Race Recap: Bass Pro Cohick 13.1

Okay I promised a full race recap and I plan to deliver!
Sunday was my second half marathon. I ran my first half marathon in May, it was an amazing life changing journey. Just to get to that point and to finish it felt surreal. I went into that race saying that I just wanted to run a half once, prove to myself that I could and I would be done.
 Yeah right!
 Hours after that race that I started looking for another half marathon and found the Bass Pro Cohick 13.1. I signed up at the end of May, made a training plan to get me through summer and resumed half training mid August. 
For the most part it seemed like race day would never arrive. I did my runs my miles increased but it felt so slow. Then October happened, which meant a crazy time warp, and before I knew it race day was here. Springfield is about an hour away so we decided to make a weekend of it and go up the day before.
Here I am at packet pick up, grinning like a newbie.

I went to bed "early" wanting to get a good nights rest. The joke was on me. I don't think I have ever slept so poorly. Seriously guys I would be SHOCKED if I ended up with much more than 3 hours of sleep. I saw EVERY hour on the clock, some multiple times, it was terrible. 
But we had a race to run!
We arrived at about 6:30 in the morning, found our pace leader and huddled like penguins. It was about 41 degrees but the wind chill knocked that down a bit more. I was surprised that it didn't feel colder than it did though, so that was a huge blessing.

Me, Anna (my running partner of one year now) and Lacey ( an old friend/new running buddy who was running her first half).

Before I knew it they were singing the national anthem and we were off. Between marathon runners and half marathon runners there were about 2400 people that first mile.

Miles 1-6 were great. We quickly got into a rhythm the scenery was new and the hills were pretty gentle. 

Around mile 6.5 we went through the college campus and were slapped in the face with a brutal chilling head wind. To say that stunk doesn't really cut it. Lucky for us our guys happened to be at the end of that road cheering us on.

That was just the pick me up we needed.

They also greeted us around mile 8.5. I look at this picture and think how fake I am being. I know there is no way I was feeling that happy, but there I am grinning away.

Shortly after this picture was taken I hit a wall. A terrible, awful wall called Jelly Belly Sport Beans, cotton mouth and a steady incline. The first two made for a bad combination add in the hill and it wasn't good news. But I pushed through pretty easily when the hill ended and I was able to take a drink

Mental wall #2 came around mile 11. I was feeling tired and wanted to stop but again I was easily able to push through and keep moving. When I caught a glimpse of the mile marker #25 sign for the full marathon runners. I told myself to stop complaining. 
Around mile 12, the sun popped out and it got hot fast. Only a mile left and with no end in sight I started to crumble. 
I stopped to walk, the girls stopped with me. "Pick a spot to start running again" I told them. Anna picked a spot 5 feet away, I wanted to throw up. But she was pushing us to do something she knew we could do, so we would be left with no regrets.
A few minutes up the road I stop again, "Don't stop" I told them. Not wanting to loose them I push through. Then a feeling hit me like I have never felt. My music started echoing in my ears, I felt sick and my head got really light. I stopped, we walked a few seconds picked the corner to start running and some cheerers said "Just two more turns and your there" That was all it took for me, I just needed to know exactly how far I had left to go. We took off.
And just like that

It was over. 

I have never been so happy to sit down in my whole entire life. My legs were EXHAUSTED.
So how did I stack up
Finish time was a new PR 2:10:49 I kept saying 2:10 was my goal and technically I stayed in the 2:10 range. Out of 1702 half runners I placed 735 Out of  1076 female half runners I placed 339 Out of 188 30-34 year old females I placed 64
I feel proud about those numbers.

Bass Pro you did not disappoint. Will I see you again next year?... who knows.
With half marathon #2 finished it is time to move on and set new goals. I am happy to say that for the first time in a year I am officially not half marathon training right now. My new schedule will be 3 runs a week the longest run being 6 miles. I plan to spend a lot of time doing HIIT and strength training and Lord willing I will resume half marathon training January 31st, 2015.
My next two half marathons
OKC Memorial April 26th, 2015 &

Joplin Memorial Run May 16th, 2015

I am so thankful for the gift of running, the amazing friends I have made through running and the 630 miles I was able to run this year. 
Over 550 of those were with this lady, I wouldn't change a thing if I could.

Here is to 630 more!