Jenny Lamplough and the Half Marathon Race

I did it! I completed the Fox Valley Half Marathon today in 2 hours and 49 minutes! I came in well under the 3 hours I had planned and I am still standing! Well, not at the very moment. I am typing from my couch with lots of pillows, blankets and a couple of lazy cats. But I CAN still stand, which is awesome.

My beautiful medal!

 It was such an incredible race. First, I have to say that the organizers of this race did a wonderful job. It was so well organized, a beautiful course, tons of smiling and encouraging volunteers and ample aid stations. I actually skipped one because they were so plentiful! And then there were my personal cheerleaders, my beloved, Mike, his parents, my friend and hair stylist, Sarah, and my friends and neighbors, Jess, Dave, Olivia, Marty, Lily, Cate and Owen. It was something else and I felt so lucky to have them there.

Beautiful morning for a race!

Let me back up, though.

My girlfriend Meg came over Saturday for packet pick up and fun shopping at the Marathon Expo. I picked up one of those 13.1 stickers for my car that I have been coveting for years. I didn't dare put it on my car until after the race though! I didn't want to jinx myself!

Loud and proud!

We loaded up on carbs and watched Bridesmaids and Meg made me the most beautiful signs for my cheerleaders to hold up during the race. She is a teacher and they are on strike so I know that she's been missing poster board, markers and glitter so I think making those signs was as much for her as they were for me to see them!

Teachers make the best signs!

She always says, "You got this!" to me when we are doing something really hard like this race. She started it with Triathlon and it has just stuck with us. It's our little mantra.

We woke up at 5:00 a.m., got ready and, thanks to my darling husband, got dropped off at the race. It was cold this morning, but perfect running weather. Not so perfect standing around weather, but perfect once we started. My toes actually started to go a little numb while we were waiting to start and it was worrying me that they wouldn't get feeling back. Oh, they got feeling back. Painful, throbbing feeling by the end of the race. But feeling, nonetheless!

Meg and I (and her duck) at dawn, pre-race. Um, yeah, it was cold.

We were getting lined up for the run and ran into my running buddies Pat and Jill. Pat is one of the race organizers, designed the medals and the t-shirts and is one of the best running partners there is. I was so happy to see them both. Then we started lining up according to pace times and Meg and I had to separate. We hugged, started to get teary and then separated. I was standing there by myself, feeling really nervous and then I spotted Carolyn, my other running buddy! I was so happy to see her and we were starting at the same pace so we could hang out until we started. She and I both started running last year and have both been on a weight loss journey. She has lost somewhere around 60 pounds and this is her second 1/2 marathon. We were standing there shivering talking about where we were a year ago and then I spotted this sign:

We both started crying at that point and I was like, great, I am not going to be able to breathe from crying! Then, we were off. I finally made it across the start line at 7:16 a.m. Carolyn was in my sight for a good part of the start and I put in my one headphone and started listening to the book, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I cannot listen to music when I run because it screws up my pace, but listening to a book, especially one I've read or listened to before, is the perfect distraction for me. I can stay focused on running but have the story to keep my mind from going over to the dark, doubting, scary, you-can't-do-this side. I am huge Harry Potter freak and I love all of the books, so listening to it was such a comfort to me and I never had a mental moment. Never. I never once thought that I couldn't do this or feel like I was a gerbil on a wheel. It was incredible. First time in a race actually!

Meg and her duck at the start of the race.

At mile two I did get a little twinge in my left knee that scared me. I thought that if it kept up I was really going to struggle through the whole thing. I was on really uneven ground at that point and when the path evened out, my knee did, too, thankfully. I struggled with a couple of side stitches but overall felt great. I realized that I was running around a 12 or 12:30 minute per mile pace and was shocked. I also was afraid that I was going to get worn out so I kept telling myself that at the next mile, I would slow down. But what I realized is that I didn't need to. I didn't care about the time really at all. I just wanted to finish in three hours at least.

When I got to mile 4ish, my friend Deanna was one of the course marshals and seeing her smiling face gave me a real boost (which I really needed) and it got me excited to see Mike, my inlaws and friends at mile 6 where I knew they were waiting for me. My feet felt swift at that point and as I rounded Mile 6, I saw my friend Sarah, who just started running and has lost about 40 pounds (or more at this point) and she had a great sign for me and then started running with me. Then I saw my family and other friends, gave my husband a kiss, high-fived everyone and KEPT GOING!

Sarah (on my left) as I came up to my family and friends at mile 6.

I had a long stretch by myself but my book kept me company and so did some of the other runners. The volunteers were so cheerful, shouting out my name (which was on my bib) along the way. One sign held by a spectator said, "Your mom said to tell you hi!". That made me get teary again, which I had to suppress so I could keep my breathing even.

At one point, the first place marathoner passed me, which was cool to see. I tried to block out the fact that he has run twice as long as I had and that he was passing me. Then about 20 minutes later, the 2nd place marathoner was approaching. People on bikes were leading him getting people out of the way. They were yelling, "Second place runner coming!" I looked at the crowd and said, "I wish they wouldn't tell everyone I was 2nd, I mean, geez, I wanted everyone to be surprised!" That got a good laugh out of the crowd and boosted my spirits a little. Hey, if I can't be fast, I can be funny!

On to the home stretch...my feet were really sore and my hips were stiff. I walked through all of the aid stations, which were plentiful and so well stocked (with both refreshments and cheerleaders) but started right back up running as soon as I finished my water and gatorade and was rounding the corner to my last mile and half. There was Sarah again, who ran with me and reminded me that a mile and a half is nothing. Ha! Yeah, nothing after running almost 12 miles. She was so great though and gave me another boost I needed. I told her, this will be you next year, girl.

My buddy Sue!

Around the corner from the finish, I saw my mother-in-law which helped my feet keep moving, then I saw my friend and running buddy Sue. She was supposed to run the 1/2 but was injured so instead volunteered and was in charge of all of the aid stations. I knew that's what they were so great, she is the best and always takes such good care of all of us. She hugged me and ran and cheered me on through the "tunnel" as I called it to the finish line. I heard everyone cheering but couldn't see anything except that finish. I was bawling at this point and I heard the annoucer call my name and say, "YOU ARE A 1/2 MARATHONER!"

Bawling my sweaty head off at the finish.

I finished. No, I kicked ass.

Seeing my husband, Meg, Carolyn, Sue, my in laws, my friend Marty and her kids, and Sarah was one of the best feelings in the world. I had my medal around my neck. My husband holding me up and heart full of pride and love. What else can a girl ask for? Well, maybe some pancakes.

Finishing strong. Weepy, but strong.

Meg kicking serious ass. Finished in 2:12

Another awesome sign, made by Sarah!

A picture says a thousand words. This one says, "where are my pancakes?"

Besides my medal, I got this reward bracelet from my 6-year-old friend Cate. She's awesome.

Hell yes!