Heck, I wasn't even keeping up with anyone anymore. I kept seeing the other runners passing me, one by one...It was almost like I was standing still while everyone was passing by me, and I was struggling to move. My running felt more like shuffling and I didn't know what was happening.
I had run that 10 miler with no problem...Why was I feeling this way at mile 7? I started talking to myself (in my head - not out loud.) Did I start off too quickly? Maybe my adrenaline got the best of me and I didn't pace myself well enough in the beginning. I had a rough week before this race. Maybe I was too physically and mentally worn out to even attempt this half marathon. Maybe it was too hot. Maybe I was getting dehydrated.
I looked around me and everyone seemed to be in such great shape. These people were real runners. No offense to the people who ran Broad Street, but there were a lot of out of shape people running in that race. These runners all looked really fit, and well...they looked like runners. Maybe I really wasn't a runner yet. Maybe I was in over my head. Maybe I wouldn't finish...
Then, I started cheering myself on. I can't even count the number of times I recited these two phrases in my head: "No matter how slowly you go, you're still lapping everyone else who's at home sitting on the couch." and "I'm too tough to kill." I saw the first phrase on Facebook, posted by a running page, and the 2nd phrase was part of a Pinterest image sent to me by my friend Julie the night before. I just kept repeating those two things in my head, and then I opened up the package of Cliff Shot Bloks (energy gummies) that was tucked safely away in my running belt and popped on in my mouth.
In a couple of minutes, it started to happen. I started moving faster, people stopped passing me like I was standing still, and now I was passing them. I passed one person, then two, then three, then four, and then five. I knew I had found my groove again when I caught up to a police officer who I was running near during the beginning of the race. Wow...I had made it through the "wall" and I was back. I don't know if it was because of those energy gummies, or because I had cheered myself on for so long, or if my body just realized that I wasn't giving up.
The rest of the race was still really tough, and I felt like I was losing my energy at several points. After I finished the first 10 miles, I kept telling myself that I only had a 5K left to do. I could do a 5K in my sleep. I did a 5K on the treadmill, almost every time I went to the gym. But this 5K, after having just run 10 miles, was the toughest 5K I've ever run. It felt like it took forever, and there were hardly any spectators to cheer us on during that last leg. I was popping those energy gummies left and right and stopping at every water and Gatorade station.
Once we got near the finish line, I could hear the loud music playing and I could see all of the spectators cheering on the finishers. I got so emotional and started crying. I was really glad I was wearing sunglasses, because those tears were really coming down. But something else happened too. I don't know if it was my adrenaline, the encouragement from the crowds of spectators, or just my pure joy knowing I was about to finish my first half marathon. But, during that last 1/8 of a mile, I felt like I was running so fast. I felt like I was running on a cloud and almost flying. I was passing people left and right.
I truly felt like a superhero when I crossed that finish line. It was such an amazing feeling! And, as an added bonus, they announced that we had unofficially broken the world's record for the most superheros in one place. What a great memory for my first half marathon. I was also shocked to see that my per mile time was better than my Broad Street Run time. I ran the half marathon in 2 hours, 6 minutes and 28 seconds and came in 594th place. Who knew 594th place could feel so good?
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