Half marathon re-cap

Before: Are we really doing this? (note Sally, clutching her Clif Shot Gel and peeing her pants)

Sally ran the Divas Half Marathon last weekend and lived to tell about it!  This was quite a big deal for a gal with busted knee-caps, a strong aversion to energy bars and baaad memories of high school cross country meets.  So, here we go - your burning half marathon questions, answered:

1. How did you train?

My darling sister recommended Hal Higdon's training programs which were fantastic!  I felt well-prepared and wasn't too sore afterward.  Highly recommend.

2. Did you run the whole time?

With the exception of walking while chewing some energy blocks and washing 'em down with water, yes, I ran the full course without vomiting, collapsing or getting the trots (Ewwww I was really horrified of that last one; running can be frighteningly hard core).

3. What did you eat beforehand?

A piece of toast with peanut butter and a banana about an hour before the start. 15 minutes before the start, I threw back a Clif Shot Gel (Mocha).  Every 4 miles, I ate 2 Clif Shot Bloks (Citrus).  I am not a nutritionist but this felt like the right amount of energy and sugar without weighing me down.  I tested a variety of Clif and GU products while training but found these flavors to be the least offensive to my palate.

4. What did you eat after?

Anything I could shove into my mouth, as quickly as possible.

5. How did you feel during the run?

90% of it felt awesome.  The runner's high thing really does exist...but so does that nagging feeling that your knees may pop off of your body entirely.  There where times when I thought to myself, "Wow. I feel really good," and then I would force myself to think of something else so I wouldn't jinx it!

6. What was the hardest part?

Miles 10-12 were rough.  By then, certain parts of my body just wanted to quit.  I really had to pump up the jam on the playlist and force myself to keep moving.

7. How long did it take you?

2 hours and 1 minute. And you know that 1 minute is absolutely killin' me now.  The idea of running for 2 straight hours sounds completely awful, I agree.  Surprisingly, it didn't feel that long.

8. What was on your playlist?

The usual suspects of tween music/gangsta rap, such as: One Direction's What Makes You Beautiful (try and act like you don't love them), Carly Rae Jepson's Call Me Maybe, Lil Wayne's Go DJ and Rob Base's It Takes Two. Fast-paced music was key for me.

9. Would you do it again?

Absolutely! 13 miles felt like a great distance to push myself without totally overdoing it.

After: "Divas don't sweat, they glisten!" Past the point of glistening here, but happy and done!

Congrats to my fellow Divas!