I’m Never Doing That Again!

I headed out to begin my half marathon run this morning for the WCP International Race Weekends, which has had four people take part so far, one from Finland I believe and three from here in Canada!

by the time I was setting out it was already about 15°C I wore my new shirt that I got yesterday and my other typical running attire, shorts and running socks and such.

As I already said I had no idea what to eat in preparation so I just had half an English muffin and peanut butter and jam and a little homemade muffin that Amber made on Friday. I drove out to where I was starting, took a sip of water and began!  I tried to set a pace that was inline with the other longer runs I have done, I knew there was no hills on this route and so I didn’t have to overwork myself to get over those or anything.

It was pretty steady going really, the sun was a bit warmer than I expected but nothing that was outrageous. I made it to my half way point in Lakefield in about 55 minutes.  A little slower than I wanted to be, but I was still on pace to finish in under two hours so I was happy with that.  I did pick up the pace a little bit through town though on the way back, and by the time I got back to where the path is dirty and gravel again my legs were well aware that I had gone 12k, longer than I usually run.

My right ankle was hurting now, and my left calf was pulling pretty tight, but there was nothing else to do but press on.  My car was, after all, still about 8k away at this point.  When I got to the 16.5k area, I was ready to just stop.  It was as far as I had ever run before, my legs were screaming at me!  But again what could I do really?  So, I kept running, I grunted and breathed deeply and shut out the pain that was happening in my legs and ankles and feet.

I was making note of the landmarks as I passed them by, this road crossing the path, the fallen branches from the ice storm that I had noticed on the way to Lakefield, anything to distract my mind.  When I finally came back to the road and the final push, about 1.5k from there to the finish.  I was grunting and heaving every few strides, willing my legs to keep going forward.  As I neared the end I kept my phone in my hand noting the distance travelled every few seconds..  Why would 21.07 not just hurry up!!

Finally the distance was done, my half marathon completed.  I stopped running and barely remembered how to walk.  My legs wobbled beneath me as I made my way back to the car.  I stretched and gulped at a G2 Gatoraide.  I was done, 21.12K (stupid gps always corrects itself after you are done) in 1:53:24!  My goal was met, under 2 hours!

It’s done, and now I have run a half marathon twice at once – the first time, and the last time!  It was so not enjoyable for me, 5 or 10k is so much more fun and likable. But I can say I have done it now, Half Marathon Completed!

My first words upon completion where “I’m never doing that again!”  I have already been asked to do an event since then, in November.  I’m thinking about it.

 

P.S. I think what surprised me most though was that, my breathing and heart rate were not an issue at all during any point of this whole ordeal, just the pain in my legs!