1/2 Marathon

Ryan and I just got back from running the Seattle Rock n' Roll 1/2 Marathon. It was truly an epic weekend. We snuck away early on Wednesday... thanks Mom and Dad! That evening we met up with Maria then drove to the airport to pick up Kat...thanks Jen for making that happen!

Thursday morning we headed to Pike Market so Kat could get a real glimpse of Seattle. 

Since Kat is going to be serving in England when we happened upon this English Crumpet shop we just had to try it. Seriously delicious. I thought English food was supposed to be garbage? 

Ryan ordered us a crumpet called "the life changer", yup, it changed my life.

After our quick pit stop :) we soaked in the atmosphere, entertainment and the visual and edible delights. 

Kat looks ready for Europe with that baguette under her arm, no?

Of course we had to buy a fish just so they would throw it over Kat's head. Missed the fish, caught the duck. ;)

We then headed down to the expo to pick up our race packets and fill up on swag. 

This is my fifth year running this race consecutively which means I got special treatment. I was 1 of only 648 people who have run it all five years. Pretty awesome! I got a special racing bib, extra long-sleeved running shirt as well as the regular shirt and they made a special announcement when I crossed the finish line. 

BUT... Ryan WON a pair of Brooks shoes. 

We took some "great" shots at the photo booth...

this makes me laugh every time I look at it!

Once we couldn't stuff another thing in our swag bags we headed back to Bellevue and met Mom and Dad at the temple. 

After our session we went back to Maria's place for my birthday dinner. Yup, I turned 36 this week! 

We BBQ'ed the fresh salmon that flew over Kat's head and I tried garlic spears for the first time. Love them!

Friday morning Mom and Dad had to head up to Vancouver to serve at the temple there so we met up for brunch. Kat continued her mission prep by ordering the fish and chips. 

Then Maria, Kat, Ryan and I head out for a hike. Here's the part where I had to confess that I was not feeling very well. I was super nauseous, weak and had crippling cramping in my stomach. So, Ryan and the girls had to hike without me. :(

They found me here 2 hours later...right where they left me. I slept on my yoga mat and tried to feel better. 

We had to call it a day since I was feeling so unwell. They took me back to the hotel and Ryan tried to get me to eat something. I forced down a small bowl of miso and tried to eat a little rice. At this point I had succumbed to a fever and chills. Ryan ran out and bought me some meds and I crashed. That whole night I dreamt of the race and kept hoping that Ryan would just leave me to my misery and run the race himself. Our alarm went off at 6am and I wanted to die. Ryan forced some more meds on me then I decided to rally and just see if I could run. Since I have more experience my pace is a bit quicker than Ryan's. I figured if I just ran with Ryan I would make it. We walked the mile to the starting line. Ryan was super excited. I tried to show some enthusiasm but I don't know how well it come off. 

I gagged down a quarter of a bagel and half a banana in an effort to fuel my body for the next couple of hours. 

Then off we went. I kept having waves of gut wrenching pain every couple of minutes but just kept putting one foot in front of the other. I headed off to the bathrooms and Ryan carried on. Once I got going again I settled into a nice gentle pace. After a while I caught up with Ryan again. I made the decision to stick to my own pace because I really just wanted to be done so I could lie down. So, I chugged along and actually did it. Admittedly, I did walk for about 1/2 a mile.  I was amazed that I was able to complete it. I also felt so grateful for a generally strong healthy body with enough "reserves" to keep me going even when I was worn down. 

Ryan stuck to his pace the whole time. He never once stopped or had to walk. This is truly amazing because he began "training" two weeks ago. He figured doing P90X for a week and a half and going on two runs would be sufficient. Apparently, it was! He totally rocked it!  We are looking forward to doing this race again next year and adding a few more to our repertoire.

Tired and sweaty but happy!

After catching up with a few friends we walked/hobbled back to the hotel and relaxed for awhile. I was able to sleep and woke up feeling like I might actually be able to eat something. So, we headed out with Maria and Kat again for sushi. 

Ryan ordered some raw fish for Kat since she had never tried it. She cautiously watched Ryan and I enjoy it then she and Maria popped a whole piece in their mouths. Next thing I know, Kat is gagging beside me. The texture almost killed her. After a few dry heaves she was able to extract the fish from her mouth. :) Maybe you need to stick to the California rolls, Kat. 

Huge kudos need to go out to Sarah who watched our kids. She even had to deal with Joe barfing 3x and Greta with a fever. Thank you!!!!!!

Well, the results are in: not a personal best but better than I did last year with my injury. 

Congrats on your 1st half and strong finish line picture, Ryan!:) He's now laid up in bed with my flu. 

Anyone else notice Ryan's gender? Bit of a mix up there :)

So, see you all there next year. You'll have the time of your life. Promise!