Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Race Recap...AWESOME TIME!!!

I did it!! I FINISHED my FIRST HALF MARATHON!! Woo Hoo!! The Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle (06.26.10) was the BEST race to do for my first one AND I am so glad that I did it with Team in Training!! What an awesome experience!! We had our three coaches that helped us through the season in prepping for the race. But during the race we had EVERY coach from ALL the teams across the U.S. cheering us on! So cool!! We had our names on the front of our jerseys & Jenn said it was like running with a celebrity, LOL!! “Go Stacy!!” “Looking good Stacy!!” SO helpful to keep pushing on. I want to wear my jersey every race, LOL!!

I found Jenn & Jammie in the starting corrals so we started off the race together. Also saw friends Kim Gleason & Diane Fairfield in the crowd before. That was so lucky, considering there were only 27 THOUSAND+++ people entered!! Crazy!! Brianna started back a bit farther with Jennie since they were both walking.  The starter’s gun went off right at 7 AM, but it took us 55 MINUTES for our group to get to the start line!! Due to the number of people they start in corrals based on estimated finish time, slower to the back, and release a corral every 1-2 minutes. But still, fun times!!

Brianna & I waiting to go to start corrals (this is around 5:30 AM!!)

Jenn ran with me most of the time, doing my 7:1 run/walk intervals; run 7 mins, walk 1 min. She’d never really done that before & thought it worked out pretty well. Our coaches say it’s been shown to help even an experienced runner finish faster overall. Taking the small break rather than running until exhaustion helps keep something in the tank at the end.

Kim & I before race

About mile 5.5 I felt blisters develop on the ball of both feet, ugh!! Only had one tiny blister the whole training season & I ran more than 6 miles many times! But I kept going. Saw Diane out on the course too & several of my Tacoma TNT Teammates as well. By mile 10 I told Jenn to go on ahead, she was feeling a bit speedier & I was hobbling my way the last 3 miles, seriously.  I was SO glad to see Coach Courtney downtown with just over one mile left! It really gave me a boost. She’s been a huge motivator all season! The last ¾ mile in the Alaskan Way Viaduct another TNT coach ran with me a bit. I think she saw I was slowing & she said she would “take me in.” That was so cool that someone I didn’t even know would run to the finish with me!

Jenn & I at Mile 7...over Half way there!!

But I had just spotted Jenn about 100 feet ahead & told the coach I’d catch up with my friend. Turns out, Jenn was helping another gal out in a similar way. They had been chatting and the gal was having stomach issues, but Jenn encouraged her through, told her she could do it!! When I caught up they were just getting ready for the final push, so I let them go on. They sprinted to the end, so cool!! Right then my friend Cat texted that she & Mike were at the bottom of the Viaduct ramp, so I ran down, got hugs from them & finished the last ½ mile…and they had cut through the buildings so they were on the side of the finish chute as I came through! It was awesome to see them there too!!

I DID IT!! I DID IT!! :))))

Got my awesome Rock ‘n’ Roll medal & snacks, then headed to the TNT tent to check in. Got a special TNT 13.1 pin to go on the medal of my ribbon or wear on a jacket (had to buy a Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon official jacket ). And they had PB&J sandwiches & bananas too. PB&J never tasted so good!! Feet hurt, but my blisters didn’t look bad enough for medical attention, until I got home of course. But made it through the afternoon & our TNT Victory Party at Gameworks that evening. Though I did skip the club hopping a few other teammates did!!  Briannna & I had a great time with TNT overall!!


So, while I’m never going to qualify for the Boston Marathon, I did beat my goal of under 3 hours; I finished in 2:54:59! Can only get faster from here, I hope…we’ll find out this weekend! I’m doing the Langley Half on 7/11. Will be a beautiful run on South Whidbey Island, will be spending the weekend in Anacortes, love the islands. I want to do all the Island runs next year, will just depend on school, and of course the budget…need more free races, but I do like the hardware, LOL!!!


Here’s my “photo journal” of the weekend that I posted on Facebook, it should be viewable without an account: PHOTOS