1-29-2011 Texas Half Marathon

Texas Half Marathon - White Rock Lake Dallas, TX 1-29-2011
"The Zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this" (Isaiah 37:32) We get tired. Who gives strength? The Lord Almighty
Favorite part of race - The nap I am going to take in a few minutes! The icy hot patches! Oh and the meal at OutBack Steak house with family after the race Yummy Yummy Thank you God! Also Thankful John and Faith ran the 10K and everyone in the race was safe! God bless the many volunteers!
Had a sore throat and only 4 hours sleep - almost didn't go to race. Thankful for a supportive family who encouraged me and got me there. Thankful to friends and family who prayed me through it.
Temp - started in the 50ies ended in the 70ies beautiful clear sunny day
Port-O-Potties steps from where we parked - no lines :) on the race plenty of port-o-potties- One at the first mile! No line and I was thankful because I had to go again!!! :)
Traffic - I'm thankful for the traffic! We arrived at 6:00 a.m. which turned out to be a perfect time. The parking lots filled within minutes. Once started, I'm thankful for the fuel. I took two "Gu's" (for those of you who don't run marathons, they are these little slimy packets of energy. Some of them even taste... ok). Anyway, I took two... which lasted till I got to mile 4 or so... arrgggghhhh!!! What was I thinking. I'm already out, and still need one for every 30 min. or so after! The race gave half cups of m&m's at mile 8. Nice. After finally dragging my bootie across the finish line, they had bagels and bananas there. That was good... But I want MEAT! (Hence... Outback :)
Spectators/ sings/ bells and noise makers = few/no signs :(/no noise makers - I need!!! them :)
Hazards - TONS of bikers... yelling on your left on your right - by mile 11 I did not know my left from my right, 5 hills or so, a wooden bridge, a mile or so of rough road surface. Finish line UP HILL with no crowd to cheer you on.
Blessings - Lots of volunteers to work the water stations, wonderful ROTC students passed out medals, my husband and daughter came with me and ran the 10K
Water Stations - had plenty of water and Gatorade - spaced well until mile 6 then got sparse. Had to stop at water fountain twice but Praise God for the water fountains :)
Shirt - Blue with a large Texas on it - sweat wicking material **** four star see picture attached
Medal - Red Texas on a silver square with the date ****four star see picture attached
Crowd - I estimate 500 for the half marathon - nice calm non competitive start in my opinion
Friendly, encouraging group of runners and volunteers - over 1,000 signed up in both events

Favorite memories - talk to a guy the first 6 miles who is training to run the marathon in Greece. Sounds so fun!!! 12 min mile pace for the first 6 miles! That's good for me. Mile 7 almost gave up- thighs began to cramp/heart rate 217!/and ran out of water - Team in training mentor shared his water with me :) Called my husband and said I am about to give up - this is my first time in 7 half marathons and 3 full marathons to call and say I was giving up... I joked and said come get me and He said, "No! Later you will be mad if I do!" He was right of course and glad he didn't but just talking to him and knowing he was praying helped so much!!! Then met two teachers from Oklahoma and ran the next 5 with them. They were fun and funny and time passed quickly - Thank you Jesus... Last two miles saw a lady with GOD on her back and ALL things are possible with on the front of her shirt, she was struggling so I stopped and told her I had Victory in Jesus on my back and Ephesians 3:20-21 on my front and we could finish the race together :) she was encouraged and started to run again. She thanked me over and over - I told her it was God helping her not me :) Played my Christian Music on the Iphone out loud from mile 8 to 13.1 Tons of people said thanks for the inspiring music. My buddy from the first 6 miles found me at the end of the race! In my mind this was the childhood buddy I told you about in the last blog who had a very hard week and we were running together!!! I had no idea I had helped him but he told me several times thanks for helping him with those first 6 miles :) I told him it was God not me... As I ran I saw a lady who looked familiar and sure enough she found me at the end of the race and said she remembered running Kauai with me... what a small world we live in :) Her name is Cheryl and she said she has done the Cow Town Ultra 3!!! times and would look for me and help me finish that race next month... Thank you - Thank you - Jesus when you call us tooooo something you REALLY do bring us through it. To God be the GLORY Great things HE did!!!!
Would I race it again? Yep in a couple hours after this nap, God willing :)

IDEA for a new marathon concept... Race to the Restaurant!!!
So here is the concept:
Instead of T-shirts you get a FREE meal at one of 7 or so Restaurants along a running path... you know the string that always show up together on the freeways... OUTBACK, Chilies, Olive Garden, Fuddruckers, Chinese, and on and on... So you run 13 :) Hit the restaurant and have a nice meal and rest for an hour :) Then get back out there and run the second half!!! Good idea right??? After that meal and rest I know I could have run 13 more... ok so maybe I am delirious... I really would have needed a nap tooooo and what would the cut off time have to be extended toooo hum.... 8:00 to noon for the first half... 1:00 to 5:00 for the second half... anyone want to plan a race like this with me... I bet we would do wellll!!!! The restaurants would donate the food for free advertisement :) Hey now we can give the T-shirts toooo God bless and good night...
If this crazy little race review inspired you to sign up for Team in Training to raise money for cancer will you tell them Susan sent ya??? It helps with my fund raising goal that I have to make.
If this crazy little race review inspired you to sign up for a race will you consider donating $10.00 To the attached link... if ya just had fun reading it how about $5.00 --- Most of all have a blessed day :) God is good!