My new bling

So, I finished another half marathon. That's pretty much the story. My 5th one, and not my best time by far. But it was super fun, and I'm happy with my time of 2:25:48, especially with everything I have been through in the last 12 months trying to remake my running form and overcome injuries.

This was my first experience of having to use the port-o-potty mid-race (TWICE!). Let's just say my tummy didn't cooperate with the timing of the race. That cost me some time.

Also, out of nowhere, the same pain I have had every time I have run a half marathon came out of nowhere at mile 9-10, which forced me to stop and stretch a couple of quick times, and definitely to shorten my stride so that I could keep going. Initially I had planned to just take it easy and try to keep at 10-minute mile. I was doing that, and a little better, when things fell apart. But I'll take it. It was an incredible day, a beautiful run, and I had cause to celebrate that at least I could go put down 10 miles without any trouble (except for the potty break, sadly). One of these times I will come in under two hours, but it wasn't this day. But I am still so happy about it all. Seriously, I'm a mom with 7 kids and I can run 13 miles! What's not to be happy about?

Jacob and Abram ran also, but they didn't train AT ALL! Seriously, not at all. They decided to stick together and just have fun with the race. They started in a corral about 10 minutes before I did. Just as I hit about mile 10, I caught up with them, and we decided to all run together to the finish. But then I had those tell-tale rumblings in my tummy that told me there was no way I was going to get to the end without another potty stop. At mile 11.5 we came to the Honey Bucket, and I told the boys to run on and finish.

We have always talked about how we don't wait for people in races. You just go on. However, Abram and Jacob decided to wait. Only I didn't know this. I finished my business, and jumped right back into the race without even looking around for them at all. I had no idea they were waiting for me, and they didn't see me. So they stood there for at least 5 minutes staring at a Honey Bucket door that they thought I was behind. When a total stranger came out of it, they realized what had happened and they ran to the finish where they found me. I beat those suckers by 12 minutes.

The biggest news of the race is that Mark had the race of a lifetime. He had a goal to run the half marathon in under 1 hour 30 minutes. He had everything align for him to have a perfect race, and he finished in 1:29:39. So amazing! He is one fast guy. He placed 181st out of 17083 runners, 23rd out of 854 men ages 40-45, and 153rd out of 5625 males.

My stats were much more around the 50% range.

We are running a half marathon again on July 4th. I have been taking my sweet water floatation belt to the pool with me every morning this week and aqua jogging to give my knee a break, yet still keep my legs moving so I can hopefully run on the 4th. I have also been doing some cool exercises I had sort of slacked off on. I'm not expecting much, but I will be so happy if I can run and not hurt and not have to stop for a bathroom break. Hey, if I can avoid tummy trouble, I will shave at least 10 minutes off of my time.

Which brings me to one interesting tidbit. The girl who pooped in Boston (remember this?) took 2nd place in the half marathon in Seattle last weekend. And I didn't notice when she ran past me in Boston with poop all down both of her legs that she is a BEAUTIFUL girl. Incredibly pretty. Stunning. And she is from Oregon, too!

After the race, we stuck around, of course, for Everclear. Yes, a free concert in Quest Field parking lot for the finishers and their families. It was amazing. We were about 15 feet from the stage, and afterward Art stuck around to shake hands and say hi to those of us who wanted to meet him. The boys and I went up and shook his hand. He is one of the funniest and wittiest people I have ever seen. He was full of one-liners during their performance and we were laughing so hard at his off-the-cuff remarks. He was hilarious. But they didn't play Rockstar. That made me sad. I love that song.

I don't know what it is about Art Alexakis, but he is fascinating to me. I normally don't think tattoos or piercings are cool, but I adore Art Alexakis. My favorite thing he has ever done is play Mr. Gibson in the Music Class episode of Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide. He is the nicely-groomed, sweater-vest-wearing music teacher Mr. Gibson, and then at the end he surprises Ned with his real life rockstar persona.