Are you half proud of me?

This past weekend I was able to run a half marathon with some of my friends here in Ohio. It was a great experience that I really enjoyed! I decided on behalf of the marathon I will write 13 things that I learned while running or training for a half-marathon.

1. Good shoes really do make a difference. Unfortunately I didn't have good shoes. By the time I discovered this fact it was too late to break in a new pair. Needless to say I have one huge blister/callus and some smaller blisters.
2. You may loose toenails. One of my toenails has gone blue and I am not sure if I am going to lose it or not (great look for summer the toenail-less wonder).
3. Hydration is definitely a great idea. My training buddies and I went on our 11 mile run when it was really hot (86 degrees when we finished) and ran out of water before the last 3 miles. Needless to say it was a really hard run and we were lucky we did not get heat stroke.
4. Throwing up is not the worst thing that can happen when running. If you are wondering what this means go online and look up runners gut.
5. Don't eat a Chipolte burrito the night before you run 10 miles (refer to the previous online search if you need further details).
6. Running with someone makes the time go by much faster. I trained with some great friends and when I was with them I enjoyed my time a lot more. Thanks Ariel, Kristina and Angie.
7. It is amazing how much you can run and still not lose much weight. I really think this needs no explanation.
8. Even if you miss a few runs in your training you can still feel good running a half marathon.
9. Cheering with the crowd during the marathon helps your energy level exponentially. We cheered with the crowd at each mile and whenever they would clap for us and it helped with our motivation. Several people told us they wanted to run by us because we had all the energy.
10. Replenishing the calories you burn with a night at the Olive Garden is a must. My friends and I did just that the night after the race.
11. You can run the race with a cold and survive. I was not feeling very well the morning of the race. I have had a sinus cold and I carried tissues with me for the whole race. It didn't have as much of an effect on me as I thought it would.
12. My husband is a wonderful supporter. He made Carson a shirt that had our pictures on it and said, "My Mommy is Fast. 13.1 miles way to go Mommy." I thought it was so cute he also had a gift for me as well. Thanks Honey!!

13. Running a half marathon can actually be fun. I now see how people can get addicted to running. It actually is not as bad as you think it may be. I do have a little soreness, but no pain no gain.
.1 One more, 70's basketball shorts make a great running short. Eddie HATED my shorts but I love them. I got them from North Cache when they were getting rid of old basketball unifroms. They are one of a kind and great to run in. No school like the old school!