I'm not a runner....so what am I doing on this blog?

Hey y'all! I am the second crazy person who decided to run the Chicago Half Marathon. And like my partner in crime said she did guilt trip me into running it by telling me how many people in Africa would get clean water. But I did sign up against my better judgement. So I called my mom and told her what I had decided to do and I'm pretty sure she thought I was crazy....but she was all for it. So I downloaded the training schedule and went to work. Unfortunately I could not follow the schedule and run every day because of my work schedule, but I tried to hit all the big runs. I should also mention that I too ran the half for Team World Vision and I raised a pretty good amount of money for people who needed clean water. 

Race day was fast approaching and my partner in crime and I had started running together at school, and let me tell you she was a slave driver. She never let me quit, for which I am glad. Unfortunately marching band had given me shin splints so I often had to walk because they would start acting up.

Race day came and we were pumped! We had taxi pick us up at 5:30 in the morning so that we could make it to the race in time to stretch and warm up with the Team World Vision runners. Once the race started I did pretty well in the beginning and didn't have to walk until about mile 4. I kept a decent run walk pace for the rest f the race and would stop occasionally to stretch my shins and calves out. I sprinted the last quarter mile to the finish line just so I could say that I did. In hind sight I probably should have stopped and had one of the medics stretch out my calves.....but its too late now!  Anywho, back to the finish line, after I crossed the finish line I started crying out of happiness that I had actually finished the race. 

Now that I have told you about the race let me go back and tell you that I am not a runner. I hated running with every fiber of my being. I could barely run two miles without wanting to pass out. So if I can go from barely being able to run two miles to being able to run 13.1 miles in under three hours. So grab a friend, sign up, and get to running, and do it for a cause. Because let me tell you, it is one of the most amazing feeling ever!!!!!

Adios from Runner 2