Is there a better way to celebrate a gorgeous day in Seattle than running a 1/2 marathon? I think not!
This lovely group agrees with me! We all got on the 5:20 a.m. ferry to Seattle, full of nerves, excitement and adrenaline.
Leslie, Me, TJ, Rachael, Mary, and Jared...We're only 1/2 crazy!
Me, Mary and Rachael
I wore my red hat so Brad could find me more easily at the finish line!
Leslie, me, and Mary
We were getting a little nervous, especially since Leslie forgot her number at home! Fortunately there was a lost number booth, so she was able to get another one and we didn't have to try to sneak her on to the course!
Am I ready? I'd better be!
And we did it!
We couldn't find Mary's kids for the picture, but they did it, too!
We did find Bryce, who had stayed in Seattle the night before.
The course was beautiful, difficult, hot, exhilirating! I especially loved running down Rainier Avenue with Mt. Rainier towering in the distance, running along Lake Washington, up the I-90 express lanes in the tunnel (although the band at the end of the tunnel was terrible...it sound like we were descending into hell!), along the express lanes towards Quest and Safeco Fields, and along the viaduct with Elliot Bay and the ferries in the distance. The last mile was the longest and the hardest! At one point I thought I saw the finish line ahead only to be sorely disappointed that it was only a large blue construction crane! Turning the last corner and realizing the finish line was at the end of a sizeable hill was a little disheartening, but seeing and hearing Brad, Jillian, and Ben cheering for me right before the finish line gave me the extra boost I needed! My time was slower than my first 1/2 marathon last year, but I expected that and wasn't disappointed. I met a woman who runs one 1/2 marathon a month...I'm not quite there yet, but I think I'll keep doing one a year at least!
Amazing jenny, congrats!!
ReplyDelete5am, you deserve a medal for that alone.....