To The Moon and Back

Almost a week ago - I went on a fabulous journey.  Space Shuttle Columbia carried me to The Moon and Back.  I really enjoyed this trip and realized that this is a trip that I will take again.  

When we got out to Cocoa Beach, we signed in to the hotel that was "ONLY 1 MILE FROM THE START LINE!"  LOL It's a really good thing that they didn't measure the race course by the guy who measured the distance from the hotel to Cocoa Village.  The girls and I went in to the Village and learned that having an afternoon snack was good and that we really enjoyed the village.  SIP AND SHOP!!!!!  LOL Team Vino was born and I had one of the most enjoyable days with some of my best friends.  After a while of playing in the village, shopping and laughing - while totally being photo bombed.  We headed on back to the Hotel to get ready for dinner where we would join roughly 100+ other runners at the local Olive Garden.  Need Cheese - just ask - I will raise my hand and I will only ask for one bread stick in return!  LOL Oh the things you and your girlfriends can laugh about on what was not just a Race Weekend but an amazing Girls Weekend.  

As we all settled in for the night - we realized that sleep is an important thing and getting more than 3-4 hours is really rather important!

Race Morning, we all woke up and can you believe that we all made the 4:15 a.m. bus?!?!  LOL Neither can we!  BUT we made it and we were off on that remember - ONE MILE RIDE - I think it was actually like 5-6 miles!  We made it and then began the wait prior to race.  This is when we found that we too could be astronauts, we could visit, we could meet up with some new Mama's and have an amazing pre-race time.  

RACE TIME!!!!!  Well - let me tell you - When I run after work - it is one thing to run in the dark - but running at 0600 and it's still dark - at least I knew the sun would be coming up and hoped that it would be a pretty sunrise.  I had forgotten two very important things when I got ready to go.  1.)  My Sunglasses - That's ok - it was really foggy and dark.  2.)  My Hat - it has a Lamp that I love to use when it is dark - makes seeing the road really easy!

The girls and I got into the Corrals - guess what - we got into the wrong corral.  That's ok though because we made it work - oh and THANKS ROB!  We really appreciate your bringing down the Advil prior to race start.  

12 - 11- 10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 BLAST OFF!!!!!

The race was on and we were off - YAY!!!!!

The girls and I headed out with the agreement that if we fell behind - it was ok - so we went.  Guess what - the Corral was crowded.  We quickly got separated - or so I thought.  I thought the girls I was running with, Brandyn, Trisha and Richelle had gotten in front of me in the 2:15 pace group so I was just pacing and trying to keep up - didn't realize that I was ahead of them - Oops - my bad.  I didn't realize this until Richelle tapped me on the shoulder and I asked her where they came from!  LOL I had no idea I was ahead of them, I was just trying to keep up.  

The course itself was really nice and wonderful.  I really enjoyed running through the course and seeing all of the locals along the course who had come out at the early hours of the morning and were there to cheer us on.  They were there for the full 13.1 miles cheering us on, yelling encouraging words and offering drinks - NOT Just WATER either!  I honestly thought that the Vodka was for them for being out there to watch us - LOL.  Trisha - you rock!  I did make sure that I stopped and EVERY water table that was manned by a child that was NOT associated with the actual race.  If those kids were going to get up that early in the morning to come cheer us on - I was going to make sure that I High Fived them and took the water that they offered.  

I enjoyed everything of this course.  The meeting and running with the new people.  The Mile markers and the BEAUTIFUL Course.  I had gotten into my zone, enjoyed my music and kept going.  Then, it was just before mile marker 10 I began to talk to myself.  The topic of the race, at least with myself at that moment, was well, I could just pee on myself - I wouldn't be the first, nor the last.  I could just pee over by the waterway - but my luck I would fall in and there aren't any bushes to hide behind - oh what's a runner to do?  Praise God - there's a Port a let!  Mile Ten was the bathroom break!  

I was really enjoying this race and then when I got to mile marker 13 I was in the homestretch.  I turned right on to the cobble path and the throngs of people there to cheer me on.  Yes, ME!!!!!  I was one of the thousands of people there that they were cheering on!  I was finishing my Half Marathon.  I was doing this.  Then I realized WHERE I was.  Kick it in to over drive!  Where does this extra energy come from?  The picture from above was me sprinting through to the finish.  I have never had to weave in and out of so many people before in my life but guess what - They were in my way!!!!!  I was off and on a mission.  I was aiming for the 2:45 or better mark and when I saw that clock, I was NOT going to go OVER the 2:45 mark.  Total finish time, 2:44!  SCORE!!!!  Not only did I make it under the 2:45 (Even though I was aiming for 2:30) I knocked off 40 (Forty) minutes from my previous half marathon.  It's gotta be the Sparkle Skirts!  

Finished Space Coast Half Marathon with a time of 2:44

After I had finished my race, I was looking for my friends - well, they told me that they were over by the Medical Tent so, I went to look for them.  Then I saw one of the most amazing sights in the world that any runner who just ran a long distance both love and hate to see.  ICE!!!!!!!  I was half jokingly asking the medical staff if that was my ice bath!  They asked me if I needed an ice pack and I told them "Nope, I want to sit in the ice!"  They didn't think I was serious but for those of you who know me - know me well!  (insert evil giggle here)  They didn't think I'd do it and said they wanted to take a picture so guess what - I gave them my phone too.  I only wish that I would have sat in it longer - it really felt good.  I told them that it wasn't a big deal because I was riding the bus back and that it didn't matter if my butt was wet.  LOL  

All in all - it was an amazing race and I really had a blast.  I had a great time with some friends and made some new friends.  I am already waiting, very impatiently I might add, to sign up for next years.  Next year, I will be running with my same friends, my new friends and my daughter Shannon.  Not as "SHANNON's Mom"

And As Always - I RUN 4 BEN!

#tntParis