Looks like there haven't been any postings in a while, so, I thought it would be a good reason to share my recent accomplishment. May 8, 2010 was the annual One America 500 Festival Mini Marathon in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the largest half-marathon in the country with 35,000 participants. The weather was severe overcast, with a temperature in the 40's and a constant 30mph crosswind. This was the certainly the type of day that would be much better curled up in bed, but I had trained for 4 months and traveled 2,000 miles to run this race. Started out slow, due to the incredible number of people, it took almost 4 miles to get a clean running lane. I finally hit my stride and was able to pick up some time. Mile 6 through 8.5 were the best. This part of the course actually took place on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway! The stadium blocked out the brutal wind gusts and made for smooth running. Mile 9 through 11 were very painful. Visualizing the finish line, I persevered through mile 12. The wind kept blowing steadily and my hands were frozen solid, but the finish line was within reach. Each step brought me closer to that elusive goal. Finally, one last bridge and a chance to gather the rest of my energy reserves. With the balloons flying high and the crowd cheering, I successfully crossed the finish line. Final time 3:19:37.
Running my first half marathon was a very challenging experience, especially since I tip the scales at 318. I can now say I have accomplished a major goal in life, and am now training for my second half.
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