I finished my first half marathon this past Saturday. I am sore now, but it was worth it. :-) Saturday was a wonderful day. My parents got up at a ridiculous hour of the morning and met us in Indy at 6:30 AM. We then hung out a bit, showed them where we would meet up at the end, and walked to our corrals. I started pretty far back, in corral T (it went through Z). Click
here to see a map of the startline. Having never done this before, I didn't know what to expect or what to estimate my finish time as. I had originally had a goal of finishing before 2 hours and 30 minutes, but I had abandoned that in favor of just finishing. I hadn't trained as well as I would have liked, and I wasn't sure how my body would react to that much running. I actually had a really good race, and finished in 2 hours and 23 minutes, which means that if I run another 1/2 marathon, I can get "seding" or a closer starting spot, like corral E, which would be nice, as I had to dodge a lot of people during the race. Many people walk the whole way or jog slowly and walk, and with 35,000 people, it could get bottle necked and tight at times. It was a really good experience, though. I was able to run almost all the way, walking only through the water stations and only 2-3 times for short periods of time during the race. Click
here if you want to see the race route. There were different bands and groups playing music all along the race route, which was a lot of fun, especially as I didn't run with my iPod. I wanted to be aware of my surroundings, especially as I had to dodge and weave through people. There were cloggers, a polka band, DJs, rock bands, Caribbean music, country, etc. There were also people sitting and standing outside cheering for us, waving clappers and ringing cowbells. I especially like high fiving the little kids. It was like a parade without the candy. :-) By mile 11 and 12, it was becoming more of a struggle, and mile 12 was especially hard, but I kept going, and it was so nice to have my friends and family cheering at the end. It really helped me give that last push at the end. I have signed up for a Warrior Dash in August, and I am planning on signing up for the Indy mini again next year. I never thought I was a runner, but maybe I am.
Also, I have just started a book called "Manning Up" by Kay S. Hymowitz, and it's about the current trend of what she calls "preadults," or people in their 20s. I just finished the intro, and it sounds like it's going to be a good book. It's about understanding what our culture is now, and how things have and are changing in regards to the workplace, relationships, and gender roles. I really like this quote. "Today, however, with women moving ahead in an advanced economy, provider husbands and fathers are now optional, and the character qualities men had needed to play their role--fortitude, stoicism, courage, fidelity--are obsolete and even a little embarrassing" (pg 16). I think this is true. Women are starting to dominate the workplace and other things, and guys are trying to figure out where they fit, and they are not necessarily living up to their potential. Hymowitz further states, "Single men have never been civilization's most responsible actors" (pg 16). Also true. Marriage and family tend to civilize guys. I am not sure what the answer is to all of this, as I do not think that women should not pursue education and better jobs (especially as I just finished my Master's degree). But, this is relatively uncharted territory, as education is becoming more important and emphasized, and it takes time. So, people are starting careers later and getting married later. Again, very different from in the past, but not necessarily wrong. I am looking forward to getting into the book and seeing what the author has to say, as I feel like it really pertains to me, as a young 20 something just starting her career.
Anywho, just wanted to share about the race and about my latest read.
Blessings
I am currently writing this with a kitty on my lap. Trying to teach her not to walk on the computer and chew the cords is a challenge, but she's settled down right now. She is a domestic long hair cat, gray, and orange, about a year old, and very affectionate. She is starting to get the hang of being a lap kitty, but she also has a lot of energy. I now know the need for cat toys, though I can't find her ball, which is sad. I had a stress ball in the shape of a basketball that she had a lot of fun with, but I can't find it now. I'll have to find something else at the pet store. She also decided that 5 AM is a perfectly acceptable time to be up and about. I did not agree, but was unable to fall back asleep until 6:30 or so. Hopefully we do not have a repeat tomorrow. She is a talker, and it's hard to sleep through her meowing. My own personal alarm clock. She is a sweetheart though. Having never had a cat before, I know it will be an adjustment and I need to give us both time to get used to each other. She seems to be adapting rather well, and thankfully was able to find the litter box. :-)