National Half Marathon-picture overload!

This was my 7th half marathon so far as well as my 3rd half marathon for 2011 and I scored a PR all in my 6th Team Sparkle skirt too!!

http://www.nationalmarathon.com/

I wanted to sign up for this race since I am working my bucket list. One of my bucket list items is to complete a running race in every state. This means a 5K to a full marathon. Plus I also like how close it is to home and was looking forward to seeing DC by foot. As I know DC isn't a state I still wanted to run this race and I know it's a district so doesn't that at least count for something? I guess this means I will be running 51 states in my life time then! Boy I didn't really think of that until now! (insert blond moment here)

Race eve included a full 8 hour day at work. I wasn't going to take a half day off or a full day off so I worked it out with super flexible boss to come at O'dark hundred hours and went in to get my full 8 hours in and also have enough time to get to the expo all the way down in DC at the DC Armory.  So off I trotted into work to ensure I was out by 2PM and ready to hit the metro and DC traffic on my way home.

Made it down to the New Carlton Metro stop in record breaking time. 35min to be exact! This included my drive down 95 and 495 also knows as the DC beltway. This stretch of road on any given day at any given time can be bumper to bumper cars so I got lucky! Hit the train and went right into the expo.

The expo was a good size and well organized for the most part. I did notice they didn't give any free samples of things and that is one of the things I like most about expo's is getting a chance to sample different running snacks. In fact I stopped at one of the booths that sold the new powerbar gel blast's in coca cola flavor and really wanted to have a sample before I purchased one. you can find them here
Since they didn't offer free samples and the price was only $2 I figured why not and if I don't end up liking them I can fling them out my sunroof at traffic since I will be leaving around 330 from the expo and getting into that bumper to bumper traffic that DC/Baltimore is so well known for. I never ended up having to do it. I loved them! OMG they are so delish and totally took the hunger pains away until I could get home and have a proper carb load dinner of cowboy spaghetti. If you love coca cola or cola flavored items you will LOVE these!
I went and grabbed my race number and goodie bag and sort of wondered a round in hopes my girlfriend would call. She called and we meet up for a couple minutes and chatted then I needed to get on the train and my make way home. 3:45am is going to come fast!

Made it home in what seemed like record breaking time considering I didn't get to my car until 4PM and had to drive from DC all the way back up to Baltimore. I knew it was going to be a carb load and rest kind of Friday night. I got my cloths laid out and ready,my morning breakfast and race bag all set.

Milo helping out with the first outfit picked out. 

Milo LOVES to help by stealing socks!

I was read to go! I laid on the couch and relaxed for a while and thought about all the things I might have forgotten and did my mental check list. Seems like I am not forgetting a thing. As the night went on I sat and thought about what I was wearing and how I didn't want to wear the outfit. I had already worn my Redskins t-shirt at another race and I hate to wear the same shirt twice since I only own a zillion and one shirts! So off to the closet I went to change my outfit. I wasn't going to change my sparkle skirt but I wanted to change the Tshirt.  Once I got the outfit together off to bed I went for a 3:45am wake up.

Race morning seemed to come real fast. Almost as if I laid my head down on the pillow for only a few minutes. The night before a race I never sleep well as I am so excited and pumped to add another race to my list!
Mr. P was coming with me and we were off on time to the Metro. In fact we had to wait about 15min as the station wasn't even open on yet. We got down to RFK/ DC Armory and the place was packed at 615am. The race was due to start at 7:00am sharp and I knew I needed to meet my girl friend around 630 on the steps of the Armory and I knew I had to meet at 6:20am for pictures with the Half Fanatics/Marathon Maniacs. My first one and I was so excited!!

The only 2 half fanatics at the picture!

World Record holder for youngest female marathon runner in 50 states. Also MMW's favorite blog to read!

Once pictures were over Mr P and I headed to the stairs to meet my girlfriend MMW but we never saw her. She ended up driving down and got stuck in the bumper to bumper traffic getting to the race. It was 6:45am at this point and I needed to get to the stink pot and line up in my coral. The stink pot lines were bad! I mean bad!!! They seemed to have enough but the lines were not moving. I sent Mr P off to look for a better line for me and he did. He found a bunch that were wide open!! I headed down to the coral (8) and didn't find a friend we had set to pace together as she was running late due to traffic and roads being closed. (so glad we didn't drive!) I made my way to coral 2 as I was not about to stand around in the 30' temps for much longer and off we went.

The first 4 or 5 miles were threw DC and the mall area. The sun was coming up and the Capital was so beautiful. I took a bunch of pictures threw this area of the run.

After this part of the race I didn't take pictures. The race started to get hilly and I needed to focus as I really wanted to get a PR. The race was full of fun people and I chatted it up with one of the Marathon Maniacs who is running 50 in 50 states by her 50th and she is 48 working on her 6th. I think she has some work to do!! She was running in the 3:45min full marathon pace. Speedy lady and might be the cause of my PR. Running with the speedy crowded makes you want to keep up and keep pace or you look like you are moving backwards as everyone else is passing you.

As I was coming up on mile 10 I heard someone shout out GO TEAM SPARKLE SKIRT!!! I switched my head around and it was 3 girls running together looking so cute in matching pink sparkle skirts! YAY! I shouted back cute TEAM SPARKLE outfits back. Nothing feels better then a bunch of people telling you how cute or great you look. This was my first race where I had anyone and everyone tell me how cute the gold skirt was. I was called Goldie, sparkling gold and hot momma in the gold! YAY I love being a hot momma!!! sparkle skirts here! I loved my skirt and want to thank the girls at Team Sparkle for sending me this skirt. I think this is my favorite one. It's so bright and so sparkly! Oh and I got a PR all because of it! It makes my butt and legs look fast!!!

Right after this picture it is a slow climb up to the runners shoot where I seemed to slow down and some random guy grabbed my arm and told me "hey Goldie I have been trying to catch up to you since mile 8 so it's not time to slow down now." and off we sprinted the last 0.1 miles together. I would like to thank that random stranger for doing this to me. I think I might have taken an extra on my time if it wasn't for him. I would say it was him who reminded me that the last .1 miles is the hardest.

Here's me whizzing by at mile 12.5! Mr P almost missed me.

I crossed the finish line at 2:11 a new Personal Best for me.  I was so happy at this point and hit the food lines (got my bottle of water and 2 bananas) and headed over to where I could see 1 big proud smile. It was Mr P waiting for me and so happy as he had clocked my time as well and knew I had a PR. 

After a couple pictures we headed over to the beer tent to meet some of my RG3 running friends and headed home. I was more then ready for a hot shower and lunch. I ate 2 sandwiches and took a 3 hour much needed nap. I knew I was tired and Sunday was going to be Milo and Me's first 5k and charity walk. I had a busy weekend ahead still!!! 

All in all I loved this race because it was part of the bucket list. I loved this race because I loved how this sparkle skirt made me feel. I loved this race as this was my first time as a Half Fanatic. I loved this race as well because I walked away with a PR and was home showered and feed by 11am! I didn't however like how the food lines were but really that is all I didn't like about it. I would do this race again. 


I leave you with a really funny picture of man-spandex that was at coral 2. This isn't the craziest thing I have ever seen but it was at this race. 

What is the craziest thing or person doing at a race you were at? 


I will give you a report about Milo and ME's first 5k tomorrow. Until then make it a great day!
Love,
C.