Nashville Music City 1/2 Marathon Weekend

This past December I happened to mention to my family about possibly running a 1/2 marathon.  My dad had already been running and I knew I needed to get more fit after having Harper so several of us started training for it.  We knew we couldn't be ready for the Little Rock 1/2 that is at the first of March but we thought we could be ready by the end of April for the Nashville one.  My dad, my brother and sister, Michael, and I decided to do it.  Now if you know me, I really don't enjoy running.  I prefer any other exercise over running.  My shins do not agree with running at all but I powered through and did it.  By the way, I still don't like it at all.

Michael and I headed to Nashville on Thursday and we stayed in Dickson on Thursday night after having dinner with some of our great friends there.  The Spencer's hosted dinner at their house (which was fantastic of course) and the Beaubien's, Reid's, and Lampley's were all there.  We were so lucky when we moved there and were surrounded by such wonderful friends.  We miss them all dearly.  Every one's kids have grown so much and it was so neat to see them playing and interacting with Eden. Eden and Sadie really hit it off=)  We had such a great time that I forgot to get my camera out, boo.  I so wish I had pictures of everyone.

On Friday we headed in to Nashville to show Eden where her very first home was and to get to the Expo to pick up our running packets.  We met up with Dad and Mom for a quick lunch and then we all  met up with Morgan and Jamie and kids at the Expo. We decided to leave Harper in Searcy with Marilyn.  We are so thankful that we did.  We were going non-stop and we wouldn't have gotten any sleep if we had brought her and she wouldn't have gotten any naps either.  Marilyn, Thank you so much for watching our baby for us!

Eden and I in front of the house where we brought her home as a baby from the hospital. 

 Eden posing like the statue=)  She was cracking us up posing like several of the statues in this Red Robin.  

Our family at the Expo.  It was all starting to get very real at this point;)

 Dad and Mom in front of the banner.

Eden had a blast running around the Expo and playing with several things they had there for children.

Morgan crossing the finish line.  We all wish that had been our time=)  Next time, right!!!

Eden and J. David pretending to cross too.

Michael and I crossing together.

The runners minus Lindsay.

Saturday morning the race started at seven so we were leaving the hotel at five am and got parked by five thirty.  It was an early morning.  I definitely did not sleep the two nights prior to the race because of butterflies and not knowing what to expect and how everything works that morning.  Nobody had done this before so we knew NOTHING!!!  We knew we had to check our one bag that everyone had put things in and go to the bathroom and gets some pictures before hand.  There were people everywhere.  They said 32,000 people ran that weekend.  Cheryl Crow ran the 1/2 with a team for the first time.  That was kind of cool.  We actually ended up knowing about thirty people who ended up running this year which made it really fun.  

This is looking behind us.  We started in Coral 15 and there where 30 or more corals.  They start a coral every minute or so.  We actually started the race around 7:22 am.

This is in front of us all the way to the start line.  CRAZY!!

 Waiting in our coral before the race.  Michael is taking the picture.

Michael and I before the race, waiting to use the port-a-potty.

Running a 1/2 Marathon is something.  I'm still not sure how I feel about it.  I hated it and enjoyed it at the same time.  I definitely was not a fan of how hot it was that weekend.  When we finished it was 80 degrees.  I usually run at 6 am and it had been cool most mornings so I was not prepared to run in 70 degree heat.  There was not much breeze that day either.  Miles 9-13 were awfully hot with stagnant air between all the buildings.  I knew the Nashville race was hilly but BOY WAS IT HILLY!  One hill after another the entire time, wow!  Lindsay and I ran the race together and I'm not sure I would have made it on my own.  She kept me going!  

Crossing the finish line is AWESOME and such a relief.  I don't know how people do a full marathon.  I was so ready for the finish line when we finally got there, I can't imagine running another 13.1 miles for a full.  When you finish they immediately give you your medal and then you get an ice cold towel.  It felt so good.  I ended up giving mine to Michael because my dad, Morgan, and Michael were waiting for Lindsay and I and Michael was looking rough.  He was dehydrated.  Every time he tried to stand up  he got dizzy.  It took lots of Gatorade and water to finally get him up and looking a little better.  He learned a lesson: always hydrate really, really well the day before a race=)  Of course, the heat didn't help.  They have all kinds of goodies like chocolate milk, frozen fruit, yogurt, energy bars, Gatorade, water, and much more when you finish.  It really is a well run machine and everything flows really well.  They have a group of a bunch of people who take pictures along the whole course and then you can go and view them.  There are some good ones of us and some really funny ones too.  I think we are going to get one or two.  Here are some pictures from after the race.

 Michael and I after the race.  Michael was doing much better by this point.

 Lindsay with her medal.

 All five of us in our Team Trotter shirt and medals.

After the race we all went to clean up and relax for the afternoon for a bit.  The kids and dads swam and then we went to the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate my moms birthday.  Then we all went Putt Putting.  Eden had never done that before and she had a great time.  We will definitely be going again soon.

Michael and Eden swimming.

 Eden and J. David at the Cheesecake Factory.

 Putt Putting was so much fun.  It was the perfect evening for it.

 Myles even Putt Putted.  He LOVED it!

 Michael and I again with LP Field behind us.  

 Eden congratulating her Daddy and Mommy.  She was so cute when I ran by her towards the finish line.  She was so happy for us and was waving really, really big.  

 The finishers!!  Boy, were we sweaty=)

 The entire crew!  When I picked Eden up for this picture and then put her down, her legs were wet and it was from my sweat.  So gross.  

When we got back to the hotel room, I finally took off my shoes and socks and it was not a pretty site.  I knew certain toes where really hurting and sore walking around after the race.  Well I finally knew why.  I'll spare you the pictures=)  I had a huge blister on the entire side of my big toe on my right foot, a blood blister under the toe nail on the second toe on my right foot (the whole nail just fell off), and a blister on my second toe on my left foot.  My feet hurt.  I had run eleven miles without anything and then got there and ran 13.1 and got all that.  I think it was due to the heat and my feet swelling a little more because of it.  It was crazy!  

So will Michael and I ever run another 1/2 Marathon?  Who knows.  If I do, it will be a winter one!  I really want to see what my time would be with the cooler temperatures.  I prefer to run in the cold.  It feels so much better, to me anyways.  Neither Michael or I have run since the race.  I have kept my bootcamp up but haven't run, run yet.  Maybe I will soon.......

This is how Eden rode the entire way.  She watched movies and did great!

I got a special treat on Sunday on our way home.  One of my good friends from college, Elizabeth, lives outside of Jackson, TN and it worked out for us to meet up at Dairy Queen that afternoon for a short visit.  I was so glad to see her and meet Jeremy, her new husband.  I hadn't seen Elizabeth in four years and was thrilled to catch up even if it was for a brief bit.  Her and Jeremy are going to be great parents because she is expecting her first little one in the fall.  I am so excited for them.  Thank you Elizabeth and Jeremy for meeting us=)