And I still can’t believe it.

I mean, I thought I could do it, but at the same time I wasn’t sure. I knew my speed was increasing since I PR’d at both the 5 mile and 5k distances this year, but 13.1 miles is a whole other level. Keeping that pace for almost 2 hours isn’t easy (for me)!

But let’s start from the beginning. The day started like any other race day (except the night before we got a phone call from the front desk telling us they received complaints about our room being too loud. Hehe. So funny. We’re such the party animals, you know).

Jen(ay) and I put on our spandex, ate our peanut butter, laced up our turquoise shoes, and headed to the University of Toledo’s campus bright and early.

Luckily we had two cute boys to cart us around and take photos:

It was chilly (40 degrees maybe?), but perfect racing weather! We got there shortly before the race started and headed right to the start line.

I don’t think I ever mentioned it on the blog, but my goal was to finish in under 2 hours. Jen and I both had yet to break that barrier and we were trying to PR (my current PR was 2:03:02 back in 2009!). I knew it was going to be close.

I got lucky because Jen really pushed me. She set the pace and I just followed. Unfortunately she pushed a little too hard and I had to let her go after mile 6 or so. But I could always see her in the distance. Her bright ass pink shirt was hard to miss:

We were about this far apart until mile 11 when I pretty much wanted to die. I remember seeing J and not really even acknowledging him:

So pretty when I race, yes? Riiiiiight…….

I felt like I was racing a 5k those last 3 miles. You know the feeling, like you’re running so fast and breathing so hard that it feels like you’re gonna puke? Yeah, except I wasn’t running a 5k pace. But I kept on pushing, and just started counting down the miles. It seemed to help counting down 3, 2, 1 instead of 11, 12, 13 for some reason.

Once I reached mile 11 I knew I’d reach my goal as long as I didn’t walk (or keel over and die!). So I pushed. And pushed. And really tried to sprint to the finish. But it wasn’t really a sprint, more like a shuffle. I’m sure I was quite the sight (and kinda scared to see the race photos when they come out)!

But I did it. Crossing that finish line and seeing a ONE in front on my watch made me completely giddy.

Jess, me, and Jen (who I’m so proud of for finishing a whole minute ahead of me – she KILLED IT!)

I’m not gonna lie. Running for time isn’t very fun. It’s hard and stressful and painful, but it is SO WORTH IT when you cross that finish line.

Yay for PR’s!! Party on the football field!!!

Thanks to everyone who believed in me and sent me well wishes on Twitter, Facebook, text, etc. I didn’t respond before the race started because I was too nervous.

Happy Monday, friends!