A Dream Achieved

OK so this post will probably be a little long and is pretty emotional for me so just hang with me :). Well a little over a year ago I decided it was time to get serious about my health and doing something for myself. I started running......it was so slow at first and couldn't even run a mile. I signed up for my first 5K. I was going to run the turkey trot with my mom Thanksgiving morning. I ran it in 40:14. I had a goal of 40 min so I was pretty close.

I decided in December to join SARR (San Antonio Road Runners). They have a free run the first Saturday of every month. I used to to make sure I was getting faster and faster every month. In February I decided to sign up for my first 4 miler. I figured if I kept signing up for longer races it would make me push myself...and I was right.  I ran it in 48 minutes. I then signed up for an 8K that I would be running with my mom again! I had never ran 5 miles before and I was terrified! We got to the race and there were only like 50 runners! I kept telling my mom. "I don't want to be last". Thankfully I wasn't and finished in just under an hour which was my goal! I was on cloud nine!I was so proud of how far I had come in just a few months. I decided at that point I was going to run a half marathon! I had been inspired my mom, sister, and brother in law who had all run the Rock-n-Roll in San Antonio. I continued to train on my own over the next few months. In July I joined a training group (which I recommend for people who are trying to run their first one!). I started getting up at 4:30AM to run which made my husband think I had completely lost my mind! Well I definitely had a few bumps in the road along the way including an injury that I will always have to deal with for as long as I am running. Well November 11th came around and I was really nervous.

Picking up our packets

Karlee enjoyed the Expo too!

Karlee and my step-dad being good sports!

Mom and I after the race and once we were back home!

The view from our hotel room. We started at Treasure Island (our 3rd time staying there) and LOVED it!

Mom and I before the race

People in Vegas dress crazy for the race!

Me during the race (running at night down the strip is so cool!)

Another before picture!

I did it! I complete my first half marathon and my mom did her first full marathon! I was over the moon. I will say it was MISERABLE hot! It was already 70+ degrees by 7:30AM and over 80% humidity but we did it.  I had set a goal and spent a year working towards it and now I had achieved it. Just to prove how crazy we were we also signed up for a second half marathon in Las Vegas for Dec. 2nd (so just a few weeks later). The temperature was much better in Vegas but it was SUPER windy! 25-30 mph sustained winds and gusts in the 50's but I still had a goal....to beat my San Antonio time. I am proud to say that I did!! Now the big question I am asking myself is where I go from here? I can go the distance but I am a very slow runner. I think my goals for 2013 are to become a faster runner. I want to run a 5K in under 30 min and a 10K in under an hour. I think it will be a big adjustment to run shorter distances again. I also look forward to trying Asylum (the workout series after Insanity). I have thought about p90x too. Not sure. I will define my goals before the end of this year for sure.

~Allison