Cowtown half!

What a great day! Lots of people running today I think one report said 4200 people was registered. I felt pretty good and the shoes felt pretty good - my ankle started bothering me a little over mile 8 - but then quit bothering me until I stopped running at the end, but ice for a bit and some food and I felt much better! One thing I was super excited about was this was my very first half marathon last year - so I was anxious to see when the front runners of the full marathoner (they do a double loop of the couse) would pass me. I went almost a whole mile farther before the passed me this year! I felt really good until I was about 1 1/2 miles from the finish. I realized at the end of it I didn't fuel myself like I should have and it had been quite sometime since I had eaten anything, I did gu's at twice but then nothing and by the time your energy level gets that low and you only have a mile to go it is too late. I pushed myself and got to the finish line tired, with leg cramps and a blister on the end of one of my toes, but also with a new PR! I wasn't supposed to be racing it, but I did take it easy the first several miles and the pace I was running felt really good. My Parkway half time was 3:05:10 and my cowtown time was 3:03:45 - I know if I had been smarter with my nutrition I would have broken 3 hours - that is how good I felt the whole run!

I took my camera with me, but then had hubby take all our extra stuff to the car after the run so we could want for the rest of our people come in and forgot to keep the camera out Duh! My parents were out there twice on the route cheering us on - Dad was taking pics and mom was ringing the cowbell I told her to bring. She said she had a lot of fun standing on the corner and ringing the bell - Maybe there is a seasonal job in her future? ;)

Here is a video from the start of the race - my hubby is in it (at 2:45 right behind the reporter black jacket, blue hat), but I started behind him a ways so I'm not in it.

Here is a pic our head coach took before the start! She was getting pics of everyone with the stuffed cow - so cute!!!