Race for the Roses

We did it!

The official times are in, and by golly, we made our goal.  I'm so so so glad we decided to shoot for our original goal even after all the training setbacks of the last few weeks.  As usual, having a buddy was key.  I have had a rough time of it for the last week or so, and whatever mental toughness I originally had was pretty much gone on race day, but having an ally and one on one encouragement through every mile meant that I not only persevered, but I really enjoyed myself.

The weather was sunny and cold, and running over the bridges in the early morning in downtown Portland was so beautiful and crisp... I remembered in those moments why I run.  That perfect early-morning feeling, the sunlight, the hundreds of other people out to test themselves and share in the camaraderie of mutual accomplishment... I found a meditative state for the first 7 or 8 miles that was relaxing and thrilling at the same time.  Once the real work began around mile 9, I felt such a kinship with everyone else out on the course, and such a sense of pride in each step.  I knew that I could only keep up the pace because I'd worked so hard, could only keep going because I'd been keeping going for so many months.

We set out to run it in under two hours, and we ran it in 1:59:41.  That time is a full 25 minutes faster than my first half marathon six months ago, or two full minutes per mile faster.  I'm proud of that.

Today I hurt, but not nearly so much as I did the last time, and it's a good hurt.  An accomplished hurt.  A sense that I pushed my body as far as it could safely go, that I didn't leave anything out on the course.

Thanks, everyone for your support and encouragement through this process.  It means a lot to me.