Girls Weekend + Asheville (Half) Marathon March 19, 2014 | In early January, two of my very best and sweetest college girlfriends started talking about a visit to Charlotte and I was so blinded with excitement that I also let them convince me to run a half marathon. Um, excuse me, what?! My thoughts were that I would play along and as long as it got them here for a long overdue girls weekend, I would figure out the running part at a later date. I don’t always have the best logic, but this time it worked! The girls got here Friday and we didn’t waste much time and headed out for mani’s/pedi’s, then a fun dinner. On Saturday, we left early for Asheville and it would be the first night I’d ever spent away from LK. Over a year’s worth of goodnight kisses and blaring bedside monitors without lapse, to say I was terrified nervous was an absolute understatement. Once we hit the road, I actually felt “ready” to leave Charlotte for the night and got so lost in college stories and uncontrollable laughter that it made being away easy…which was such a relief. We really didn’t venture out much in Asheville and actually hit up the exact same spots D and I had been to and few weekends before…dinner at Corner Kitchen, fireside desserts at the Bohemian and brunch at Tupelo Honey Okay, the photo above is at 5:30 am and I am literally so nervous I could die. Why on earth did I sign up for this!?! The forecast reads 44 degrees and 100% chance of rain…the entire time. If you know me at all, you know that all of this is my worst nightmare. I hate cold and rain. I mean HATE. Nonethless, I kept getting dressed and ready…in the meantime we had to google what to do with the “buff” they gave us at registration the day before. Such pro racers we are…lol! We rolled in a few minutes before start time (and right when the ran began to fall!) and literally before I had a chance to re-think it…we were off! Our run started right at sunrise and I must say the grounds of the Biltmore are so enchanting, that it made the unreal hills a little easier to bear. The run went much faster than expected (in my head, not reflected in my time) and I was able to stay on pace and run the entire time. My pace was a joke, but my goals were to run past 10 miles (my longest ever run) and actually run the entire time….and I did it! Crossing the finish line knowing that I had done both was one of the most amazing feelings ever. Although I could have done without the 5 miles of hills and subsequent 4 miles of gravel/mud through horse fields, I will admit that the rain felt great and I was never cold…I will call this a win! I am so thankful that you guys talked me into this one…I definitely don’t think that it will be my last! View of mile 6. I could not get a good pic to save my life! This girl was a rockstar! The course….just for giggles! My legs are cringing… …and in case you are wondering how these two fared…the answer is JUST FINE! Daddy chauffeured his little lady down to Greensboro for the Duke game. Yep, just him, her and the daddy backpack…major props, right? Of course, she was a total doll and I got lots of videos of her cheering! Did my heart so good 🙂
Aaryn Rubin says March 19, 2014 at 8:36 PM Good for you on the half! I am almost committed to my first one in May!