13.1 Highlights From My 1st Half

May 18, 2014 - a little past 9am, I crossed the finish line of the Marine Corps Historic Half in Fredericksburg, Va.

My Stats

• My official time was 2:05:32 with an average pace of 9:34 per mile. 
• I placed 2,139th out of the 6,023 competitors who ran the 13.1 miles of the Historic Half
• I placed 697th out of the 3,041 female competitors .
• I placed 71st out of the 236 competitors in my female, age 20-24 category.

The whole weekend was perfect, from my first sight of the finish line structure to the post race ice cream cone at Carl's (a must try in Fredericksburg, Va.)

Here are 13.1 highlights from the weekend of my first half marathon: Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon 2014!

2 Marines, who did not know each other prior
to meeting at the Expo. They never noticed
they matched. 

1) FIRST GLIMPSE AT THE FINISH LINE. It's quite a feeling to see the Finish Line all decked out, especially as a rookie racer/runner. You can't help but anticipate how amazing it will be to cross it at the end of the race, and just what that will signify to you. 

2) HEALTH/EXPO EVENTS ARE COOLER THAN THEY SEEM. The expo the day before the race had everything from event apparel, running gear and physical therapy to fitness performances, a great speaker series and adorable pups from Dog's on Deployment. Also, I met an Olympian. 

3) SO MUCH CAMOUFLAGE. I expected this on race day since the Marines put on the event, but I found that it's not uncommon to see this print sported by Marines outside of their uniform. Also, it seems to be best worn with black. Additionally, Marines look GREAT in Camo - but that is not something I found out this weekend. OORAH!

4) CARB LOADING & REST IS THE BEST RACE PREP. The week prior to the race, I resisted doing crunch time training (that I really wanted to do). I went easy on the workouts and hard on the eating (good carbs),hydration and lots of rest, it was kind of heaven. Race morning, I felt ready and rearing to go, I'd even go as far to say; physically perfect.

5) MANTRAS DO HELP. Nick had suggested coming up with a Mantra that I could repeat while running to remind me of various things with form and to keep me focused and motivated. I kept trying to put things together "Hips, elbows, chest, breathe" etc., and would forget them quickly. One Mantra for running form finally stuck, and Nick put it on one side of his sign to remind me, "Stride, Wrists, Chest, Relax". Another Mantra for running up the hill he gave me was "Pull the rope" which helped me think of literally pulling myself up the hill. I actually said "Pull" to myself out loud a few times when nearing the top of the hill along with "I'm not stopping".

6) EAT DRINK & BE MERRY. Throughout the course, there were official spots for water and gatorade. Additionally, there were many unofficial points created by spectators with liquor, specifically tequila and even some other yummy snacks. I didn't indulge but some runners did, and in my next half, I certainly plan too. Given how happy I was with the Sports Beans at mile 8, I can only imagine how this would enhance my race experience. 

7) SIGNS ARE AWESOME. Signs are fantastic for helping runners spot their spectators and for additional encouragement and entertainment along the course. Some that gave me a smirk throughout the race read; "Sweat=liquid awesome", "Smile if you're not wearing underwear" (I was), "Smile if you peed a little" (I didn't) and "If running were easy, it would be called your Mom". 

8) RUNNERS FELT SIMILARLY ABOUT HOSPITAL HILL. While this was certainly the most dreaded part of the course, myself and many other runners took this climb as a personal feat. I got pumped for it and told myself I was going to make Hospital Hill my...Well, you get it.

Me stomping on the Hospital Hill
point on the course map.

9) THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. The Marine Corps Historic Half is certainly very special race. It is put on by those whom dedicate their lives to serving our country, so that such events can exist. I did not miss a single "OORAH" or a chance to thank a Marine for his service as they handed me a cup of water along the course. In particular, I was sure to shake the hand of the Marine who placed my medal around my neck.

10) NOW THATS ENTERTAINMENT. I had a "keep running" playlist ready to go, and I actually kept it turned down way for the majority of the race. It felt like everywhere I turned there was entertainment, of all sorts too, and I didn't want to miss a thing. A wide variety of live music lined the course: live bands, radio stations, big pipers, drums, and other various instruments rocked the run. I even saw some 1800s style dancing in downtown and loved seeing how spectators got creative with their ways of supporting.

Visiting the Battlefield in Fredericksburg.
Storming the storm wall just as the Irish
Brigade did in 1862. 

11) FAMILY TIES. Fredericksburg in rich in our country's history, one of the most major battles of the Civil War took place there in 1862 (Battle of Fredericksburg Info). A relative of mine, Timothy Donoghue of the 69th New York Infantry Regiment, the Irish Brigade, fought in that battle. While wounded himself, he carried an injured officer off of the field in between the lines. For this heroic act, Donoghue was the first Irish born Civil War soldier to receive the Medal of Honor. The course brought us runners near the battlefield, I had chills. To think that the ground I was running on once held my ancestor and thousands of soldiers fighting for the future of our country was incredible.


12) FINISH STRONG. After Hospital Hill at mile 10, followed by another good hill at mile 11, the course had given me a run for my money. I was tired, but did everything I could to pick up my pace for the last 1.5miles of the race, and I did. When the finish line came into sight, I "dropped the hammer" and sprinted as hard and as fast as I could to cross the finish line. I'm not exactly sure how/where this burst came from as I certainly didn't feel like I had any stored energy. Adrenaline and excitement played a part I'm sure, but I think it was more my determination to give this thing EVERYTHING I had. That last bit of everything I had made my finish, and it was a rush to finish strong.

13) POST FINISH STRETCH, HUGS & BEER. I crossed the finish line and immediately bent over to catch my breath, which I never do after running. (I also had never ran 13.1 miles before with a big sprint push at the end so that explains it.) I composed myself and met up with Nick for one of my favorite hugs of all time. The kind of hug someone gives you when they're REALLY proud of you, nothing better. I was definitely feeling the love, but my legs needed it too. Stretching had never felt so good. Additionally, each runner was given a complimentary post finish beer. Let me tell you, at 9:30 in the morning after running 13.1 miles, that Mic Ultra tasted like HEAVEN!

AND FINALLY THE, .1). My first half marathon was a blast, that really is the best way I can describe it. I truly enjoyed every minute of it. For a few, brief moments, I even caught myself thinking "Maybe I'm up for a marathon?". However, there is a reason this is only the .1 guys, so let's not get excited. It is pretty interesting to see what your mind can come up with once it gets going!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, to those who sent kind words of encouragement, support and congratulations throughout the weekend! I was truly touched and inspired by everyone! 

It was an amazing & truly memorable experience! Proud to say I have #runwiththeMarines!

First half marathon - done! Who is in with me for my 2nd!