We Are...DETROIT INTERNATIONAL HALF MARATHON FINISHERS!!!

We did it. We finished the Detroit International Half Marathon...Here is our story.

Our Half Marathon Weekend (cause that's a thing) started Friday afternoon at the Expo. We took our littlest babes along to get our bibs.

Then Saturday morning I woke up and saw me and my sweet babe in the Detroit Free Press 

The lady across from me had found a headband that had the word MOM inside the Superman symbol and she gave it to me...In this picture I was in the middle of telling her I wanted to hug her.  And it was the headband I wore for the run. 

The night before the race we loaded up our kids and husbands and went to my favorite place to have a pre race meal...Smokehouse 52.  Smoked chicken, vegetables, 2 pieces of Jiffy corn bread, and fried pickles...oh and 5 glasses of water of course. It was heaven.

And our herd of children were actually very well behaved. That's always a win. 

Then it was home for a hot bath that of course Ty Ty HAD to join me for...........................................that kid...SOMEDAY he won't want to be attached at my hip right!?!?!?!

I laid out my running clothes...packed extra warm clothes for after...checked 7,429 times that I had everything and then went to bed...I fell asleep just before 10.  I woke up to my alarm at 4:00. That's it. That simple. No crazy dreams...no kids in our bed...Nothing.

The morning was absolutely perfect. MINUS the fact that I had planned on eating toast with peanut butter on it...come to find out at 4 a.m. that we were out of bread. AWESOME. So bacon and applesauce it was.  The most AMAZING, LOVING, KIND, CARING, INCREDIBLE babysitter in the world ......no you CAN NOT have her number.........was at our door at 4:30 and Jen and her husband were there to pick us up at 4:40. As I was walking to the car Jen says,,,"Have you cried yet?" I had not...I was really trying to keep my game face on.

Now did I cry the entire time I was making the playlist..YES. 

And the last 3 nights while I watched You Tube videos of the Detroit Free Press Finish Line. YES.

And when anyone would post on my facebook wall with encouragement. YES.

But on the morning of the run it was game face time. UNTIL we were pulling out of our driveway. Some other Mother Runners we know had lined my and Jen's front yards with signs

OBVIOUSLY I took this picture when we got home because at 4:45 a.m. it's DARK...but I mean serioulsy...who does that? Mother Runners do that.

THEN as we were heading out of our little town on the way to the big city when this happened.

Those same Mother Runners that decorated our yards made us our own cheering section ... At 4:45 in the morning. What a perfect way to start our day. To feel that supported. To feel that loved. It was absolutely perfect. 

We headed to Detroit where our handsome husbands dropped us of in a COMPLETELY safe area.......................... and headed to the start line. We stopped at the MGM Grand to use the INCREDIBLY nice bathrooms. Casinos have the best bathrooms. 

We got to our corral at 6:50...10 minutes before start time. Perfect. We saw our husbands and stood there for a couple minutes taking it all in and then Eminem's Lose Yourself comes on over the speakers...You can feel the energy in the crowd...everyone we are standing there with had spent the last 4 or 5 months preparing for this race just like we had. We had all spent HOURS preparing our bodies and minds for THIS MOMENT. To be standing at the start line with the Ambassador Bridge in the foreground. To be 100% ready to CONQUER this race. It is so hard to put into words the feeling standing in a sea of over 27,000 runners is like. But it is one of my absolute favorite parts of this race. 

The countdown to the gun began and BANG the elite runners were off.  We were in Corral G and they released a corral ever 2 minutes...This was the first official race I wasn't running with headphones and I'm so glad I didn't.  As we were getting closer to the start line Don't Stop Believing was playing...All I could think was DON'T CRY. DON'T CRY NOW. You have a race to run. Crying during races gives me a horrible side ache and I have worked WAY TO HARD to not PR this race.

I kept my eyes on the American and Canadian flags at the start line and kept my game face on. 

No tears....just so much pride in what Jen and I have done. We were finally there. We crossed the start line and we were off. 

Mile 1 and 2 were PERFECT. Great pace. Lots of people. And the entire time we are watching the Ambassador Bridge...the bridge we would be crossing into Canada...my first time EVER being out of the country. That was my focus for those first miles. Then at about mile 2.5 we started the ascent up the bridge.  This is a moment of this race that every single person waits for...The Ambassador Bridge at sunrise. 

I wasn't thinking at all about running...or pace...I was thinking about this experience. This once in a lifetime experience. My first time out of the country. Crossing this bridge at sunrise. Being next to the Mother Runner that had been there with me every step of training. This moment was one we had talked about during every long run...and we were about to be there...about to cross over this bridge as the sun is rising. 

It was about a half mile ascent from the base of the ramp to the peak of the bridge but it didn't feel like it. There was so much to look at...And then...

There is was....The Canadian Border. All through training I had mixed emotions about leaving the country..Totally rational thoughts like....

"What if they close the border while I'm over there and can't get home to my kids?" 

But coming up to this flag we were on a huge down hill and people were cheering as they crossed the border... I could hear the crowd at the bottom but over it all I heard the announcer say, "WELCOME TO CANADA!! DON'T YOU FEEL SAFER ALREADY!?!" I will never forget that. It was the perfect way to cross the border.  As we approached the bottom of the hill I could see the actual gates and there were officers everywhere...but they weren't standing there with guns and stopping us for cavity searches...they were high fiving us as we ran through. 

We stopped for a not so quick pit stop....Stopping is always hard during a race...But we had two choices...stop to pee...or pee your pants...whichever we chose we just had to be fine with the consequence. Even though they had 75 porta potties it seems every runner made the same choice ....Standing in line I saw the 10 min mile pacer pass....then the 10:15 mile pacer...DON'T let this mess with your mind Sarah. DON'T try and catch up and gas yourself for the rest of the race. Being my 3rd half marathon or more distance I know the amount of energy I needed to finish those last 3 miles strong. Jen meets me back by the road and we are off again. We start out at an 8:25 pace....it takes every ounce of my being to say slow down. But we did...and I told her exactly what I just wrote. We will catch them...maintain our 9:45 pace. Run our race.  

I knew that to catch up we would have to do some serious bobbing and weaving through this sea of runners but as we kept running I stopped thinking about our pace and watched the crowd. Canadians are awesome. The cheering sections. The signs. The energy. The love. Awesome. Those 4 miles absolutely flew by. We caught back up with the 10 min pacer with about 1 mile left in Canada and hung there for the remainder of our out of country experience. As we got closer to the entrance to the tunnel the crowds started to thicken up and there it was....my biggest weakness...a cute little boy holding a giant sign that said GO MOMMY. Tears. Instant tears. Then BAM the crying and running side ache started. Pull it together Sarah. You have a lot of race left to run. ALOT. 

GAME FACE.

GAME FACE RIGHT NOW!

Then right at the mouth of the tunnel my phone buzzed...It was my sister sending me the fishing pole emoji...because one of my other SUPER rational fears with this race was the tunnel collapsing while I was inside. I told Jen who of course knew about this fear of mine...we laughed...my side ache started to fade...and we began our underwater mile. 

The tunnel...oh the infamous tunnel. Think THOUSANDS of runners dressed for a 30 degree run but now stuck in a mile long air circulation-less tube. It was a decent down hill in but we were still sticking with the 10 minute pacer to let my side ache stop...and then the never ending up hill. This tunnel curves to the left at the end but you can't see it...you can't see the out..all you see are a sea of runners going up a giant, never ending, hill in a hot box of a tunnel.  The smell...the heat...the fact that I was running UNDER A FREAKING RIVER....The panic started to creep up...and then when I thought I couldn't take it anymore...There was daylight. We curved to the left and got hit in the face with the most amazing breath of fresh air I have ever taken.  When we crossed back into the U.S there as a banner that said WELCOME BACK TO THE U.S.A...I jumped and touched it. We made it back! 

We saw our handsome husbands that yelled super encouraging things like...

"Hi! You're doing GREAT! Now stop waving and RUN!"

Not to far ahead of that was the 8 mile water station. We walked through this one and got a decent drink for the first time all morning. And off we went again. I usually hit my wall at around 8 miles. But I hadn't yet. At mile 9 we were still going strong. Feeling good. 

Then...mile 10. Mile 10 was the longest mile of the day. We didn't hit a wall exactly...It was just a very uneventful mile. Not many spectators and a long straight stretch of road. Up until this point we had been running through crowds, over international borders, and under water miles...so this was pretty uneventful....................But we were passing people! I've never passed people at this point in a race before...I'm usually struggling to survive! I felt great...strong...and confidant in my ability to finish this race with BEAST MODE TURNED ON.

Towards the end of mile 10 there was an M and M station. I TOTALLY took some...out of a huge tub...that every other crazy runner had as well. Now thinking about that choice........................EW.  

At mile 11 was our last water stop. We walked through the water station getting a decent drink so we could finish strong....I said..."Home stretch mama." And we were off for the final kick. 

Our handsome husbands saw us right after this (that's me in the hot pink) 

And before I knew it we were at mile 12.  I saw a woman with a sign that said...

DON'T STOP NOW

PAIN IS TEMPORARY

THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT IS FOREVER

Just what I needed. 

I remembered another Mother Runner's words. 

"When you know that feeling of going deep within yourself, and being brutally honest with yourself, and seeing that yes, you can keep going, the victory at the finish line is oh, so sweet. It will last with you for a lifetime." 

I thought of the Mother Runners that put signs in our front yards and woke up before dawn just to cheer for us on our way out of town.

I thought of the friendship I've built with the Mother Runner next to me...The hours spent together talking and laughing while we ran miles on end. 

That last mile was our best mile of the day...9:03....that's a pretty freaking awesome kick.

Before I knew it we rounded the last corner...I could see the finish line about 1/4 mile away.  

I said..."I see the balloons...ready?"

And we ran as fast as we could. We passed our husbands for the last time hearing them yell "GO!! RUN!!! YOU'RE ALMOST THERE!!" 

The balloons got closer...

The crowd got louder...

We pushed to the very end and crossed the finish line together...with pride, power, and an incredible feeling of accomplishment. 

We did it. 

We are Detroit International Half Marathon Finishers.

This was literally RIGHT after we crossed the finish line...Those smiles say it all. All the miles. All the time. All the things we couldn't do because we were training. All the early mornings. It is all so worth this moment right here.

And those foil blankets.....LIFESAVERS. And it makes us look legit.  Our official time is 2:13:57...That's pretty freaking awesome.....It's a PR for Jen because it was her first half and a PR for me from my half last fall by 27 minutes. Yeah. TWENTY SEVEN MINUTES. I could not have done this without her. I would not have been that well trained and I would not have had nearly as much fun getting there. 

We found those handsome husbands that had cheered for us all morning. Took some pictures and headed to the car. 

When I told people that I was doing this race they would say things like, "Oh is running like that in Detroit safe?" 

YES. YES IT WAS! Not only was it safe it was a once in a lifetime experience. 27,000 runners. the energy at the start line, crossing the Ambassador Bridge at sunrise, running through Canada, the underwater mile, the signs, the encouragement from spectators,the neighborhoods that we ran through where people set up their own music and were dancing along the sidewalks, the volunteers that gave us encouraging words at each aide station and wrapped us in foil blankets at the finish line. 

For the first time ever I ran without music blaring in my ears...This time I heard the people...the cheers...the encouragement...the love for the runners. 

THAT is Detroit. And I cannot wait to go back. 

Detroit International or BUST!!!

It's here...It's FINIAL Y HERE!!!

What's that you ask......................

IT'S TAPER TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But first...let's start with how we got there...

At 11:59 p.m. on December 31st, 2013 I sat on my couch...lap top open...credit card ready...and registered for what was going to be my BIG RACE this year.  Detroit International Half Marathon. Registration opened at midnight...they only allow a certain number of people to register that early and for a SERIOUSLY discounted price and I made the cut.

My husband was all WOOOOO HOOOOOO for the discount........................

And I was already crying...because I just committed to a race that was 10 months away....10 months...a lot can happen in 10 months...But signing up for this race meant that I was committed to not just running this race...but making this the best race I've ever ran.

I know...I've ran 2 other half marathons...But that doesn't mean I was well trained and mentally prepared for them.  My first half you can read about HERE...I was totally under trained... But I was there to finish...and experience it...and I loved it....My next long distance race was a 25 K that I ran in May...You can read about that HERE...I was 100% trained to run a half marathon...not 2.5 miles farther than that. That wall runners hit is no joke. When I passed the 13.1 mark in that race my body said........I'M DONE! I finished...but I remember thinking I could have done better...I could have been stronger...I could have not had so much self doubt...

I knew I wanted this race to be different. I knew I wanted to stand on that start line with all the confidence in the world. To feel like I would not have done one single thing differently. To not have the guilt that comes with missing a long run...or not doing enough cross training...To know without a shadow of a doubt that my body and mind were ready for this race.

Since the night I registered for this race I have been training.

Ran my fastest mile EVER...cutting my last mile test time in HALF!!! 15:30 mile to 7:30 mile in one year!!


I have trained and ran a 25 k,




Placed 2nd in a 5k, PR'd said 5k by 5 minutes.


Ran a sub 9 minute 5 miler that even had a mile of TRAILS in it...and may or may not have finished without my shirt on.............................

Attended countless bootcamps


And then spent the last 4 months training harder than I ever have before with one of the best training partners I could ever ask for.

We completed every.single.long run. From 4 to 11 miles.

We both have little kids...Mine our 5, 3, and 1...Hers are 5, and 2.......In order to not drive our husbands completely crazy we would get up and run our miles or go to boot camps before the sun was even up....

There were mornings I would NEVER have gone without her.  I would have stayed in my warm bed and said..."I'll make up those miles later today." But what I learned from past training is "later today" turns into not happening...which is why I've never been 100% ready for a race...Until now. We didn't let each other quit...we didn't let each other sleep in...we didn't let each other stop early...or skip a workout...we pushed each other to be the best Mother Runners we could possibly be. 

After finishing our last long run on Sunday we celebrated the beginning of TAPER TIME!!! It's the time in training where you cut back to let your body rest and recover for the upcoming race... I have never been so excited to taper and I attribute that to the incredible amount of work we have put in these past few months.  Since finishing our run yesterday I have randomly busted out singing IT'S TAPER TIME....IT'S TAPER TIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMEEEEEE!!! 

It's time to rest and let our bodies repair......

And turn it on......................

Because in 6 days we will be standing at the start line with thousands of people getting ready to run..........

We will cross the Ambassador Bridge at sunrise and run the next few miles through Canada...I've never been out of the country...this is big news for this small town girl.

Then we will run back through the tunnel that goes UNDER the river...{Insert small to medium size anxiety attack here................... }and back into the U.S. where we will see our handsome husbands waiting to give us the last push we need to finish the final 5 miles......and by push I mean brightly colored and hand made signs.................HINT HINT HUSBANDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  In the stories I've read about this race many people say this is the best part...You can hear the crowd cheering on the U.S. side as you enter the tunnel. I'm already crying about it.

And we will finish those last miles strong...because we have trained like BEASTS for this race. 

We are ready. 

We are 100% ready.

We are the definition of Mother Runners...and damn proud of it.