Hattiesburg Half Marathon --- 4-2-2022 #46 half marathon for me

 

Our hometown race!  I love this race for several reasons... some of the course runs through USM (My school), it's LOCAL (no travel $$), my friends always run, great organizers, AND they have a great after party!  

However, this year I was not so sure I was going to run it.  Since my recent couple of marathons, I've been dealing with 2 issues 😔  Tendonitis in my foot, and piriformis / sciatic in my hip on the same leg as the bad foot!  And this is my bad leg to start with!! If you've ever ran with me long enough you know that my right foot tends to slap the ground harder especially after a run for awhile.  Years ago I had a disc in my lower back compress my nerve and had a lot of nerve issues in that leg for a long, long time! Months of PT and doctors visits.  I still have 2 bulging disc in my lower back, one in my mid back and 1 new bulge in my neck below my fused 2 disc so I guess you can say I'm one big party of bulging disc.   The doctor has not told me to quit running.  He has told me to be careful.  To pay attention to my body and take breaks from pounding from running constantly.   That's probably why I picked up swimming and biking a couple years ago.  

So I decided if I was doing the half it would be by jog/walk intervals.  I needed a long run since Big Sur is coming up in 3 weeks, but I also didn't need the constant pounding from running the half by running alone.   I am so thankful for Felicia who said she would do intervals with me.  I don't mind running alone, but it's nice to have friends to chat with too.  Candy & Michelle wanted to run to see if they could get a PR.   Anna also said she would do intervals, but she ran off and left me and Feleica in the beginning.  😜  She's a tad like me... she likes to start off fast. 😍  I had promised myself I would not get sucked into the normal thing of seeing people I know and trying to stay up with them.  I was going to maintain my jog/walk and save my foot. 😀  And that's what me and Felicia did for 13.4 miles (course was a tad long.. or maybe we weaved a tad too much..LOL  My watch never is exact... I don't run the tangents well.)  We finished in 2:30:48.    I felt really good about that time with 2 min jog and 45 sec walk breaks.  💓

We ran into my friend Jennifer, aka wonder Jenn, she was running with her son who is 12 and ran his first half marathon! 

Felicia at one of the decorated porta potties ... 

We also ran into our friends Michelle and Candy at one of the crossings where the runners were headed back to finish line. 

Jennifer and her son heading to the finish line. 😍

Felicia and I headed to the finish line! 💓

The gang, except for Candy who had left to go to her grands soccer game.  We also missed Ronnie & Be and Penny! They were not able to be there this year.   I also saw several of my other friends, Frank, Krista, Lyndie, Serina, Kathy, Missy, & Mr. D that I should have grabbed a pic with and didn't 😢  It was wonderful seeing so many friends out on the course.  

Felicia and I with Nestor, aka Clair the hippo. 

The biggest slice of pizza EVER! 

My niece, Brooklyn ran the 5K and placed 2nd in her age group and was 3rd overall female to finish.  

Brooklyn did a little axe throwing... I told y'all they have a GREAT after race party! Lots of food and stuff to do. 

So that's a wrap on the Hattiesburg Half.  I encourage everyone to do this race.  They have a 5K, 10K or half marathon option.  It starts and ends in downtown Hattiesburg.  GREAT EVENT!   Love our medals! I should have stopped at the Zoo when we ran there and grabbed a picture.  

I will say I'm a good bit tired today.  Yesterday was supposed to be my rest day and I worked in my yard all day except for the hour I went to church.  My arms are so sore today! and I had swim this morning.   However, it's doing things that suck sometimes for growth to happen.  Sometimes I feel like I'm burning the candle at both ends.  Working full time, maintaining a home and training full time.  I'm sure some of you feel the same way.  Sometimes or maybe most times I feel I'm not ready for an event.  Like my BIG SUR coming up in 3 weeks.  Due to my foot I haven't ran 18-20 miles what I prefer to do before a marathon so it makes me feel not ready.  However there is one thing I've learned..... It comes down to HEART and MIND.    Being prepared is doing everything you can prior to an event to be ready.  But on race day.... If you don't have the heart or the mindset... well, let me just say... it probably ain't going to happen.  You will hit a wall at some point and you must have the mindset and heart to push passed that and finish.   Heart and Mind will take you places you never could imagine.  So here's my tip today.... are you ready in mind and heart??? I'm sure working on mine for Big Sur because it's a tough course and I'm going to need it come 4-24-22.

  

My baby is going to be a DAD!

 February 3, 2022 was a very rainy night.  Gary was gone to visit his mom so after work I met Krista and Frank for supper.  We hadn't had a chance to do our normal Christmas supper together.  My daughter in law texted me asking me if I was home.  I told her no and asked if she needed something.  She NEVER replied.  So I blew it off that she really didn't need anything or maybe she was dropping something off at the house and just wanted to know if I was there or not.  

After supper I drove home in the rain thinking to myself it was a crazy night to be out on the roads.  Big water holes were standing on top of the road that would make you slide if you hit them going too fast!  I was happy to get home and get in my PJs and in my chair.  I was almost asleep when my door bell ran around 8pm.  I was like who in the world could that be.   I went to the door and before the door opened I peeped and saw my son and his wife standing there.  My heart sank thinking something was wrong and they had both came to tell me.   They know I'm usually ready for bed at 8pm.. so why would they both be coming to see me.... 

However, when I opened the door, Brett said, "What's up YAYA"... and I KNEW!! I was like oh my gosh!@!!@!@! you're having a BABY!! Of course there were tears! Very happy tears! 😍  I could barely believe it!  For one... he remembered! See I told my kids once that when they had me some grands that I wanted to be a YAYA.  Of course Brett made fun of that name.  It was bittersweet for him to remember! 💓  and the other reason I was shocked was I didn't think Whitney was quite talked into the idea.. 😁  Brett had been trying to talk her into it.... most of his friends are currently dads or about to be a dad.  He's getting very close to 30 so he said he was ready.... 😀  Whitney on the other hand just started her career as a teacher and is a few years younger than Brett so she was fine with waiting a bit.  However, I guess God had other plans. 😍  As her mom says.... Whitney was having some thyroid issues and changing medicines... and guess what.... WE got a baby on the way. 💓

I am beyond THRILLED.  I'm excited to be on this journey watching my baby boy become a DAD.  They asked me not to tell.  Whitney wanted to wait until she was at least 12 weeks along.  Man that was the hardest 6 weeks ever not being able to tell!! 😍  I'd run into people in town or at church asking if I had any grand babies on the way yet and I'd have to say no and be about to bust inside to tell them ... YES I sure do. 😍

I'm so glad on March 20, 2022 we were finally able to announce it to the world.  We had a small family gender reveal and guess what???  IT'S A GIRL!!

I made my shirt 😀 and then I told mom I made me a shirt so she had to make her one also. 😍  she's so talented!

It was a great afternoon! Whitney is going to be the SWEETEST mom ever! 💗 

They also invited me to go with them for their sonogram!  man when I heard that heartbeat, my heart just melted!  I can't wait to spoil baby Wood girl! 

Baby Wood Girl coming September, 2022! 

I may have already started shopping... 😍😂😍💟💟
  

Marathon #24 - Extra Miles & Norwegian Foot March 3/5/22

 

We thought we were ready! Little did we know what we were getting into when we accepted the invitation to run this marathon.  Extra Table that feeds the hungry partnered with the Norwegian Foot March at Camp Shelby for the first ever marathon in Hattiesburg.  100 civilian runners were invited to come run along side the military as they did their Ruck march.  

 600 soldiers from 34 different states coming together to earn their ruck badge.  Considered by many to be the most challenging foreign military badge.  To earn this badge, you must complete the ruck in 4 hours 30 minutes for men, for four hours and fifty minutes for women, with varying times for different age groups.   Participants must complete 18.6 miles while carrying a 25-pound rucksack within their time period.  And they can earn bronze, silver or Gold badges depending on the number of times they have earned the badge.. Gold = 6+ times!  To say this is impressive to watch is an understatement!  I was amazed!  I witnessed sheer determination, discipline, and just plain guts as the military marched in full gear, including BOOTS, and carrying a 25 pound rucksack!  

Several local Pine Belt Pacers that ran in the marathon.. Lots of friendships in this group!

We were all smiles BEFORE the race....

All of the marathoners....Have I mentioned it turned out to be HOT?????? The last couple of weekends we've had great running weather... lows 50s...  Well on March 5 the weather lady decided to throw us a curve ball!  High between 75 - 80!  I was so thankful for cloudy skies most of the race.  However, I was in shorts ... not full gear like the military and I was SOAKED!  Not a dry thread on me!  I can't imagine how they felt!  

The military started at 7am and we started at 7:10am.   We ran the same route with them up until around mile 9.   

At this point we split for our extra 7.6 miles to complete our 26.2 miles for our marathon.   Now up until this point we had nice paved roads with rolling hills.  Penny and I were trucking along feeling great.  She was actually telling me to slow my roll. 😂😁  She tends to keep me in line. 😎 Well, we had no idea what was ahead of us when we split off from the military.......  Neither of us had read the long email with the "details" on the course.... and actually I'm glad we didn't.. 😉

I'm not sure dirt/gravel really is a good description of what we ran on.... there were ROCKS.. Lots of ROCKS... not tiny little rocks.. .but the size rocks that will make you roll your ankle in a heartbeat and going down hill on those rocks make you feel like you were going to slide and bust your butt.  Let's just say it was CHALLENGING!!  The first aid station we came to we asked the guys how much longer the gravel was going to last... one guy said "a minute'! and another one said oh like 2 miles.... BOTH LIED. 😏  Probably so they could keep us pumped and running.   Our friends, Michelle, Felicia and Anna that were behind us running kept texting asking us how much longer on the gravel.  We  kept replying .... we STILL on it!  It seemed to last forever!  😕 And basically it did last like the full 12 miles that our email had said it would.  By mile 17 my body was feeling the heat.  I felt like I was on fire.  I told Penny my legs wanted to start tightening up.  I quickly used a LMNT pack in my water bottle and man I could tell a difference within a few minutes.  

These things are LOADED with sodium.  My doc had recommended that I try them when exercising in extreme heat.  This was my first time trying them and I believe I'll be trying them again during extreme heat races!  

Soon after mile 20 we found pavement again... 😍 

We were also meeting back up with the military that were still trying to complete their foot march.   AND boy was it Hot by that time of day!  

Mile 22 sign!  

The elevation for the course.

Penny & I finished a tad before Felicia and then Penny, Felicia and I stayed and waited for Michelle and Anna to finish.  It was amazing seeing Anna finish her first in person marathon!   We all received medals and a pretty cool finisher towel. 💗

I will say that I have some marathons that I consider HARD and I would probably put this one as #1 on that list.   I just thought Kona was hard! Maybe if we would of had cooler temps it might make a difference.... MAYBE.... but I'm not so sure... the terrain was hard.  I felt like maybe it was just me being older... but after reading many race reports on social media, I feel differently.  EVERYONE no matter their age has comment on how HARD of a marathon it was for them.  It was very CHALLENGING.  Maybe they made it that way for us marathoners since the military were doing their very HARD foot march ???  😉😀  I was super honored to be among them!  and this will always be a memory that I'll treasure.  I have a lot of respect for our Military and man seeing them complete this task just deepens that respect!  

So here's my time.... not what me and Penny expected when we first started the race.  We were right on pace to sub 5 or be real close to 5 hours.... UNTIL the off road started.   I was 4th in my age group also.  Let me just say a 58 year old ran it in 4:15! Man she must of been in awesome shape!  I want to be her in 2 years.. 😍  for this 56 year old... I feel pretty good about my time for such a hard course.  

And I have to say Rhonda and Martha from Extra Table did an amazing job organizing the runners, aid stations, course, etc.  It truly was so well organized and that means so much to runners doing long distance!  I can't thank them enough and I loved raising money to help Extra Table feed the HUNGRY. 💓

So that's a wrap on marathon #24 for me.  Marathon #25 coming up in 7 weeks ... Penny and I heading to Big Sur... FINALLY!  I've waited since 2020 for this race!!! 

Hebrews 12:1