I believe this is the best way to recap this race, except you can add a few more explicits in there. (Look the Times Picayune captured me and my perfect abs! Oh, how I wish.)
Holy Crap, y'all. I'm seriously considering retiring from running for the summer. How are you supposed to breathe in that kind of weather? Yes. I do realize that with that statement, I have officially sealed myself as a Yankee, but at least I only want to kill myself due to the heat for 2 months of the year, instead of 10. For the record, the hottest I had ever run in previous to this disaster was a brisk 60 degrees.
It was 80 at 8:30am. I was sweating standing in the port-a-potty line. I wouldn't say I regret it, because I got to have a blast with my brother, through training updates (we sent weekly injury updates. Who knew 2 people could hurt themselves as often as we did?) and of course it was awesome running together those first 2 minutes of the race before I sent him on his way. We got to have a pre-race carb loading party, just the two of us. I got to share my tid-bits of running advice (which he would later say he should've listen to). We got to goof off half- asleep on the way to the race, in the multiple port-a-potty lines I made him stand in (for the record, I only peed twice!), on the bus ride to the start and of course on the post-race recap ride home. What can I say? He's the coolest brother ever, even if we are so alike we have trouble getting along.
Me and Brother on the Bus to the start (no it wasn't short)
Waiting for the start with 12,500 of our closest friends.
But I digress. By mile 3, I had given up running. I tried, y'all. I really did because I wanted to see what kind of a difference not smoking for a week would do. When I saw my hand shaking as I went for water, I decided visiting a medical tent and not getting to run Nashville this weekend wasn't worth trying to show off. I texted my sister I would be a lot longer than originally expected (which turned out to be only 10 extra minutes) and I took my time.
That half of a half marathon was worse than the actual NYC Half. Hands down. I would have had a DNF next to my name if it was that hot for the half. I'm really glad I decided to train during the winter. Give me 20 degree weather any day.
I definitely added an extra .7 to the race as I zigzagged every time I saw a sprinkler and tables that I thought were water stations (dammit. Who drinks beer in sweltering heat?!). But in true New Orleans fashion, there was a lot of drinking going on throughout the course. It reminded me not to take it too seriously. Lots of costumes and lots of fun.
It was a hot sweaty clusterfuck, but so worth getting to see my family at the finish line. I don't know if I will ever get the bright idea to do it again, but at least now I can say I did it.
I am really glad The Mardi Gras Marathon is in February.
My Momma, Me and My Daddy.
And of course, Best Post Race Dinner.
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