The Woodlands Half Marathon 2016

On March 5, 2016 I completed the Woodlands half marathon. Let me tell you, it was a long time comin!! The week before the half marathon last year, I tore my hamstring. I was so sad to miss that race because I had trained so hard and I knew I would PR. Well, watching my friends all run without me was mentally torture. I was so happy for them, but knew I would have finished and gotten my personal best as well. I took the whole year to prepare my body to make sure I was ready for the race this year. It was very challenging mentally. I would feel progress and then my leg would have set backs, I really would pray and pray that I could just have my body back to normal. Having this really be my first injury in 20 years of running, I wasn't sure how to deal with it. My body had always done what I needed it to. It felt like complete redemption finishing the race on Saturday. I got to run again with my friends and training partners, Brittany and Emily and although I finished a couple minutes behind them, I was so grateful for their encouragement and support. I pushed myself really hard this time. I was fine until mile 10 and then I lost them and my leg was completely stiff. Not only that, I was sure I was going to throw up, because I had not trained to race that fast, or pushed myself that hard in a year! So the last 3 miles I slowed down a little and I made it! It felt so good to finish and know I could run hard again! I did the half marathon in December with Daphne to make sure I could do it endurance wise, but this race challenged my pace, because Brittany and Emily are seriously competitive :)

Here are some of the people who ran as well. Greg and Michelle were kind enough to give me a ride to the race, then Brittany, me, Rebecca, and Emily. The only one missing from the picture was Natalie.

Pre-race selfie. In the coral and ready to go!

I did it! The last 3 miles were mentally and physically much more brutal than most of my races, but it's done!

My training partners. Emily Miller and Brittany Raiford. We have been running for about 5 years now, and I am so grateful for them. They seriously push me so much. Before running with them, it was really difficult for me to find someone to challenge my pace and push myself harder, so it has been a blessing to be running with them.

I finished 24th in my age group with a time of 1:47:14. Not my PR but a pretty good race for me, and definitely faster than I expected coming off the year I had! I am so grateful for my friend Stacey's support, Daphne for always encouraging me and texting me, Ragnar for rubbing my sore legs all the time, and helping me get through it, and for my parents and family who came to the race and cheered me on! Another one in the books!