Another half ... and the last for a while

So, today I ventured out to do another half. No big deal right, you've done how many of these already this year? This is what I told myself. Not too long into it, I was singing a different tool.

When you are pregnant, your energy level is zapped. You get tired a hell of a lot sooner than you normally do, and your body is working a bit harder with each and every step. I told myself this was no big deal, my energy was starting to come back so surely this wouldn't be too different from the last half I did back in June. Way wrong.

First, even before I hit mile 1 I started to feel a blister forming on my right foot - right on the damn ball. Sure enough by mile 2 it was making every step miserable. I couldn't stop - I had to finish. Around mile 5 I started to feel another forming on my heel ... that one was awesome at the end. So with two blisters making every step misery, trying to keep my heart rate below 140 (doc's orders) and trying to stay hydrated, um, it was a challenge.

Second, at mile 7 I hit a wall. I was exhausted. I wanted to quit. I didn't want to keep on walking. I was done. My legs protested, my right foot was killing me. I wanted to stop ... but I told myself I had to finish. My pace dropped significantly, but I sauntered on. The aid stations remained open, thank gawd, and I kept trucking along. Slowly, very slowly, but surely I continued to make progress.

Third, I was trying to pace myself when it came to drinking fluids because there were no damn bathrooms along the course, at all. I noticed around mile 9 that I started to feel a bit light-headed and decided I needed to really drink. Miles 10, 11 and 12 I drank like there was no tomorrow, but it wasn't enough ... I was parched when I finished and couldn't seem to get enough water in me. It was only 50 degrees when we started and 75 when I finished, but damn if it didn't feel like it was 90. Lesson learned, it doesn't matter if there are bathrooms or not, you really need to drink. If you need to go, you can always find a bush.

By the time I got to mile 10 I was dead tired. Cheryl rolled up beside me and told me that she didn't think she'd ever catch me. She kept me company until mile 11 and then she kept her pace and I continued to slow down. It was weird being that slow, but you know what, I kept on trucking. I may have finished dead last this time around, but I FINISHED ... er, WE FINISHED. 10 weeks pregnant and I fricking finished. I feel good about it.

Aftermath ... silver dollar size blister on the ball of my right foot, dehydrated as all hell (even with all the liquids I was consuming), blister the size of a car key on the back of my right heel and when it is all said and done, I couldn't eat. I felt terrible at the end of this one.