I’ve Got the Bug

Tomorrow will be exactly four weeks since our half-marathon. I can’t believe it. It’s still funny to be like, “yeah, I ran a half-marathon”. That happened…in the rain, no less. Sam wrote a fantastic description of what THAT was like, and the general feel of the route here.

For me, I didn’t know what to expect. This was my first half. And it was in Nashville…with hills. We had gotten much better at hills and our mentality about them (new rule: CHARGE the hill!) over the last few weeks before the run, but I wasn’t sure how they would compare. It was very cold, and very early, and very rainy, when we parked. And when we lined up. And when we waited. And while we ran, and well, you get it. But really, once we started running, I wasn’t thinking about the rain. I was watching the mass of people’s bobbing heads in front of me, and the people drinking champagne under their umbrellas and cheering on the side, and the random guy on his porch playing music and yelling encouragement by himself as people ran past. I had no idea running a half-marathon would be such amazing people-watching!!!

I also didn’t expect to feel how I felt physically. I felt sort of like the energizer bunny. Like, I could keep going, and going, and going. I certainly can’t say I was sad when the full-marathon route split from the half and I got to go to the right, but I did think, “hmm….maybe…one day…” (ack! I’m hooked). Before we even ran, whilst we were all wandering around the expo, we were talking about doing a sprint triathalon, and found a booth for something called RAGNAR (potentially more on this later). Yep. I’m pretty sure we’ve all got the bug. That kind of constant desire for a goal to work towards, finding different and preferably interesting ways to push ourselves. I know I do, at least.

When we finished the race, it was freezing. Our bodies didn't have much left to keep heat in and with the cold + rain we were all in danger of some level of hypothermia. But we had still finished. And it was fun. And I want to do it again. And I can’t imagine a better group of wonderful friends and ladies to do it with (whenever we can make it happen with our schedules!). So we’re working towards some different things, and training in some different ways, and who knows where this journey will continue to lead us or how it will change us (and already has). And it’s funny, because it really was Just for Kicks…;)