Running – Page 3 – Lindsey Lazarte

RACE REPORT: St. Mary’s Triathlon

August 5, 2013January 18, 2016 lindseyrunsLeave a comment

Distance: Sprint Triathlon – 0.50 Mile Swim, 15 Mile Bike, 3.1 Mile Run

Date: August 4th, 2013

Location: Huntington, West Virginia

This past Friday night, my friend and I traveled from New York City to West Virginia to compete in a sprint triathlon as a co-ed relay team. We arrived in West Virginia around 1AM on Friday night after a painfully, long 8-hour drive out of the city. The next day, we had little room to spare/sight-see. Aside from the race, we also happened to be attending a wedding on Saturday evening which made this a dual-purpose trip. The wedding began at 5:30PM on Saturday night. When we arrived, we made our rounds to greet everyone and left around 9PM to drive an additional 2 hours to the location where the triathlon was taking place. The next morning (Sunday), we woke up at 6AM in order to make it in time for packet pick-up at 7AM. The race took place at 8AM.

As I was watching the competitors file in line, it was a much different experience than just a regular running race. Seeing people with their bikes and wetsuits made me feel like somewhat of an underachiever (quite a bold statement for me to say after running my first marathon in April) I was only competing in one leg of the race, the 5K, which was the last leg. I was getting progressively more antsy while waiting for my teammate to finish the swim AND bike portion. The 0.50-mile swim was in the Ohio River and the 15-mile bike was a 2-lap loop around Marshall University. Once my teammate finally tapped my hand, I took off as quickly as I could. The 5K was a simple out and back; a flat course with a turn-around point once we reached an orange cone with a volunteer directing us. I started my watch late and was unable to time myself, so I had to just wing it. After reaching the finish line, I was confident that I did well (especially after having attended a wedding the night prior)

During the awards ceremony, we were anxiously waiting to hear our team name to be called. We were hoping to make it in the top 3 out of the relay teams, but unfortunately came in 4th place, only a minute after the 3rd place relay team.

Overall, I wasn’t disappointed with our performance. The weather conditions were fair, but the competition was stiff. I enjoyed competing in a new location and an event that didn’t involve simply running (even though that’s all that I did) The pitfalls that came with this race centered more around the mis-communication with the people that were involved in the execution of the race. A lot of participants, including myself, had questions that the volunteers were having trouble answering. It was, however, a smaller race with less than 200 finishers.

After this experience, I’m more than convinced to compete in a triathlon on my own. It’s much harder to train for a triathlon in the city, as opposed to a running race, but I know that hundreds/thousands of people do it, therefore it will be my next short term goal. Finding a decent pool and buying a bike will be a challenge, so hopefully those things will come in time.

I want to constantly push myself to the next level and become more well-rounded in various types of races.

Coming up next is a race that I’ve been wanting to participate in for quite some time: a fun run. I’ll be running the Electric Run in Brooklyn this September with a group of people from Nike Run Club. It will definitely be a change of speed for me (literally), but I look forward to it. It will also be nice to remove my competitive nature, but I can’t guarantee that will happen.

Nike Run Club Recap

July 24, 2013January 18, 2016 lindseyrunsLeave a comment

Last night, I went to Nike Run Club at the NikeTown Store (on E. 57th Street in Midtown) for the first time in a few months. Judging from my last entry, I seem to be getting back in touch with things I haven’t done in a while.

(Brief Overview: Nike Run Club is held every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30PM for runners of every experience level. It’s free and anyone can sign up to run with the Niketown pacers . On Saturday mornings, they do long runs with the route varying)

I’ve only gone to Nike Run Club 2 or 3 times before. A co-worker convinced me to try it out a few months back and I really enjoyed it the first time, but it just never stuck. Last night happened to be the first time I ran outside in over 2 weeks. After my 39-day running streak, I took a break for 6 days, then started running again, but only used the treadmill due to the overwhelming heat wave that hit New York City.

I was nervous about how I’d perform running with other people. I’m typically a lone runner, but it’s nice to run with people so that they can push you.

I dove right into the 5-mile distance and was worried that I wouldn’t be able to last- After all, I had taken a short break and have recently only been logging 2-3 mile runs on a machine.

To my surprise, I kept up with the 8-minute pace group and clocked in at 44:50 for a total distance of 5.4 miles. The people in my pace group definitely made the impact on how fast I went. To be honest, that day my shins were hurting and my legs felt overall tight

However, I ended up feeling great afterwards and was happy to connect with other runners from around the city.

This, along with my singing, I hope to keep myself busy for the rest of the Summer.

RACE REPORT: FRNY 5-Mile Pride Run

July 2, 2013January 18, 2016 lindseyrunsLeave a comment

This is a tad bit overdue, but not so much to the point where I have completely lost the impact that this race had on me.

This past Saturday, June 29th, I ran my first race since the Big Sur Marathon back in April. I ran the 5-mile Front Runner’s New York Pride Run in Central Park. I signed up with my sister, which is automatically sentimental to me because anything I do with my sister has a great deal of significance. This was the longest distance race that she has ever entered and I couldn’t be more proud of her for completing it.

This race also greatly affected me in terms of realizing how far I have come with the hard work that I have put in throughout this past month. I am still in the midst of the Runner’s World Run Streak from Memorial Day, May 27th, up until this very day.

On Saturday, it was brutally humid and I just wasn’t in race mentality. Once the clock started, my legs felt like lead weights. In all seriousness, I had even considered walking at mile 3. I was tired, hot, and frustrated. I convinced myself that I wasn’t going to run a decent time. Miraculously, approaching mile 4, I began picking up my pace because I just wanted the race to be over already.

I crossed the finish line with the clock reading somewhere around 40:01 (give or take a few seconds)

In my head, I just kept repeating to myself, “I’ll take it. It’s not the best time, but it’s not the worst” and considering how I felt, I was amazed to even run anywhere near that time.

Upon finishing, I looked around in a complete daze and saw so many smiling faces. This race meant a lot more than what I perceived it for myself. It was a celebration for others. Then, I saw my sister running through the chute and I didn’t care an ounce about my performance. I ran alongside her to the finish line and was just happy.

Later that day, I searched in Google for results from the race. When I checked my chip time, I saw that I had actually PR-ed. I felt instant gratification and couldn’t believe that I had PR-ed after feeling like I had just ran the worst race of my life.

I looked back and thought about how much training I had invested for this race, without even realizing it.

I have been running for 36 consecutive days now.

To be able to run a race and PR after never getting one day of rest truly amazes me.

Every day, I surprise myself with the infinite possibilities that can be created from hard work, dedication, and perseverance; not only in myself, but everyone.

We all have a capabilities beyond our wildest dreams.

From what I have learned after all of this run-streaking is that we can create our own miracles. All you have to do is set a goal and make it happen, and it surely will.

Now here are some photos from this past Saturday:

#RWrunstreak Update

June 27, 2013January 18, 2016 lindseyruns1 Comment

I have officially been running for 31 consecutive days.

Now that I think about, I’m not even quite sure why I decided to do this in the first place.

Over time, it seems that our reasons for doing things change over the course of the journey. Or maybe we just lose sight of the reasons.

For me, after a while, running every day just became second nature. Another daily routine, like brushing my teeth or eating a meal.

The Runner’s World Run Streak will be ending in exactly a week, however I’m not so sure if I’ll even end it just yet. Throughout my life, running has always been a form of therapy. A way to maintain a strong mental health. (And I’ve written about this before; when I stay away from running for a long enough period of time, I literally begin having mental breakdowns)

It’s always good to re-discover our reasons for the things we love to do. Without recognizing our reasons and motives for these things, everything just seems sort of meaningless. We need to feel that what we do has purpose. We need to feel that to attain happiness.

I never want to lose sight of the reasons I run. Knowing why I love running gives me hope that a feeling like this can last. A feeling of passion.

In life, we stray from many things. The love we feel in a relationship. The love for our job. Sometimes even the love of life.

It’s necessary to be in touch with our reasons for the things we love to do. It’s necessary to survive.

#RWrunstreak

June 10, 2013January 18, 2016 lindseyrunsLeave a comment

Earlier on, I blogged about stagnancy (Refer to: On Setting New Goals) After I ran the Big Sur Marathon and the dust had settled, my excitement finally wore off. I began feeling the itch to create a new goal for myself. Luckily, an opportunity presented itself in the form of the Runner’s World Summer Run Streak 2013.

This opportunity was perfect for me because the rules had already been laid out and it was just up to me to adhere to them (The rules are simple: Run at least 1 mile every day beginning on Memorial Day, May 27th and ending on Independence Day, July 4th)

The first time that I tried the Runner’s World Run Streak, it was around Thanksgiving/My birthday, and I basically chickened out within the first few days of starting.

This time around, I have no excuse. It’s a perfect way to stay in shape for the Summer as well as train for upcoming Summer/Fall races. I couldn’t ask for a better deal.

I’m currently on Day 15 of consecutively running and I feel pretty amazing.

I’ve been cutting back on the mileage when my legs need the rest, but for the most part, my runs have been very strong and consistent.

The next race on my calendar is on June 29th, where I’ll be participating in the Front Runners 5-Mile Pride Run in Central Park.

I’m happy to say that I made the initiative and took action in my time of stagnancy and now I have my sights set on new running goals. I have approximately 3 weeks left of my run streak and at this point, I’m going the distance, both figuratively and literally (Yes, that was a bit corny)

And transitioning from this, I can also say that I’ve been feeling very optimistic about other areas of my life again.

Looking back on past posts, it’s interesting to see the drastic change in my attitude from one day to the next.

Sometimes, all you really need is a little spark to get you started. From there, it’s up to you to keep the fire going.

National Running Day

June 5, 2013January 18, 2016 lindseyrunsLeave a comment

It’s only natural that my first post in quite some time so happens to be on National Running Day!

Although it may seem silly and pointless to some people, it is actually quite significant to many- myself included.

Running has helped me in so many ways that I can’t possibly list them all in this blog (let alone this one specific entry)…but I’ll try

I run…

for inner peace
for clarity
for my health
because it’s cheaper than alcohol
because it’s cheaper than seeing a therapist
because it keeps me fit
because I love having leg muscles
to give back to my community
to be a part of a community
to support a cause
to find a cure
to eat whatever I want
for my friends
for my family
for myself
because I love it
because it makes me happy
because it challenges me
to push myself
to overcome obstacles
to test my limits
to cope with stress
to race
for life
for love
for healing

I’m sure there are many other reasons as to why I run, but this was what came to mind

I look forward to celebrating this day by getting in a fun, easy run along the East River (my new favorite spot because I go to Central park way too much)

Many the miles…

The Human Spirit

May 23, 2013January 18, 2016 lindseyrunsLeave a comment

I haven’t wrote much about running lately. It’s because I was sick all of last week with laryngitis and took a week off to rest. I started running again on Monday, the minute I felt that scratchy feeling leave my throat and lungs.

I’ve stayed indoors to run the past three days. I ran 3 miles on the treadmill at the gym on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday- all with consistent times. Happy to say I haven’t lost the spring in my step, even after finishing a marathon a few weeks ago and then being hit with severe sickness.

I felt a sense of euphoria again; like all was right in the world (or my world at least)

I wasn’t ready to take it out on the pavement yet because I always get too excited when I run in Central Park once I see the herds of runners surrounding me. I didn’t want to overdue it. I stayed inside to ease back into the game.

I’ve noticed that as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more of a lone-runner. People always ask me to run with them and I tell them, “Yea, definitely!”, but it never happens because I always seem to keep to myself. I’ve said this many times before, but I value my running time as my alone time. My time to sort through my thoughts, relieve any stress, and be with myself.

However, I’ve learned that it’s somewhat unhealthy to be that way. Sometimes, you really need people.

This morning, we finally received the long-awaited July 2013 issue of Runner’s World.

The instant I saw the cover, my heart sank. This was the issue that was dedicated to the Boston Marathon bombings that took place on April 15th. The day that turned the running community and the entire world upside down.

It feels like so long ago, but when I flip through the pages, every word recalls the feelings I felt like it was just yesterday.

As I was reading the Editor’s letter from our Editor-In-Chief, David Willey, I found one quote from Michigan Race Director, Don Kern, that resonated throughout my mind and heart:

“If you’re trying to defeat the human spirit, marathon runners are the wrong group to target”

This holds true to me in every way possible, especially now that I can proudly call myself a marathoner.

Most people don’t understand why runners run.

It’s much more than just a work-out, or keeping yourself healthy and fit. Those are actually just bonuses. It’s much more than that.

It’s a mentality. A state of mind. An outlet.

Most importantly, it’s about community.

The human spirit is an amazing thing. It’s resilient. We can be beaten and torn, but not broken. Runners, amongst all other, have proven that after the Boston Marathon bombings. To be able to rise above all the tragedy that has happened and come together stronger than ever is the miracle of the human spirit.

Runners are determined, motivated, persistent and nothing can stand in the way of that. Not a bomb, nor anything else.

I’ve learned that a sense of community is really one of the biggest reasons for why I love running. As I stated earlier in this entry, once I get into Central Park to run, I always get too excited. I immediately feel inspired and uplifted, regardless of however I was feeling that day. It’s because I know they just get me. They get why I do this.

In running and in life, we need the feeling that there are people who are going through exactly what we are going through. We need that comfort. The Boston Marathon bombings was a wake up call to the world.

The human spirit cannot be broken.

“Even when our heart aches, we summon the strength that maybe we didn’t even know we had, and we carry on; we finish the race…On that toughest mile, just when we think that we’ve hit a wall, someone will be there to cheer us on and pick us up if we fall.” – President Barack Obama

Express Yourself

May 15, 2013January 18, 2016 lindseyrunsLeave a comment

I’ve become accustomed to labeling myself as runner slash writer lately (apart from the title I carry with my regular nine to five office job in Midtown-Manhattan) Today, I read a blog which mentioned the shift in standard long-term lateral jobs that people used to hold for the rest of their lives. The time of being a master of one craft has ended. Now, being a jack of all trades is highly regarded.

People are striving to make the most of their time and taking more risks in their lives, but really we’re scared. A lot of us are delaying the inevitable. Growing up. And when I’m say this, I’m strongly acknowledging the twenties age group because that’s where I currently am, of course.

I read another blog today about a woman who is in a different age group than me, but going through completely different life changes that I couldn’t even possibly think of in my current state of mind. Frankly, at every age group, there is some sort of struggle to deal with. After all, it’s a new chapter of life. New experiences, new challenges to face, new decisions to make. But in the end, we grow from it.

Where I am right now, I’d like to invest my time into writing and running. As I’ve mentioned before, runners and writers alike are the same types of people. Usually, they go hand in hand. I know a lot of runners that really like to write and a lot of writers who have taken up running. It’s because runners and writers, similar to painters, and ballerinas, and anyone else who participates in a hobby where it’s you and you alone, share the same quality. That is, they value their alone time.

I’d say I’m quite the social butterfly. I talk a lot. Ironically, I lost my voice yesterday and am unable to speak, which is why I’m blogging two days in a row.

I have a lot to say and I like to get it out, but often times, I can’t find the right person that I want to share certain things with. So instead, I run. And if I can’t run, I write.

I never understand people who don’t want to engage in meaningful conversations. I have a lot of friends that just don’t want to venture into that uncharted territory. They’re all about having a good time and keeping the positive vibes. Don’t get me wrong now. I’m a very positive person (most times) But there are times when I think a lot, almost too much for my own good. I think about everything. These are the times when I need to get it out. So I run. Or I write.

The thing that I admire most about creative types, the people who express themselves through art or poetry or some other form of these things, is that they can say what they need to say without saying it.

Losing my ability to speak was a good thing. Silence is what I needed right now. Writing is what I needed right now.

In the end, sometimes you just need to express yourself. Whatever your feelings may be, it will manifest in some form or another.

RACE REPORT: 2013 Big Sur International Marathon

April 30, 2013January 18, 2016 lindseyruns6 Comments

I have been counting down the days until the Big Sur Marathon ever since the very minute that I signed up for this race. I had a countdown app downloaded on my iPhone just to keep track and even had a written countdown on my dry erase board at work.

I officially began training at the end of January/beginning of February and was worried that I didn’t have enough time to prepare. Big Sur Marathon marked my first full marathon ever and I had only recently ran my first half marathon in October of 2012 at the Runner’s World Half Marathon.

A week ago, I ran my second half marathon at Rutgers University and set a personal record with a time of 1 hour and 45 minutes. As ecstatic as I was, I still had to remind myself that the race that really mattered has yet to come.

My training had many ups and downs as I was continuously getting sick due to the inconsistent weather, making poor food choices, and wearing improper winter apparel. Fortunately, my body pulled itself together in my final few weeks before the race.

Once I got on the plane to Monterey at 6AM on Friday morning, I was finally accepting the reality that I was about to run 26.2 miles. The longest distance that I ran for my long runs was a mere 15 miles, and that only happened once. Naturally, I was freaking out about the fact that I was shy of 11 miles. Regardless, I kept reminding myself that there wasn’t really much else I could do at this point and that I just had to go with how my body felt on race day.

Big Sur Marathon weekend was primarily a working weekend for me, so it was difficult to get into the mindset that I was actually racing. It ended up being a good thing because I occupied my mind with work instead of pre-race jitters. I didn’t have time to be nervous. On Saturday morning, we had an 8AM shakeout run with the Runner’s World Challengers. I didn’t participate because I was making sure that everything was prepared for when the Challengers returned. Once everyone got back, I had my own private shakeout run by myself which is what I’m used to anyways because I run by myself all the time. At this point, I was really getting in the mindset that race day was tomorrow.

Later on Saturday afternoon, we held a Strategy Session where the Runner’s World Editors gave race tips, advice, etc. This was the first time that I actually had to pay close attention since it actually applied to me. Our editors couldn’t have given better advice. From Jen, I adopted the phrase “Run relaxed” and from Amby, “Every mile is a gift”. I took these words with me to the start line.

On Saturday night, I couldn’t sleep (no surprise there) My eyes finally shut around 12AM and I woke up on Sunday morning at 3:15AM. All of the emotions that I was unable to feel prior to this day were finally catching up to me. As we boarded the bus, I felt the crumbling sensation in the pit of my stomach. It was hard to breathe. I looked out the window and tried to distinguish the oceanic views that were hidden in the darkness. The drive took approximately 45 minutes (How I wish it was that short of a time to run)

Lining up at the start, all of the Runner’s World girls came together and we anxiously waited until the race announcer gave us the ‘go ahead’. I kept looking at my watch every 30 seconds and once it was race time, the nervous feeling in my stomach disappeared and I was just happy.

As I started my first few miles, everyone was passing me. I couldn’t have gone any slower. I kept telling myself, “Stay slow”.

I made a friend in the beginning of the race and stayed with her for the first 7 or 8 miles. It was nice to have someone there for me to keep myself grounded. We were going at conversation pace and that’s exactly what I needed. At mile 9, we parted ways and I picked up my pace as I was finally getting into race mentality. I knew that Hurricane Point was coming up, but I didn’t want to psych myself out. I just absorbed the scenery and kept myself calm.

Once I passed Hurricane Point, I realized that I was already halfway done. I heard the piano player at the 13-mile mark and I couldn’t believe I was already there. My legs felt great, my body was relaxed, and my mentality was still positive. Up until mile 20, I felt like I was on top of the world. Nothing could stop me and I only had 6 miles left. It wasn’t until miles 22 through 26 that my legs finally started giving out. The rolling hills in the Highlands put my legs to shame and I had a persistent burning sensation in my quads for the remainder of the race. Once I saw the mile 26-marker, I had to channel every remaining bit of energy I had left to finish this race without walking. As I heard the distant sounds of people cheering and saw the finish line flags, I forced myself to open my stride. I just wanted to be done. I broke down in tears just seconds before I crossed the finish line and I couldn’t hold them back. My co-worker congratulated and comforted me, but I couldn’t speak. I just cried.

The race volunteers gave me my medal and in that very moment, my whole life changed. I took one look at it and realized what I had just accomplished. It was quite possibly the greatest moment of my entire life.

(EXTREMELY proud to say that I stayed true to withhold drinking alcohol for SIX WEEKS. Here I am enjoying my post-race beer. Quite possibly the most satisfying beer I’ve ever had)

I can honestly say that this was one of the hardest things that I have ever done. It was a humbling experience that provided me with a new respect for running. I am honored to say that I am a runner. I am honored to say that I am a marathoner. I feel invincible, confident, strong, empowered, brave.

I am eternally grateful to have been given the opportunity to experience a race filled with such beauty and such struggle. As cliche as it may sound, running truly is a metaphor for life. The mantra that kept me going during the marathon and will continue to keep me going is, “Never give up”

Life gets hard. Bad things happen. There is pain. In the words of Haruki Murakami (author of “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running”) Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

In conclusion to this very LONG race report, I’d like to thank the people that made this marathon happen for me. They were my support, my team, my family. Thank you to my co-workers at Runner’s World. I couldn’t have done this without them.

Official Finish Time – 4:07:58

RACE REPORT: 2013 Rutgers Unite Half Marathon

April 22, 2013January 18, 2016 lindseyruns6 Comments

I’d like to start by saying that this is extremely exciting for me to document, as it is my FIRST official race report of 2013. Technically, this is my first race report ever being that I’ve never written a race report before. Nonetheless, I hope that I can keep this tradition going.

Okay, so I guess I lied about my last long run being the 8-miler I did two Saturdays ago. I actually did an 8-miler 3 days later…and then I ran the Rutgers Unite Half Marathon yesterday. Sorry guys!

Anyways…yesterday was exactly what I needed to boost my confidence and really get myself psyched for the Big Sur Marathon which I will be running in exactly 5 days. Yikes.

This past weekend, my main focus was to stay calm and keep my nerves at bay before my race on Sunday. All weekend, I stayed home and just spent time with my family. I kept reminding myself that this was just a warm-up race, to not take it seriously, and to just have fun. I kept the mentality that this race would be just like any other long run I’ve done in my training.

When I woke up on Sunday morning, it finally hit me that I was running a race. I got out of bed at 6:45AM (much later than I anticipated) and rushed to get ready. I scarfed down my breakfast which consisted of a bowl of oatmeal, two waffles, and a small cup of coffee. I kept looking at the time in fear that my stomach wouldn’t properly digest all of this food and I’d vomit all over the course. Luckily, that didn’t happen.

I rushed my family out the front door by 7:20AM. Race time was at 8AM and I was starting to freak out. As we approached the exit lane for Busch Campus, we saw that a policeman was already barricading it with orange cones. My heart sank. I have never missed the start of a race before.

Panic overcame me and I urged my Dad to find another way in. He took an illegal U-turn.

He dropped me in front at the Football stadium, a bit of a hike away from the start line, and my sister came with me to carry my Nike drawstring bag. In fear that I’d miss the gun going off, I fled and told my sister to just meet me by the chute.

I anxiously checked my watch every 30 seconds as I looked around for my family. I had signed up for this race on my own, by myself, so it was just me alone standing in the chutes. It was 7:55AM and I got a call from my sister. Her and my parents made it to the starting line and I couldn’t be more relieved. The race announcer began the countdown and a rush of nerves overcome me. I took a deep breath and “Bang”…race time.

At first, I kept debating whether or not to run with music. For races, I have never ran while listening to music, but for my long runs, I can’t go without it. To keep my mentality that this was just a regular long run, I stuck my earbuds in my ears, turned up the music and let my legs go.

(#Prayforboston)

(Me being cheesy, of course)

I started out really easy. My first mile was only a few seconds under 10-minutes. I gradually picked up the pace over the course of the next 2 miles. I let people pass me and minded my own business. As I got into my groove, I continued to pick up the pace. I was in my own world. It wasn’t until around mile 8 or 9 that I really started to kick into competitive mode. I watched as the runners who frantically sped past me in the beginning miles begin to to fall back and slow down. Once I hit mile 10, my legs started going. I kicked into 5-K mode and picked off every runner that was in my sight. My familiarity with the course brought little to no surprises as to where this course would end. As I neared the last straight away on College Avenue, where I spent so many of my college days, I was in an all-out sprint and finished stronger than I ever have in any other race. I knew I had so much left in the tank and I felt good about that. I saw my family waiting for me at the end of the finish line and I was overcome with smiles.

(Crossing the line with peace signs)

This race meant a lot to me for many reasons. I ran for Boston. I ran as an alumni. I ran to prepare for Big Sur. I ran because it’s what I love to do. I ran because it brings me joy. I ran for my family.

It’s hard for people to understand why people put themselves through hours of training for long distance races such as these. It’s personal. Everyone has their own reasons, but at the same time, these reasons also bring runners together to form a community. Runners understand each other on a deeper level because of these reasons.

I couldn’t be more satisfied with my performance yesterday. I’m confident in my training and I’m ready for Big Sur. I received my official iGift for Big Sur Marathon today. Reality is sinking in day by day. I can only hope that my first marathon goes as well as I’ve trained for it

(Reality sinking in)

To conclude this race report, my official time for the 2013 Rutgers Unite Half Marathon was 1:46:53. Oh and did I mention I set a PR by 2 whole minutes? Yes, I indeed did!

2013 Rutgers Unite Half Marathon
Official Finish – 1:46:53
Chip Time Finish – 1:45:49.5
Overall: 539/3976
Women: 120/2029
Age Group 20-24: 19/340