Boston's Run to Remember Half Recap

Well as I was writing this post in my head during the race on Sunday, I thought of possible titles like "The Race of Technical Difficulties" or "The Race Least Prepared For" but as the race unfolded....I'm now thinking of titles like "Nancy Got Her Groove Back" or "Movin Momma"!

I got to Jill's house the night before and quickly realized that I in no way brought enough to wear for the race the next day!  It was not only friggin freezing but it was rainy and windy too!  Here was what I had brought for race day...

AMR Boston shirt, Under Armour capris and headband, and running skirt (Austin Powers is Jill's touch!)

Yeah I immediately started digging for more clothes and a hat!!!  I ended up with this...

Under Armour hat, Saucony jacket, Under Armour capris, running skirt, and Kinvara 4

The jacket was just a bit too tight (and it proceeded to ride up the whole race) and the water bottle that I had bought the night before (I couldn't find my Nathan water bottle at home) leaked the entire race and into my phone thus killing my music at about mile 8!  Either way I was warm enough and ready to run!

The race was dedicated to Officer Sean Collier, the MIT police officer who was killed by the marathon bombers, and everyone wore his badge number on their backs.

It was one of the many things that gave me goosebumps during the race!!!  A powerful reminder when I was ready to quit, to run for those who no longer could!  Pre-race there was a ceremony where many spoke on behalf of the Boston Police Department, Officer Ed Davis, and a man on behalf of the Collier family...about Sean and what an impressive person he was.

And then we were off!  The first three miles there were A LOT of people so finding a pace was hard.  There was stopping and starting...weaving...and keeping up with the crowd.  After three miles and consistent 9:10 min mile pace I motioned to Jill that I would probably need to slow down....and then I didn't!  There was so much going on all around us as we ran through the city that I was focused on everything around me...cheering as the T went by...finding friends and Jill's brother amongst other runners...whooping it up in the tunnels.  I was having a great race and no matter how much my mind continued to tell my legs to slow down knowing I would hit the wall and the wheels would fall off....they were choosing not to listen!  One of the most amazing sights was around MIT where there were about 25 police officers who had lined up their cars in the road and were standing and high fiving all the runners....It was a scene that caused not only goose bumps but tears...for what they have seen...for who they have lost!

Around mile 8 my phone stopped playing my playlist...ugh!  I expected the wheels to fall off...for the wall to come...but it didn't.  Mile 8 beeped and it showed 9:02...umm ok!  The next 4 miles I took one at a time.  Each time my Garmin chirped and I saw 8:45 or 8:32 or 8:27 I thought, "Well...let's try to do that again!"  It got hard but I was so close so I kept on pushing!  There was a woman in front of me cheering "Let's go Boston!" and getting the crowd excited!  I kept pushing and pushing and as 13 chirped in my pace was showing 7:46!!!  Huh???  I was elated with what I thought was a 10 minute faster race than March but after looking up my time on the website I realized I had a 12 minute faster finish!!!

2:02:59

Oh yeah!!!  Maybe it was the rain...the poorly prepped day...the atmosphere...whatever I feel proud of how far I have come and excited for what's to come!!!  Just closer to my goal!!