3M: Post-Mortem

Now that I can walk again, here's my 3M Half Marathon Race Report that you've all been waiting for!

First of all, the organizers of this race don't mess around. Pre-race communication via email and social media was stellar, packet pickup was easy breezy, the start and finish areas were magnificent, and the volunteers were amazing. I will definitely be doing this race again, and if you're looking for a great January half marathon, look no further. The 3M is where it's at.

So, it was cold Sunday morning. I didn't dare look at the temperature on race morning, but I know the forecast was for the high 30s, with a stiff breeze, which was supposed to bring us down to a feels-like of 30ish. I put on my normal running clothes and got some warm thrift-store finds to wear over them until I got warm enough to cast them off (discarded clothes are picked up off the course and donated afterward). At the beginning of the race, I was certain I would finish with my extra clothes on. I did eventually get rid of them, but it was pretty late in the game. And the sweats I was wearing on my lower half rubbed a gash in my side that I've been trying to heal up all week long.

Self-portrait after I finished.

Everything was rolling along just fine, but I waited until after the 10K mark to take a walk break. I had decided: No more than one walk break per mile, and I could only walk for the length of one song on my iPod. So, that's what I did, and when I started running again my legs were a bit surprised. They stayed surprised for pretty much the rest of the race.

By mile 9, it hurt just as much to walk as it did to run. I still took planned walk breaks at miles 9 and 11, and up some really uncool hills on either side of mile 12, which were not planned but pretty much had to happen. Fortunately, "One Day More" came on my iPod at a critical moment when I was walking uphill, so I had to start running. Yep, one of my many running rules is "No walking during 'One Day More'". And really, how could I possibly? That's not a song you're meant to stroll along to.

So, the final bit of the course went around UT campus and finished a couple of blocks behind the Capitol. I shuffled zoomed across the line and one of the fabulous volunteers put my medal on me. And seriously, wow. Normally they just hand one to me, and I'm totally okay with that, but the 3M obviously goes above and beyond.

I collected my bag with a dry set of sweats, dry hat, and dry gloves, and changed into them all as best I could for my already-stiff muscles. I finished in just under three hours, which I expected, and Chadwick finished about 45 minutes behind me. We met up with our friend who we rode with (he finished 15 minutes before I did) and compared our aches on the way home.

And that's the game! It was really fabulous to do another half after so long away from running any kind of distance, but I think it will be at least a year before I do it again. Right now, we're eyeing a 10K in April.