I DID IT!!!!! 13.1 DONE!!! 4:01:39

I did it....OMG just amazing.  I just couldn't ask for a better day and a better race.  The day started very early, we were out the door by 6:45am.  Andy and the kids said farewell after they dropped me off and headed to their destination where they would see me at mile 4 and 8.  Shockingly I was very calm the entire morning before the race.  In every race I've done before (which I've only been able to do 5K's before today) I was a ball of nerves and just so emotional.

7am until the start of the race I spent with my friend Becky and met some new friends as well.  I tell ya runners are the nicest group of people.  We are all one another's biggest fans.  I was starting to get a little nervous but not to bad.  I had to use the ladies room 3 times before the gun went off.  Before the race began they played Jimi Hendrix's version of the National Anthem.  Instantly I thought why didn't I think to download that to my iPod.  The gun goes off and it takes 6 minutes to get from where I was to the start line.  Cross the start line and it starts to sort of break up and who do I see....Daniel from the Biggest Loser season 8.  I said to him Daniel so good to see you do you mind if I run with you for a little bit.  He was the sweetest kid (I can say that because I'm 38 and he's way younger than me LOL). We ran together for about a half mile.  Awesome!!! He really is just so wonderful!!!

Mile 4 I see my husband, kids, mom and brother in law and instantly I'm balling...Hello it's me we're talking about, the BIGGEST cry baby EVER!  I run off the side to give them all kisses, hugs, high 5's.   After I saw them I kind of teamed up with a gal who speed walks half marathon's. She just did one 2 weeks ago in the Quad Cities and it was super hilly I guess.  She said she still had blisters on her feet.  Around mile 6 my hands are so swollen and I notice the bottom of my feet starting to hurt.  I walked probably close to a half mile.  Prior to that I was running 8 minutes walking 3.  Here comes mile 8 and I've looped around the lake and back to where I was at mile 4 where I saw my family.  My husband and kids were still there of course, along with my mom and now my dad was there and he had his video camera.  I can't wait to see his video!  Again I'm sobbing and run off telling them I loved them, thank you and  I'll see them at the finish line.

Oh I forgot around mile 4 here comes the Elite runners.  I'm on mile 4 and he's on mile I think 20 for his marathon....Over achiever (HA)!  He was being escorted by a police motorcycle team.  It was the coolest thing to see.  My mom said he was ear to ear smile.  It was so awesome to be lapped by the Elite!!

By 3 hours into the race my Nike+ sensor was like yea, thanks for playing but I'm done.  HA!  Miles 8-11 were tough.  Lots of walking in these miles.  The soles of my feet were killing me.  Nothing else just my feet.  Note to self...NEVER wear new socks you've not ran in before the day of a half marathon.  So I'm truckin' along and running and walking and marathon runners are coming down on miles 24 and 25 and they are starting to hurt.  My heart just went out to them but I'm also thinking WOW you are just amazing.  What endurance you have to have to run that long.  I'm truly in awe of those that do run the 26.2 miles.  Some day I might just join you!  So I'm running along and the marathon runners who are passing me are cheering me on.  It was awesome.  It was so uplifting and just what I needed to make it to the finish.

I'm coming down the last turn and I see my dad with his video camera with my son and again I..... you guess..HA.  Yes I cry.  I say come on Jack want to run with mom a little bit.  Of course he's on it like white on rice and grabs me by the hand and wants me to go in an all out sprint.  I was like whoa buddy mommy can't go that fast right now.  He had a hold of my hand, I'm crying, he then goes back to my dad and her comes this woman whom I've never met before named Krista.  She's already finished and she grabs me by the hand because she can see how emotional I am.  Of course the crowd at this point is roaring and I'm just overwhelmed with emotions.  She says you're doing awesome.  You're doing it, wait until you finish you're going to feel like a million bucks.  Then we have some talk and coming down the barricades into the finish she lets me go.  She said, "there you go, finish it, finish strong, you're amazing" and she lets me go.

I did it!!! I crossed the finish line, I got my metal!!  I'm just in awe.  Truly in awe.  I did it!!  I did it!!! I still feel like that was all a dream and really this race isn't happening until next Sunday and today was a dream.  Everyone was there to give me hugs, kisses and words of encouragement it couldn't have been more amazing.

I have to tell you that honestly all of you that have supported me were there.  It's because of you I was able to finish this.  In the times where it was the toughest your good thoughts and your support got me to the finish line.

I can't wait to do this again...Not sure if this time is official but according to my text alert my final time was 4 hours 1 minute and 39 seconds.