Hershey Half Marathon 2015

This is a post I have been training to write since the beginning of July 2015. I have been struggling for a few months now with a knee injury so I was not even sure that this race was going to happen - I almost quit so many times during training and in the beginning of the race...RECAP time!

Just to set the stage...about two months ago my knee started popping. It is something popping behind my knee when I move it a certain way and it is excruciating when it happens. It has limited my training so much but by the time it happened I was two months into training and I did not want to quit. So I kept pushing. This race has confirmed for me that I truly can DO ANYTHING that I set my mind to.

I ran the Hershy Half Marathon yesterday in Hershey, PA!! This was our pre-race photo...it was 40 degrees out and so cold! The temp was great for running but felt horribly freezing before we got going!!! My knee was hurting, I was tired and was really just NOT feeling like running AT ALL!!! Have you guys ever felt like this? Seriously, I did not even want to start - I told my sister that I should not even race and just ask to pass out medals to finishers. I was NOT feeling this race at all!

So, this is my sister (in the middle) and her friend Dianne (on the left) and me (on the right). Funny story - I got our "throw away" sweatshirts from Goodwill and they only ones they had were Aeropostle (EXPENSIVE and fancy throw away...LOL)!

This is the start...

Here is the interesting part of this race story ...
My knee was hurting so bad so between the last picture and this 2 mile flag, I stepped to the side of the course and I called my mom. I told her I wanted to quit and not run the race at all. She told me run the first mile and then decide. I hung up and ran. After the first mile my knee started feeling a little better and I was so happy I did not quit! By the time I hit the two marker I was feeling really good and I ditched the "throw away" sweatshirt on this fence.

Mile 8 is where I started to feel crappy again. But I kept telling myself that I ran that far why quit now?!?!?

Then nine...

Mile 11...2.1 to go!!!!!

I loved the course at Hershey! The whole course had mile markers at every tenth mile. It was great at the end when I had 2.1 left I just counted down the last 21 cones I had to pass! I loved these!!

Needed to grab my breath so I got a selfie with this guy. Good thing I did...I was expecting a BUNCH of chocolate at the end! No such luck! Got a few kisses at Chocolate Mile (mile 12 station) and then a bite size Hershey bar at the end?!?!? Seriously, I thought we would at least get a one pounder!!

And the finish photo!! Thanks to these wonderful girls (Dianne and Kerry) for waiting around for me...they finished way before me and FROZE waiting for me since they were wet. Thanks for waiting!

Finishers medal!!! Cutest medal ever!!! Totally worth it and I am SO GLAD I DID NOT QUIT! Anyone else ever do this?!?!

Here are my final times...so happy I finished!!

And the final tally for the day!!!!! WOWSA!!!!

 

Anyone else ever almost drop out after starting a race?!? How about before starting?!? Anyone else run Hershey and feel let down by the lack of chocolate?!?

I hope you all have a great week!

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