Rockin' and Rollin'

I did something today that I said I would NEVER, EVER do.  I put on my shoes and I went out for the Rock n Roll Half Marathon.  But, never fear, I didn't go all the way.  My momma didn't raise no fool.  Labor Day Weekend in Virginia Beach, Virginia is HOT.  It's HUMID.  It's MISERABLE.  The thought of running 13.1 miles in 90% humidity and 90 degree temperatures makes me want to stay in bed.  So, this time I opted for the Half Marathon relay.  One of my MRTT running friends begrudgingly agreed to join me for the relay, even GENEROUSLY offering to run the long leg so I could cross the finish line!  (Thanks, Lisa!)

So, I got up at Disney-early o'clock.  (3:30am, in case you were wondering).  I drove my car to the amphitheater to meet my BRF and my relay partner and a new MRTT friend to catch the 4:30 bus to the start at the Convention Center.  (Why we couldn't park in one of the 2500 parking spots at the race start is beyond me, but I got on the bus, in the dark, with a smile on my face.)  Once we got to the starting line, we chatted and walked around until 6:150ish when I needed to catch yet another bus to the relay transfer.

It's important to note at this point that the race started at 7am.  At about 7:30, the first runners started coming by us.  We also saw the wheelchair racers and the hand crankers.  Right after the lightning fast runners from Kenya and Japan who would eventually win the race, the local lighting fast runners started to come.  We saw the Team Hoyt runners and I started seeing my running friends.

The longer I stood there, the hotter it got!  Lisa is my pace, so we were not one of the first teams to transition.  After my BRF ran past, I hit the portapotty one last time and then Lisa came into view.  She passed off her headphones since I left mine in the car at 4:30am in the morning (Thanks, Lisa!), and off I went.  I only had to run 5.2 miles.  That was my mantra for the morning.  The first 2 miles were BRUTAL.  I was hot.  My water was hot.  My stomach was growling.  (Yes, I fueled properly for the race...had I started at 7.  I did not fuel properly for having to wait in the heat to run.)  After 2 miles, I took the Mandarin Orange GU that I was given earlier in the race (mile 9-ish for the half runners, mile 1-ish for me).  After another mile or so, I started to feel better and get into my groove.  It was still hot.  As we ran past Croatan, those wonderful people were out with Popsicles and water hoses.  Then it was up and over the Rudee Inlet Bridge and I was in the home stretch.  As hot as I was, I loved the last 13 blocks of that race!  (What I didn't love was having to ride the bus back to the amphitheater before I could drive home.)

So, now I've done Rock n Roll.....and now I'm done.  I've had my fill.  Bring me some winter running!!

Next up - Divas Half Marathon in Leesburg, VA on September 14!  (Yes, I know it will probably still be hot....I'm hoping for a cold snap!)