Freedom Half

Tomorrow is the day! It's both my 21st wedding anniversary and the day I will run the "Freedom Half."

Here is my post on today's date of last year:

Aaah, Freedom!

Well, I've tried planning my Freedom Half. That hasn't worked. So, today I thought, "Hey! How about right now???" So, I did it. This afternoon, I shirked all responsibility and ran my Half Marathon on a whim. I will post more about it with pictures, but tonight I'm tired and tomorrow is my 20th wedding anniversary. :) So, you'll haffta wait. I will say this: I had a great run. The whole thing was really great for many reasons and my favorite miles were miles 9, 10, and 13.

I can only hope tomorrow brings as much happiness as last year's Freedom Half. Here is another post about last year's freedom run...

Freedom Run Highlights

There I am, running along. I first took my dog-buddy with me for the first 5 miles. We took it pretty easy, walking and running. After delivering Banjo back to the backyard, I grabbed my camelbak and went back out for the other 8 miles.

The first five miles were full of me questioning myself. Can I do this? Does it count if I'm walking this much? How much is too much walking? What if I don't walk enough and I run out of steam? Why can't I get into a good groove? Where is my rhythm? Will I finish this? I could stop and try for another day????

The middle part of my run, though difficult, was more relaxed and confident. I continued to take short walking breaks when I needed to. The steep hills are one thing in the beginning part of a run and quite another when inserted into miles 7 and 8.

Mile 9 was my favorite mile.

I thought I was going to die. I'd been climbing and climbing in the heat. Then, I realized I was already to my favorite little trail through the woods. Yes, it is still uphill, but it's shady and gorgeous. So, I detoured. Mile 9 rejuvenated me for mile 10 which would have been grueling without my mile 9 trail.

My nike plus failed me yet again. Last year, it told me I was done when I wasn't and then I had to keep running...mental anguish. This year, it told me I hadn't gone far enough when I knew I had. I really wanted my plus to say "13.1" miles, so at mile 11.5, when I should have been almost done, I turned around and re-traced my steps until my plus said 13.1. I was running without walking from the beginning of mile 9, but that last mile, I pressed my power song which was dedicated to Ruth (It's On, by Superchick) and ran strong for a great finish! I was determined!

Low points:

love/hate relationship with my camelbak-it's heavy, it's too loose

rocks in my shoes

hills were tough in the middle of my run

nike plus told me wrong distance...I ran farther than 13.1 miles, which is good, but who knows what my time actually was

trouble finding a rhythm until the last half of the run

High points:

love part of the love/hate with my camelbak-it kept me hydrated and carried snacks

jolly ranchers, especially the blue raspberry ones

Hubby came to bring me gatorade (that stuff is magical)

Alpine Gulch trail which revived me

The reminder songs that kept me going like Paralyzer (odell's song), Cool for Cats (Braedy), City of Lights (Gracyn), Locomotion (Kaegan), and It's On (Ruth)

All in all, I had a really great day!

I'm so excited about tomorrow! Which miles will be my favorites, and for what reasons? Will I finish? Will my hip force me to walk? Will I complete it with a better time? I'm finding out the answers to all these things and more tomorrow!

The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak, became a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong. ~Thomas Carlyle.

What is the challenge you are set to conquer?