I finished my first and only half marathon for this year. I started training in January and went with the training program by John Stanton in his book "running from start to finish". This was my third half marathon and it was really a struggle.

I woke up with a sore throat, I had gone to a 40th birthday party and had a sangria and a small glass of red wine (still a mistake before a race) I should have been hydrating with water, not dehydrating with alchohol! I made hot wings for my husband that I then ate for myself! Shouldnt eat meat before a long run! Then ending up staying up later than I should have and never went to bed until nearly midnight.

I decided that I would wear my jacket as it was raining torrentially . less that three kilometers in, it was hanging soaked at my waist. The trail was a familiar one, but I hadn't trained on the trails, but I had walked them the week before. Thank god, because that was one mental hurdle that helped me finish! My gps keeps track of my pace, and I knew that I was slow right from the beginning but traditionally I start out slow and end strong. By five kilometers I knew something was wrong, my lungs were killing me and my breathing was like gasping. By mile 9 my goal was just to finish. All the 10k runners were finishing their last kilometer fast! To avoid the runners and the rush I moved to the side of the trail, twisted my ankle on a root and fell down HARD! I was in such agony I couldn't get up and two gracious runners helped my up. I managed to walk it out for a couple minutes, but I started running again so I could finish. The trails began to get slicker because of the rain, and I don't know what was worse; running in the mud, or the wet pea gravel it was like slogging through wet beach. I realized I was last when the cyclist starting picking up the kilometre markers behind me as I passed them. A volunteer offered to take my jacket, then after I had handed it off I realized my timer was on the jacket, so I had to get a volunteer to bikeride it back to me! The last five kilometers were like agony. I chose not to wear my hydration pack, so I only had the water stations and they were handing out these teeny cups of water, and no gatorade. I forgot my advil and lost my anytime bar (maybe when I fell) so I was low on carbohydrates and electrolytes. Every time I passed a volunteer they gasped (I didn't realize I had cut my leg so bad, and had blood running down my leg and right arm) I was soaked, crying, and bleeding. A friend ran me in the last kilometre, got me to put a smile on my face, sunglasses on my eyes, and made me cross the finish line proud. My kids were there to cheer me on at the finish line, and brought me a well deserved Iced Cappucino (my treat when I run over 10K). Here are the race results: I came in last (35 place) Worst personal time ever.

   Eddies Big Run
Edson, AB
   June 16, 2012

   ChronoTrack Timing by "Results Canada" - 780-416-5124

Overall Half Marathon Finish Results

Over |  Bib |Name |  CITY | |Pace  |
All  |  Num | |    |  TIME  |Min/KM|
Place|   | |    | |   |
_____|______|____________________________|___________________________|________|______|
  1  428 David   L Edmonton    1:32:26  4:23
  2  408 Peter B   Slave Lake 1:32:33  4:24
  3  401 Steve A    Yellowhead County   1:33:50  4:27
  4  438 Ross ST   Edson   1:36:39  4:35
  5  435 Shawn S    Thorhild    1:41:57  4:50
  6  414 Leighton DA   Sherwood Park   1:43:25  4:55
  7  433 Luke R Edmonton    1:43:26  4:55
  8  418 Chad H Yellowhead County   1:43:29  4:55
  9  420 William H Hinton 1:46:09  5:02
10  403 Grant ACO   Yellowhead County   1:47:06  5:05
11  417 Jesse DYR Sherwood Park   1:47:53  5:07
12  404 Jane ASTO Sherwood Park   1:52:07  5:19
13  407 Jamie BIS   Edson   1:53:27  5:23
14  409 Henry BOX    Yellowhead County   1:56:10  5:31
15  412 Wayne CAM Yellowhead County   1:58:27  5:37
16  426 Avril LAN Edson   1:58:56  5:39
17  411 Cameron B Spruce Grove    1:59:30  5:40
18  413 Rebecca C   Edson   2:00:23  5:43
19  443 Dave PORS Hinton 2:03:08  5:51
20  434 Ryan RUPE    Edson   2:05:16  5:57
21  436 Rocky SHA Edson   2:07:17  6:02
22  402 Tara ACOR Yellowhead County   2:09:20  6:08
23  444 Sharon ME    Hinton 2:14:16  6:22
24  432 Bonnie RA Edson   2:17:27  6:31
25  425 Joey LANG Edson   2:18:04  6:33
26  423 Rob KOZAK Other   2:21:44  6:43
27  415 Nicole DA Other   2:22:39  6:46
28  424 Brandi KO Other   2:23:23  6:48
29  441 Sarah VON   Edson   2:26:41  6:58
30  419 Michael H Yellowhead County   2:28:30  7:03
31  429 David MIL   Wostok 2:35:26  7:22
32  405 Mary BELL Okotoks 2:48:02  7:58
33  445 Jennifer Edson   2:48:32  8:00
34  440 Gail UNGS   Slave Lake 2:49:59  8:04
35  410 Matricia  B    Edson   3:02:59  8:41



So no personal best. This was after a personal best 14k at the Whitecourt 1/4 marathon, where I ran at 7:30, 1:10 faster than this time two weeks earlier. Maybe this was not enough recovery time.

Then because I was bloated and tired and rehydrating, I weighed in up two pounds.

So know I am back on track and taking two weeks off to recover, and recharge. I won't be cranking out those long runs, so I won't be as hungry as I have been. I am going to stick to my plan and keep blogging and checking in. I signed up for a "mud bog" which is a 6km run with 11 obstacles. Yes, I am going to hurl this over 40 body through an obstacle course! LOL, but it's not blood sweat and tears, it's "Mud, sweat, and cheers!" So it's supposed to be for fun............Keep you posted/

Oh and I start training again in two weeks, I am going to start with the under 2 hours 1/2 marathon training, and then my goal is to run a marathon next year!! EEK!!