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I am a half-marathoner :)
It was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my entire life, so it deserves a long post 
We drove up to Louisville on Friday night, after having gotten up at 3am Friday to watch the Royal Wedding. We ate dinner with some friends and then I headed to bed. I didn't sleep very well at all because my husband decided it would be an awesome night so snore so loudly that I woke up nearly every 1/2 hour to elbow him and tell him to turn over. I didn't have another bed to go to because we were staying with friends.
I got out of bed at around 5:30am and took a quick shower. I ate some oatmeal with granola and a spoon-full of peanut butter and drank lots of water. I finally got my husband out of bed and we were off to the race!
As we got closer to downtown, I got more and more nervous. I had insane butterflies in my stomach and serious doubts about whether or not I could actually finish what I was about to attempt. My H dropped me off near the start line and I followed the other thousands of runners to my corral, where you line up based on your anticipated finish time to keep slow runners out of the fast runners' way. I went immediately to port-o-potty line and stretched really well as I waited the 15 minutes to use the pot. I got to my spot in the coral right as the race was starting.
At this point, I am literally shaking with excitement/fear/self-doubt/emotion while fellow runners were chomping at the bit as if they were the fast race horses that would race in the competition of their lives in the same city in just one week. It took about 9 minutes to get to the start line and to the point where I could actually run.
I breezed through the first 7 miles and was feeling great. I didn't slow down for water until about mile 6 and only drank enough to refresh me. Miles 7-9 were through Churchill Downs which was an incredible sight, but a very hard couple of miles through tunnels, up ramps and around the back side of the track.
Around mile 10.5 I really thought I couldn't go any further. I couldn't feel my legs and I was so tired: emotionally and physically. It was at that point that I heard a man running beside me tell another runner that it was his 60th birthday and he was running in his first ever marathon (it was a mini and a full). He was so proud of himself and so confident. I literally started to cry and knew that if he could run the full, I sure as hell could run a half. I pushed it though the rest of mile 10 and 11 and that's when I saw the sign for mile 12.
Mile 12. I was doing it. I was still running and I was about to finish a half marathon.
Throughout the race, there were a lot fewer spectators than I expected considering there were 15,000 runners. Mile 12 was different story. There were a TON of people screaming and cheering. I didn't know any of them, yet they were cheering for ME because I was about to finish and I was almost there. I pushed through the pain in my hips and knee and heard someone say: "just half a mile - you can do it! The finish line is right around the corner!".
And there it was in all its glory. It was the weirdest feeling ever. It's like time stopped and all I could think about was what I'd been through in the past 6 months training for this, going through fertility treatments and let downs, and the fact that I did this by myself, for myself. I was overcome with emotion as my foot hit the finish line and I cried like a baby.
2 hours, 40 minutes and 56 seconds. Definitely not the fastest time in the history of half marathons but here's what that time meant for me: I finished. I worked hard for something that I never thought I'd be able to do, and I made it my b!tch.
Here were my goals: A) don't die. 
cross the finish line. C) don't walk. I am
proud to say that I accomplished all 3
I had no expectations of
a finish time because not only was this my first half marathon, it was
my first real race. Would I have like to have gone faster than 12:21
mile? Yes. Will I do better next time? Without a doubt. I'll know
that next time, weight training really does matter and so do short runs
during the week.
If you would have asked me a year ago if I thought I could have completed 13.1 miles at one time, I would have laughed in your face. This race changed me. I am a stronger person now and I am so proud of myself.
Even though I can barely walk today and I have a hell of a blister on my right foot, I am already looking for another race to schedule. My hat goes off to anyone who can run a full marathon because I could not fathom having to go 13.1 more miles after finishing the first 13.1.
Thank you all so much for all of your support! I still get emotional thinking about what I accomplished!! 
Me with my FINISHER'S medal (excuse the sun-squished face)
Re: I am a half-marathoner :)
October 11, 2008
Trusty Gal blog|Trusty Tales
I'm a breastfeeding, baby wearing, cloth diapering, co-sleeping, anti-CIO Mommy
Raising Bean
Wives Unscripted
Married my hero on 10-11-08
Our bean was born on 05-19-11
What a wonderful story, I totally teared up too!
Good for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats, what a great accomplishment!
Wives Unscripted
Brie's Blog 10.11.08 The Top Shelf Bookshelf
my read shelf:
Welcome to the dark side
So proud of you! Your story makes me really want to train for the Philly half in November now, it truly was inspirational to read it! If I can get these tendon issues figured out in my feet, I'll be great!
Congrats again!!! So proud of you!
Welcome to the dark side
Mrs. Little Drew 10/25/08
Blog
TTC since 1/2010 - Dx with Stage IV Endo
11/10 - 100mg Clomid + trigger + IUI + Estradiol + Progesterone = BFN
12/10 - Unmedicated cycle due to RE not doing treatments in December = BFN
1/11 - 100mg Clomid + trigger + IUI + Estradiol + Progesterone = BFN
2/11 - Same sh!t, different month = IUI cancelled due to no response = BFN
IVF #1 - Start stims (Follistim) 5/10, add in Ganirelix 5/14
ER 5/21 - 13 retrieved, 7 mature, 5 fertilized; ET 5/26 - transferred one perfect 1AA blast. 3 snowbabies.
Beta 6/3 - 15.8; Beta 6/7 - 21.8; Beta 6/10 - 7
FET - Transferred 1 AA blast 7/11. Beta 7/20 - 311! Beta 7/22 - 784!! First u/s 8/10
*~PAIFW/SAIFW~*
you brought tears to my eyes stacey! that is so amazing! i am so proud of you!
what a great story and such an accomplishment!
Zoey Emma 08.18.10
DO IT!
I know having Kiley is for sure probably your proudest moment, but to be able to train for something like this by yourself FOR yourself is an amazing feeling.
It really makes you feel like you can do anything!