Cloud Snapple Half Marathon - RunHalf Marathon

My running partner Debi and I carpooled and after getting lost trying to find this obscure park, we finally got there at 8:35. We grabbed a quarter cup of black coffee at the start to help warm us up. It was very cold but Debi and I dressed great for the weather. I had on a short sleeve tech, then long sleeve tech, then another long sleeve tech and finally my fleece pullover. I also wore running tights under my tech pants and two pair of gloves.

We were both nursing injuries so we knew we were taking it easy and focusing on it as a training run. With my tight calf and sore hip I figured I wouldn’t beat my last half marathon time and it would take me three and a half hours. It was an out and back course on the C&O Tow Path. There was no snow for the first couple of miles but then it started and didn’t let up. The trail got a few inches of snow on it real fast and even our eyelashes were frozen. We RAN NONSTOP to the turn around, took a 1 minute walk break, and then kept running. At the 9 mile water stop we slowed 30 seconds or so to refill our water bottles. The water and Gatorade was frozen and they had to squeeze cups trying t find one with “liquid”. We ran together until about 10.5 miles in and then Debi settled into her pace and went ahead. My hips were getting sore and I tried to take a short walk break at 11.5 miles but my injured calf seem to stiffen up quickly when I walked so I slowed to a trot for a minute instead and then picked up the pace again. I skippeded any more walk breaks. My hands started to get cold at mile 12 and were frozen by the time I finish.

As I ran, I chanted loudly (yes I did), “swing those arms” (courtesy of Coach Bev), “keep running”, “trot not walk” (courtesy of Coach Melissa) and “you’re a STAR”. Then I knew I must be delirious when I started singing “What have you done today to make yourself feel proud” from Biggest Loser.


Maybe change the gloves even though I had on two pairs.

After the race, there was post-race frozen pizza that I am sure was hot when it got there. We walked the third of a mile hike back to the car with our fingers so frozen they hurt, really hurt.


Injury. Sore right calf and hip.


With freezing temps, I was really hoping for coffee or hot chocolate but they had goodies nonetheless. Pizza, yogurt, muffins, candy etc.

I beat my last half marathon time by 2.31 minutes and my goal by over 5 minutes!! I AM A STAR!!