The Life of a Little Runner Girl : my second half marathon recap!! :)

     I just ran my second half marathon on September 18th! And here's my recap of that event. Friday I picked up my packet with Tiffany and the kids. Walked around the expo and found a hat! I figured if it was going to be raining i need a running hat. I have a hat- just a normal baseball hat but that wasn't gong to work considering i used it before in the rain and it got so heavy! So Saturday night I made a pasta dinner to carb load, and all day I drank water to make sure I wasn't going get dehydrated. So my pasta dinner consist of pasta with white sauce, and chicken and bread sticks! It was yummy!! :) Then I had to pick my dad up from the airport which i wanted to go to sleep so i can be well rested. but that didn't happen and I got home at 11:15 and went straight to bed. the weather forecast called for rain. I hate running in the rain! So i don't know why but i was more nervous for this race then any other races. Maybe because it was going to be raining? or maybe because i thought i wasn't prepared for it? i don't know what the case might be.
    so the morning of, i got up like at 6, and ate a half of a cliff bar, some toast, and some banana. I just wasn't feeling hungry. I then put my outfit on. it consist of : a black long sleeve running shirt, a blue t-shirt over, bright blue knee high socks, my running shoes, and a running skirt, and my hat. So we were suppose to meet Tiffany down town so we could stay dry before the race. the race started at 8:45 sharp. so her and I lined up together knowing she would probably pass me and we would start together but end separately. And we were off, about 1700 ladies (9men) started running. tiffany's ipod went flying and she found it. we actually kept running together. I asked her "am i slowing you down?" and she said " no this is what/where I want to be.." so i wasn't sure if i was running her pace or what. but whatever it was i kept with her. we were lucky.. it didn't rain much at all. it only rain near wright park and market street, and it was just misting really. then we went down to dock street /ruston way to finish running. i probably took a gu every few miles, i think mile 5-6, 8, 9.5 and 11. I always struggle around mile 11 because i hadnt ran that much since the other half marathon back in june. but i was still with tiffany :) . I slowed down at the hills but i managed to still keep up with her. around mile 10 i noticed my leg was burning. i was chafing on my leg. Oh great i thought i have 2.5 more miles of my leg rubbing . then we were .50 mile from finish line. my gps said i had already reached 13.1 but i knew it was off. there was a slight incline so i slowed down and tiffany went on her way. once i didn't see her i knew i needed to run. paul was waiting on the top of the hill and he saw tiffany and thought okay alyssa will be like another 10 min. and bam there i was.. seconds after her. so i knew it was mostly down hill now. so i picked up my pace and made sure i wasn't going to slip and fall around the corner because it was slippery. i noticed the time clock and it said 1:59:25? and I thought OMG im going to get under 2 hrs.!! So i seriously picked up my speed... i think i crossed at 1:59:36. Tiffany was there at the finish line because she had came across at 1:58.. My official time :: 1:59:20!!! :) i still can't believe that I ran a half in under 2 hrs!! I grabbed my free food, and waited for will to meet tiffany and off we went back to the car. as soon as we got back to the car and almost to the freeway, tiffany calls. and mentioned I had won an award. I was then in my shock. I came in 3rd in my age group. So we hauled back and made it just in time to hear my name and grabbed my ribbon and earrings!!

     So over all it was a great race! under 2 hrs, and 3rd in my age group. i only felt pain in my ankles, and knees that day. and once i got home, i showered, ate and took a nap. then next day, i felt it in my quads, and back but over all i felt great!! And now im looking forward to my next race whatever that may be!!