ROCKSTAR Tour Stop in Seattle

13.1m  See Jane Run Half Marathon

After I rocked my run in Missoula, I made a tour stop in Seattle one week later and ran the See Jane Run Half Marathon. Running two races on back-to-back weekends was a new experience for me and I wasn't sure if I could pull off an encore performance because when it comes to running, I have no self-confidence.

I'm slow, envy all the fast, fit runners who pass me, and err on the easy side as to not push myself into an asthma attack. I've learned that running is as much of a mental battle as it is a physical one for me. I hear runners talk about "pushing through my legs" or "runner's high when I can run forever," but my lungs have never allowed me to experience this. Yet, I run anyway and love it!

Racing is a social event for me and a great excuse for a mini-vacation. Yes, I just called running 13.1 miles a vacation! Every race I run I dedicate to someone and every medal I earn I give to my oldest son, DD, who proudly displays it with all the others on a hook above his bed.

See Jane Run was inspiring because it was all women (except about six brave, or dumb, men depending on your view) who were all sizes, ages, and physical abilities. Everyone was friendly and smiling. My goals for this race were the same as all my races: start, finish, enjoy the journey, and do my best. But, I had a little voice inside me wondering if I could pull of another sub 2:30 performance....

The starting gun went off and I was still standing in the potty line with about 50 other women. Lovely. We all looked at each other and just shrugged our shoulders. No one moved out of line.  You can't exactly argue when Mother Nature calls.

One benefit of starting after the gun start: no crowds. Off I went knowing there were others behind me who were yet to start the race.

I ran, didn't let myself look at my watch for pace only distance, cranked up the recently downloaded tunes on my iPod, and smiled as I worked my way around Lake Union.

I'm lucky. I have asthma yet I'm a runner. I have generous family and friends who watch my kids so I can run. Every finish line I cross is a gift regardless of my time. So what was my finish time? 2:33:46. I'm ecstatic. For me that is another ROCKSTAR performance. Could I have done things differently and made up those three minutes to have a 2:30 finish? Probably, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

Speaking of the world, it was pretty well protected while I was gone.

It was a slow 3/4 mile walk uphill to my truck-- makes for a good calf stretch. When I'd parked there was a layer of fog/mist, but before I left it had burned off and this was my view:

A great ending to a great race.