Rock Climbing and my first Half Marathon

This weekend goes down as one of the best so far in my short 20 years.  2 completely incredible things happened.  

First I went rock climbing, REAL LIFE ROCK CLIMBING. At devils lake!  It's really no big deal that our climbing instructor who has been rock climbing for 14 years, told me I would be a really good climber if I practiced.  Maybe it has something to do with me getting half way up a level 5-10 (no one understands their rating system but the hardest is 5-12!) wall that no one else in the group attempted.  WHOOP WHOOP.  I'm a natural at a not common kind of weird sport!

Woo hoo for the best day ever with the best person ever!

After rock climbing much needed panera with bestie Mag!

1/2 Thai chicken salad and 1/2 veggie soup with pesto (so dayumm good)

My bestie is the bestest.

And then like life wasn't already awesome enough.  I ran my first half marathon TODAY!  Lets start out by DONT ROCK CLIMB 2 DAYS BEFORE YOUR FIRST HALF.  I was soooo sore from rock climbing but somehow today my mind was all about racing and not about the soreness.  

Worlds best supporter

I look sad, but really I feel awesome

Oh you're wondering: what's my time? How was the race? Are you alive?

Well friends, YES I'm alive, the race was unreal, and my first half marathon time was....................................1 hour and 53 minutes and 53 seconds! HOLLA!  That's a pace of 8:42.  I was 352nd out of 2017 women, 76th out of 359 in my female age division, and 1014 out of 3,479 finishers.  And to think all I wanted was to JUST finish the race.  

My splits:

Mile 1: 8:25 I looked down at my garmin after it lapped and couldn't believe I was going so fast and that I felt so good. 

Mile 2: 8:29 Still in disbelief and couldn't believe how many people I was passing

Mile 3: 8:26 

Mile 4: 8:26 Ate goo from mile 4 to 5 and it tasted gross but I really think it gave me a boost of energy

Mile 5: 8:30

Mile 6: 8:29 My terrible ipod stopped working w/ the headphones I was using
Mile 7: 8:28 This is when I knew that I'd be able to maintain under a 9 min mile. I felt so strong and wasn't tired at all
Mile 8: 8:45
Mile 9: 8:27 Saw Jack and was so excited to tell him that I'd been maintaining an 8:30 pace! And gave him the terrible ipod
Mile 10: 8:37 Tried to eat cliff shot blocks but one went straight to my stomach so threw them out
Mile 11: 8:52
Mile 12: 8:44
Mile 13: 8:58
Mile 13.1: confusing because I started my garmin early so its for .28 miles at 2:29 (8:54 pace)

 I'm a finisher! 

It is so crazy that this morning when I woke up I was so worried about being able to finish the half marathon.  I have bad run days like everyone else and for some reason I really didn't think I'd be able to run the whole time.  Well I did.  And I maintained a faster pace then I ever have on even a 5 mile run.  The adrenaline mixed w/ the atmosphere pushed me to do way beyond my expectations.  I. Am. So. Proud. of. Myself.

YAY!

Now to the FOOD!

Pre-race day chipotle

Partially demolished. so. much. chipotle.

Post race- chicken gumbo 

Hummus platter

Red Snapper in lobster sauce. IT WAS SO GOOD

Overall these last few days have been so incredible and I am so lucky to be able to do the things I can do.  I am truly a grateful girl and couldn't be happier with my life at this exact moment.

One thing I've learned from running the half is don't doubt yourself.  You are so capable of so many amazing things you just have to believe you can achieve them.  Please take me, the girl who couldn't finish a 2.5 mile cross country race in high school w/o walking, as an example.

Woohoo to a great start to the summer!

xoxo,

Rachel