Women's Half Marathon - Nashville

Leaving the Expo with my littlest love <3>

The morning was brisk at 68* but not nearly as cool as I was expecting. Unlike my origin of training, the air was light. There didn't seem to be much humidity if any. I looked at myself in the mirror. I resembled a typical runner with my Gu stashed in my Spibelt, my Garmin attached securely to my arm and my Women's Half Marathon visor ready to shade my eyes from the sun. I looked at my reflection and I thought to myself "What have you gotten yourself into?"







I shoveled my barely awake children in the car, and we headed to downtown Nashville. Although this was a quick 15 minute trip on the empty early morning roads, it seemed to take forever. My stomach was turning and scenarios of me sitting on the curb crying at mile 11 rushed through my mind. I can hear my kids whining something about "it's cold" and how they wanted breakfast, but my mind was on the task at hand and I really had little attention span for anything else.

Corral 4.

As we pulled up to the parking lot of choice, I notice a handful of women standing around the automated parking attendant. I quickly think about my friends at home who were pounding the pavement and how I wished at that moment I had them next to me to show me how this whole race deal works. This wouldn't be the last time I longed for their wisdom and companionship in all of this.

Before making my way to my corral, nervous but READY!

The start/finish line.

After an eventful parking experience we were finally able to head toward the START line. I walked up to a mass of women. Lights glowed from everywhere in the darkness of the dawn. Women were taking pictures; smiling, laughing and talking like women do. The sights were beautiful, breathtaking even and all I could think about is "where is the bathroom?". Standing in line, I met a local woman by the name of Joy. She quickly dubbed us the dish detergent twins. It was her first race as well.  We only spoke briefly. I took care of business, snapped a few precious pictures with my family and made my way to my corral.

My view from Corral #4.

Standing among all these confident, vibrant women, I listened to there conversations. Some were planning their race, some talked about what they did last night and many talked about previous races. I met two women who were friends but not running together. One had completed the half last year and was here to try her hand at a 5K PR. The other one was different. She told me to be careful because running is fun but racing is addicting. I quickly noticed that she was in combat boots. I said to her "I have to ask, how do you run in those things" She told me that they are well broken in and she run for a charity known as Boot Campaign. I was in awe of her dedication to this charity. I mean who runs 13 miles in knee high combat boots?

All of a sudden, the horn blows and we are moving forward. Walking at first and then the crowd begins to slowly increase the pace. I do my best to take it all in. Looking around at the start for my family, I reach for my phone and text my hubby and my friends that I am crossing the START line and press start on my watch. The course begins through the downtown area. On previous visits to Nashville I have been able to find my way around easily, but this morning I am so turned around I couldn't tell you which way was up. The first 3 minute run goes by very quickly and it takes all I have within me to stop and walk for one minute. The crowd I've found myself in rounds the second bend and I give up on the idea of seeing my family at the start. We make our way up this incredible incline. I think to myself, my bridges at home have nothing on this hill, which felt more like a mountain to my quads and calves. Groups of women are chanting things like "KILL THE HILL" and "EARN THE DOWN HILL". I realize that although I don't have my girls with me, I am certainly not alone.

The course continues with hills,up and down, with no rest in between. I hear a women shout from the top of the hill at mile two, "Never waste a downhill" and the crowd moves forward more quickly to utilize the downward momentum. I settle into a pace that feels good, ignoring my watch. Mile marker 4 approaches quickly and I decide it's time to refuel. Espresso Love Gu down the hatch. I look ahead and see the first water stop. Pressing the lap button on my watch, I walk energetically through the water stop. I am amazed how fast the first 1/3 of this race has flown by. I take a sec to text my friends "1/3 done".

Most of the spectators were awesome, interesting to say the least.  

By this time I am in the zone and I'm just going. My mind is on what I need to do, "I'll refuel again around mile 8", "Where is the next turn going to take me" "where on the course are we" (as I picture the paper map). I notice a woman (we'll call her Pink Shirt) in front of me with a shirt on that says "Dear God, please let there be someone behind me to read this." I silently say a prayer as I slowly trot past her, "Dear God, please do not let me be that person,". That young lady and I traded places all race.

As mile 8 appears, I do the math with the clock and realize that I'm doing well. Time to refuel again; Gu, Gatorade and Water. I am now almost 2 hours into the race. The weather is so beautiful; cool and crisp in the shade, slightly warm in the sun. Couldn't have asked for better weather. As my fuel begins to kick in, I round the bend at mile 9 and I see a glorious sight my son running down the sidewalk towards me. I take out my ear buds and smile at him. "Want me to run you in?" he asks. "No that's ok, I'm good" I say instinctively and then realize that I actually am 'good'. He runs with me for a 1/4 mile and my daughters trot along with me for a bit as I drop them off with my hubby. He smiles at me, I smile back but I have to look away. I know with that smile he is saying, "I'm so proud of you", "you're doing great", "I love you". Good tears well up in my eyes and I am completely aware for me, that was the winning moment.

Mile 8

During my training runs the going seemed to get tough around mile 10.5 - 11. I run past mile marker 10 feeling strong and amazed. However, not too long after my legs begin to reject starting up again after a walk interval. Even on a down hill they were screaming NO MORE. Mile marker 11 never seems to come. I knew it was because I was walking more than earlier. I decided from this point I would walk the uphills. Suddenly, I'm fully aware that I haven't seen Pink Shirt in a while. I look ahead and see her with her two friends about a 1/2 a block ahead. I begin to run. I am not going to be 'that person'. She is unaware that I have my sights on her, as I slowly catch up to her, suddenly her friend decides it's a good place to take a picture ("oh thank you sweet Jesus!"). They veer off the course out of my view. I see the mile 12 marker ahead and I think to myself, Amy would tell me "Every step from here is further than you've ever been." At that moment, I wish desperately that I had taken her up on having her run the race with me.

We begin to make our way back into the downtown area, I have 1.1 miles to go. This truly is the hardest mile, not only because it's the last full mile but we are now in the land of big hills again. Pink Shirt passes me, as her friends cheer her along. And I think, "Oh, who cares?" I see mile marker 13, as I round the last bend. And then not a moment too soon, I see my boy, running down the sidewalk towards me. This time I'm not smiling and I can't even manage to take my earbuds out. There are no words, he just comes along side me and runs. I can see the finish, I pick up my pace a little. As we approach the finish, my son breaks away to the sidewalk. I see the Marathonfoto people squatting at the finish and the announcer reads my shirt out loud "Not just another pretty face" he says as he completes his sentence with "Dawn, you are a Women's Half Marathon finisher!" YES!!! I did it!! Wait, it's over??? No, wait! All that work and that's it? It's over?? NO...wait!!! Glorious moment, COME BACK!!! I hear in the background the clanking of metal and realize this precious elderly lady is placing a gorgeous medal around my neck. I stumble through the crowd, half dazed but smiling. Today was a great day! I can't wait to do it again!!

A great big THANK YOU and hugs to my friend Amy who took me under her wing and taught me what racing is all about. Amy, you taught me how to fuel and keep going and you believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. Love you bunches, friend and I can't wait to cross the finish line with you in the future. xoxo