I'm recovering from running THIRTEEN POINT ONE MILES this morning.

THIRTEEN MILES!!!!!?!!!!?!!!!!

While y'all were tucked away in your warm beds having sweet dreams this morning at 5:30am I was at MemorialPark in feels-like 27 degree temp all set to run withHouston Fit. (Thankfully there was no rain - the event was supposed to be Saturday but it was postponed due to the thunderstorm predictions.)

It was quite an experience!

I started to get teary during the National Anthem with emotions, but I knew I couldn't 'cause the tears would have frozen!
We went from the picnic loop across Memorial to Blossom, up to Shephard to Luke's Locker (aid station#1/4) on West Grey, down Dunleavy to Bissonnett to the church on Crocker by Rice (aid statin #2/3), down theRice loop to Hermann park, around the reflecting pond and all the way back.
Rounding the reflecting pond seeing my fellow Houston-Fitters across the water waving back & forth to one another was really special. I thought of each of you & all the PIMsters too.
The return trip was tough and I did a lot more walking then. I was too slow for the faster group and too fast for the slower ones, so I ended up totally alone for most of the long Dunleavy stretch (~2 miles),which made it hard to stay motivated.
By that point we had really stretched out - the full marathon group did the entire Rice loop, the entire Hermann loop and then the entire Rice loop again. Plus I skiwed down because I had been at it for 2 1/2 hours!
In the end, I was pleased with my finish time - 3 hours 20 minutes(~15 minute/mile).

Less than one month until the "real" half marathon (although we did get finisher medals & towels!). AndI'm already thinking of doing the Surfside (Texas) half marathon in February and the Seabrook one in March. The Seabrook marathon also offers a relay option if anyone is interested - 6 miles each!