Risk #4

Day 4:  Register for a half marathon

This is one of the best/worst risks of the entire list!  I've been wanting to do a long distance race for a long time.  I can't even imagine what it must feel like to cross the finish line after running 13 miles.  Like seriously can't imagine...because I kinda think your body shouldn't ever run that far.  But for whatever reason, I really want to do it.  So here I go, I'm going to do it.

After much reseach all over the Washington Running Report website, I narrowed it down to a few races.  I really wanted to run the Peroni Crawlin' Crab Half Marathon in Hampton, VA.  To be honest, I only wanted to do it because at the end of the race you get to go to a party with crab chowder and beer.  I figured that perhaps that wasn't the best motivation.  Not to mention I'd have to drive all the way down to Hampton and stay in a hotel, etc.  It was a little much just to get some soup and beer, so I continued my search.  Eventually  I settled on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge half marathon.  It's close by and know someone who's run it before so I can pick her brain about hills, bathroom situations, and the best way to train.

The race is October 7, so seemingly I have plenty of time to train.  You have to be able to finish in 3 hours and 16 minutes, which is about a 15 minute mile pace.  I'm at about a 12 minute mile right now (SLOW, I know), so my goal is to get it down to about 10:30-11 minutes so I'll have a cushion for when I get tired.  Lord knows I'll have to walk a little.  I mean seriously, it's 13 miles!  Even as I write this I'm thinking, what the hell did I get myself into?  And the best/worst part?  You entry fee in non-refundable, so there's no backing out.  And I'm too cheap to throw away the $95 entry fee lol.  This is the epitome of excitement and dread.