Part 2...All the race details...and then some...

And here is the part you have been waiting on...the DETAILS OF THE RACE!

I wanted to write this so many times since the last post but just got wrapped up in everything else just didn't have time. Life! It sure does get busy sometimes!

So, RACE DAY was upon me! What an amazing feeling! After all the pictures, we head down to the START LINE at the Scioto Mile, about 2 blocks from our hotel. The weather was a little cool, but also a little balmy/humid. No sun. So, I wasn't too worried about the weather. I was actually kinda happy with it. 

Can we just say HOLY PORTA-POTS! HOLY LINES! I mean seriously there must have been a full blocks worth of port-o-johns and the lines for them were at a minimum 10 people deep! And we were still a block from the start line!  I wish I would have taken a picture! It was quite amazing!

And then the START LINE! Say our goodbyes to Amy and Shirley and the rest of the clan and make our way to our "corral". Corral E. The last corral. I don't care. I can always pick my pace up and go faster. 

TONS AND TONS AND TONS OF PEOPLE!

The best part about a race this magnitude is the people watching and seeing what all the other runners/walkers are wearing. From shoes, to socks, to headbands to iPods! It is enough to keep your mind off the impending start of 13 freaking point 1 miles. Let me just tell ya!

So, it takes us about 15 minutes to finally get to the start line. And as we approach the actual start, the announcer states that the leaders are now entering Mile 3...wait, what? MILE 3? It's only been 15 minutes...OMG! That is a 5min/mile! WTH!!! WOW! That is amazing! How cool is that! 

Gun start. We go. Nice and easy pace. Let's not overdo it in the beginning. The crowds, the people, the bands, the sights! IT WAS AMAZING! EVERYONE was cheering, clapping, smiling!  I WAS SMILING! I could feel myself smiling! Literally, SMILING! And smiling BIG! And I remember thinking to myself "I'm smiling!" I was happy! Genuinely H-A-P-P-Y!

Mile 1-3 go by in a breeze. Piece of cake. I feel good. The crowd is AWESOME!  There are 3 water breaks, one at each mile, and porta-pots. Yep, more porta-pots. I can spot a green thing when I need it. And the lines! WOW! I get it though. I had to pee. I had to pee waiting for the first corral to empty. It was "bladder busting gotta pee", but I had to pee. We keep running.

Mile 4-5 comes onto Olentangy River Road. I know this road pretty well from my days living in Columbus and working at Battelle and attending OSU games and so on. I finally cave and go pee. BUT ONLY BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A LINE!  I will only realize later that this was a mistake. After running non-stop for 4-5 miles and then stopping to pee and trying to squat in a nasty porta-pot when your thighs are shaking...yeah, not a good idea. Not to mention what it did to our time. Seemed like we just couldn't get back into the groove again. I don't know. But we managed. And we started running.  Up Olentangy some some to Lane Avenue. This is where it GOT REALLY EXCITING!!!!! We knew going thru OSU would be cool, but we didn't know it would be AhhhhMAZING!  

Remember, Obama was going to be in Columbus this day at the Schott, which we pass cause it's on the corner of Olentangy and Lane. So, of course there were supporters and non-supporters out cheering us on. 

There was a poster that read "this is the LAMEST parade I have ever been to" and another one that said "RUN LIKE YOU STOLE YOUR SHOES". I literally LAUGHED OUT LOUD! But people were smiling at you and cheering you on! AND! Because our bibs had our names on them people would say "Let's go Tami! YOU GOT THIS!" The first time I heard someone say my name I double backed at them like "do I know you?" And then it dawned on me...oh yeah, my name is on my bib! DOH!  

But the crowd through OSU was the BEST EVER!!!!! It was so flipping cool to run down Lane Avenue with people cheering and milling around and cars passing you and cheering at you! That was my favorite mile and I couldn't wait for the second half because I could only imagine what that was going to be like.

And yes, I was STILL SMILING!

Turn off Lane at about mile 6 or so and onto High Street. This is about the half-way point. We decide that we will take in some GU about mile 7 water break. We are both feeling pretty good. Haven't really walked much. Maybe a 1/2 mile total. And that was in spurts too. 

So, down High Street...This was a nice run, until we reach the Kroger and the smell of frying chicken about made us both stop and puke. And the people wearing the White Castle Hamburger faces also wanted to make us puke, or run up and punch them.

Jen has started walking some more and I am doing this jog thing...Jen has a loooooong stride....and fast....I have a hard time keeping up with her just out shopping! So I have to do this jog/run/walk motion just to keep up. She tells me to go ahead. Uh. No. We started together. We finish together.  She runs more. I run more. We breeze thru Short North gazing at the shops and pointing things out. It's so cool there. She walks. I do my "keep up with Jen" jog.  We are coming back into Downtown Columbus. Thru the Arena District. Down onto another street....onto another....leaving Downtown. And all I can think is, we are almost there...just have to get thru German Village and back up High Street to the finish line. ALMOST THERE!

And then German Village...very cute quaint little place. But it has cobblestone roads. And brick sidewalks. And this is like mile 10 or 11 or something. And my feet are starting to hurt. I don't think I am smiling much now. I am getting tired. The water stations seem like they are miles apart from one another but in reality the distance between them hasn't changed...just my will to get to them has. But the houses are pretty. And the flowers are pretty. And I just want to get to the finish. I am now walking a little more. And not that "keep up with Jen jog". A walk. Kinda speed walk. So I start back at my "keep with Jen jog" and try to go a little faster because I realize that I feel better when I am running! I feel better when I keep moving. So I have to keep moving. I cannot stop like my head is starting to tell me. I.am.almost.there.damnit!

Back on High Street. Damn iPod dies. But that's okay. There is traffic. The southbound side of High was open and running with traffic. I can listen to the cars. And the crowd is okay. But honestly, it's the "voices" in my head that I am really listening to. I am starting the blog in my head now. I am thinking about the start line and the night before and that morning and running thru OSU and the sucky cobblestone and if I have blisters on my feet and that I am actually ALMOST AT THE FINISH LINE! I start realizing that I have almost finished what I set out to do at 8am that morning. I see a spectator on the sidewalk. She has on an AdvoCare shirt. I realize that I would not have been able to do this without AdvoCare. That it is AdvoCare that helped me lose the 35 pounds to believe in myself that I could do this! 

Oh, the finish line. I can see it. It's at the top of the hill. Yes, hill. It's a gradual incline, but an incline nonetheless. Oh, there is a girl with the medics. She has an IV bagged hooked up to her. She probably passed out. Thank goodness I didn't do that! 

I see it. We see it. I nudge Jen. Let's GO! So we pick it up. 

We start running a little faster. I just want to finish!!!! 

We cross the finish line. I hear Deanna "TAMI! JEN! TAMI! JEN!" 

She has my camera!!! She is jumping up and down! Smiling as big as she possibly could!  What an awesome feeling!  

They hand us our medals. I keep walking. Don't stop. Keep walking. 

Damn, the rodent parade (you know the animal mascots of restaurants...aka the Cow for Chic-fil-A) I have to admit that I am slightly frightened by those things. 

Keep walking to the runner recovery. Water. Water. Water. Bananas. Bagels. Champagne. 

I might just puke. That's okay. 

I just finished 13 point freaking 1 miles!

 

Pre-Race...

This will be Part 1 of my Race Blog...I have sooooo much to tell you and just don't think this blogpost site will let me post it all in one...

So many of you are waiting to hear how it actually went...Let me just start by saying that the ENTIRE experience was AMAZING!

Jen and I head to Columbus Friday afternoon after a few pits stops...1. to see Kelly because she made this "oh so cute" photo album for me and my memories; 2. Fazoli's for a CARB-PACKED lunch, which I might add was AMAZINGLY delicious!

We arrive in Columbus and the first words out of both our mouths is "wow, this is really pretty coming into downtown Columbus!" Considering that usually when we head into Columbus it is for an OSU game and we go straight to the Shoe, we were very pleasantly surprised at how clean and pretty the outskirts of the city were! (It's the simple things I tell ya!). 

We get to the hotel and go to get checked in and this is what we see when we first walk in...

OMG IT IS REALLY HAPPENING!

I know for certain that I had this stupid grin on my face the entire time! I think the desk clerk was aware of it. Anyhow. He says that he "knows that we are here for the race, would I like to join their Starwood Club for free and get a free upgraded room with a view of Columbus Commons, where the finish line is." Uh, DUH! Who wouldn't?! Silly guy!   Beautiful room when we finally get up there! And the view...HOLY COW! 17 floors up and we can see where the finish line is...we can see where the Runner Recovery is...we can see where we will get our champagne toast...WE.CAN.SEE.IT.ALL! (pictures to follow)

Shirley and Amy (sponsors/cult/GREAT FRIENDS!) finally arrive! And we depart for the Expo at the Convention Center in the Arena District. We decide to walk. It's only about 7 blocks, 1 mile, piece of cake! We have to do 13 point freaking 1 tomorrow, what's a 2 mile round trip walk to the Expo!!? Actually, it really wasn't that bad!   So, let me tell you about the Expo for those that have never done a race of this magnitude before... The Expo is where you pick up your packet (bib, goodie bag, t-shirt) and where there are vendors from shoes to hair bands to clothing to accessories to sponsors to life insurance (Yep, Erie Insurance) to future race booths...you name it, it may have been there. It is pretty exciting! Lots and lots and lots of cool stuff!  However, what we we didn't realize is that there was also a Tattoo/Piercing Convention in town, at the same Convention Center, in the NEXT ROOM...so imagine this...all these healthy, fit, active people walking thru a Tattoo/Piercing Convention to pick up their Race Packet....did ya get the visual? It was quite humorous!

After the Expo we are walking back and stop to pick up some dinner. An Italian joint...mmmmmm, a yummy spinach calzone....spaghetti and meatballs......pizza.....brownies......errrr, back up, Brownies? Oh, those looked delicious and Amy and Shirley said it was....oh, and Jen and I found out for ourselves on Sunday.... So, we get our food, go back to the hotel to Amy and Shirley's room, which I might add is exactly 1 floor above us...DIRECTLY ABOVE US...we were in 1722, they were in 1822. It was like our "guardian angels" above us! :)  We eat. We talk. We leave to go back to our room to get things ready for RACE DAY! It's only 8pm...lol. It's time to go to bed! Jen pulls out her clothes and shows me the grey shirt she is wearing. I laugh. Me too. With black capri's. OMG! We are in matching outfits! Background to the really funny part about this funny part....Amy calls me Friday morning to check in (I think she thought I was going to back out...) and she tells me what she has been doing all morning and proceeds to tell me that she had to run to Target to get a white tank top because her and Shirley are wearing matching shorts and white tank tops. Yep. I start laughing. She gives me the background. It is all very reasonable. I get it. This isn't their first rodeo with 1/2's. They know what they are doing. But. IT.IS.STILL.FUNNY.

So, yeah, here Jen and I are wearing black capri's, grey t-shirts. We match. And wouldn't you know it, we both bought pink Bondi bands (headbands) at the Expo. So, guess what we are doing on Race Day. Yep. Matching. However, keep in mind, our matching race day was not intentional, unlike Shirley and Amy, our matching race day was accidental/coincidental. But needless to say, we agreed that we would do this for every 1/2 from here on out.

So, fast forward to 5am...yeah, that's what time we set our alarm for...we wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to be ready! Be awake! Besides, Deanna (my co-worker) was meeting us at the hotel at 6:30. Funny story about her...so when I first decided to do this half she said that she would come up and cheer me on. But then she looked at the race and said "oh, there's a Quarter Marathon at the same time. I think I will do that and then cheer you on when you finish!" She is a NUT! But I sure do appreciate and love her enthusiasm!!!

We get to the lobby. Meet and greet our fellow Vandalia runners. Take a few picures.

Shirley, Me, Jen, Amy...all in our matching outfits!

Me, Deanna, Jen

Vandalia Runner people, mostly...lol

And head to the start line! OH MY! I am excited now!!! Nervous!!!!! But EXCITED!!!!!

All the people. My goodness. I wish I had my camera to take pictures of all the people. All the runners, walkers, spectators, families, friends. It.Was.Amazing. 

It was all about people watching at this point. It is the only thing that calmed my nerves. And it was the easiest thing to do to occupy the time from when we loaded into our corral to when we finally crossed the start line...which took about 15 long minutes....

More to come in Part 2.... all about the actual race, what I saw, how I felt, and finishing this half! Oh, and in a special edition Part 3, our after-race excursion and what Jen and I learned!

And here we are....almost

Day before race day. WOW! This time has gone by so fast. So many thoughts running thru my head...am I ready...did I remember to pack everything....omg what if something happens to me???...I think I am gonna puke....SO EXCITED!.....oh that's not a pain in my ankle is it?.....Oh geez...what have I done? I wish my family was there to cheer us on.....I miss my family.....Wonder if Jen will want to do another one this fall....I hope I make it thru this....Nate might pitch tomorrow and I am gonna miss it damnit!... and the thoughts go on.

So I've spent my morning straightening up the house....doing laundry...packing (again)....getting Nate's stuff ready for his dad's...thinking about eating but then getting distracted....drinking water and Biocharge and Rehydrate and more water....and peeing all morning long!

In case you didn't see the post on my FB page about how to follow Jen (Corwin, Vandalia) and I (Henderson, Vandalia) here it is...

http://www.capitalcityhalfmarathon.com/media/2012/apr-apps.shtml 

You can figure out which way you want to follow us. We both have sent our own requests and it will post to FB thru certain times so you can always catch us there as well...I think... Anyhow. We will post pictures and updates as we go. 

Race starts at 8am! 

I am hoping to complete in 3 hours...no more than 3:15...Jen says 3:30....

We will do this. It's RACE DAY!  

Adrenaline will be pumping! The excitement will be in the air! People will be cheering us on!

OH and check out my co-worker, Deanna Steinbrunner (Yorkshire) too! She is doing the Patron Quarter Marathon!!!! 

Thank you to EVERYONE who has followed this blog in my training woes...for being so supportive....for running with me....to my Swedish Trainer Inge (Shelly, thanks for the card!)....Cristen for all the talks and encouragement to start this blog....Kelly for believing in me and stalking me!....Amy, YOU GOT THE PIG ON SUNDAY!!!! Can't wait to see how you did!!!!....to my "sponsors" Amy and Shirley for believing in Jen and and I and encouraging us!...all my co-workers for encouraging on this journey of healthy weight-loss and training (sorry for being a bitch sometimes!). 

OH and can't forget the most important person (other than me) in this journey...MY BEST FRIEND...BFFAE....JEN!  Honestly, we have done some crazy things but I am pretty sure this one takes the cake! But I am sooo excited for us and what we are about to accomplish! WE.ARE.AMAZING!  I will treasure this moment for my lifetime!

And I will keep blogging on this site even after THIS half, because I AM ALREADY CONSIDERING MY NEXT! Plus I am pretty sure I am going thru a mid-life crisis and will need all the support d encouragement I can get!

Run STRONG!

And the realization is setting in...

Race day is a mere 4 days away...well 5 if you count today...but regardless, it is D-A-Y-S AWAY!

I've been reading up on everything that the Cap City Website has posted from the bloggers to the coaches to the directions, instructions, to the FaceBook page, comments, questions, pictures. You name it. I could probably tell you. I know how to get from the hotel to the Expo. From the hotel to the START line. From the FINISH line back to the hotel. I know the route. Where the hill will be. Where the water stations are. What to expect out on the race route. That President Obama will be at OSU on race day. Yippee.

What I don't know is what I am going to wear. NOTHING NEW. Okay. I get that. But the weather is sooooo unpredictable. I mean really. It was 40's on Saturday. 60's on Sunday. 80's on Monday. 70's on Tuesday. Good grief. Can't a girl get some consistency?!  Oh, that's right. I am in O-H-I-O.  I know the socks. I know the shoes (duh). I know which sports bra. I think I know the pants (capris). Pretty sure I am gonna wear my lucky hat. But I just don't know what top. See, I am used to the cooler conditions, so I would wear my TT tech shirt. But I think it's gonna be a little too warm. I could wear one of my tank wicking tops, but what if it's too cool. So I wear my tech jacket. Then it gets too warm. I take it off and wrap it around my waist. Good grief! Do you see what I mean?!? ARGH! I'd go buy something, but...

 NOTHING NEW! 

 So I will pack a lot of tops for Saturday. I know this isn't a fashion show. I am not dressing for fashion. I am dressing for 13.1 miles of unpredictable weather. Sure, I will check weather.com before I pack on Friday for the 5th and final time (yes, I have already started laying stuff out!). Oh, and let's not forget that Jen and I are staying the weekend in Columbus so I have to pack for what I want to wear out and about after the race and that evening. Now that might be the fashion show! ;-)

And did I mention that my sleep habits have been WHACKED! All I wanted to do all weekend was sleep.  I was sooooo tired. Last night, I couldn't sleep. Up at 3:30am like I had slept a full 8 hours. I managed to get back to sleep at 4:30. Only to be woken up at 5:30, 6:30, 6:45. FINE. I will get up! Suck down my SPARK and I am ready to go. 

Okay. That's enough de-stressing for right now. I will be writing more as the days dwindle and I am leaving for Columbus with my BFFAE! 

Yeah, we are pretty psyched. More to come on that....