Giles & Co.: See Mommy Run!

We Crossed the Finish Line!

Five months ago I signed up for the Portland Rock n' Roll half marathon and had the goal to run it with my sister (who is an avid runner, biker...etc.). My thought process was if I sign-up and actually pay to run, then this will be a jump start for me to lose the baby weight and start training to get in better shape. My goal is to be more active and to be a Mommy my son can be proud of. So 3 months after Carson was born I started seeing a trainer. February started off great and I hit the ground "running". I ended up losing 8 lbs between February and March. The training sessions definitely helped with that. I was also getting in a few runs here and there. Well as much as I could being a working Mom with an infant that I need to be with almost as much (if not more) as he needs to be with me! I was feeling good and ready for the big May 20th race!! I was thinking, "Portland I am going to Rock YOU!" Then disaster, over Easter weekend I ended up throwing my back out and this made for a major set-back for the half-marathon training. The whole month of April and beginning of May I was nursing a hurt back, I believe I slipped a disc. Needless to say there wasn't a lot of training going on. After a month of pain, a few massage sessions and a lot of stretching, my back finally started to feel good, this was two weeks prior to the race. I didn't have a lot of hope that I would in fact cross the finish line. My thought process was, "Well I will give a good crack at it and see what happens."

Before I knew it the day before the race was here. The first challenge was leaving Carson overnight for the first time. I cried a few tears and then some. Stephanie actually said, "You don't have to go". I knew it was bad if she was saying that. I put on my big girl pants, wiped the tears and hopped in the Ski Bug with my sister...off to Portland we go. Now I was thinking, "I paid for the damn race and dammit I am going to run it"! We met up with Steph's friends and had a great dinner in Portland. Then went to the hotel to get some zzz's (I hardly slept).

And then, OMG...race day was HERE! What was I going to do? You got it...I was going to fake it 'til I made it. Steph and I found these awesome "Beer Run" shirts to wear for the race. Hey if it's just a beer run it ain't that bad...I was just going on a 13.1 mile beer run, right?! So sis and I started the race together. I told her she better go ahead of me or I was going to get pissed because she trained for this and I wanted her to have make a good time. We were kind of causing a scene, people were probably thinking "why in the hell are they arguing during the race?" Finally she went on ahead of me, but only after I PROMISED I would finish.

Well I held good on my promise. I ran the first 3 miles, until I couldn't run anymore. Crossing a finish line had never felt better even if it did take me 3 hours and 24 minutes (there was some 5 minute stops along the way so don't judge). Steph was cheering me on at the end and I will never forget what I said to her as I was about to cross that finish line...I told her to "KISS MY ASS" with a big fat smile. And boy did that beer taste good at the end and what made it better? I got to share it with my sister.

I was so proud of us! Stephanie's time was right around 2 hours and 15 minutes. I think that someday I too shall run it in that time. I think the Rock n Roll is going to be an annual deal.

The weekend of the race was full (as it always is with our crew) and I loved it! Carson and I went to Sha Sha and Grandpa's house to see the family, celebrate MaKenna's 5th birthday, Uncle Earl's birthday too, we had girl time and Grandpa even found time to use his new "mow lawner".