As I sit here to write the words, “I ran a half-marathon on Sunday”, I’m still pretty much not processing the reality of that. I feel like my life now has a stark marker of Before Half Marathon and After Half Marathon.
Those of you who haven’t done it yet or never will or never think you will know exactly what I mean when I say that it seems impossible. Running is hard an horrible and makes everything hurt. Maybe you can run 3k, maybe you can run 5, maybe you walk or hike. The one thing you know for sure is running over 21k is just not possible really. At least, it isn’t possible without breaking something or nearly dying. Am I right? Yes of course I am.
But then there is this other thing. This After Half Marathon existence that knows about Before but clearly understands that it got done. I started a race. I finished a race. It took me 2 hours 41 minutes and 4 seconds. I ran for 10 minutes and then walked for 1 minute the whole way until I was finished. I have a medal. I’m not dead.
The conditions were really ideal. The Niagara Falls Women’s Half Marathon is a very flat course and it was about 15 degrees with a light rain. There was no issue of over heating which is a huge problem I have because I don’t sweat enough. It is a lovely event that is open to everyone. Men can run but they don’t have any men’s jerseys and there is eye-liner in the swag bag (I’m wearing it right now. It has sparkles). People ran it fast (the winner came in at just over 1 hour and 30 minutes). People walked. Lots of people did a combo of both. There were two friends who were running at basically the same pace as me in 2 minute run and 1 minute walk intervals the entire way. They were hillarious but it worked for them.
My lungs were good the whole way but after 10k things started to hurt from depletion. This makes sense because of my age and my under training. But I was determined and would not give up. I sucked back Maple Syrup Shots and kept on going until the end. . .apparently. . . because there is a medal in my bedroom so I must have.
In the days after I have remained mobile and uninjured. It’s a miracle. A Half Marathon Miracle.
Will I do it again? Apparently. I am doing the social opposite (?) of the Niagara Falls Women’s Half Marathon, that being the Army Run in Ottawa in September. I’m hoping to improve my time a little and again, not die. In the After Half Marathon existence, this seems possible and I suppose expanding possibility is the only viable reason I can come up with for having done this in the first place.
