I got to run the 2013 ZOMBIE half marathon yesterday!

I was SO bummed out last year when I couldn't run the Zombie with Miles due to my ITBS injury.  But this year-injury free, albeit a bit undertrained-I ran it with my hunny, various and sundry friends, and Willa ran the kid's 2k!  Since we have not properly trained, Miles and I once again did the one minute Run/Walk split to keep the impact lower.  We came in approx. 2 minutes faster then the Big Wild Life half where we employed the same race method, and only 15-ish minutes slower than our very first half where we ran the whole thing.  We had a great time making our bloody ripped shirts and zombifying our faces. 

Water dowsing zombie?

 

 

At the start we were joined by many other variations of zombies as well as the random, "OO! a Race! I have to look sexy" jerk-offs in their very UN-zombie sexy kitty, sexy bunny, sexy fairy, sexy whatever costumes.  I don't get it.  It's a ZOMBIE run.  Zombies run after people to try to eat them, therefore when you have a race of runners dressed as zombies running through the woods, it looks like something out of a freaky zombie movie!!!  Why the ra-oh, never mind.  There will always be those who MUST take every opportunity to dress up in a "sexy" costume.  Jesus, at LEAST be a sexy ZOMBIE?  Zombie run 101 lesson OVER.

Well played, my friend!



A girl and her zombie dog with lunch

Happy runners ready to start!

 

The weather was warm for this time of year and the trail filled with wet colorfull leaves.  Cool fresh air and the deep loamy smell of autumn.  An enjoyable run along the coastal trail opening up into beautiful vistas and then into the woods of Kincade Park.  Awaiting us was a long winding bitch of a hill leading us the last 3/4s of a mile to the finish.  Miles and I were pretty much side by side, but about 100 meters before the finish line I suddenly got tingly and light headed.  Logic trumped ego and I slowed to a walk until it passed.  It seemed like a minute went by before I resumed running and crossed the finish, but apparently it was only 10 seconds because  Miles crossed at 2:15:15 and my time was 2:15:25.   I'm bummed he finally beat me in a race but glad I listened to what my body was saying!
We found Willa and her friend who had just finished their 2k.  2 cute zombie girls with their hard earned bag of loot and proudly displaying their race medals.  It wasn't until we where seeking food inside the park's chalet that I realized the medals Miles and I where wearing were from some other race TWO years ago!!!  I looked around and saw a few people with the cool Halloween inspired ribbons sporting 2013 Zombie Half Marathon medals...but MANY with the 2011 ones!!!  There was a hailstorm of complaints on the Anchorage Running Club's FaceBook page, let me tell you!  Mine included.  Along with much bitching about the fact that the aide stations ran out of water soon into the race!  What shit-ass planning!  All these people of all ages, shapes, sizes, and athletic levels who trained long and hard, and got out there and BUSTED ASS to RUN 13.1 miles...and they are greeted at the end with a 2 year old medal from another race?!?!?  SLAP in the face!  You just don't DO that!  Most might say, so what, it's a hunk of medal, but to us runners it's an important symbol and keepsake.  Idiots.  Finally they responded to the complaints and hopefully we will be able to add the appropriate medals to our collection sometime soon.
Anyhoo....I'm proud, I'm happy, I'm in love with my family and I'm looking forward to more...
I felt great the rest of the day.  Peaceful and calm but still had energy and no major stiffness like in the past.  Today, however, my legs are pretty sore.  Planning on making it a snuggle and watch movies day.

Mid-run selfie

It's WALDO!!!!  There he is!  .....oh....goodness.....

Weeeeeeeeeeee!  Wave to the pilot!

Zombie moose joins the run!

Miles finishes with flourish!

You don't have 2013 Zombie medals?!?!

 

I'm going to fucking DINE on your innards!!!!

Proud little zombie!

 

Cleaned up nice and ready for an Octoberfest party!

 

"A favorite photo of yourself and why"?! Ughh.....

98%  of  photos of ME are to DIE from.  I HATE photos of me.  I see them and that is NOT what I see in the mirror!  Is THAT what people see me as??!  Hellz!  It's like hearing your recorded voice...THAT doesn't sound like me!  On the rare occasion, I'll get a decent shot.  And I don't mind displaying it on the internets!  I really like my Blogger profile picture.  My hair was shorter then,and  I think I really captured the more whimsical, fun, fresh side of myself with that one.  And then there is my FB profile pic.....THAT is what I see when I catch my reflection....
But I don't want to turn this into a vanity thing.  All these chicks on the interwebs....stay at home mommy-types with wealthy older hubbies reveling daily in their self-importance under the guise of  innocent coquette-ishy "look at the cute hipster outfit I found at the second hand shop!"  Get over yourselves!
But I've digressed.....

While this picture is not the most "pretty" one ever taken of me, it's one of the most FULL OF FUCKIN' AWESOME!!!! 

Here I am crossing the finish line of my first full MARATHON.  Somewhere between a grimace of pain and total exhilaration,  physically spent yet feeling SO alive and powerful....full of love for my husband holding my hand there and crossing with me, for my cheering children who I had just passed.....feeling PRIDE.....yelling,"YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH"!!!!!!!!!!!  This photo taken seconds before I burst into tears. 

I can NOT wait for this season's race!!!!!  BRING IT, BITCHES!!!!!!!!!!!

Hot Stompin' Jeezus, I ran me a MARATHON!!!!

2 weeks ago.  26.1 miles, Bitches.  The Moose's Tooth Marathon of the Big Wild Life runs!  The longest distance run in my long-time goals of running.  I've wanted to take part in official runs, races, and marathons since I was a teen begging my friends to run with me in the Town Journal Run in Upper Saddle River, NJ.  Can I say "run" ONE more time here?!  RUN, RUN, RUNNY FUCKIN' RUN!!!!!

Miles ran it, too.  We agreed we were just going to run it to finish and not worry about time. And that we would stick together.  It was glorious.  And HARD.  Almost akin to childbirth.  At least the labor part.  But almost as empowering at the same time!  Ass kicking painful....TOTALLY due to my not training consistently.  After jumping from running a 13.5 run to a 21 mile run-and running that 21 totally in my Vibram 5 Finger shoes-I started to experience posterior tibialis pain.  Then I was off to the beach in NJ, looking forward to running every day.  But that TP pain acted up and I had to rein it in.  Once home in Alaska, I switched to running in my "transition shoes" and the pain went away.  I was ready to get in some good runs before the marathon!  And then the cold kicked in.  No running for me.  So, race day a week later-with my hacking cough-proved to bring on some funky pain after mile 12.  That SUCKED.  We ran quietly for the most part...not like the gab-fest on our 21 mile run.  Basically, everything from my pelvis down ached.  I still had a great time though...barring any weird sudden injury or wildlife attack, there was no doubt in my mind that I would finish.  Well....maybe a little doubt here and there.  But with Miles, chatting briefly with fellow runners, the perfect weather (overcast and 50-ish), the views, music and spectators along the way, and our friend, Martin, joining us to run the last 2 miles, I was able to keep running to the finish.  Which I crossed hand in hand with my hunny.  5 hrs and 14-ish minutes.  Our friends and kids cheering us at the finish line!  Pain, beer and pizza ensued. 

"Ready to run another?!", I was asked.  At the time I thought, "maybe I'll stick to the shorter races!"  But by the next day, I was planning for the next marathon!  With the exception of my top of feet pain, I was fully recovered from soreness within 3 days-much to my surprise!  But since then, I've started to suffer from "runner's knee" and still have TOF pain in my right foot.  I am now seeing a physical therapist to get straightened out, so to speak.  I feel like both a sloth and a racehorse behind the starting gate.  I just want to RUN.  To train RIGHT this time, to IMPROVE and run pain free and happy, by goddess!

Scenes along the route:

Scottish Hiland band playing on the hill

Across Westchester Lagoon

Random forest rocker playing his Hello Kitty guitar!

Miles has killer calves.  That bugger ran the whole thing in his Vibrams with NO probs!!!!!

WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anchorage from the Coastal Trail cliffs

Whimsical rock sculptures in the river

Martin joining us for the finish gave a boost to our hearts and kick to our steps.  His childlike enthusiasm for our first marathon was infectious!

Coming in to the finish...

HELLS yeah!!!!!!

 

BEST feeling, crossing that finish line!!!!

Refueling...