My first half marathon

Well I did it. Today I ran AND completed my first half marathon. I woke up this morning and it was a DOWNPOUR outside. We get to the park and it was no different. My race bib was #9995 and brown. Back of the line for Hannah, as I was in the last corral. Fine with me since I was new at this, had no idea when I signed up what my mile time was and it was my first race. So I jogged up to the herd of ladies and took my spot. Each corral had 1000 ladies in it, so one by one we scooched up. We finally made it and when my foot hit that starting line such adrenaline went through me. The area I was in there were a lot of walkers so I had to be stealth and wiggle my way through them all. I had my iPod with a good playlist, a hat so no rain could get in my eyes and finally a Nike sportband so I could keep track of my running. We finally hit the start at 11:30 or so minutes into the race, so I knew I would have to subtract that from each time I saw.

Besides the rain the race wasn't actually that bad. There were some hills that were tough but not horrible. I did not master the drink stations. Up the nose went some water, that was plesant. I tried to squeeze the cup to create a funnel and almost choked. Will have to work on that later. The race looped around Central Park twice and about mile 4 or 5 a bunch of bikes and a loudspeaker went by "move over to the left, lead runner coming through" Yup, she was lapping us already. When she came up behind me we all started cheering, then I got all teary eyed. No idea why, it just seemed appropriate for my first race.

The rest of it went fairly the same. I ran, it was cold and rainy. I didn't want to stop running because I knew I would never start back up again. I ate my jelly beans and took my gel, had some Gatorade and I was feeling pretty good. Mile seven was exciting because I knew I was over halfway done. Mile 10 I was getting ready to walk when the song "I am free to run" came on my iPod. Ha ha God, thanks for that one! So I ran. Mile 11 I started tearing up, then had trouble breathing. Two more miles Hannah! Not there yet! Mile 12 I picked up the pace and at 12.6 some guy goes half a mile! Excuse me? So I booked it....and when I saw the finish line and the stantions and all the people I started tearing up again. I made sure I was the only one crossing the finish line at my time and as I was approaching the lady on the mic said "Way to go Hannah Herbig you're almost there!" Yah I lost it and sprinted to that glorious finish line.

Not sure my exact time, but I think it was around 2 hours and 35 minutes. Honestly it felt good to just finish, but to finish 10 minutes faster than I had dreamed? Yesssssss. I can't wait to see the pictures and know my official time so I can start getting ready for the next one! I ran about a 11:50 minute mile, so I definatly think I can knock time off of that!

So that's that, my first one. I got my medal and I'm a happy kid. What's next? :)

Week Sixteen

RAAAAAAAAAAAACE WEEK! I cannot believe it's been sixteen weeks since I started this journey. Looking back I could hardly run .6 miles without dying, now I'm running 13.1 miles this weekend. What a journey its been, to my first race. This is actually my first official race since my senior year in high school when I ran sprints in track. Wow, it's been nine years. As this week comes to a close I want to focus on carbo loading (peas are carbs...sorry Myssi, I will not focus on pea carbo loading) and protein. I've learned a lot from this experience, and can't wait until my race is over and I can focus on the next one!

Day 46 April 20: Tapering down continues as I'm only a few days away from race day. Ran up to the high school, took in a girls lacrosse game, then ran back home (and around Roe Park to get that extra mileage in). I went 3.45 miles, total run time was 37 minutes 14 seconds and ran a 10:46 average mile. Granted, I had stopped inbetween my running so got some rest. Need to be careful of my pace so I don't burn out come race day!!

Week Fifteen

Almost there! I can't believe I've been training for over four months now. It feels like both it just started and I've been running forever. It's more of a routine now than something strange I decided to do. I've started saying "oh, I'm just doing five miles today" without any worries, where when I started this adventure I was dying at 1.5 miles and dreading the gym. This week marks another accomplishment. My friend Jac from college, she lives in DC now and we have been throwing around the idea of running a race together. She text me and said she's running a Marine Corps race in October in DC and I should run it too. I looked at the website and they have two races, a 10k and a full marathon. I asked which one, of course she's doing the full marathon. So...after 7 minutes of thinking (and seeing the race was already 98% full) I went for it. Why not? If I can complete a half marathon, and this full isn't for another 28 weeks, I can sufficently train for it. So on October 31, 2010 I will be running my first FULL marathon in Washington D.C. OH MY GOSH!!!

Day 43, April 13: Starting the taper down of miles ran process, so ran 3.91 miles today. Ran an 11:20 average, 5.29 mph. Pretty happy with the pace and starting to get so excited about my race!!!

Day 44, April 15: Working late for the NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships so got to go into work late. Started my run a little after 8:30am, it was nice to start the morning with a run. Refreshing! Did the same taper 3.91 run, average 11:25, 5.24. It's nice to see my pace is staying fairly consistant with these runs.

Day 45, April 18: Final long run day. Still tapering down so I did my run to the Bear Mountain Bridge, across then back home. It is 8.68 miles there and back. Ran it in 1 hour 39 minutes, so 11:24/mile. Comfortable with keeping that pace, and knowing I can keep it during my race. Loving the fact it will probably get faster with adrenaline going through my system. Exactly one week until race day!!!

Week Fourteen

So close to the race! Going through the final weeks before race day, learning how to pace myself more and gear up to taper down. Trying to eat better and not put bad things into my system.

Day 40, April 6: Did not go for a run, can't really remember why but it had to have been pretty important for me to miss a run now!

Day 41, April 8: GREAT run today. Ran the cadet area run, 5.12 miles. The only time I walked was up the hill by the cadet library, other than that ran the entire time! Ran it in 56:45, mile pace was 11:04 with a 5.41 mph. Not sure how I'm running at a quicker pace, but that probably needs to slow down a little bit. Can't burn out the first five miles and die after that!

Day 42, April 10: Was suppose to do another 12.5, but one of my Young Life girls wanted to try and run with me, so we did an 8.5 mile run out to Bear Mountain Bridge and back. AWESOME RUN. Ran the entire time without stopping and talked for most of it. So cool to mix my training with friends and learn how to run with other people. Should learn that since in a few weeks I'll be running with 40,000 of my closest girlfriends....Ran the 8.5 in an hour and 48 minutes. We averaged 12:25 a mile, which makes me a little more comfortable. I used my new running belt for the first time, Gatorade in two of the bottles and water in the other ones. Also put the jelly beans in the pouch. Worked AWESOME. Learning to run and drink at the same time. Granted, I will be drinking out of cups for my race, but that will give me good opportunity to slow down a bit and catch my breath. We did have some encounters. Right after we came back over the bridge we almost got attacked by some giant vulcher bird; Annie had to yell at it. People kept honking at us, which was slightly funny because we knew some of them. Oh the joys of road running.

Week Thirteen

Three weeks to go before race day and the long runs are getting longer! The test this week is a 12.5 mile run. It's only .6 away from my half marathon lenght, so time to see how I truely can do, and what I need to work on before race day!

Day 37, March 30: No run today, still feeling a little under the weather, need to take a rest!

Day 38, April 1: Ran a marathon! Bah ha, April Fools :) Adjusted my lenght and did 5.12 through Cadet area, still getting over the sicky grossness so tried to slow the pace down a bit. Ran it in 59 minutes, 13 seconds at 5.19mph

Day 39, April 3: LONG RUN!!! Had a lacrosse game in the morning/afternoon and wanted to get home by the time the first Final Four game started at 6pm, so that was my main goal. Mapped out my run on the website, so started out at my house and ran all the way to the toll booth, across Bear Mountain Bridge and back past the house onto post, up to the Doubleday Baseball stadium and back home. 12.5 miles. Ran most of the way, with mini stops. Completed it in 2 hours and 29 minutes, so just under 2:30. I should have no problem finishing my race in 2:45!!! Pace was 11:55/mile with a 5.03mph average. I got these energy jelly beans I ate about mile four, then stopped at the house on my way through to grab a drink of this sports energy thing I had. About mile 10.5 my hamstring was cramping up a bit, but I stretched it out and continued on. It felt like such and accomplishment to run that far, and really gives me the confidence to know I can finish this race in a few weeks!!!

Week Twelve

I let life get in the way of my training this week, BAAAAD idea. Also flew out to Seattle for the weekend so my training week was already cut short. Only did a long run this week, and it wasn't as long as it should have been. Also pigged out with food I shouldn't have.

Day 34, March 23: Did not run (Allison's last day to play...)

Day 35, March 25: Did not run (however, spent a few hours going up and down the stands in Michie Stadium putting on seat available signs before I flew out to Seattle)

Day 36, March 28: In Tri-Cities for a very good friend's wedding, so got up early Sunday morning before church and went for a long run along the Columbia River in Richland, WA. Not as far as I wanted, but I think I was starting to get a little sick, and the West Coast air is apparently different....anyway, ran 6.7 miles in 1 hour 19 minutes. My pace was about 11:49/mile with 5.07 mph. It was kind of fun to be running half way across the world!

Week Eleven

Again with forgetting to keep this thing updated. Blast. Anyway, I'm officially out of the gym, have not stepped back in it! Enjoying the runs outside, with being at West Point overlooking the Hudson River it's hard not to!!

Day 31, March 16: Starting doing my 5 mile out and back. If I start from home, go on post out around Cadet area and back it's 5.22 miles. Pretty run with hills mixed in. Ran it in 55 minutes and 23 seconds. I've learned how to link up to my iPod with the stopwatch, and I'm using my website more. Ran a 10:35 average going 5.66 miles/hr! May need to slow my pace a bit!

Day 32, March 18: Did the same run, slowing up my pace a bit so I don't get burnt out. Ran it in an hour and 1 minute, averaging 11:43/mile and going about 5.11 speed.

Day 33, March 21: Moved my long run to Sunday because we had things going on Saturday. Used a gel pack halfway through my run for the first time and I really noticed a difference. It boosted up my energy when I felt myself starting to drag. I ran from the house, through Cadet area, all the way to Lee gate and up to Keller Hospital, then back down Washington Road back home. My total distance was 8.89 miles, ran it in 1 hour 41 minutes and 16 seconds. Had a 11:22 mile average with 5.27 mph