MY FIRST 21K

A couple of days before my first half marathon, I posted on Facebook that my gameplan was to run like Channing Tatum and Ryan Gosling were waiting for me at the finish line.

Well, well.

My 21k went off to a bad start.  My hydration belt fell at the beginning of the race (maybe I didn't strap it on tightly) and there was a slew of runners behind me so I had to stop, step aside and fix it.  3 kilometers later and I had to use the portalet to pee.

I tried to be oblivious to the fact that so many runners were going past me. I knew I could run faster but I also knew that doing that would just exhaust me so early on in the race.  During the first half of the run, I kept telling myself that:

1. This is my first 21k.
2. I am not competing with anyone, only with myself.
3. I must stick to my gameplan-- run at my own pace. (which is 8-9mins per kilometer)

Things started getting tricky during the last 7 kilometers.  I found myself reaching for the gummy bears I had brought with me.  My calves were getting stiff and each time the sole of my shoes would hit the pavement, I felt the blisters ballooning.

I saw a few runners at the side of road being attended to by medics.  Their legs were getting massaged and rubbed with ointment and I was jealous! Every muscle in my body was tempted to stop but I didn't.  I walked for a couple of minutes though because I recognizd the oh so familiar twinge of cramps creeping in. When I felt my legs relax, I ran again.

The official results came out today and I finished my first 21k in 3 hours and 11 minutes (kept my 9min/km pace, yippiee!).  I'm pretty proud because I was expecting to finish at 3:30.  If my hydration belt didn't fall and if I didn't have to go #1, then I would have finished earlier but still good, yeah? YEAH!

Seasoned runners probably have a deeper more intricate interpretation of finishing strong but I'd like to say I did because, hellooo, I can still walk! Hahaha!

Will I do it again? Hell yeah!  Will I run a full marathon next year? Hell.....not yet!

Tada! *pats myself on the back*