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Thursday, April 11, 2013

40-day Recap

I did it!

One of the biggest events I mentioned in my last post was the decision to run my first half marathon.  Although there were many bumps along that road, my goals going into the Clemson Bunny Run were to (1) not walk (miles 10-11 were uphill. Enough said -- I'm not even mad that I walked for a bit.) and (2) finish in 2:30 or less.  2:13 (!!!) later, I can call myself a half marathon finisher.  Crossing the finish line was a bit overwhelming, since I wanted to cry, vomit, drink beer and rip my shoes off all at the same time. I am a really big baby and notoriously cry before major events (concerts, 5Ks, cheer competitions, etc.), but I held back the tears! I'm getting better at this.  There was also a major sense of disbelief -- the furthest I had run so far was 10 miles, and it was hard for me to believe that I finished the 13.1-mile course.  I was also INCREDIBLY nervous going into the race because I was sick & out of commission 2 weeks beforehand and found out I was injured AND wearing shoes that were too small the week before.  Some combination of insane platform heels and trail running left me with a bone bruise on my ankle.  Running a half was probably not the best thing to do about it...BUT I paid $55 and set a goal so there was no way I planned to back out. (2 weeks later I'm hobbling around in a boot...a harsh reminder to listen to your body!)

Phil was a true gem during the entire race process.  He was so supportive both during my training and the night before/day of the race.  He helped me stretch (and Roxy went into attack mode thinking he was hurting me), took care of my pitifully blistered feet (which I have mercifully refrained from posting the photos of), and kept me in check when we got to the start line.  The "true gem" part really went into effect when he brought me beer and took me out for pizza after the race! I refused to wear shoes at that point and I was wearing bunny ears...and he still was seen in public with me.  Although I was exhausted & my feet were in terrible shape, that didn't prevent me from going after my next goal:  the Rock & Roll Marathon in Savannah!  8 months to add on another 13.1...




Other big events from the last post included not drinking during Lent (success!) and my sister's wedding (success!).  My sister was surprisingly laid back about the entire wedding planning process. She & my mom did mostly everything themselves so I had no real idea of what to expect. I was very nervous that my parents' house looked like a straight-up Pinterest wedding when I got home that weekend.  However, the venue was beautiful and everything came together perfectly.  I did allow myself to enjoy wedding cake and a few glasses of wine. No regrets about that :)







Overall, I enjoyed abstaining from alcohol.  Even small amounts usually make me tired and unproductive and I enjoyed waking up every morning awake and refreshed as opposed to sluggish. The hardest part was finding other ways to be social and spend my time.  Phillip and I really like to drink local beers and go to Nick's in Clemson, so it was really difficult not being able to do something that's kind of "our thing." I'm not claiming the title "teetotaler" just yet, but I also have put things in perspective and weigh the options of whether drinking whenever you feel like it or "just because" is really necessary. If you'd told me I wouldn't even drink on my 25th birthday, I would've laughed in disbelief.  But the photo below proves otherwise... Sometimes birthdays call for glow sticks, outrageous wigs, and greasy bowling alley food.


Until next time... :)

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