Motivation Monday 13.1 edition

Happy Motivation Monday!   So I survived!  Yay!  I ran 13.1 miles...well, ran most, walked some, but I did it!


I actually did a ton better than I thought I would.  I was so incredibly nervous that I was driving both myself and T crazy, as well as making myself physically ill.  See, I'm really good at that - just ask pretty much anyone who knows me at all.  Anyway, so after driving T and my family crazy, Saturday morning finally arrived.  We had to be downtown around 6:30, and we were picking up my brother on the way from my parent's house.  So that meant T and I got up at 4:45 a.m.  I do not - I repeat - do not - get up when there is a 4 on my clock.  But it was a good thing that Aubrey was looking out for us because she wanted to make sure we didn't get into a really deep sleep, by waking us up at 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m.  So when the alarm went off at 4:45...we were pretty much awake anyway.  Tired, but awake.  So we dressed, coffee-ed up and headed out. 


One thing I hate about races is the waiting.  You have to get there early because you can't be one of those crazy people who thinks that they'll be able to find that magical parking spot despite the fact this is the biggest half marathon in the country and 35,000 people are running this damn thing.  But the waiting just makes you nervous and more nervous.  And I was in corral X.  I was sooo far in the back it took me over 30 minutes to actually start.  Ugh, the painful waiting.


But it started, and I just started runnin' (I say in my best Forest Gump voice, for those of you who get the reference).  I ran the first two miles straight, no stopping, which is an all-time best for me.   My official finish time was 2:39:39, and that included a 4 min stop to go to the bathroom.  I actually ran quite a bit more than I thought I could.  The race takes you to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and you run the track for miles 6 through 8.  I was determined to run the whole two miles, but dude, that track is huge.  And it is a lot more than you think it is.  But I was running when I crossed the yard of bricks, so that was awesome.  Once you're out, you run the last 5 miles back to downtown, and it's a straight shot which is tough.  I'm not going to lie, miles 11 through 13 were tough.  They have the big last mile marked with checkered flag banners, and it took all I had in me to finish running it, but I did it!


When I was running, I passed this woman who had a t-shirt for congenital heart defect awareness.  I said she had an awesome shirt, and apparently her daughter had a congenital heart defect, too.  Anyway, so that got me thinking - here I am, asthmatic and heart defect, I am running 13.1 miles.  I mean, a lot of people let obstacles or conditions like that prevent them from pushing themselves, but I view it as a challenge.  I did this race for me, but in a way, I also did it for Aubrey.  I want her, as she grows up, to see that she can do anything she puts her mind to, no matter what roadblocks are in the way.  Yes, this is cheesy, and I hate that I'm actually boasting about something because I'm normally self-deprecating.  But maybe it was the runner's high, it was just a thought that came to mind. 


And I thought "I have to do this again."  So now I'm looking for other races to do.  I've got the bug, man!