half marathon recap. (finally)

oh yeah. I have a blog.

;)


It's been a while.  May was one helluva month, and that's me putting it mildly. I am going to to post a few times today to catch myself up on the life that I just lived and experienced since the last time I posted.

We'll start with Marathon Day.

Let me say this -- I finished!  I crossed the finish line. I did walk a lot of the race, but I expected to walk since my training went down the tubes in March and April.  *shrugs* whatev, I did it ;)

This was a poster at the Expo -- I thought it was cool.

Those were my reasons to run :) 

So this is the room that my husband and I stayed in the night before the race, and below you'll see what my view was when I woke up in the morning.  That's Heinz Hall (where we had breakfast) and the Starting Line. 

This  ^^^  is what I planned to wear. This ----->
is what I wore. Well, I actually wore green compression socks instead of the pink sleeves, but it's basically the same get-up.

 The starting line is really really far away from here -- it took me about 25 minutes to even reach the start!

I took a picture of  this woman before the 5k mark and I really was worried that I wouldn't be able to manage 13.1 miles.  I saw my husband a little past this point and he promised to keep up with me on the course (he was riding his bike along the way and I kept finding his smiling and supportive face when I needed to see it) and he said that I could do it, even if I chose to just walk. And I did it, he was right. 

I snapped the jagoff sign somewhere in the South Side and tweeted it out because I thought it was hilarious and quintessentially Pittsburgh. It found it's way from twitter to this blog  JoggingJeans tweeted it here. All of this is quite fun. 

I like shadow pictures ;) 

Am I there yet? Okay, yet? Now? Perhaps, now?

Back at my charity booth, I got a quick massage and hung out with the girls who work at Women's Choice, then ran back to the hotel with 10 minutes to spare before check out to grab a shower before heading to lunch. 

I am again a Runner (er, well, walker?) of Steel :D

 

Me and the darling husband. Dude, he cycled a whole lot that morning. 

He was a busy guy chasing me around. Also, port a potties for the win  ;)

That's my race day recap. It was an awesome experience and can't wait for 2014. Maybe I'll actually train well and run the full!

Blessings! and Joy!

nicole mArie

Surprise Package :D

On Friday afternoon, I ran a few errands with my littles and when we arrived home I noticed a box on my front stoop.  I assumed that my husband probably had ordered [insert random computer part here], and that it wouldn't be for me.  Well, it was definitely not a computer part.  The return address was from the Pittsburgh Marathon which totally piqued my curiosity as I was not expecting to receive anything from the organization at all.

These are my goodies! (pretend like you don't see the papers on the floor under the table)

It's called the "Ultimate Race Package" that I somehow won or something?  I am still not sure how it came to me that I was a "winner"... Maybe I got in on a FB or Twitter contest... idk but dude, that asics backpack is totally awesome and legit.  The Steel City Road Runners Club winter hat is great, too. Best part?  VIP status on race day.  That's right!  As a VIP I get private bathrooms (woo!), pre and post race food, VIP seating for race-watching (which, I think, will mean nothing for me as I'll be one of the last people to cross the finish line, but the thought of it is cool) and other stuff that you can read in the letter below.  

I am super excited.  It was a great moment for me on Friday because I wasn't having the most wondrous day, and to come home to such an awesome box of goodness was terrific.  

Hmm... Did I post that I ran 12 miles last week and 8 this week?  Yeah, I did. :)  

hehehehe, for those of you who didn't get my fundraising email, this is what I wrote about my 12 miles:

I ran it slowly, but it was 12.(03) miles just the same. Yes!!! When I reached 10 miles, I shouted and jumped and shouted again (and continued to sing out loud). When I reached 11 miles, I was louder and jumped higher (still singing), and when I hit 12(.03) I smiled, shrieked, and practically collapsed on the spot and began to stretch.  The picture attached is me immediately after I sat down to stretch.  I So earned a beer (and ibuprofen) that night ;)

<----picture mentioned in email.  I can't believe I sent out an email with "pic" in it.  *shudder* whoops.






My 8 miles were uneventful  (by the by, it is SO nice that my training program builds in short.long runs here and there). I got my miles in at the gym while watching Ironman 2 :) in our cinema room. Yeah, it was an awesome morning.

Hmm... that's all that's "new" on the running front.  I've got 60 minutes of running to get in this evening that I am looking forward to doing.  I am this close (you know, just a pinch) away from raising half of my overall goal. That is so darn awesome. The joy I feel about this makes me want to run and run and run more and more!

blessings! and joy!
nicole mArie

good morning, pink sky. good morning, pittsburgh. it's a good day for a run.



I took this earlier today... around 7:00 am, I think.

:)  



blessings! and Joy!
nicole marie

on this journey, you are here. too.

Two nights ago I asked facebook to find me a gym buddy ;)  While I didn't find a gym/running buddy (near enough to me), I found people who wanted to help (or be that gym/running buddy if they lived closer).  My friends offered help via skype or texting or via a wake-up call in the morning.  I know the coolest people and I am so.glad. for my friends.

Simply because of this encouragement (and a text message at 4:30, and my daughter waking me up at 5:40 looking for milk --which we did have, by the by), I found myself up and out of bed yesterday at 5:45.  I was at the gym by 6:10 and got a 5k in. Woot!  I even hit the chapel for quiet time with Jesus after the run. Woot!

This weekend, well tomorrow, I am scheduled for a 7 miler and I am a little nervous about it.  Okay, a lot nervous.  I didn't start my training plan on time, and it had been a while since I ran more than a couple of miles, so my long run last week was hard. It was difficult, just as it should have been for a person who hadn't put in the work for it. sigh. But I'm in this.  I'm going to keep working my training plan for 26.2 miles. I'm going to keep moving forward, even if I do it really really slowly ;)

What I have on my side:
I am running for wonderful, beautiful, and brave women and their families.
I am accountable to my organization, WCN, and to the people who are donating to my charity.
I have the advantage of knowing what it feels like to run Pittsburgh (okay, some of Pittsburgh) because I ran the half  last year. I already know what it feels like to cross the finish line.

Thank you, friends, for offering your encouragement.  Thank you, friends, for being excited for me when I posted to facebook, "5k and jesus before 8am. Woot!" Thank you, friends, for journeying with me. This sort of support is incredibly motivating for me.  It helps me. You help me, you makes a difference :)

Thank you to those of you who have donated, or who are thinking of donating.  Women's Choice Network is a fantastic organization, and the women who need their help need our help. You are instrumental in family preservation, you are instrumental in educating these women so they can care for their littles, you are instrumental in getting real help for real women in a life-affirming and empowering ways.  Please help me rock this fundraising so that WCN can rock their good work :)

I'll let you know how the run goes tomorrow!

Blessings! and Joy!
nicole mArie

Today. Just this:

blessings. and Joy!

nIcole mArie

Marathon Day in Pictures

Hello, All!

I did it!  I completed my first 1/2 :)  Woo!  I am still trying to process what happened on Sunday -- what I made happen on Sunday -- so there won't be many words on this post, those will come later in the week.  I just wanted to share with you the photos that I snapped quickly during my run.

My love to you.
Blessings!  and JOy!
nicole mArie

At the Expo :)

The above image was made out of all of the names of participants.  I found my name!

I simply liked these shirts :)  

 swag :)

Max took this of me at some point? 

 My heart rate monitor, my army bracelet to remind me of the soldiers that I know, living and deceased, Lightening McQueen to remind me to be confident. "I am speed.  Faster than fast, quicker than quick!" Oh, and my pace tattoo to help me gauge my performance.

 Walking over the Fort Pitt Bridge to Point State Park

 Walking under the bridge in PSP

 Finding out way to the starting corrals

 Walking toward the start...

 We are still walking toward the start, but we see it now!

 16th Street Bridge

 9th Street Bridge

 West End Bridge

 Blurry Incline Picture for the littles

Two of my favorite signs that I was able to take a picture of. These were in South Side.

 I saw the yinz guy right before the finish line, too, he recognized me and gave me a wave. 

Birmingham Bridge!

  How beautiful is this shot of the city?!  I was pleasantly surprised.  Total Luck. WTG cell phone!

 So google tracks told me that I hit 13 miles right here.  Right where it said 12 miles.  

It said I made it there in 2:24min and some sort of seconds.  hmmm.

My body was so mad at me in this moment... but I was so proud to have done what I did!  Woo!!!

 I got to add my name to the the wall after the race, a la the photo at the top were it was printed on the poster thingy :)

My friend, Dave, ran too.  It was his first 1/2.  He finished about 10 minutes ahead of me.  

Dude, we did it! 

 Standing in front of our charity booth :)  Runners for Women's Choice Network!

 Yes, I changed out of my sweaty clothes in the port-a-potty.  Thank you, lady of FB, who reminded her friend to bring extra clothes!  You are my hero!  Oh, and thank goodness for the giant sized one!

I started in the blue section in the back, and the start was the golden square at the top.  It took us 20 minutes to reach the start!

I met a perogie outside of PNC Park on our way to the car. nbd.