1/2 Marathon in the book!

Well, the Murfreesboro Middle Half is done!  Still hard to believe that it is over!  It was amazing! 

Shoes~ $125  /  Compression Shorts ~ $40   /  Entry Fees~ $55   / AdvoCare Slam~ $1.80 /  AdvoCare Post Workout Recovery mixed with Spark~ $2.10 / Completely my first half marathon at age 46 with my beautiful daughters(well behind them)~ PRICELESS!!! 

Mary Lane did incredible....she ran the whole way with her great friend, Nicole.  AND Mary Lane placed 2nd and Nicole placed 3rd!!!!! 
 ~2nd 1014(Overall)417(sex place)Mary Lane~1:07:51/10:47(6.3 mile split/pace) 2:22:49/10:55(Finish time/pace)
~11th 1276  590  Katherine 1:09:39/11:04 2:36:01 /11:55
and then me ~ 82 1716  895  Elizabeth1:28:17/14:01 3:22:33/15:28 not bad for the first time for a 46 year old who has had knee surgery and 6 ankle/foot surgery ~ I will TAKE IT!!!!  I came in 22:33 minutes over my goal but I will have to say~ Mile 11 was the TOUGHEST!  Thanks to our great friend Annie Jiang, who stayed with me EVERY STEP of the way!  She did a FULL marathon last Sunday so this was her recovery!  LOVE HER!

Here are some pictures from the day!  There should be somemore to follow from some other people's post!

 Susan Tribble and I representing EAGLES!! OH and by the way ~ Eagles 8-0 BABY!!! Hated to miss the game last night but knew I needed to Focus on the Task at Hand!

My Dear Ole Friend, Beth Doss, and I at the starting line!  She did GREAT!  So proud of all that she has accomplished in the last few years~ she so inspires me!!!

What a beautiful picture! Sunrise at the starting line! 

Annie and I feeling great on our warm up!  And knowing there are people behind us!!

Mary Lane and Nicole almost at the 3 mile mark!  They look STRONG!

Annie and I at the almost 3 mile mark feeling good!

Mike and Noriko at just after the 6.3 split timer!  BIG SMILES and looking STRONG!

Susan Tribble just after the 6.3 mile split looking strong and having fun!!!

Mary Lane and Nicole stayed together the whole time and RAN the whole time! So proud of them! Taking 2nd and 3rd place!!!! (same exact time so not sure how they figured that one?) 

And here come my sweet Katherine!  She stayed with Mary Lane and Nicole but had to take a comfort break so she had to run it BY HERSELF!  AMAZING!!!! 

OK~ Annie is in the middle and I am on the right with my head down.  The lady on the left in the green ~ we came up on her during mile 12.  Her partner is not in the picture.  Her head is down too.  Annie and lady in green both did Chicago Full Marathon last Sunday so this was their recovery!  LOVE IT! 

And another reason my head is down ~ at mile 13 coming into the stadium, I was overcome with emotion!

Annie and I with our girls and Joey!

Annie and I at the finish!

The BETHS at the finish ~ thanks for waiting on me for this picture!

Alison and I together at the finish!!!

Susan and I at the finish with our METALS!!!





My Thirteen

Second Post for the day ~ This week has been a weird week.  Looking at my training sheet, it was suppose to be an easy week.  Walking easy has been HARD!  I have done a lot of reading and praying!  Some of the readings have been in the form of some great articles.  There was one that really struck a chord with me~ 5 Mental Tips for a Half Marathon ~ tip 4 Remember the Big Why!  What I found interesting was a comment~ breaking down each mile for someone.  I had not thought about that!  Very Cool.  So Wednesday on my "easy" walk, I got to thinking about my 13 people.  12 came with no problem.  Number 13?  Who would I put in my mind for that mile?  Most people think 13 is unlucky.  When I got back, I was playing on facebook and read my friend's, John, post and he gave me number 13 without knowing!

My Thirteen

Mile 1~ Clay!  My best friend for over 21 years now! He makes me laugh and keeps me grounded!  He guides our family with tons of love!  He is the most amazing father to our beautiful daughters!  He does so much for his three girls!  Love this man!!!!    

Mile 2~ Mary Lane & Mile 3 Katherine~ They have inspired me for the last 14+years. They are the reason I breathe! 

Mile 4 ~ My Daddy~ He has been the love of my life for the last 46+ years!  His strength is amazing! 

Love this picture!!!

 Mile 5 ~ My cousin Al, who was a fighter! I miss him more than words can say!

Mile 6 ~ Mr. Roy! He was another fighter! And so missed!

Mile 7 ~ Miss OAT!  Tinsley is our amazing little friend that had open heart surgery in July!  She is stronger at age 3 than some people could ever hope to be!  I look forward to seeing her amazing life unfold!

My sweet friend Beth is Mile 8~ Her journey has been amazing to watch and very encouraging!  Now she encourages me thru mine!  I look forward to spending a little time with her tomorrow! 

Mile 9 ~ Annie~ She is my sweet friend that will be with me tomorrow!!!  She has encouraged me beyond belief!  She ran a FULL Marathon last SUNDAY! 

Mile 10 ~ Alison~ Tomorrow will be her first 1/2 marathon. Over the last year, she has lost over 100 pounds!  She has a beautiful smile and heart!!!!  Another friend that amazes me beyond belief! Love that God put us on each other's path! 

Mile 11 ~ Trenda ~ She has encouraged me and pushed me! She has been there to walk with me a lot of my miles!  She could have been running but she walked!  Now we can run more together!!!

Mile 12 ~ Jill ~  Love My CHEERLEADER! She had hoped to do this with me but who knew it would sell out in 11 days!  Cheer on fellow MSCC Cheerleader cause April it is you and me sista!

Mile 13~ no picture needed! Christ!  Thanks John Fields for reminding me that He hung on the cross for 6 hours for us!  Philippians 4:13 ~ I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.  I know that He will be with me thru the whole 13.1 miles but in the 13 mile ~ my mind will be focus totally on Him!  Thank you John for that wonderful reminder.

The last 1/10th ~ Once I get into the stadium and see the finish line~ that last 10th will be a reminder that not long ago that was more than I could run!  Hopefully, I will have a little something something in the tank to run it for ME!!!! 

Well, it is now less than 11hours till race time! So I think I will try very hard to get some rest! WOOHOO!!!

Focus on task at hand!

In a little over 16 hours, I will be doing something that I have never done before ~ a 1/2 marathon!  If you had said a year ago ~ Hey, Beth, in Oct of 2011, you will do a 1/2 marathon ~ I probably would have spewed Dr. Pepper out of my nose!

This was me with Aaron Solomon a little over a year ago!

A year ago, I was not exercising so NO muscle tone, about 35 pounds heavier, and about 3 (maybe 4) sizes bigger!  This has been a tough years in so many ways.  So many obstacles have been at every turn.  And even a few obstacles placed by the most unlikely people?  But thru it all, I have tried very hard to be completely focused and very honest with myself!  When I look at the 35 pounds lost, at first, I was completely bummed that the number had not been moving cause after all I was raised to think that whatever number is on the scale is the gospel truth!  My great friend, Trenda, reminded me one day ~ don't get hung up on the scale number ~ muscle weighs more than fat and GIRL you have converted!!!  I love that I have friends around me that not only encourage me but will be honest with me!  I know I have a ton of work to do to get to my goal but I am on the right path.

That path began last January with a phone call from a good friend, Jennifer Boyd, and I have not looked back.  When I started walking(really walking) in March, I could not believe how hard it was!  But I pushed thru it!  By May 5, something came over me, and before I knew it I was signed up for the Murfreesboro Middle Half.  Well, in May ~ October 15 seemed like FOREVER! And now it is HERE!!!  In May, I was completely worried at what I read ~  15 minute Mile ~ at the 6 mile mark by an hour 1/2 after start ~ if not get on cart and don't cross finish line ~ OH MY GOSH was I prepared for that!  Was I crazy! So I clicked submit and have not looked back!  Then my sweet daughters said hey we will do it with you!  Then my sweet friend Annie (who just did a FULL marathon last Sunday) said, I will stay with you ~ we will get you to the 6 mile mark!  SO again I focused on the task at hand and on my long day I went 10 miles, not even really trying to do it in a time limit, in 2 1/2 hours ~ a 15 minute mile!  And my daddy talked to me thru mile 8 & 9 ~ and KNEW ME!  (another story) 

So the past several weeks, my focus has been to get my 15 minute for sure mile down and I have!  My best mile has been 12.70!  So now my goal is about a 13 minute mile average and to not only FINISH my FIRST 1/2 Marathon but to come in at or under 3 hours!  (My Birthday Goal is 1000 miles! As of today, I have logged 460 miles since mid March!  But I must focus on the task at hand!!!) 

OH MY GOSH~ I have a bib number with my name on it!!!

And the other two ~ they are AMAZING!!!

My Daughters INSPIRE me!