13.1

To say I was anxious would be to understate the amount of freaking nervous I had. At 2:30 am my eyes popped open as I heard "Daddy!". Ugh... it was 2:30 am and I had to be up in 2 hours. I rolled over to nudged my husband, who then stumbled out of bed to take our Bug potty. "What doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger" started playing at 4:30 am, because I figured if I had to be up at the ass crack of dawn I better have some motivational music wake me up. I got up still feeling groggy. Jumped in the shower. Yes, I showered before the race, which is something I never do, but I wanted  to loosen up my congestion as much as possible. Basically, hot shower = loogies. I geared up and ate 3 eggs and 2 pieces of toast.

Breakfast of champs... with a side of Ibuprofen.

At 5:30 am I was headed out the door to meet up with Lexie and her family and Josh was rolling out of bed.

We arrived at Union Station and parked around 6:30 am. Lexie and I kept repeating our checklist. I am pretty sure we asked each other a million times if we had GU, gum, chips, bib number, and water belt. I was so paranoid I would forget something. We headed into Union Station where we peed one last time (I attempted to poop to avoid the race poops, but had no success) and stretched.

Around 6:50 am we started making our way to the start line. I knew this was a big race, but holy cow, it was HUGE. We jumped just in front of the 2:20 pacer and began to set up our music and watches.
Then my phone started blowing up... are you kidding me! It was the Husband. Reception sucked so I could never speak to him so I got a text saying "At Liberty (Memorial)". Finally it was time, the horn was blown, smoke shot off in the air, and a wave of thousands of people began to move.

It sucked! It was not nearly as glamorous as I had played it out in my head! The first 3-4 miles I was feeling great. I was running off pure adrenaline. Vern and I were keeping a good pace and knocking out the miles. Then at mile 5 I began to feel fatigued. Are you kidding me. I just ran 5 miles on Wednesday without any problems. My body just didn't have any energy and it was difficult to put one foot in front of the other. By mile 7, I was pretty sure I was going to vomit all over the runner in front of me. Mile 8, I needed to shit. Oh, well hell if that isn't just freaking peachy. Of all the days to have my body hate me... it choose one of the biggest days in my life! Yes, there are port-a-pottys throughout the route, which could have relieved one issue, but I knew if I stopped there was no way in hell I would be able to finish. So I plugged along. All the time, keeping up with Vern. She would get ahead, but never out of sight. I would catch up and she would ask how I was doing. She suggested I started taking Gatorade at aid stations instead of water. So every two or so miles I would chug some Gatorade in hopes that I would find some energy. I never did.

Mile 9, I wanted to Q.U.I.T. I was over f*cking running and I was over this damn race. I didn't. I thought of my Mom and Dad who held up a sign that said "Go Melissa and Leix" (yes, Vern's name was spelled wrong, don't ask) at the top of the Liberty Memorial hill; my Husband and daughter who would be cheering me on at the finish line. I thought of all the runs I logged and the hours I spent on the road running instead at home with my family. If don't finish this then all of the work and time would be for absolutely nothing. I would have failed. Out of nowhere, Matt (co-worker who's wife was running) jumped out into the street and began to cheer me on! It couldn't have been better timing. It gave me a boost and  I plugged along pounding out the miles. Wishing that it was just over. Then I looked down and saw that I was at mile 11. Holy shit! I could actually finish this without passing out. I began to tear up. Then I stopped that shit real quick, because I wasn't about to waste any water from my body. Not now.

I had caught up to Lexie and we finished the last couple of miles together. The end was in sight and it was the most amazing feeling E.V.E.R. We turned a corner and began down the path to the finish line. Tons of people lined the coral gates cheering us on. Our family yelling our names! Lexie got a burst of energy and finished hard. I, on the other hand, just finished. As much as I wanted to sprint it out with Lexie, like every other race, I just could not find it in me. No matter how hard I dug.

After finishing the race and talking with my MIL, I realized a lot of my fatigue issues and not feeling "normal" while running were most likely due to the TWO BENADRYL I took the night before. Apparently it takes 12 hours for that crap to get out of your system. All I was trying to do is dry my snotty nose up so I would stop coughing and be able to sleep.  Note to self: NEVER take meds the night before a race it will tweak your body out and make it hate you. Nonetheless, Lexie and I finished with great times that we are both very proud of. Lexie came in at 2:15:09 and I was right behind her at 2:15:20.

Stats:
Time: 2:15:20
Avg Pace: 10:20
Division Place: 333/607
Calories Burned: 1,650

I enjoyed every minute of this journey with my best friend. It was her crazy idea to run a half marathon and I am so thankful that I said "Sure, I do it with you" when she asked me about it in January. Words can't explain just how proud I am of us. I couldn't ask for a better running partner and best friend! Love ya, Vern!

 Even though this was my goal, I would never have been able to accomplish it without my husband. He picked up the slack when I needed to get a run in. Many times he ordered me to go run or he would do bedtime after an exhausting day so I could get a run in. And at least once a month for the past 8 months he spent Saturdays walking up with Easton while I was off running a race. He has always been my #1 fan and knew I could do it even before I did. Love you Husband!

Mom, we loved the sign!

 This wouldn't have been possible without my parents help either. There were many nights Josh was out of town or working late and they would pick Easton up from daycare so I could get a quick run in before doing Easton's bedtime. So a huge Thank you to them for bailing me out the nights I had to be a single parent.

From May 16th until October 20th, I have logged 224.95 miles and ran 38 hours 59 minutes and 23 seconds and I have burned 29,182 calories! Whew... that is exhausting!

Some runners after completing their half say they are ready for a full marathon... I say the hell with that! I have absolutely no desire to run a full marathon. I will stick with 13.1.

So what now? What do you do when you have accomplished your goal? Well, you schedule your next half, of course. Coming 4.13.13... Vern and I will Rock the Parkway!

So worth it!

The Week Leading up to 13.1- It was a hoot!

Sunday: Knocked out 10 miles… wasn’t feeling so hot. I am NOT getting sick!

Monday: Ahh… shit! I am sick! Spent the day feeling like my head was under water and most of the night hacking up a lung. I kept chugging down the water! My hydration strategy for the week was to drinking 3 of these bad boys a day!

34 oz. x 3=102 oz. of water a day. Yes, I pee like a pregnant woman; Yes, I use the bathroom every 15 minutes; Yes, that is a lot of toilet paper!

Tuesday: Started my morning off at the local ghetto Walgreens (20th and State Ave) purchasing off brand Mucinex and green tea. My voice was shot to shit and yellow snot was congestion my face up!

Wednesday: Jetted out of work early, after lunch, to sleep the freaking cold off. I did more coughing and tossing then actual sleeping. Decided I HAD to get one last run in before the BIG Mamma! So I picked up Bug from daycare and headed to my parents. Ran a flat 5.25 mile course; shot off more snot rocks than any one person should; hocked up a scary number of loogies; dry heaved at least twice; returned with more snot on my sleeve than a kindergartner; and felt 10x better after pounding out the miles. Maybe there is some truth to exercising when you fell like crap.

Thursday: Hot damn! I think I am on the downward stretch of this f’ing cold. Voice was back, loogies and coughing lessened, and I could focus on my work. Spent the evening CARBING it up with my running BFF, Vern. We basically freaked out about the race in 38 hours and pretended we had some sort of plan. In that time, I did may have consumed a nice helping of salad, 5 bread sticks, ¾ of cheese ravioli with meat sauce, and a Andes’ mint. I don’t mess around when it comes to Olive Garden. We both left feeling scard as shit confident in our abilities to start at a10 minute pace and complete the half in 2:30.

Friday:  I sent this picture and caption to my running BFF, Vern:


EEK! The half is in less than 24 hours!



I kept looking at my training calender that was taped on the side of my printer and thought to myself "Damn, that is a lot of days of running!" It seemed like it was just last week when we started training and then BAM! the race is tomorrow!

At 2:00 pm I said "peace out work" and headed to meet Vern to pick up our packets and walk around the Expo.

 Then we decided we better drive the route. Not sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

Pretty sure this picture was taken at Troost and GHETTO, KCMO!

Friday night Bug and I were all nervous and thought "Oh No! The race is in less than 12 hours!"



All my running gear ready to go! It is all about the DESSERT!

   I was in bed a little after 9:00 pm, because....

Holly Shit! That is early!

Saturday: The day was here...

Who me?!.... A Runner?!

Last Thursday as I finished my run and headed into the salon to get my mane tamed, someone said to me “I wish I was a runner.” I automatically responded back “Me, too”. I have never thought of myself as a runner. I played basketball in high school and stayed as far away from the track as possible. So when I hear people say that I am a runner, I deny it and wish it was true.( Side note: Thank you Jessi Romo at Uptown Image for putting up with my sweaty ass and cutting my hair after a quick 3 mile run. You rock!)

It was this past Sunday, when I realized I was, indeed, a runner. My running BFF, Vern, and I meet for our last long run rendezvous in Bonner Springs to run the Tiblow Trot… twice. As we were pounding out the miles, I thought to myself: So this is what a runner does? Instead of laying on the couch watching football on Sunday, I am running 10 freaking miles!

Instead of saying “f#ck it!” and walking the gianormous hill by the baseball fields, I pushed on.. step by step (bust out the NKOTB song, you know you wannna). Those steps up that hill were agonizing and I was sucking air. I wanted some freaking water, but I didn’t stop and I kept at it. Then I was at the top of the hill and it was all over. Thank the Lord, it was over! That makes me a runner. The dedication and drive to keep going even when I am sucking air. Finally, after conquering 10 miles, I feel as though am privileged enough to be labeled a runner.

Let’s talk about that 10 mile run on Sunday, shall we? I honestly thought I would have tears streaming down my face when I finished. I didn’t. I wasn’t emotional at all. Why? Going into it I was arrogant. I knew I could do it. The week before I knocked out 9 miles and didn’t have a problem. So to add one more mile wasn’t that big of a deal. Of course, I dreaded the 10 mile run, but I knew I could do it. Oh, but it was far from a smooth 10 miles. Twice I thought I shit myself. First, was around mile 7 when I really needed to poop so bad that I seriously thought about ducking into the Church on Morris street to take care of business. Then I figured my sweaty, stinky ass wouldn’t blend in very well with Sunday evening crowd. The second time I thought I shit myself is when I almost got plowed over by a 4 door maroon sedan. The old man did not see us until I started screaming “Hey!” and waving my arm at him. Then he jerked over into the next lane. Seriously, it was a close call in broad daylight with us running against traffic. Learn to drive and pay attention to the road!

My husband asked me “When are you going to do a marathon?” Hmmm… don’t see that happening. I know the time and dedication it takes to run a half and I have no desire to double that. Training for a full marathon is a whole other ball game that is much more time consuming and demanding than a half. I think I will stick with 13.1.
Curious about my time and calories, well I burned 1,286 calories running 10 miles in 1:43:50. I will take that!

So I leave you with an introduction: “Hi, I am Melissa and I am a runner”. Who knew!?

Vern pounding out 10 miles! I love this gal!

Bring on 13.1.... We are ready!

Dancing the night away... in ROCKSTAR sparkle boots!

This past Saturday, we took Easton to her first wedding reception. Josh and I attended the wedding ceremony and then asked my parents to bring Easton up to the reception. To say she had a blast would be an understatement. The girl ate like a 12 year old boy, danced like a rockstar, and partied into the wee hours of the evening.

The next day Josh shaved the lumberjack beard off... Thank the Lord!

Could they look anymore alike!

In previous pictures you see that she started with leggings on, but she told me her head was hot (which means she is hot), so we stripped off the leggings and hit the dance floor again.

Seriously, look at those moves!

Stomping her feet to the beat.

Dancing with Daddy.

After getting home and washing the sweat away from her dancing so much, Easton wasn't ready to whine down from the evening just yet. So Daddy shot some photos of us.



Tickles for Momma!



Lunch Date...

This past Friday, I had lunch with six toddlers. And loaded them up on sugar before I left. Awesome Mom, I know! Let's rewind. Early that week I talked to Easton about having lunch with her at daycare. She loved the idea so I spoke with Miss Cathy and arranged for me to have lunch with her this past Friday and opted to bring dessert. 

The night before our lunch date, Easton and I decorated pumpkin sugar cookies for her friends.

Her special job was to be the official sprinkler. She was very proud of this!

And worked very had at it. As you can tell orange sprinkles got everywhere. Needless to say I ran the vacuum while Daddy did bath.

She may have sneaked a couple of licks in.

Enjoying her masterpiece

Finger licking good!

Sugar Cookie Pumpkins made by our little pumpkin!



When I arrived Friday for lunch I walked in on a dance party. Easton and the other kids showed me all their cool moves as Miss Cathy finished up making lunch.

I had a special spot at the table next to Easton and a placemat that she made just for me. We ate chicken enchildas, corn, applesauce, salad, and bread.  

This is Easton's BFF, Izzy.

I loved our lunch date and will be scheduling one again in the near future. It is important to us that Easton knows that we care about her everyday tasks and are interested in what she does at daycare. We want her to know that she is very special to us and we enjoy spending time with her.  

P.S. the cookies were a hit and Easton enjoyed every second of passing them out to her  friends. You could tell by her smile just how proud she was of her cookies! 

2012 Family Photos- It was a scorcher!

Oh, it was a HOT one! But they turned out A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! I am never disappointed in the work Kelly does. She is just so talented and very gifted. If you are in need of some "in the moment" photos, please contact her and ask about those mini-sessions she offers.

P.S. She isn't paying me to say this or promote her. I just love her work so much and want to share family photographer with all of you!

I LOVED them all of course, but I uploaded a few that were my favorites.  By the time we were done, I had sweat running down my thighs, between my boobs, and down the back of my neck. Like I said it was  scorching that day. I was worried we would all look like a hot sweaty mess and all you would see is beads of sweat rolling off our faces, but hell you can't even tell it was hot out. For all you folks know it was a breezy beautiful summer day! It wasn't!