A race and a memory..

The weather has been a bit chilly recently, the dang polar vortex has made running outside downright miserable, but Sunday, Sunday we got a break. Thankfully I had signed up for the Hyannis Half Marathon last week! What a BEAUTIFUL day for a race!

Brian loves taking Panoramics..

 I kept telling myself the whole time, to just go slow, take it easy, run at training pace not race pace. I wanted to do this for fun, by myself and to see if I could just settle into a comfortable pace. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I enjoyed the scenery (I almost took out my phone to snap photos of the beach!)

The course was good, a little hilly but not nearly as bad as my training runs have been. I kept thinking about Boston, how far I've come and how I can't wait for the day I cross the start line of the marathon. I do my best thinking while running and let me tell you in 13.1 miles, you think about a LOT. I decided what I'm going to get my brother for his birthday (he turns 30 in March!!), I thought about where I want to take my parents when they come visit me in April, and I thought about what I wanted to eat for lunch!!

I

Why do I look like I'm walking??

 My time wasn't the fastest, but it certainly wasn't the slowest! I finished. And that's all that matters.

I finished!! :)

 After the race, we decided to visit Birdie. Birdie passed away on February 22nd, 2012. On February 23, 2012 Brian and I took a little bit of her, (she was cremated) and laid her to rest in the ocean in Dennis, MA. Birdie loved to travel and I figured this way she would be able to, I hope she gets to see Australia soon. 

 As a memorial, we had carved her name into the seawall, number 8F at West Dennis beach. She will forever be remembered at this spot. Its now our spot. Every time we go down the cape we stop to say hello, I tell her about what she's missed, and Sunday was no different. I cry like a baby every time I'm there, but it's nice to have a spot.

 I miss her every day and she's certainly missed a lot in the past 2 years. I try to remember that she's with me always, not just at the beach, but during my race too.  Sunday, Sunday was a good day.