The Markhams: Frederick Running Festival

Monday, May 9, 2011

Frederick Running Festival

I completed my second half marathon this past weekend. If you recall, the first one was about a year and a half ago, and well, it didn't go so well. Little did I know, I was pregnant at the time, but the whole race was a struggle. I got to the point, about half way through when I wanted to puke each time I started to run. I also was so annoyed by all of the people cheering. I was just crabby all around that day. My running partner was super patient with me, and I finished it. It was not as fast as I would have liked, but it worked out.
This time though, this race is what Baltimore should have been a year and a half ago. It felt so good this time. (OK, not really, but mentally I guess it felt good.) The crowd energized me. And since it was in Frederick, we had so many people that we knew come out and cheer for us. We ended up running it in 2 hours 20 min, which takes 20 min off of our last time together. I ran with the same friend that I had run Baltimore with, but we were joined by a group of about 20 women and girls from our church. You can read about it here. It was so much fun to train with so many people, and then see them as we were running. Some interesting tidbits about out group: Our bishop ran with us, who is a runner, and actually owns a running shoe store in town, and he had liver transplant back in February. That is of course, only like 3 months ago, and he went out and ran with a relay team, to run half of a half marathon! Another member of our group had 2 strokes about 5 weeks previous to the race. She is also a runner, so she really wanted to get back into it. So, 5 weeks before the race, she had to relearn how to walk, and talk, and then she went out and ran it in under 3 hours. And finally, another member of our team was 8 1/2 months pregnant. When the course wound by the maternity wing of the hospital, I'm betting she was really wishing that she could just check herself in! It was such a great experience to run with all of these people. And whereas after Baltimore I said that I would never do that again, I am already looking forward to the next races that I have planned. Up next is a 10 mile race in Baltimore, then I'm doing a full marathon in Baltimore in October. After that I think I'll sign up for the National Half Marathon next spring, and then maybe even the Frederick half again next year. I guess I'll have to take a break at some point to have another baby, but well, until then I'll just keep running!