One sunny and unseasonably hot (90 degrees) Saturday in October, we headed down to Fargo for another half marathon. I had trained for months and was hoping to improve my time by quite a bit - shaving a full minute and a half per mile off my previous time. Unfortunately two days before the race I came down with a flu and spent my race-prep time downing tons of vitamin C and hoping my fever would go away.
By race morning I was feeling better, if not quite 100%, and headed to the starting line. The first 9 miles went great - I was right on pace & feeling strong, and got a good boost seeing Rob and the kids along the course. And then I BONKED. I felt like I was still on pace, but every time I looked at my watch I was going slower and slower. Pretty soon my body gave up and my head followed shortly thereafter. If someone had offered to give me a ride to the finish line I would have taken it - I was too tired care any more! All my reserves built up by weeks of training had been wiped out by the illness. So I walked the remaining 4 miles to the finish line and finished with almost the same time as my first half-marathon. I did finish, and I will be beating my time someday...as soon as I stock up on hand sanitizer.
The BEST part of the day, and the whole reason I signed up for this race to begin with, was that my friend Amy ran it (her first half-marathon), and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. WAY TO GO AMY!!!
Alex guzzles while waiting for mom along the course.
