13.1

I did it. I finished. Somehow I managed to shave off 9 minutes from my first half time. In 2007 I ran this half marathon in 2:37. My time this year was 2:28. I was in a lot more pain this time. After about three or four miles I decided to do walking intervals. So I ran for 6 minutes (sometimes longer depending on how I was feeling) and walked 1 minute, repeat often. My family came down to cheer me on. The first person I saw was my mom. Thanks Mom!! She was right at the top of my first (and the most steep) hill. I ran right by her. The next people I saw were my sister Ev and her family. They were all dressed up for church but they were there cheering me on. My little nieces were so cute saying "Go Tia Mimi!!" Not long after them I saw Steve and the kids. He had his hands full with the three of them but it was so fun to see them there, especially since I had already run 10 miles by this point so they gave me the extra energy to finish. By mile 11 I was dying! I had just finished another hill and this one was long. Thankgoodness for a water station. I gulped down some kind of Gatorade concoction and was off. Then I saw my sister Mae and her family. She's the one I got these pictures from. Thanks Mae!! Right as I entered the last .1 of the marathon I saw Steve again with the kiddos. I got my extra kick from them. Thanks hunners. Next time I want someone to run with. Next time I am going to make myself a shirt or something much cooler than my old collection of free t-shirts from old races etc. Next time I will shave off one more minute, at least. When will the next time be? I'm not sure. Maybe October for Long Beach? Maybe next year at the OC again? We'll see....