Running My First Half Marathon

I have run a few organized races: turkey trots, swamp romps, surf & turfs and sprinkle in some 1/2 marathons. The most memorable race of all was my first 1/2 marathon. A friend knew that I ran for personal stay-in-shape activity choice and informed me of a Divas 1/2 marathon coming to Hawaii soon. At the time I had a work out and running buddy who I knew would be up for the challenge. Together we signed up, and I scouted the World Wide Web for a running schedule. We were on!

The training, was for me, loads of fun. It was girlfriend time, running, being outside, and shall I mention again girlfriend time!! At the time I lived on Marine Corps Base Hawaii and we ran all over that base during our training and discussed and solved all the worlds problems while doing so.

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Race day meant being up super early loaded with goo packs and plenty of nerves. The Divas race started on the edge of Waikiki in Ala Moana Beach park just as the sun was coming up- my time of day. Surrounded by women, running for no great cause but our own personal rewards, and for tiaras and boas, my nerves soon settled and I ran with a fat smile for miles.

The race mile markers were awesome: a local radio station, a couple of bands- early in the morning mind- and around mile 8 were cheerleaders from some school, all along a beach walk! This race was an event and I loved it. Until 12.5 miles in. I hit a wall. A great stonking wall. I could see the finish line but I wanted to walk. I didn’t care.

I told my friend- ‘Sod it, I’m walking.’ And she, very forcefully, said, ‘No! We are honey badgers!  We will run!’   I responded pitifully, while my legs barely kept up, ‘Look, I’m the cobra and I’ve been done in.’

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And my friend having no sympathy rigidly informed me that I would hate myself for walking within sight of the finish line having run the entire race this far. Point, set, match to her. I dug deep for the energy to run another 1/2 mile and crossed that finish line having run the entire race without walking a beat.

[Img.Src: Divas Half Marathon, Hawaii, 2011]

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