A Seattle Half to Remember

Sunday dawned dry (after the downpour that was Thursday and Friday) but COLD.  Seriously, seriously cold, at least for me.

Not only just cold, but foggy too.  I couldn't decide what to wear, I went back and forth about wearing more layers, but I ended up with seriously the PERFECT amount of clothes.  For once in my life.  I was cold for the first mile or so but then it was just perfect, and I never took off my arm warmers, gloves, or ear warmers.  That's how cold it was.

After a 4:50am wake-up call (OUCH) and getting the carpool together - we were OFF to Seattle.  There was actually little traffic and parking was a breeze, so we had plenty of time to mill around.  

This was especially the case since the half marathon started at 7:30am but the full marathon didn't start until 8:15am.  Why the full starts after the half instead of vice versa is beyond me.  I decided at the last minute to be a rebel and start with Amy and Jordanne so I could run the first 5 miles with them, so we bid Good Luck to Luke and then we kept waiting around some more.  I just seem to love putting myself in situations where I get near last place!  It happened again this time with this move!

Most of the pre-race pics didn't turn out so well

I'd be lying if I said this course wasn't hilly.  Though with a total elevation gain of 994 feet, I've completed hillier races.  Most of the hills weren't really that bad, except that "Ouch" hill that went on-and-on-and-on in mile 8.  I definitely walked most of this.  I tried my best to run the others, though there was definitely one other that I walked. 

And will I EVER do a race that doesn't end with an uphill??!!

After I left Jordanne and Amy at mile 5 I passed about 1,000 people, thanks to my 45 minute late start.  That was fun!  They were probably wondering WHAT THE HECK was going on though.  I tried to remain sufficiently uncomfortable while still feeling comfortable, if that at all makes sense.  My hamstring was bothering me from the start so it didn't really matter what I did in terms of that.  I actually have a hunch my recent yoga fetish had the opposite effect of what I wanted. 

By mile 10 I REALLY wanted to be done.  Like REALLY.  I'm actually really proud of myself for not walking more because I wanted to walk so bad.  My legs were stiff and, hello, I've ran like 4 times in November.  So it makes sense.  But I finished in 2:05:44 and called it a day.
1st half: 1:05:08    2nd half: 1:01:37   Negative split, woot woot!

I am SO proud of both Jordanne and Amy.  Jordanne finished her 3rd marathon and her 2nd marathon this year (remember Seattle RnR? well she beat that time!).  Amy ROCKED her first marathon ever and dominated her goal of sub-5-hours.  

They're both my heroes.  I wish I could have ran the full with them!

The whole rockin' crew:

And half marathon #12 #13 is in the books, as is essentially my 2012 running year.  The End.