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!