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Slowest half marathon ever (by far) in the history of my running, but it was my baby's first PR. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br><b>2:40:58</b> - that includes two porta-stops. It doesn't include the third where I had to wait in line for several minutes. Fair is fair. I had no choice but to stop-- it's amazing how badly you need to pee when a baby is using your bladder as a trampoline!<br><br>
Very hilly race. If <b>Sputnik</b> reads this -- it was Alpharetta's "rolling hills" again <img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif"><br><br>
So, I started off the race following true to a Heather tradition -- the closer the race is to my house, the later I will run in the morning and the closer to the start of the race I'll arrive. This race started about 5 miles from my house. Still, I got there with a good 15 minutes to spare, so no problem - luckily, this year the roads I tried to take weren't closed. It was an Alpharetta race I arrived at a minute to the start time, only to find out there's chip timing that you have to pick up at race start when I crossed the finish line and asked a friend how they were going to get results.<br><br>
I knew when I got there I was overdressed. It's hard to dress lately because I'm warmer than normal, and I've always had a tendency to overdress in the cold. It wasn't too bad, though. I wore tights and a long sleeved shirt -- temps ranged from 38 to 52 during the race. I could have done with short sleeves or shorts-- maybe both.<br><br>
I kept slow. I wore my heart rate monitor just in case the race atmosphere tempted me to go above the RPE I'm supposed to stay in. No problem, though. It was a little weird to be crossing mile markers and seeing the times I was seeing, and how different just a couple minutes per mile makes the race sights -- but I wasn't tempted to overdo it. Just relaxed, and enjoyed the sites like it was a tour of my city. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> Figure now is not the time to run fast-- kept pace consistent with training run paces.<br><br>
Around mile 6 the baby woke up and started kicking me. He sleeps most the time when I'm not running, I think-- because I feel him while being active far more than any other time. It hurt a little... and slowed me down a bit... but he agreed to go back to sleep around mile 8 if I gave him steak for lunch. Yeah, that's how it happened. <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"> Steak for lunch!!<br><br>
Also, for the first time EVER, a stranger made a comment about me being pregnant! I've been eagerly awaiting the time when I look pregnant enough that a stranger can make a comment without worrying "what if". An aid station volunteer said, <i>"Wow! You're running this and you're pregnant! When are you due?"</i> I was tickled pink... that aid station volunteer was probably my favorite part of the whole race. <a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_rHe1BEvt3o4/R8rlYZlz5sI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/7Gec9rc-SYk/s1600-h/100_2655.JPG" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_rHe1BEvt3o4/R8rlYZlz5sI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/7Gec9rc-SYk/s320/100_2655.JPG" style="border:0px solid;"></a><br><br>
Picked a little kick at the finish line - tradition y'know! - and that was it.<br><br>
Felt good to finish. My joints were a little beaten so I decided to walk back to the start. That helped them relax and they're no worse for the wear now.<br><br>
But it's 72 degrees outside-- how can I now go enjoy the fabulous weather?
Very hilly race. If <b>Sputnik</b> reads this -- it was Alpharetta's "rolling hills" again <img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif"><br><br>
So, I started off the race following true to a Heather tradition -- the closer the race is to my house, the later I will run in the morning and the closer to the start of the race I'll arrive. This race started about 5 miles from my house. Still, I got there with a good 15 minutes to spare, so no problem - luckily, this year the roads I tried to take weren't closed. It was an Alpharetta race I arrived at a minute to the start time, only to find out there's chip timing that you have to pick up at race start when I crossed the finish line and asked a friend how they were going to get results.<br><br>
I knew when I got there I was overdressed. It's hard to dress lately because I'm warmer than normal, and I've always had a tendency to overdress in the cold. It wasn't too bad, though. I wore tights and a long sleeved shirt -- temps ranged from 38 to 52 during the race. I could have done with short sleeves or shorts-- maybe both.<br><br>
I kept slow. I wore my heart rate monitor just in case the race atmosphere tempted me to go above the RPE I'm supposed to stay in. No problem, though. It was a little weird to be crossing mile markers and seeing the times I was seeing, and how different just a couple minutes per mile makes the race sights -- but I wasn't tempted to overdo it. Just relaxed, and enjoyed the sites like it was a tour of my city. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> Figure now is not the time to run fast-- kept pace consistent with training run paces.<br><br>
Around mile 6 the baby woke up and started kicking me. He sleeps most the time when I'm not running, I think-- because I feel him while being active far more than any other time. It hurt a little... and slowed me down a bit... but he agreed to go back to sleep around mile 8 if I gave him steak for lunch. Yeah, that's how it happened. <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"> Steak for lunch!!<br><br>
Also, for the first time EVER, a stranger made a comment about me being pregnant! I've been eagerly awaiting the time when I look pregnant enough that a stranger can make a comment without worrying "what if". An aid station volunteer said, <i>"Wow! You're running this and you're pregnant! When are you due?"</i> I was tickled pink... that aid station volunteer was probably my favorite part of the whole race. <a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_rHe1BEvt3o4/R8rlYZlz5sI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/7Gec9rc-SYk/s1600-h/100_2655.JPG" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_rHe1BEvt3o4/R8rlYZlz5sI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/7Gec9rc-SYk/s320/100_2655.JPG" style="border:0px solid;"></a><br><br>
Picked a little kick at the finish line - tradition y'know! - and that was it.<br><br>
Felt good to finish. My joints were a little beaten so I decided to walk back to the start. That helped them relax and they're no worse for the wear now.<br><br>
But it's 72 degrees outside-- how can I now go enjoy the fabulous weather?
