My first half marathon @ 40 y.o.

I think it's appropriate to put that in the success stories...

October 26, 2013 (day before the race)

My boyfriend’s been a real gem. He patiently listened to all my whining, and rambling. He’s not a big talker, but he finally sat me down and told me that he saw me trained, going to the gym every day for lifting, running every day for the last 3 years, and he told me “I’m not even worry. You can do this, you’re going to cross that finish line, and you’re going to be great. You can do this.” That made me relax a bit.

Here's the race course & elevation


Race day – October 27, 2013

I woke up @ 4am, unable to sleep anymore, because I was afraid I wouldn’t hear the alarm. The start was at 8:30, but we were meeting with a coworker at 7:30; he was also running that same race with his girlfriend.

So here I am, at the starting line, behind the pack, ready to leave. My HR is @ 114... Not good. I’m trying to calm down... but I also forgot my iPod!! Great job Annie! You rarely run without it and for this very important race, you forgot it! Nice job! I heard people talking about the half (guys that were doing their 4th half in 5 weeks), saying that this particular half is the hardest in the province. Awesome! And I had to chose this one! They said that you have to add 20 minutes to your regular finish time because of all the hills. I was aiming for 2:30, so I thought I was lucky if I ended within 3 hours.

The race starts. Uphill, for almost 1 mile, and then down for almost another mile. And uphill for another mile before an abrupt downhill for a bit more than 1 mile... my calves are on fire. Watch your step, it’s easy to trip if you’re going too fast. The first marathon runner passes us at an incredible speed... while talking to each other!!! “Are you guys for real?????” They started 10 minutes after us, and every marathon runner that was passing by was clapping hands and saying “Let’s go, don’t give up. You got this!” to everyone... How can they run so fast and still be able to talk???? That’s beyond me!

After that abrupt downhill, I know what’s coming: I studied that course, so I don’t push too much on the way down. We turn on a bike path (dirt), in the woods, for about 2 miles...2 miles of incredible misery, hills, going up, up, up and up... After that second hill, I have to walk... I can’t run anymore. If I want to cross that finish line, I realize that I won’t have any choice but to do run/walk interval. In those 2 miles, runners got really spread out on the course. The faster were flying, and the others (like me) were just trying to NOT GIVE UP, already visualizing that finish line... While I was running that last hill, I asked myself “Please remind me why I wanted to do that??? I can’t remember! I want pizza for dinner. Oh no, that’s not good. Hey, how come you’re still able to run that fast? And you’re doing the marathon? So you’ll have to do that twice?!!? Ok. So some people are crazier than me, which is good. I must be normal. Hey, that guy in the orange t-shirt, he’s running funny. Hummm.. Maybe, but he’s in front of you dud.” Those are the kind of thoughts that I got for 2 miles. I was just trying to keep my mind off the hills, trying not to give up, knock on a door, asking if I could borrow their phone so my boyfriend could come and pick me up. But I’m not a quitter. I know I won’t do that. But I thought about it.

After 2 miles of misery going uphill, (we’re at the bottom of the mountain) now we’re going down. Really down. Again you have to shorten your stride to make sure that you won’t trip, and do like a bowling ball, smash in the legs of all those runners in front of you while you roll down the hill. I laughed when I thought of that... The runner that was passing me looked at me and said “Nice to see somebody smile.” I winked and looked at him. “He’s about 75 y.o. How can he run a marathon? How come I can’t keep up with him!! I wish I’ll be able to still run at his age. But I’ll never run a marathon! NO WAY! I would so eat a banana right about now! I wonder where I left my iPod. You’re lucky you can have a pit stop in the wood sir. I wish it was that simple for me!”

Ok, now we’re going down again, only to go up again but it’s the last hill to climb for the next 3 miles. I’m good. I can do this. We’re 4 miles from the end. We’re back on the pavement, going down slowly. And back in the woods a mile after that, still going downhill... We’re out of the woods, but not for long. The last stretch, 0.5 mile going uphill, again... and then it goes down for the remaining 0.5 mile, to the finish line. On the way up that last hill, people are cheering me up “You can do this. It’s the last mile! Let’s go lady! Don’t give up!” Finally, FINALLY I’m at the top. I want pancakes. No. I DESERVE pancakes. And I want roasted chicken for dinner. And I’M NOT MAKING IT! I’m not doing ANYTHING when I get back home. I wonder if somebody fed the horses? What time is it anyway????? And now it’s going down. People are cheering me up on the way down. “You’re awesome!!! Come on, you can do this!!! Only 400 meter lady!! Woohoo!! You’re doing great! Look at that! She’s at the end of her 13.1 miles, and she’s still smiling!! (Thanks Janet & Cin!)” Even the photographers were cheering!

Ok, one last turn before the finish line. You can do this. Pick up your pace, make yourself proud of yourself! Hey, that’s my boyfriend! What is he doing in the middle of the street??? Oh, taking pics... Smile Annie, smile. You don’t want a crappy pic of you near the finish line, a pic that looks like you’re just about to give up and die... like you do feel, but they can’t “see” that. Smile. Clic. Good. Now let me finish that ** race. Still don’t remember why I wanted to do that... Ok. Last turn. Hey! They moved the finish line!!! Shoot, another turn. I can do this. The crowd is whistling, making noises, cheering me up. I pick up the pace again to finish strong. Where is it? Where is it? Can I stop now? No, not yet. Right there, 100 feet. Cross. Thank God! A volunteer warmly congratulates me, gives me my medal. “I made it! I made it! Now where’s my boyfriend? I want my chocolate milk! Like NOW!!!! There he is.” I unstrap my fuel belt, and give it to him. He gives me my chocolate milk (he had specific instructions lol). I feel something in the front pocket of my dri-fit jacket... What’s that.... My iPod!!!!

While I’m there drinking my chocolate milk, a few people I know come to congratulate me. I’m really touched, and I think they can see that.

I tell my boyfriend "I want pancakes, and roasted chicken, and I’m not making it. And I want them in that order.” He just looks at me, grinds, gives me a hug, and nods. Finish time: 2:52:52, all that time in a mix of rain and snow. I'm satisfied. I'm below 3 hours.

So, when's the next race?

Note: English is not my first language, so sorry for the grammar mistakes in there...