Race Recap: Nike Women's Half Marathon DC

On Sunday April 28th I completed the Inaugural Nike Women's Half Marathon in DC. But it wasn't as easy as that sounds. First of all I ran it with Team in Training. And because I ran it with Team in Training that meant many months of fundraising. I started back in October and completed my goal of $2700 or more in March. I officially raised $3065.75 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Now let me recap the race for you.

Saturday was the expotique and race check in. We got to DC around lunch time and met up with some dear friends. Friends who also happen to be our daughter's godparents. Our daughter's godfather went to seminary with my husband and he has a church in DC. After lunch they put us on the correct bus to Georgetown so that I could pick up my race stuff. The line to check in for the race was crazy long but Nike did a good job hurrying people through it. I only waited in line for about 25 mins then we were off to the expo

Outside the race expo.

My husband and I don't do well with large crowds of people we don't know. So we walked around inside the expo for a few mins, I signed my name on the wall, well more specifically I wrote "Anna runs 4 Abby" and then we headed out to Niketown.

The Wall of Racers outside Niketown. So cool!

I told my husband that we HAD to go to Niketown because I wanted to see my name on the wall of racers. It didn't take that long to find it, we snapped some pics and then headed inside. It was insanely busy inside Nike but I quickly found someone to help me find the shirt I wanted then I got in the long line to check out. Big kudos to Nike on their speedy checkout service and customer service members helping throughout the store. Then off we went to the Team in Training Inspiration dinner. I had no idea what to expect at this dinner but it was quite awesome. They had a leukemia survivor (who was also running her first half!) and the world class runner Joan Benoit Samuelson.

Joan Benoit Samuelson on the big screen!

I left that dinner kind of in awe of what I heard. I had the honor of hearing an olympic athlete, the last American woman to win the Boston marathon. What a great night! Immediately after the dinner my friend and fellow phattie found me so we could say hi.

My friend Lynne and I. We met in FL but now we both live in VA.

Lynne and I met while running with the Phat Girlz in Pensacola. She moved up to VA so that she could attend George Washington University. She is studying Physical Therapy. I was so excited to see her. She is super speedy so we didn't run together but it was so nice to see her again.

The back of my race shirt. Virginia TNT Rockstar

After I said my goodbyes and good lucks to Lynne we headed back to the hotel so that I could lay out my race stuff and make sure I had everything. 

My race bib. Running for God. Praying for Abby.

I even took the time to write on my race bib.

My race bib and the shirt I bought in Niketown.

Then I headed off to bed. I woke up the next morning at the nasty time of 3:45am. I am not a morning person, but I will do it for a race. We headed to the metro and followed some fellow TNTers to the TNT race bag drop off. I hit the portapotties then did some stretches. After I stretched my husband I decided on a place to meet, prayed and then I headed to my start corral.

I'm in the orange hat!

I'm lacking any great race pictures because my husband said he always spotted me too late and I always seemed to be on the opposite side of him. But if you look at the picture above, taken near mile six, look directly down for the tree trunk and I am in the orange hat.

My race started really well. I was running with a TNTer from South Carolina. She was looking to run the same pace as me so we decided to run together but made no pact to stay together. I can't tell you how beautiful the course was. There were people and bands everywhere. I ran by the Bureau of Engraving & Painting, the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, over the Arlington Memorial bridge and back, the Kennedy Center, the MLK Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, George Mason Memorial, the National Archives, the National Gallery of Art, and the US Capitol. When I crossed the 15k marker I was thrilled to see that I was on pace to tie or beat my PR from Richmond. Just after mile 11 I felt a small twinge in my right calf. It quickly went away so I ignored it. A half a mile later it came back with full force. I stopped for a split second shook out my leg and pressed on. I finished the whole rest of the race with the worst cramp in my calf but I refused to walk. I ended up finishing the race ten minutes slower than my PR in Richmond. My official time was 2:04:17.

Post race pic. Dead tired but still smiling.

After crossing the finish line, holding back tears literally, I grabbed my post race food picked up my awesome Tiffany's finishers necklace, my Nike finishers shirt and headed to the TNT tent. I was required to check in there post race, so I did then I found my gear and my husband. As soon as I found my husband I clung to him and cried. I don't know if I cried more out of pain or out of frustration. When I pulled myself together we headed over to the Nuun station so that I could rehydrate. I drank four full glasses of Nuun and then told my husband I was good to go. We left the course and not a half a block from the course I said that I needed to put my warm up pants back on. I stopped undid my right shoelace kicked off my shoe, picked up my foot and immediately doubled over in pain. The pain shot up from my foot all the way to my knee. My husband told me to lie down, I got down in the middle of the sidewalk as quickly as I could. Thankfully my husband used to coach track so he knew how to stretch me out. Someone walked by and asked if I needed a medic, I softly said no and just laid there and cried while my husband held my leg. After about five minutes the pain subsided, I got up and hobbled to the hotel.

My finisher's gear.

The pain in my calf is still there but nothing like it was. I am slightly kicking myself for not seeing a medic but I think I just pulled something as there is no bruising or swelling.

Side One.

I was really beating myself up about my time until I realized yesterday how badly my leg hurt. I am proud that I finished, when I could have easily given up.

Side Two.

I earned this medal and shirt! And I will wear them both proudly. Plus, I was running in honor of Abby in PA. She is five years old and fighting leukemia. 

Everything I brought home.

I came home from the race with a Nike tank, a Nike Finishers shirt, a Tiffany's finisher necklace, a Rockstar TNT pin and certificate, a TNT 13.1 pin and a TNT 25th anniversary pin. Plus, I have the many good and bad memories of the race. It was a race I will truly never forget. I am blessed to have the experience.

Have you had a race experience like mine? How did you handle it?

God Bless.