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She Says: Brooklyn Half Marathon – I Did It!!!
I finished my first half marathon today and I have to say, I am quite proud of myself… and the other 11,000 people who ran as well! Mark had some trouble streaming live, but he took video and we’ll post it soon. My official time was 1:54:55 (8:46 pace). Here are my notes on my first half marathon experience.
Pre-Race
5:56 am: Wake up and immediately put on my sneakers and start drinking my coffee.
6:35 am: Leave N.J. and eat my peanut butter and toast.
7:15 am: Arrive at Prospect Park. Mark drops me off and I tell him to go to Coney Island to the finish. I am worried I will lose him!
7:15-7:25 am: Go to McDonald’s to use the bathroom. Wait a very long time for woman to use bathroom as grooming facility. Seriously.
7:25 – 7:38 am: Walk through Prospect Park to get to starting point. Turns out I got dropped off on the opposite end of the park. Am totally freaked out that I have no idea where I’m going and am going to miss start of race.
7:40 am: Figure out the whole corralle system. I get in the corralle one degree slower than I am assigned to – so I started with the 8:06 min. mile group.
7:40 – 8:00 am: Stretch in my place. Check iPod a million times. Look around. Hear announcer say over 11,000 people running. I am amazed and start getting really excited.
8:02 am: Spot my mom and dad (who came all the way from Rhode Island last night just to see me run) and aunt. Take some pictures and feel like a goober. Say hi to Melissa!
Me & My Dad. I could spot that head in any crowd.
8:07 am: Race starts. I do not move. Turns out it takes almost 8 minutes to get to starting line.
Race Gooooooo
Miles 1-3: Fun, but annoying. There were so many people and I could hardly move and it took me almost 10 minutes to do the first mile!!!! It was like 5 pm traffic. I don’t mind if people cut in front of me, but you must run at least as fast as me or it’s like cutting someone off and slamming on your brakes. Not cool. Try to enjoy the sights and the experience. Feel really good!
Miles 3 – 4: Traffic starts to thin out. Notice that there is another lane to my right where super robot runners go. Think it’s interesting that they chose to go slow at the beginning of the race and then speed up. Realize they lapped me and completed the two laps around the park when I see them exiting. Feel silly.
Miles 5 – 6: Still in park, but doing second lap around. I’d heard the route was hilly, but I didn’t think it was that bad at all. Think about how much fun this is and how awesome I am. Almost cry.
Miles 6 – 7: Exit park and starting the long straight stretch to Coney Island. See man in nothing more than speedo shorts. Can’t stop staring. Wonder if my butt would move in uniform way if I wore same get up. Realize it would not. At mile 7 see my time is 1:01. I had one goal when deciding to run this thing and that was finish without walking. A few weeks ago when I realized I was going to do this I added a second goal – finish in under 2 hours. At this point I knew I could do it, I just had to dig and push.
Miles 7 – 8: Feel a little tired and slow. Take in sights to distract myself. Realize Brooklyn is really nice and try to think of ways to convince Mark to move.
Mile 8: Have first of my Sharkies and feel a little better. Start thinking about Scallion Pancakes and Yam Fries from Veggie Heaven and Ice Cream with peanut butter in it.
Mile 9: Physically and mentally fine, but feeling slow. Wonder if I should try to go faster. Look around me and realize the people look like they are going to die. This is not to be rude, I commend anyone who can run any length of time, but it is less than motivating. I want to get with a newer group who is going faster.
Mile 10: Pick up a cup of water, have some more Sharkies and decide to go for it. Woo hoo – here we go!
Mile 11: Still feeling awesome. See man lying in street with ambulance. Not so awesome. Yikes!
Mile 11.5: Think it’s odd they skipped the 12 mile marker.
Mile 12: Oh.
Mile 12 – 13.1: We’re approaching Coney Island and I really feel awesome! I have the last of my sharkies and make a turn that I remember from the map means we’re almost there! I make another turn and run up a ramp. I’m on the boardwalk and I’m almost there!!!!! Definitely thought I was going to fall in the old wooden beams of the boardwalk, but still go as fast as I can. The breeze from the water feels so great and the crowd cheering is perfection. Hear Mark call my name. Wave and say hi!!! Spriiiiint to the end. Done!
Post Race
Drank 3 large cups of water and search for my family and Mark. Through good luck we meet fairly quickly and with little confusion. I had a nice juicy apple, Mark saw Deidre and Amelia and we head back to New Jersey.
When I got home I stretched a little and then we went to Veggie Heaven. I got my Scallion Pancakes, Yam Fries and Garlic “Steak.”
And my ice cream. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup from Applegate Farm. This was a ridiculous amount of ice cream suitable for three people and I ate every last bit and yelled at Mark when he stole some. Something about it being my day …
Wow I look tired!
Sometimes when I see what people eat after a race I think, “Good God I would have eaten 10x that amount.” What I learned today was that I couldn’t bare to eat anything big right after the race. The apple was enough. I wanted water. My stomach was feeling a little off. When we went to Veggie Heaven and ice cream, I was hungry, but not famished in any way. I got full very quickly, but got hungry sooner than normal. A 7:30 pm I instantly became hangry. And that is why I ate almost all the Veggie Heaven leftovers – this plus the rest of the fried rice and dad’s Sweet & Sour “Chicken.”
So, it was a very exciting day and I am really happy that I decided to do this. I can’t wait for my next one. Oh yes, that’s right. This is probably going to become a habit!
And now, on a sappy note I want to say thanks to all the bloggers who show the fun side of running and exercise in general. I did not have this blog one year ago and I certainly would not have run a half marathon at that time (I hadn’t even run a 5K a year ago). “Food blogs” get picked on for being weird, but I like to think I am part of special hybrid food/lifestyle genre where we encourage each other (both bloggers and non-bloggers) to be our best selves. I don’t think there is anything weird about that!
And a special thank you to my first time half marathon helpers – Andrea, Rose, Allison, Andrea, (non-first timer) Aimee and Sarah (who despite being injured ran the whole thing today). It was so wonderful to be able to chat with people in the same position as me!
Wow, congrats! I’m so glad you met your goals and had fun
What an awesome time, too! I loved your recap. Take it easy today 
your commentary was HYSTERICAL! and right on target too- i thought many similar things during my half. i didn’t see a guy with a speedo, but i did have a guy in front of me running with a trumpet that he would occasionally play. if that wasn’t crazy enough, he also stopped for beer around mile 9!
anyway, CONGRATS! for your first half, your time was AWESOME
You were my first!! Blogger dream that is!!
Congratulations! That is awesome. I had my first half marathon today, so it was really fun to relate to your lead up and experience. I was five minutes slower, though. Anyways, I agree about blogging to be your best self! Keep it up!
This was SUCH an awesome recap!! Congrats on your first half marathon!! So inspiring and exciting! And I totally agree at food blogging bringing out the best in people. This community is so supportive and just straight up HEALTHY that everyone is just glowing through their posts!
I’m so happy for you, Heather! You are so impressive and I loved the recap – except for scary mile 11. That must have been disconcerting!
I also laughed out loud at the ice cream moment. “Something about it being my day.”
Too true, my friend. I hope you’re having a lovely Sunday!
Congratulations!! That’s so awesome and it was so great to read the whole recap.
Heath!!!!!
So proud of you – sounds like an amazing first half marathon. Awesome time – I knew you could do it!
You looked great with your ice-cream. You’re beautiful my friend, and I love your hair.
Again, so excited for you. Reading this gave me chills. Hope you’re feeling great today and not too sore. If so, get a massage this week. You’ve earned it!
[...] Hangry Pants race report [...]
Great Job!!! What a glorious feeling to make your goals.
Congrats!!!! I am so proud of you, you made such great time!! Best line in this recap:
Mile 11.5: Think it’s odd they skipped the 12 mile marker.
Mile 12: Oh.
Hahaha!
Congratulations! I love reading race recaps and yours was awesome. I hope your recovery is going well.
Great job and congrats!! I’ve already said it on facebook – but you rocked it, girl!
Also – I loved your note about almost crying. That happened to me during my half marathon too
Congrats on your first half and an awesome time to boot!! Hopefully there will be many more races to come!
Congrats! Loved your recap and you did amazing for your first!
Congrats on your first half marathon! I totally LOL’d at the “speedo man” internal monologue.
And um, your Veggie Heaven food looks pretty freakin’ awesome. Yum!
Heather, CONGRATS!! What an awesome recap. I am so, so happy and proud of you. I couldn’t run a 5k last year, either, but I’m not out there running a half. You are totally inspiratinal to me. Amazing pace, too!
congrats, congrats!!! You did awesome, and I loved your recap
Love the speedo shorts visual 
Congratulations, Heather!! You totally rocked it out! What an amazing time….and you look good in the video, too (in a ‘yeah I just put out 13 miles but I can still walk/talk’ kinda way).
I hope you treat yourself to a massage or something fabby this week.
Congratulations Heather!!! You make me so proud.
Great recap. I love your mile by mile comments. I totally think things like that when I race…especially the mile 11.5 and man in speedo comments. That food looks really yummy!
congratulations! we ran about the same pace!! gotta love that! pace love!
check out my recap:
http://lovejackson.blogspot.com/2009/05/zooma-annapolis-2009-race-recap.html
CONGRATS!!!
[...] I learned about post-race blues from Rose, so I was prepared to feel a little down after Saturday. [...]
I am so excited for you! I read your blog a lot and never comment (shame on me!) but I just had to say how inspiring this blog post is. Let me tell I am far from a suitable weight or proper exercise routein but you have given me a lot of excitement and a very good feeling that I can make it work. Thank you. I really appeiciate everything you have to say here!
Just got around to reading your recap! I wanted to give it the full attention it deserved.
You DID GREAT! AMAZING!! I know what you mean about not starving. After my marathon i was not hungry at all, in fact I was a little worried about how little I ate. I still felt great though! 
Congrats! Maybe a full will be in your future? 
I am going to start training for a local marathon and I am using a program developed by Marrius Bakken. It’s a really good system, I am just throwing it out there for those who are interested in a good system.
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