Chapter 2 page 443 - I say P you say R - PR!

Last year at the Fort 4 Fitness I did my first half marathon and finished in 3:02:48.  Last month I got a PR at the Chicago RnR Half with a 3:02:15.  My goal for this race was a 2:59.99, but had crazy dreams of getting a 2:55 or 2:56 . . . it's more of what the McMillian calculator said I was capable of more than I really could run that fast.

I put both pacings on my arm . . .

My left forearm - pace tat from Lutheran Hospital (thanks!!!) with a 3:00 and my awesome marker writing with a 2:54 on it (you know, just in case I woke up in a dream world). 

That's me one the left in the neon green shirt and pink shin sleeves next to the girl in the orange shirt and sort of under the "N" in FINISH.  You can click on the photo to enlarge it - You'll see the gun time on the left for the half marathon.

FINAL RESULT . . . . 

2:53:51

I absolutely HAVE to say that without a doubt, ONE thing made this possible (yeah yeah yea, training helped, but that's a given, everyone trained - I'm talking about one thing that made ALL the difference) - 

FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!! I am so unbelievably thankful for the following people who were EVERYWHERE along the course and who absolutely MADE THE DIFFERENCE in me "making it" and me just "doing it".  I owe you all soooo much!!!!

Special thanks to: 

Starting line:  Val, Ashley, Stacey, my mom, "C" & April's husband, "L" - who showed up on a bike, Tia, April, Emily, Kristin, oh man there were more but I can't remember right now 

During the race:  April's husband, Tia's sister-mom-and daughter, my mom, "L" and her husband, Kimberly from HealthyStrides who ran with me for about a mile and gave me a couple of hugs - she's just awesome, and Sue from my half marathon class, and my parents, Jenn from Running 4 My Life who ran me with me the last .2, and without a doubt, my running mentor "M" who was just too amazing!!!!!!!  I absolutely could NOT have done it without all of these people.  There were other folks around me during the race that became my "friends" - I'll share more about them in a later post.

After the race:  So awesome to see Michelle who is a personal trainer at the Y, Val who did my first 10K with me (great job girl), John from my half marathon class, 2 girls I called "book club" that I "met" along the way, a guy from mile 5-7 who was just to fun came over at the finish line to give me a fist bump, Diane from our half marathon class, Tia & April and their families, my mom and "C's" husband, and "C" for yelling me the whole way around the 2nd and 1st base line all the way into home plate (the finish line), and I'm certain many more but can't remember right now.  

No doubt there will be SEVERAL recap posts coming your way in the next couple of days!  I can't thank all of you bloggers and all of you my local friends enough for all of your support, encouragement, and belief in my ability!!!!  I'm so in debt to all of you until the end of time.  Most importantly, I have to thank "L" and especially "C" for putting up with me day in and day out while we trained - love you gals like sisters!