I Did It! (barely)

Yeah, this was pre-race, as evidenced by the still-smiling faces.
**************************************

Everything hurts.

It hurts in places on my body where I didn't even know muscles and joints existed. Until now.

By the numbers:

Mile 1: A very quick pace. Sis and I completed Mile 1 in 8:43.

Miles 2-5: Decent and not uncomfortable (except for my timing chip around my ankle that kept rubbing). Some rolling hills. One steep hill, but it wasn't overwhelming because it was the beginning of the race. We finished Mile 5 around 47:00. I start to get cranky at this point and get irked when a runner budges right between Sis and I, even though we're running elbow to elbow.

Mile 6: A gradual LONG hill. I slow down. Sis speeds up and that's the last I see of her.

Mile 7: A decent, shady downhill stretch. I actually feel like I'm catching my second wind and feel positive that I can DO IT!

Mile 8: My f*cking iPod stops working. Completely. I shed a few tears in frustration and spend an entire 1/2 mile trying to get it to come back on. I consider tossing it, but then realize I'd feel stupid wearing/carrying a set of earphones attached to NOTHING.

On top of that, I'm extremely pissed that they only have water stops every 2 miles. I have cottonmouth and can't even make spit.

AND I'm pissed when I run past someone who's walking, and then they start running again and pass me.

Mile 9 to end: UPHILL. THE ENTIRE WAY. I feel like I'm trudging. I start walking (for the first time in the entire race), take about 10 steps, and then see my Sis up ahead, coming back for me (she's already finished in a time of 1hr, 34 min). Shit. Can't walk. Gotta run. Sis totally motivates me to the end, as I'm huffing and puffing and seriously feel like I CAN'T put one foot in front of the other.

I make it. I finish with a time of 1hr, 42 min.

7:47: Time I was in bed last night.