Third Time is the Charm!

We picked up our packets at the expo the night before the race. We were able to add our signatures to the board!
Walking out of our hotel the morning before the run!!!!! Erica made these shirts for us. Long story short, AOP means Ass on Pavement!
The AOP girls at the start of the race.

Wow, the Grand Rapids half Marathon was a blast! I achieved a lot this time around. I earned my fastest time, ran the longest that I have ever run solo, and am the sorest EVER from a run. Today was my first day hitting the gym since the run. My hip flexors and knee were killing me until this morning!

Erica, Nichole and I headed up to GR on Saturday afternoon. We checked into the hotel, ate dinner, shopped, and watched a movie in bed. It was so low key. I am usually very anxious the night before a run. I didn't even take any sleep aid this time. The girls were making enough fun of me with my chlorine water. I have been trying ASEA - an oxygenated supplement that tastes just like pool water. I actually think that it works.

We got room service breakfast at 6am and headed out the door at 7am. This run was much more crowded. They had pacers with signs of celebrities who have run races and what their times were. We joined the P. Diddy group. He would finish a half marathon in 2 hours and 7 minutes. I wanted to be under that time, but my friends thought that he was a good fit.

We were off. The three of us stayed together for the first 5 miles. At mile five, I was feeling GREAT. I told them that I was taking off. They wished me luck and I never looked back. It was a great feeling to be running at my own pace. I had never done this before!!!!! I caught up to the P. Diddy pacers and passed them. Mile 11-13 was hard. There were times that I HATED it. I was playing mind games the whole time. I was looking ahead at runners. I would find one and then try my hardest to catch and pass them. Then I would pick another runner and do the same thing over and over. Right near the end I kept reminding myself that I could do anything for 10 minutes - RIGHT!!!!!! My hips and thighs were burning as I gave my last push to cross the finish line... It was DONE :) I was relieved.

We are talking about doing the Chicago full next fall. I am going to join a running group for the winter and do the Borgess half again in April.