I have started volunteering to help out at some of the races I love so much. I volunteered at the Gold Nugget Triathlon and at the Run 4 Women so I decided to volunteer for a race that I would love to think I would be able to do some day....but it would definitely be a challenge! Grayson wanted to work on volunteer hours so he spent the day in the sun with me too. I ran this race two years ago when it was the Her Tern Half Marathon. This is a very pricey race but it has a boutique feel. They don't give a medal but a piece of jewelry instead. It ends with mimosas in the Delaney Park rose garden. It's an out and back course along the Chester Creek trail and ends with an uphill jaunt back in to Delaney Park. The atmosphere of this race is just so supportive. Women really building each other up. I do the early start to make sure that I make it back to the rose garden in time for the festivities. I knew today was going to be warm by Alaska standards and the air is still smokey from the wildfires to our north and south. I made myself relax and take it easy and through the wonder that was yoga, I actually felt great for most of the race but started to fade in the last three miles and really fade when I started to think about that uphill finish. It's amazing how we can psych ourselves out. My new tank from CVG got a little attention at the water stops and so I will have to remember to wear it when I need a boost. My running philosophy for this race was to be grateful and thankful. Every mile I chose someone to pray for or to think about when I felt my feet couldn't carry me any further. So here's where I see if you are still reading....see I did a thing. Thanks so much to the hill angels. The people who spend their day running us up the hill to the finish. I get picked up by one of them and through their encouragement I ran that second part of the hill. I didn't know it at the time, but that kick at the end...led to a PR. I have been running half marathons (off and on) since 2001. Today's race is the first time I beat my time from 2001....not by much, but I did it. It feels so good when your 40 something self is able to do what your 20 something self did but better. All the hiking, yoga, spin classes have been making a difference. Now if only I can keep the momentum up. Thanks to all the amazing runners I have connected with for helping keep me motivated!
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JK McDowellLong time back of the pack runner, science lover, Christian, educator, and mom. Archives
July 2019
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