Rah Rah Shish Koom Bah - Atlanta 13.1 - new PR!

Disclaimer: I feel like a total dork for writing this right after my race. But I have soaked in the tub of ice, stretched, showered, walked the dog, put on recovery socks, and am now on the couch for eternity... and I am excited so I just had to put it all down now.

As another training run I ran the Atlanta 13.1 this morning.  I was pretty pumped after looking at the course map and turn by turn directions since most of the course was planned to be in my neck of the woods which meant I was familiar with the terrain, the hills, and pretty much most of the course. I checked the weather and learned that it was going to be in the 50's for the whole race - so I was feeling pretty confident in my run.  I was wondering how I would do since I gorged myself on spinach dip during the Alabama game the night before and I was a bit worried since Erin did a 13.1 series in Boston and they ran out of water and after seeing the less than stellar expo I feared the same thing, but I didn't want to carry my water bottle (man. I need a fuel belt) so I just hydrated really well and hoped for the best.

As always, race morning came early. 5:45 is not a pretty time and I don't like the darkness, but I got up and ready, took my dog out (the usual) and headed to the Marta Station for the quick trip up to Oglethorpe University for the start.  I got to the college with about 15 minutes to spare and felt really pressed for time but quickly stretched and hunted for my corral, only to learn there were not corrals but it was a test of honesty on your expected finish time.  I guess I am the only honest kid here in Atlanta since as I crossed the start line I was already veering from walkers (hey peachtree road race) and for the first 3 miles I was having to dodge the walkers with backpacks and khakis on.  I was cruising and having a great time and I noticed that my breathing was really under control which is a first for me.  I managed to stay steady and hold just about the same pace and the first 5 miles I was just rocking.  Around mile 5 is when fear set in. Not fear of "oh my gosh I am not going to finish" ... but fear of "why is there a Lexus on the course behind me" ... as the Lexus stayed on my heels and practically tried to run people off the road my heart rate went berserk.  Once the Lexus got around me and harassed other runners I calmed down and found my groove again.  We looped around all these neighborhoods and headed back towards Peachtree and after getting back on Peachtreee I was pretty much in familiar territory.

We trekked down Peachtree heading towards my apartment, turned on Johnson Ferry and onto Keswick and we were in the neighborhood I run for giggles.  My confidence was still high, my breathing was great, and I was just rocking the roads I already run.  I would be lying if I said the hills didn't still kill me because they did but I liked the comfortable feel.  As we turned on Harts Mills I hoped I wouldn't see Marist but we saw Marist and I was not thrilled about the awful Ashford Dunwoody hill.  Lucky for me there was a water stop and water stops = it's okay to walk. :o)  i walked and loved every second of it.  We then headed into Blackburn Park which is another area I run and I just sailed over the hills and around the soccer fields (enjoying the writing on the sidewalks).  We came out of the mark and headed up a hill that I do run and I do hate - I noticed a turn around coming up and I just prayed that my Garmin didn't freak out like it did last weekend and luckily it handled it just find. *phew*  ... as we headed towards Johnson Ferry and onto Johnson Ferry back to Peachtree I knew the rest of the course was 100% familiar territory and was confident that I was going to do well.  As I hit mile 11 I looked at my Garmin and thought "hey, I just may accidentally PR" and just chugged along, listening to my music (my marine corps play list is ah-may-zing).  I headed back up the rolling hills towards Oglethorpe and I knew we were in the home stretch so I just kept going even though I so badly wanted to take a walk break.  We hung a right before campus and then a quick left and was home free. Ms. Miley Cyrus and "The Climb" got me across that finish line in 2:27:53 - a 8 minute personal record - and I got my medal from Mike B who cheers me on via dailymile.com.  It was just a really cool race with a really pretty course and awesome volunteers who made pretty much everything run really smoothly (even the water stops and those are normally chaotic).

I don't know if it was the pasta that I ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner or all the spinach dip I gorged myself on last night during the game ... or if it is because Alabama stomped Florida last night and well Alabama and people who went there are just winners, but it was an awesome race and it gave me just the confidence that I need heading into Marine Corps.  I went into this race not worrying about my finish time and I think my "whatever happens happens mentality" helped a lot.  I was 2.39 miles ahead of the bridge closing and I knew that for MCM I need to do about 5 miles per hour and I was ahead of that today.

And in the Erin vs. Barbie competition I totally accidentally beat her last half time by 2 minutes. 

And I am l-o-v-i-n-g running to the Glee kids. Seriously, add them to your iPod. Stat.

Oh and the only bummer - I have a baby blister on the tip of one of my toes, I felt it forming and it surprised me. My wonderful Wigwam Socks usually never blister me, this is my 1st blister EVER. Not cool, not cool at all. Help me. How do I make it go away?!

So rock on 13.1 Marathon Series, you and your volunteers put on one awesome race this morning. The only thing I would change is to add corrals so we can all run easily at the beginning so we're not all jumbled.  BUT  I will be back next year!