Rocking and Rolling...or not.....

I did something that I swore that I would NEVER do.  I ran the whole Virginia Beach Rock and Roll Half Marathon.  Let's talk about that for a minute.  This is a 13.1 mile race (crazy enough....) in Virginia Beach (not so crazy) on Labor Day weekend (INSANE!).  After a mild summer, temperatures and humidity levels sky rocketed just in time for race weekend.

I said I would never do it.  I said that only crazy people run 13.1 miles in Virginia on Labor Day weekend.  I said to have fun and that I would see everyone at the end.  I said no.....and then I saw this:

You KNOW what a sucker I am for a cute medal.  Then there was a "sale" and I was in.  I needed a race in August to meet my 14 in '14 goal.  I know, I know.....

So, it gets better.  Then the race company (Competitor Group) announced this:

Of course, there would have to be an extra medal for completing both races.  I love me some bling, so I signed up for the Mile too.  Yep, that seemed like a good idea at the time.

Fast forward to the last weekend in August.  Mile in the Sand day is a little sticky, but there is a breeze off the water and it's cloudy which are keeping the day decent.  We all gather on the sand...the loose sand.....the sand where it is hard to run....and get started.  Before I even crossed the starting line, the winner (who just happens to by my coach!) was finishing after about 5 minutes of work.  When I finally crossed the starting line, I tried to run for about 3 steps and determined that a smarter choice would be to just walk.  22 long, uncomfortable minutes later, I finished walking the mile in the sand, with half of the beach in my shoes.  (For reference, I can do 17 minute miles with my children......whining the entire way.)  Luckily, I had great company and we had a lot of fun.  Just for reference, a mile in the sand is no joke.

The next morning, I got up super early to pick up some friends (both doing their first races - a half and a 5K!), walked into my living room, and almost went right back to bed.  My living room windows were SO fogged up by the humidity that I knew it was going to be a rough day.  But, when the going gets tough, the tough get into the car and drive to the shuttle.

[The shuttle was an experience all its own.  There were 8 of us in the group and it was 5:15am.  We were loud and I bet everyone on that shuttle hated us.  The heat was on.  WHAT?  Who puts the heat on in August??  It was nice to get off the shuttle!]

We got to the Virginia Beach Convention Center for the race start.  We hit the porta potties then went to find all of the groups for the 4 pictures I needed to be in.  I found the RC3 Coaches for a quick pep talk and then it was time to hit the porta potties again and head to the corrals.  It was HOT and sticky already and I knew that it was going to be a rough day.

My race plan was to alternate miles of 1/1 intervals and 2/2 intervals.  I ran about 3/4 of a mile until the crowds thinned out and then started the 1/1s.  It felt okay....hot, but okay.  At mile 2, my friend and I started the 2/2 intervals.  We LOVED the 2 minutes of walking, but the 2 minutes of running was hard work.  We made it a little less than the mile on the plan and switched back to 1/1 until the 5K split.  By then, I was soaked with sweat and was starting to get hot.  Once I get hot like that, I can't cool myself off.  My friend and I decided to throw in the towel.  For the next 10 miles, we walked.  (Quite honestly, we were walking at a decent clip - 16 minute miles until about mile 8 and then we slowed down to 17 minute miles)  We went past a water stop manned by our Moms Run This Town friends, which was a great pick me up.  Mostly, it was just hot and miserable.  I wanted to kiss the water stop at about mile 9 that had ice in the Gatorade.  I almost did kiss the people handing out popsicles, even for the back of the pack, at mile 11.

I really had fun with my friend Michelle.  Even under the worst conditions, we have a great time together.  We stopped for a beer stop at mile 5-ish (and she stopped again at mile 10).  We talked to complained with people around us along the way.  We chatted and laughed.  It was fun-ish.

As for the running part of this social event - not my best showing.  I can be proud that I finished.  I can be proud that I moved forward for 13.1 miles instead of sitting on the sidewalk and waiting for my husband to come pick me up.  I can be proud that I refrained from giving the photographers the finger for my finisher picture (Not my original idea, but I was totally going to go with it.)  I can be proud that I am heading to another starting line this weekend.

I am going back to my original position though.  I will NEVER do this race again.  I do not care how cute the medal is.  I do not care that it's only $45 until tomorrow.

I came....I sweated...I walked.....I conquered.  Take that Rock and Roll Virginia Beach!!

Next up - the Bird in Hand Half in Pennsylvania!!