me, the unlikely runner.

I started registering for races in the spring, and ran my first 5K, Cinco de Mayo 5K, in May, 2007, in just over 30 minutes at a pace of just under 10 minutes per mile. My finish time got me thinking that maybe I'm not the slowest runner in the world after all...and it also peaked my interest for a distance race. My cousins Amy and Jessica had just completed a half marathon in Portland, OR...so they definitely had a hand in providing the motivation for me to give it a shot. I took the plunge a few days after my first 5K and registered for the Banco Popular Chicago Half Marathon in September, 2007.

I began my 18 week training program in May, 2007. I used a modified version of Hal Higdon's novice half marathon training program. At first, looking at my training schedule was incredibly overwhelming. I'd only run 4 miles tops at any point during my running "career". How would I finish 13.1 miles? But I was determined and every week after I completed my long run, I felt a mix of satisfaction that I'd finished that weeks run, and dread for the next weeks.

My discipline during my training surprised even me. I completed my runs faithfully, even while on vacation in Florida at the end of May. The only runs I missed were when I was in Denver, CO for a family function- I was nervous to run in the altitude, and one week when I was sick. I was nervous about missing my runs, but it worked out in the end and I had no problems tacking on that extra mile every 2 weeks. One extremely hot Sunday, I was irresponsible and left my water at the beginning of my course- I ran without water for 4 miles. I started feeling faint and had to give up at 5. I never made that mistake again.

In July, my husband and I ran the Viking Sunset 5K in Geneva, IL. It was a gorgeous Wednesday evening and we both accomplished PRs. I shaved over a minute off my time from my first 5K, and my husband finished in just over 26 minutes. WOW!

Meanwhile, I was slowly accumulating the miles during my training. I remember being so afraid that I would injure myself...and the worst that happened was slight pain behind my right knee when I ran on an incline. But as I became used to running 6, 7, 8 miles at one time, the pain eventually lessened then disappeared.

Finally the day for my 10 mile training run arrived. My son had spent the night at my parents' house (a trial run for race day the next week) and I ran my 10 miler along a trail near their house. I completed the run in 1:48...with virtually no discomfort at all! That sealed my confidence that I could definitely complete the half marathon successfully.