Running the Rock....again!

White Rock Marathon.  I did it last year and loved it.  There's something about the way you feel when gathered with  25,000 other  people with the same goal in mind: to conquer The Rock. 

This year, I waited until the last minute to sign up.  I honestly wasn't sure that I would do it this year.  I had so many reasons not to.  It was expensive, I hated race-day traffic, my hips hurt, blah, blah, blah.  But in the end, I couldn't bring myself NOT to do, knowing how awesome I would feel when I had completed it.  Well, I really should've checked the weather report before I signed up.

90 percent chance of rain, 40 degrees, and windy.  Those were the conditions awaiting me this year.  Had I checked the weather before signing up - and paying my hundred dollars, I probably wouldn't have done it.  But, darnit, I payed my hundred dollars.  I was going to run, rain or shine.

I have to say, this was not the most pleasant race I've ever run, but not as bad as I thought it was going to be either.  Yes, it did rain almost the entire time, and yes, my shoes seemed to weigh an extra ten pounds by the end of it,  and yes my muscles hurt really badly from shivering so much, but much like childbirth, after it was all over I found myself ready to do it all over again.  Next race,  13.1 miles on January 7th.  Yes, I am crazy:)

Finished! Got my medal to prove it.

Seeing my babies cheering me on at the end was the absolute best part of this race (and EVERY race)

My poor husband had a much harder job than me.  Taking care of these two in the pouring rain is MUCH harder than running 13.1 miles in it. God bless him.



Abby told me that she wants to run the race with me next time.  My darling girl, I CAN'T WAIT for that day to come:)

STATS:

Chip time: 1:50:11 (just 18 seconds faster than last year)

Pace: 8:24 minute/mile

47th place out of 1,058 in my division (25-29yr old females)

273rd place out of  5,607 female runners

1,152nd place out of 9,656 half-marathon finishers