Detroit Free Press Half Marathon - Half #5

GM World Headquarters (our hotel is the middle one)

My outfit for the race. I ended up changing to a different top that morning.

The view from our hotel room at the Marriott Renaissance Center.







Dinner at Andiamo's the night before race.

View of the Ambassador Bridge at night.

Windsor from the US side.

I had to take a selfie before leaving our hotel at 545am on race morning. 

Mom & me waiting outside before the race.

Me waiting outside before getting in my corral.

 I was in Corral M. It started snowing while we were in line. Yes, it was that cold.

Mom took this pic of my corral finally starting to move.

On my way to the Ambassador Bridge.
 

Still going up the bridge...

I finally made it to the top of the bridge.

After crossing the bridge, I was in Canada looking towards Detroit.

In the Windsor Tunnel, the only underwater mile in a marathon in the whole world.

Me afterwards. I was freezing. It was still only about 39 degrees by the time I finished.

My official time was 2:31:15. Which was 41 minutes better than my half marathon
from August, and 11 minutes better than my previous all-time best.

This medal is the best one I have!

Comparing my half in August to this one. HUGE improvements!

Taper Week

So in case anyone still reads this, I did my fourth half marathon back in August. Lululemon's half marathon in Vancouver called Seawheeze. I spent most of last year losing weight (down 33 lbs. now) and Seawheeze was my inspiration to lose it and get back into running again. I got injured a couple months beforehand but was still able to do the race in 3:12:00.

Now it's taper week again as I prepare for my fifth half in Detroit this Sunday!

I've set 3 goals:
Easy goal: Under 3 hours
Moderate goal: Under 2:45:00
Challenging goal: Under 2:30:00

Working on eating well this week, getting lots of rest with only a couple easy 2-3 milers, and hydrating.

After that, I have a backroads trail race (10K) on November 8, and would like to sign up for a couple winter 5K races. Next spring I have my sixth half marathon in Indianapolis in May and my seventh will be in Chicago in July...my first full marathon (if I can get in).

Oh yes, and DH did a 5K over the weekend just for fun...the Super Run! So everyone dressed as super heroes. So much fun even though the course was short at 2.87 miles and not officially timed.

DH & I before the race. It was only 40 degrees. Not sure how he wore shorts!

I was the only Spiderman (out of 50 people)

DH finishing!

Good time for me considering last year at this time that would've taken me an hour.
Also had my fastest mile since I've had this watch...9:58!

Vancouver & Seawheeze 2015

So I'm almost a month late in posting about my trip to Vancouver last month...but here it is!

Over the last year, I have lost 31 lbs. I started last August because I was tired of carrying around the extra baby weight. Then, in September, Lululemon opened registration for their fourth half marathon to take place in August 2015 in Vancouver. It gets harder to get in every year because they cap registration to around 10,000. So, the day the registration opened, I was at home with my mom because I had taken a day off work. I decided to try and register just to see if I could get in. Well, to my surprise, no issues and I was able to register. 11 months to train and lose the weight - no problem.

I got injured in June of this year - hip issues - went to physical therapy and that helped immensely!

So...on to the pictures.

We took a horse carriage ride around Stanley Park.

My brother, me and mom.

Our view of Kit's Beach at dinner at a place called the Boathouse - my favorite restaurant we ate at

Ahi Tuna Mini Tacos - yum!

Yam fries!

Crème Brulé

Pool at Kit's Beach

We got in line for the Exclusive SeaWheeze store at 4am (store opened at 7am).
We were about 400th in line. By 6am there were around 4,000 people waiting in line.

My view from the floor in the store while I was sorting thru my pile of clothes.

My pile of clothes to go through and decide what I want to keep.

View of store from the registers.

My loot!

Chip chip for my shoe.

View of Coal Harbor from our table at the Cactus Club Café.

Mom's flatbread pizza from Cactus Club Café.

My spaghetti and meatballs dish from Cactus Club Café - carb loading!

My dessert at Cactus Club Café. Forgot to post a pic before I began eating...oops.

Bathroom at Cactus Club Café.

Flusher on the floor :)

Couches in the bathroom at Cactus Club Café.

Inside the convention center the morning of the race.

Waiting inside before the race. It was rainy and cold that morning :(

Still waiting...

Walking towards the start line. Thank goodness the rain stopped by this point.

Leiane and I waiting in line. I met her in line for the store - she is on the same Lululemon
Facebook fan page. We had so much fun and I'm so glad I had a buddy!

Waiting in line...

My crops and shoes :)

Doing the wave!

A drone...

Finally started!

Burrard street bridge - my favorite part of the race because
you could watch the runners going the other way!
I passed Leiane at one point on the bridge.

And the view from up here was amazing. The pictures don't do it justice.
It was also quite hazy this morning but the weather was perfect. 55 degrees
with very minimal drizzle. Absolutely perfect for a race!

At the bottom of the other side of the bridge is the Lululemon headquarters. <3

Going back down the Burrard Street bridge...about the halfway point.

Seawall!

Stunning seawall that NEVER ends...

Lululemon employees out there - one has a unicorn head on (the left one).

Stacked rocks...saw lots of these on the seawall.

In the distance on the beach, you can see a bride and groom getting married!

Ahh, the lulu mermaids...the end is near!

Final time was 3:12:00...my slowest half marathon time, but also the most fun race! <3

The medal was a carrot...a very heavy carrot with a bite taken out! At the finish line, we also got Saje essential oils and a Seawheeze branded Lululemon hat, Kind bar and bag, and silver warming blanket. It was pretty cold once I stopped running, so I was grateful for that silver blanket.

I have signed up for another half marathon in Detroit on October 18 - it goes over the Ambassador Bridge into Canada, then comes back into the U.S. via the Windsor Tunnel!

I'm also planning on one in Nashville, TN next April. <3