Kansas City Half Marathon

So on the 13th of October, I packed up the baby, a suitcase and a backpack full of movies and we headed off to Kansas City. I was very excited and quite scared to be doing my first half marathon, but I was excited to be able to do it with family.

Traveling was uneventful. Oh! Except that on NO of our 4 flights were we assigned to sit together. What? She's 2! Sometimes we were on completely different rows. Most of the time we both had window seats on the same row. It was quite annoying. And no matter how early we got to the gate, they couldn't seem to figure it out. People were nice about sliding over, though. Especially when I would say "Hey,I don't mind if she sits over there, You can watch her for me!" That got them moving in a hurry.

Oh, and because my child is 95% potty trained (on some days. On other days she's only about 25%. She chooses her compliance level based on if there is something better to do, anger at a punishment she has to endure, blood sugar level and her desire to piss me off. I'm not kidding on that last one.) I didn't have her wearing a diaper on the plane. It was never ever a problem, until I tried to take her to the bathroom in the airport before we left, and I didn't take her pants off all the way, and you know the rest. Baby with legs in awkward position + placed near edge of bowl = arc of pee shooting out of her and covering her pants. Totally my fault. But we had to get on the plane, so with a little wipe down and some heavy blotting we were on our way (yes, I forgot to bring a change of clothes. Again, my fault. If I had been better prepared this would've been a non-issue)

She never peed her pants on the plane. Why should she when we went to the bathroom a minimum of 4 times on every plane ride! Because plane bathrooms are so fun! They smell like a latrine and are so closely cramped, but yes! let's go again!

Once we got to Kansas city, it took me less than 24 hours to offend my sister in law. BOO-YAH!! I'm pretty good at that. Not like I *TRY* to offend her, but I know I can be judgmental sometimes. And I am pretty easy to read, and I have a big mouth. So basically, I would be surprised if I DIDN'T offend her. But luckily my sister in law is one of my favorite people on this early and so easy to talk to, and so quick to forgive and make you see why you are such an ass. And I always learn something new and important from her every time we talk. Lesson for the day: Don't raise your children for the approval of others. If you raise your children to the eyes of everyone around you, you will have morally confused children who can see your hypocrisy. If you feel like you are doing something with your kids just so outsiders don't look down on you, you might need to re-think it. It was a good time.

My sister Julie arrived 2 days later. She and her husband drove from Texas, and they got there just in time to go pick up our packets from the race coordinators. They had a whole bunch of fun stuff to see and buy. Disney was there pimping their marathon through Disney World. And that sounded like fun! My sister in law said she thought about doing that some year in the future. And I think that would be so much fun to do as a family again. I would do the half marathon, of course, but to be there and then enjoy Disney World after the race would be great, I'm thinking. I'm just dreaming, of course, but I think it would be a great goal.

I resisted the urge to buy anything, and so I went home and started getting really nervous for the race. And I mean really really nervous. My sister in law started laughing at me that night because I was just so stressed about what to wear. Should I wear a jacket? But I know it will be warm, I don't want to run with it around my waist with the zipper slapping me for 10 miles. What about gloves? Will I need them at the beginning? I didn't bring a good shirt to wear. What will I wear? Seriously, it was nuts. I was going nuts. She thought it was funny. Mostly because marathons (and half marathons) are nothing for her now. And she hardly even trained for this one! She just thought it was funny to see me all anxious and worrying.

So the next morning, I woke up and put my 10 year old niece in my bed and locked her and my baby in there. She was to be my primary babysitter, and she was great. Actually, all of the girls were great with the Bibbs. And Kyrie got to wipe her butt after an especially big poo. My kid will bend over and stick her bum in the air for you to wipe her. You don't even have to ask. The kids thought that was great! Anyway, they all babysat my girl while I ran.

And now, a sad story. Because my brother had Volleyball games on that day, and we needed Julie's husband to be at home with the girls in case something happened and he needed to drive someone to the hospital, this meant that there was no one to cheer us on and take pictures of us at the end of the race. (or during) But I got a few pictures before the race. While we were sitting in the car preparing.


Where did Julie go? Ahhh, she was bending down. And Tina is typing on the phone probably saying "We are leaving our phones now. Talk to you in 3 hours". But then they were ready for the next one:
Ohh, not a good one of me! A LOT of double chin action going on. We all looked at this picture and decided that we needed another one.

SCARY EYES!! ALICIA IS DEMENTED! SHE WILL RUN HER RACE. . .AND THEN TAKE YOUR SOUL! And then I decided that I should stop looking at each pictures after I take it, and just keep snapping pictures. And so I did:

This is the best BEST of Tina and Julie. But I'm halfway gone. . .And I still have some crazy eyes. . .or some crazy eye, I should say.

Tina is looking half squinty. And I have a weird tip on the end of my nose. But I think this is the best of all of us. The best I could get. But why stop there?
Me with more double chin, and Julie looking off at something else in the distance. Maybe looking at where we SHOULD be? Like at the race?














And now Tina is just laughing because it is getting ridiculous. And somehow the flash got turned on to make me look all Casper-like. But we were having a good time. Everyone has a good time before the race STARTS, right?

We tried to stand in line for the potty. But we realized that people were cutting in front of us, and we all were only semi-dedicated to peeing. So we walked away like 2 min before the starting gun went off. We all laughed later that we were all willing to go before the race, but we never bothered to stop and pee DURING the race. I guess the nerves made the need not so great once we got started.

And start we did! Tina ditched us before we even crossed the starting line, but we thought she would. She turned around and said "see ya in a couple of hours!" and she was off. And Julie and I started slow and slowly. But we had a good time! We got to chat with one another all the way until about the mile 10 1/2. Then she felt like she was going too slow and she was cramping up, so she went ahead. The funny thing is that she didn't go THAT much faster and I could see her up until about mile 12 or 13. I think she only finished a few minutes ahead of me. They had bands playing music along the trail, and people had signs and noise makers to cheer you along. It really was a fun time

The Kansas City Half Marathon is HARD. It's up and down about 45 hills. No joke! If you aren't running up, then you are running down. There are very few level places. The last mile is ROUGH. Especially for me because I didn't know where we were going. If I had known where we were and when we would turn I think I could've done better that last mile. Especially because you tend to get down on yourself when the marathon runner passes you. (happened for me on mile 12.5). I'm happy that I finished in just over 2 1/2 hours.

Anyway, I'm going to wrap this post up. Tina tried to run back to get the camera at the car so she could photograph us. And she made it! But then the camera was on "play" not "take" pictures so it didn't happen. But we took a picture after the race of Julie and I together! Which Julie accidentally deleted. BOOO. I told you the picture situation was a sad story.

We went right home after the race, because I had a baby that I needed to get back to, and we all needed some good food. I think next time I would like my family to be there at the finish line for me and we can stay around and see what all there is going on at the party. But I'm not sad I went home. My body needed rest! I got a well deserved Thai meal later that night, and then the rest of my time there was a vacation!

I had a great time, and I loved being with my family and just making a goal and finishing it. I definitely have another one in me, but I don't know how soon I will do it.

Thanks for reading, people!

P.S. They had people taking pictures along the trail, and you can buy them. But I am cheep. I have the sore muscles and the memories of my first half marathon. I don't think I need much else. But here are some of the horrible grainy shots: I'm in the yellow shirt and gray pants behind tank-top girl.





















If you want to see more pictures of me running, I think for a limited time you can go to this link:

http://www.backprint.com/view_user_event.asp?S=20&PID=bp%18yG&EVENTID=72309&PWD=&BIB=7573

There you can see bigger MUCH better pictures than what I've blown up here.