Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
1st half recap - Pittsburgh Half
Hi, I'm mostly a lurker (and an occasional replier) but really wanted to write up my first half marathon recap because I love reading these from others. I started C25k last August and have really gotten into running since.
My sister, cousin and I decided to do this race as our first half; it was out of town for us but only a few hours away. The race route goes over 5 bridges and through all different parts of the city--giving us a nice little tour of Pittsburgh. The race was well organized with lively crowds along most of the way and bands or some form of entertainment at every mile. It was really so much fun and I ran with a smile on my face nearly the whole way. I felt like I was flying along just looking around and having a good time.
My goal was to finish under 2:30 with a 'dream' goal of 2:15, but it was first race so I just wanted to run it and see how I felt. I did the Jeff Galloway method for my training and did my best to stick to it for the race. I did approximately a 4 min run: 1 min walk ratio, always putting one of the walk times in at the water stations. I drank lots of Gatorade, enjoyed the crowds and kept running along. By about mile 10, I started looking at my Garmin and trying to figure out how many miles were really left (ha, ha, at that point I seriously had to think hard about it and count on my fingers). My feet hurt a bit but nothing major and the sun was really starting to beat down. Then there was a big bridge and hill around mile 11 -12 and then 12 to the finish was all down hill. I ran the whole down hill fast and cruised to the finish. My first and my last miles were the fastest according to my Garmin for a final time of 2:12 !!!! I was so ecstatic and still am glowing! And weirdly emotional about it to..almost like traumatized?
I got my medal, got my picture taken and made my way through massive crowds to our established meeting place. I was sooo happy!!! When I got to our spot, my sister was there having finished in less than 2 hrs (she amazes me). Then we met our husbands there but our cousin was no where to be found. My sister was shocked because they had run together up to mile 11 (at which point my sister decided to go ahead b/c my cousin was slowing down and sister was feeling great). Eventually we learned from the medic tent that my cousin was found unconscious on the course and taken to the ER. So then we had to get to the hospital in a city we didn't know, with all the roads closed and make sure she was okay. Which we eventually did and she turned out to have dehydration/heat exhaustion and is doing great now. Maybe this is where the trauma comes in (?) so happy at first but then so scared for my cousin who just disappeared and didn't finish.
Anyway, sorry so long - it was a great (for me) race although a bittersweet race ending. And I can't wait to do it again once I am able to walk down stairs without having to turn around and go down backwards 
Re: 1st half recap - Pittsburgh Half
Your time is AMAZING! If I'd stayed at the finish line a bit longer I'd have seen you finish (not that I'd known it was you!). Congratulations!
I am so sorry about your cousin, and I am glad she's ok. That's super scary, and really shows you how only 70 degrees can be dangerous to a runner. Watching that happen to someone has left a permanent mark in my brain.
Sounds like someone has the running bug
Thanks! I read that they took a record 65 people to the ER during the race. She hardly remembered anything for a while, it was scary, but made me glad I took all my water stops along the way--and I'm sure we all will be more careful in the future too.
Congrats on finishing your first half, and what an amazing time!
I am glad to hear your cousin is doing better, it's scary when people start dropping along the race route.
GO! St. Louis Half Marathon-2:32:13
Omaha Half Marathon 9.23.12
Great time, congrats!
Glad your cousin is okay, that must've been really scary!
2012 Goal: working towards pre-pregnancy speed!
04/15 KI Metric Marathon/16.3 m (2:05:55, 7:43 pace)
05/06 Frederick 13.1 (1:41:09)
11/04 NYCM
Great job!
Sorry to hear about your cousin, I'm glad she's okay though. I ran it too, and around mile 11 (at the top of that big hill near Duquense) I saw someone passed out and being carried by medics, the heat and sun was bad.
It was a great course though, and I want to do it again already!
bloggity blog
Blog