I can now update my fitness resume to include completing my first Half Marathon! What a great experience!!! As you know, my goal was just to finish!! My practice runs have been between 2:38 and 2:48 and I was hoping to finish in that range. Determined to start out slow and go from there, fully prepared to do walk/run intervals.

So to recap:

My daughter and I headed to WI on Friday afternoon after a somewhat stressful morning! Had to take Bob's mother to the orthopedic surgeon for cortisone shots in her knee and shoulder (not an easy task taking a 91 year old woman anywhere, trust me!) Left the house at 8:30, didn't get home 11:30 - already off schedule. Then we had to head out to pick up Aly's car at the mechanics and bring that back to the house. DONE!

Then it was time to pack (yes, it should have been done the day before, but ......) we finally made it on the road just after 2:30! Found the hotel (after a few wrong turns, and got checked in! Didn't take us long to get right back in the car and head to the outlet mall and J. Crew, where we once again managed to do lots of damage to my credit card!! lol

Breakfast for dinner at Cracker Barrel, then back to the room to try and relax! NOT....up and down all night, tossing and turning! Perfectly normal, right??? Finally gave up at 4:00, went down for coffee and a light snack before getting ready. Forecast was for clear skies!!!

Stepped out the door and - it was coming down hard! Okay, we can do still do this!!!! Headed out to the lake and found parking, walked in the rain to the starting tents, and then prayed for a break in the weather! Guess what - we got it!!! Just in time for the starting blow horn!!!

Off I went, slow and steady! What a great town to run through!!! The crowds were great, the volunteers awesome the entire route, and my fellow runners - friendly, courteous and supportive throughout the run! I ran, and ran, and ran...never did start my walk/run intervals

Made the final turnaround and headed to the finish line..one of the race volunteers said "just a half mile to go - you are almost there!!" I can do this!!! I sent Aly a text that I would be there in 5 minutes so she could head to the finish line for a photo finish and guess what? Either it wasn't a half mile or I picked up the pace, because I made it there in two minutes, 11 seconds (per Aly) and she missed the photo finish! Hopefully I can the professional photo of my crossing the finish line!

My official time -- 2:29:56 Super psyched!!!