Rock-n-Roll-n-Runnin'

I did it! 

My first race ever!  The Las Vegas Rock-n-Roll 1/2 Marathon!  I think I may be hooked on this running thang!  I had the best time, it was a lot of hard work, but oh so much fun!  The race started out bright and early, I had to be there at 5:00 to prepare for the starting gun at 6:15.  There were 27,000 runners with running Elvi, a run through wedding, people dressed up in costumes (my personal favorite was a guy dressed up like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz - including bright red ruby slippers instead of running shoes! or maybe they were be-dazzled running shoes?), there was also show girls, tigers in cages and rock-n-roll bands every couple of miles!  Including a couple guys from church playing with their bands! 
The run was very well organized ~ I am so glad I joined the running group though.  I would have been a mess without the guidance of the coaches and my team mates and I couldn't have done it without the support of my hubby and kiddos!   

Here's some training and race memories:

• Saturday Morning Running Group: 5:30 every saturday from June to December
• Two pairs of running shoes - Saucony all the way!
• Lots of running clothes - gotta make it fun to keep motivated, right?
• Shin splints for 4 months, so glad I figured out I had the wrong shoes for my tootsies by race time!  (So much for the fancy gait analysis, I hated those shoes)
• Logged 250 miles in 6 months!  Never thought that would happen!
• Couldn't do it without my I-pod and my mantra "the Lord is my Strength and Song and is become my Savior"
• Bananas are the sweetest reward after a long run!
• New friends and coaches (and a LOUD alarm clock!) depending on me helped get me up in the morning!
• Lost 10 pounds - 6 from running and last 4 stubborn ones by cutting out candy... boo hoo.
• Running is the best stress reliever I have found, yoga (my first passion) is a great reward afterwards!
• Cars really do not watch for runners... keep on your toes!
• Gel is so yummy and gives much needed pep in your step!  Vanilla, vanilla, vanilla....
• Race Day is so much fun!
• Racing in December is a tad bit cold - 36 degrees to be exact.  Love Under Armor, gloves and headbands!  My toes finally thawed out at mile 3!
• Running on the strip was a blast!  A whole new view of Las Vegas (and a reminder that it isn't so glam in the daytime, haha!).  City Center looks like Gotham City, I'm a little scared of it.
• Miles 1-11 rocked! 
• Mile 12 was tough, I couldn't figure out why I was so tired, I had trained hard and was prepared....
• Mile 13 - saw the family and a bestie in front of the Luxor - they cheered me on and energized me!
• Finish Line!  Cross one off the Bucket List and add to the yearly to-do list!
• Now I know why I was so tired - finish time of 2:19:28!!  I had projected to finish in 2 1/2 hours! 
• Sweet, sweet endorphins, family and friends.  Life is good.