#mightbearunner

Maybe?

I'm not quite sure that I'm ready to label myself as a runner, but I'm getting closer and closer to no longer being able to use my favorite #stillnotarunner hastag.

I had one goal for my football-free weekend {did you notice the lack of college football week 10 update yesterday?} and it was to run on the Kiawah Half Marathon course. Not just run on it, but complete a solid 9 - 10 miles of the course.

Here's the course map, in case you're curious:

I wanted to start at the start line and run to mile 5. But instead of following the course out to the Ocean Course {it still blows my mind that I have to run alllllll the way out there}, I was planning to hang a right by the fire station and head down the back part of the course on Flyway Drive.

I had several back up plans in case the run didn't go well this weekend.

1. Cut down the Allee of Oaks to do a smaller 5 mile loop.

2. Cut down Bufflehead to knock off a mile or so of the run.

3. ... if all else failed, I was going to call my parents to come pick me up.

But you know what?

I kicked some serious tail on my run this weekend.

Not only did I complete my entire run, but I was determined to make it to 10 full miles. So I ran circles in the East Beach Conference center parking lot for the last half mile. It wasn't just my furthest distance, but it was my furthest distance by 2.7 miles. I also ran at a 9:55 pace. For comparison's sake, two months ago in a 5K I could only run 2 miles before stopping & ran at a 10:15 pace}

I'm feeling really good about this half marathon shindig now that I've made it up to 10 miles and now that I've run on the course.

That course is flat, flat, FLAT. There is one tiny hill right around mile 2 {before you turn onto Governor's Drive} that you hit again on your way back, but other than that, nothing. The biggest thing that I'm going to have to overcome is the mental aspect of this course. For as long as I've known Kiawah, the Ocean Course has been this place that has always existed in far, far away land and we barely go out there because it's such a long drive. I've got to run all the freakin' way out there? You've got to be kidding me.

I mentioned that to my dad. His reply?

"AND BACK....."

Oh boy.