Road Runner Girl: New Orleans RoCk 'n RoLl HaLf MaRaThOn!!!

Let me start out by saying that this race was AWESOME! There was a band at every mile, tons of spectators cheering us on, and it was well organized! And the medal ROCKED! As far as my run goes....not so much. Last week I came down with a cold or sinus stuff...my nose was so stopped up and I was so congested. By Friday my nose had cleared up considerably so I had hope. I felt good when I woke up Saturday morning. We headed to New Orleans and went to the expo. I started feeling bad at the expo...had a headache, no energy, tired, and a little nauseous. I just figured my sinuses were still bothering me so I took a Tylenol Sinus when we got back to the hotel. By the time we got to dinner, my headache was gone but I felt HORRIBLE. The best way I can describe it...I felt like you feel when you have sat in a hot tub for too long...drained of energy, nauseous, tired. But it would kind of come and go. One hour I would feel horrible and the next I wouldn't feel too bad. I went back to the hotel and went to bed...praying that I would feel better in the morning so I could run this thing that I had trained for for so long. I woke up the next morning feeling better but still not 100%. I didn't care though...I was going to RUN! The first 6 miles of the run were great! But around mile 6 I started having that yuck feeling again that I had on Saturday. By mile 9 I was feeling awful. I told my friends to go and run on without me because I didn't want to keep them from making their goal time. Paige went ahead (and ROCKED her time...so proud of her!!!) and Leah stayed with me until about mile 11, where I had to stop and walk some. Those last 2 miles by myself were torture! I did intervals of running and walking. Finally I saw the finish line...but it looked so far away! I was able to run through the finish line! I ended up with a new PR (about 11 minutes faster than my last half) but didn't make my goal time. That made me sad because I know I would have made it if I had been feeling good. The rest of race day I felt horrible. And Monday I felt bad too...but I never ran any fever. I went to the doctor yesterday and found out that I have a small touch of the flu. So...I feel a little better about my time now...I ran with the flu and it was still a PR! Next up...Disney Princess Half Marathon in a little less than 2 weeks! I know the sickness may set me back some so I am prepared to walk a lot and just take it easy during this one. I am going to stop and take lots of pictures, have fun, and just not worry about my time. Going to try to make my goal time in April at the Gulf Coast Half Marathon. So that's my tale of the weekend...thanks for reading...I know I wrote a book lol!

Oh and I guess you want my official time: 13.1 miles in 2:33:37 at an average pace of 11:43.

Here are a few pictures before, during, and after the race.

All of us on race morning!