Totonicapán Parque Central Pre-1/2 Marathon

Team Spirit (I really have 13 stripes and 50 stars)

On Sunday, September 4, I successfully completed my very first half marathon.  I have been running regularly for the past year, but only in the past two months did I step up my work outs to include longer runs (1 to 1.5 hours) and inclines (mountainous terrain throughout the neighboring aldeas).

Twenty-one kilometers (13.1 miles) is the furthest I have ever run.   Several friends came in for the big day and nine volunteers in total ran, all of whom I am proud to say completed.  My first goal was to run without stopping or walking – this I accomplished.  My second goal was to complete the race within two and half hours – I arrived in 2:33, so close, but not quite.  I did my best and honestly do not think I could have arrived any faster.  The course for the most part was really beautiful leading from the Parque Central down a hill and along the highway for 8 km, before turning into one of the aldeas where I work and up through a rural, very hilly green loop for another 8 km.  The course passed through three communities who had a lot of spirit, and teachers, students, and families who I work with came out to cheer and some of the school bands were out playing.  With about 700 participants, less than 50 of whom were women, there were groups of girls and women who would get excited when I ran by and break into chants of “¡Viven las mujeres! ¡Viven las mujeres!” The race finished on the carretera (highway) with the final 5 km of the race.  While the loop was pretty strenuous, I felt good. The last 3 km of the race, however, were pure misery.  Adding insult to injury, the second to last kilometer of the race is a steep straight up incline.  I must have looked like I was practically running in place.  (Actually today I picked up my official race photograph and it is right in this spot that the photo was taken. It really captures the moment. I look like I’m about to keel over.) Crossing the finish line and knowing I was done was an amazing feeling, minus being incredibly dizzy and developing cramps in my stomach (most likely from the bags of non-purified water passed out along the race route).

The race day coincided with the 25^th birthday of my site mate Christina, with whom I did much of my pre-race training and motivating. I did quite a bit of hosting and entertaining this weekend.  First, we held a pasta dinner Saturday night complete with homemade pesto amongst other healthy pre-race foods.  Sunday we had a gathering of close friends over and threw a post-race birthday celebration for Christina for which I made some delicious homemade apple pies amongst other non-healthy things.