The Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah half marathon was one of the most memorable race experiences of my life.
Why?
Because Ryan and I finished together in LESS THAN TWO HOURS!!!
I can hardly believe it.
We woke up a couple of hours before the race start to eat something (I ate a Snickers marathon bar sample from yesterday’s race expo) and quickly changed into our running outfits before layering our throwaway clothes on top.
I talked Ryan into buying matching sweatshirts yesterday at WalMart for only $5.50 each so we’d look really cool. My headband/ear warmer was a little less than $2 from WalMart and I ended up stashing it before the race along with my horrible velour purple sweatpants. They will surface again, my friends!
After taking off our sweatshirts at the start, we laughed when we saw a woman immediately grab one to wear. It was a chilly morning, but not insanely cold. It was the perfect running weather.
Yesterday at dinner, Ryan started to talk about running a sub-two hour half marathon. I knew he could do it on his own, but since he said his plan was always to run with me, that meant I had to run a sub-two hour half marathon. A daunting task!
I didn’t admit it to him at the time, but ever since I signed up for the race, running it in less than two hours was a goal I had for myself in the back of my mind.
Thank goodness for Ryan and his “big ass monkey legs.” (<—Awesome nickname I gave his legs, huh? I named them this during the first half marathon we did together in 2007 when I looked over and saw that one of his strides is like two of mine.) Without Ryan and his pacing and encouragement, there is absolutely no way I would’ve finished in 1:58.
At 7:30 a.m., the race began!
When we started running, we saw the 3:50 marathon pacer and tried to stay with that group for the first four miles. It was definitely faster than I was used to running on a long run, but I felt good and my breathing wasn’t strained. I took water at every station but two and ate Gu Ghomps at miles 5 and 7.
I wish I had more to say about the race course itself like I did when I ran the Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon last August, but I felt like I was watching the back of Ryan’s shirt almost the whole time, so I saw a whole lot of Nike dri-fit blue t-shirt. He kept dropping back to run with me, but I liked it when he ran slightly ahead of me because it pushed me into running at a faster pace to keep up.
I do remember loving the support of the spectators and the people of Savannah. Spectator support and energy motivates me so much and makes a run so much more exciting and fun.
My favorite spectator signs?
- Run faster! She farted! (with an arrow pointing at the guy’s wife)
- Word Parade Ever
I also love it when spectators bring dogs along. We saw a few German shorthair pointers that looked a lot like Sadie, prompting Ryan to say, “If we finish in under two hours, Sadie will be at the finish!” I called him a liar and told him he was slowly killing me by making me run that fast! (And no, Sadie wasn’t at the finish line, but we did see a vizsla!)
The last few miles of the race were the hardest for me, likely because I didn’t really pace myself in the beginning like I usually do during long runs. About 0.2 miles from the finish line, I called out to Ryan, “We’re gonna do it! We’re gonna beat two hours!”
It felt awesome to be running toward the finish line knowing that we were about to achieve a goal I honestly didn’t think I was capable of achieving. I know two hours isn’t an incredible time for amazing runners, but it is an incredible time for me.
I really don’t consider myself a natural runner and no run – whether it be two miles or 13.1 miles – is particularly easy for me, so I’m always just excited to finish a race!
During the run, I said a couple of things to myself repeatedly:
- It’s okay to be uncomfortable
- Think of how awesome it will feel to beat two hours
Just thinking of how I’d feel if I beat two hours was enough to make me run faster. Two hours of running and pushing myself harder than I ever have during a race was more than worth it for the high I am feeling right now!
Once we finished the race and we got done celebrating at the finish line, we headed over to the VIP tent for some food and water.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Maya, the wonderful social media manager for the Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon series, and she gave me and Ryan access to the VIP tent which was such a treat. (Maya also got engaged two weeks ago! Congratulations again, Maya!)
Surprisingly I had a really hard time eating much right after our run. Though the food looked delicious, I wasn’t at all intrigued by the desserts which is absolutely crazy for me. All I wanted was SALTY food and I ate roast beef, two pickles, chicken salad and three plums.
I don’t know where the plums were from, but they were the best plums I’ve ever had in my life. (Perhaps that’s a famished runner talking?) I also ate a Snickers marathon bar and chugged two bottles of water before we left the tent and headed into the crowds to explore the site a bit and enjoy the band that was playing in Forsyth Park.
Eventually we made our way back to our hotel where we showered and immediately hopped into bed to relax for a few hours before heading out for more food (aka cookies ‘n’ cream milkshakes and hot dogs) to fuel us until dinner.
And on that note, it’s off to dinner! I’m not sure how my feet are going to feel when I slip on the heels I plan to wear tonight!
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Congrats to both you and Ryan!!!
Congrats!!! What an amazing accomplishment, and so sweet that you guys stuck together the whole way! 😉 Enjoy dinner and the rest of your time in Savannah.
You rock Julie!! Congrats on a great day, you were well prepared!
Congrats Julie! That’s awesome… very impressive!
Congratulations to both of you!
Ahhh CONGRATULATIONS Julie!!! You guys rocked it (and I so knew you would!!) Sounds like you had a great experience and I hope you and Ryan have fun tonight (careful on those heels!!)
You’re an inspiration to all of us that follow you!! You and Ryan Rock!! Congrats!! 🙂
Congrats, Julie & Ryan! Quite the accomplishment! Have fun celebrating your sub-2! 🙂
That’s awesome! I know how you feel, I recently beat 2 hours as well and it was the best feeling in the world! Congrats to you both!
Congrats to you both! I love reading stories like this cause sub-2 hrs. is something I’m hoping to get to one day 🙂
Congrats to you and Ryan!
Nice work!! Sub-2 hours is a fantastic 1/2 marathon time! I ran a 1:58 in August and I’m still living off that runners high! 🙂
I’m running a 1/2 tomorrow and reading your recap got me really pumped up! 🙂
Now PLEASE go to Paula Deen’s restaurant and blog all about it! I’m begging you.
I went there for my…..16th?? I think Birthday….My grandparents live in Savannah….its very delicious..I think I got the fried Oysters..but legit everything is paula deen fashion aka 80 pounds of butter
Congratulations!! That is an amazing time!! Deep down, I would love to be able to achieve that at my next half. Even breaking 2:10 would be awesome. 🙂
That is AWESOME!!! Congrats to both of you 😀 Enjoy your celebration!
Congratulations on the fantastic time!!
My cousin ran too and she PRed with 1:58:50!! I am so proud of her, especially since she recently started running again after beating breast cancer.
Congrats again, and safe travels home tomorrow!
how crazy!!! we were practically time twins! 😀
Awesome job Julie! Hope you celebrate well tonight!
Amazing Time!! Congrats to the both of you! Too bad Sadie didn’t suprise you at the finish…
Congratulations!!! That is an amazing time! I’m so excited for you and you have made me that much more excited for my half in December.
Congrats to both of you! I love the city of Savannah and I hope you get a chance to enjoy it this evening.
congratulations julie and ryan! i am so inspired by this post. i like that you told yourself it’s okay to feel uncomfortable, that definitely clicked in my mind and am going to start telling myself that. me and my friend have been thinking about running a half marathon for awhile now! the most i have ever ran is a 10k and the most she has ever run is 15k. i am now so inspired…thank you
I am so proud of both of you! I’ve never cracked 2:00, but I came close in my last one. I wish Lucas would run with me, but he has NO interest in that distance 🙂
thanks, katy! 😀 MISS YOU!
Congratulations to you both. 🙂
Congratulations! That’s incredible. Talk about supercouple! 😀
congrats girl!! awesome time!
Congrats to you and Ryan! That’s such a huge accomplishment! 🙂
Congratulations!! That’s amazing- enjoy your night! 😀
Big congratulations! I love that you and Ryan planned on running together. I like it when a couple is all about the team–my husband and I even wrote it into our vows on our wedding! Great job again on the awesome run!
CONGRATS! So awesome…it would have been pretty cool if Sadie caught a plane and wound up at the finish line! 🙂
Great job!
Congratulations on an awesome race!! So wonderful that you guys ran and finished together! You have me pumped to run my first half-marathon of the fall tomorrow morning 🙂
Great race!! Congrats!
Congrats Julie! That is an AWESOME time 😀 You both should be so proud!!
I hope you enjoy your half..and that the heels don’t kill ya too 😉
Supposed to say ‘don’t kill ya too much’ – oops!
Congratulations!!! That’s a great time!!!! And all that food sounds delicious – haha one of the perks of distance running!
Congrats to both you and Ryan, Julie! What an accomplishment 🙂
congrats on breaking 2 hours, that is awesome! and such a great feeling of accomplishment.
Congrats to you both!! Under 2 hours is amazing in my book! I’m hoping to be able to keep under an 11:00 mile pace at mine next weekend haha!
So happy for you! Great job on the race 🙂
Congrats to you! Running 13.1 miles AND finishing under 2 hours is a major accomplishment.
wooo hooo!! congratulations, julie + ryan! what an awesome race. enjoy the night 🙂
Julie, that’s SO awesome – congratulations! I’m definitely not a “natural born runner” either, so you definitely inspire me! Enjoy your evening and good luck in the heels! 😉
Congrats Julie! you are Ryan are picture perfect cute……like seriously. I have my half marathon on the 20th and you really inspired me…..
Savannah has such a special place in my heart because that is where my grandparents live….they live right on Gaston road…..by Forsyth park….and actually my mom is there right now!……
another thing is Forsyth Park has meaning to me as well because my uncles ashes are buried with a tree in that park… he passed away very young at age 31….and well we call it uncle Sam’s tree :)…..beautiful place…Hope you enjoyed yourself
such a beautiful comment. thank you for sharing, eliza. and GOOD LUCK on your half!
When I ran the Nike Women’s marathon in California, one of my friends stashed a camera in an arm band and we actually stopped along the route and had people take pictures…and still finished sub 4 hours. haha. You took quite a few pictures. Where did you stash your camera?
Congrats on your awesome accomplishment 🙂
i actually kept it in our car and just stashed it right before the race and picked it up after.
Congrats to both of you guys, Julie! A 2:00 half is my goal for my next race (in March), and, like you, no run is easy for me. You just got me really, really excited to work towards that goal!
that’s awesome! i hope you get your sub-2!!!
WAHOO! What an accomplishment 🙂 Welcome to the sub-2 hour club!!
SO cool that you guys did it together. All of your times were the exact same, how fabulous is that?!!
Have a fun night!
Congrats, Julie (and Ryan)! Awesome job!
Awesome job!! So glad you reached your goal!!!
congrats to you and ryan!
Congrats! I’m in Savannah too and ran the full with my hubby today! I loved the course and you guys both did awesome 🙂 I laughed at your comment about your hubby’s legs because my hubby is 6’0″ and has really long and gangly limbs and I always tease him about it 🙂
Congratulations! That is an awesome time and even better that it was your goal all along!
I’m glad you enjoyed the race (:
Congratulations! Such a great achievement! I recently had my first sub-2 half marathon — such an amazing feeling! Even better that you got to finish with your hubs! 🙂
congratulations to YOU!
Congrats!! What an accomplishment!!
I am running my second half marathon in exactly one month and honestly, I’ve been hitting a wall in my training. It’s 9:30pm on a Sat night and this post just gave me such a boost of confidence and enthusiasm right now that it reminded me of how I felt after I ran my first half and was so proud of myself for just finishing! My goal this time is 2:20 and this post was EXACTLY what I needed to get my bum back in gear. Thank you! I’m going to wake up tmrw morning and show that long run who’s boss!
i’m so glad! GOOD LUCK!!! and i feel ya on “hitting a wall” in training. it happens to me every time.