The Great Half Marathon Adventure or "Houston, we have a problem."

13.1 miles is longer than you think it is. And that's scary considering how long it already sounds. But I learned how long it actually is on Saturday morning when I tackled my first ever half marathon. The adventure was not without a few missteps and unexpected twists and turns...but I survived and it was totally worth it.

The first unexpected twist came Friday night when my poor, sick running partner finally admitted defeat--she would not be running. This came after a few weeks of me announcing to a number of people, "I don't know how anyone could run such a distance by themselves!" Ha ha...life is funny that way. So on the eve of this crazy long run, I had to face the reality that I was doing it solo. As "solo" as one can be in the midst of thousands of other runners, but still!

Anyway, my awesome little brother kindly agreed to get up before dawn to go with me to the starting line and then meet me at the finish line. He's a trooper...and that's what I call love, ladies and gentlemen. He is The Best.

The first 6 miles were easy. I passed some weird looking people, stayed hydrated at the water stations along the way, and enjoyed the tunes on my iPod. Mile 7's only highlights were the gawking construction workers, replaying Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You" over and over, and the bathroom I finally sighted at the end of it. With a bathroom break behind me, and Gatorade in my blood I continued on.

When I hit Mile 10 I said to myself, "Wow! This is the farthest I have ever run! And there are only 3 miles left which is like a quick morning jog!" With a sense of optimism I ran past the mile marker and immediately felt my diaphragm seize up, making any deep breathing almost impossible. And thus passed the next two miles of voluntary Hell on Earth. I had to stop and walk until I could breathe again and then I'd pick up the pace to a run until I had to walk...again.

As the last mile approached I vowed to run all of it. It was one mile. One. I could do that as long as I just kept the bottom part of me moving! And I did. I made it to the Gateway with enough energy to "kick it up a notch" at the end. I made it across the finish line with an official time of 2 hours, 18 minutes, 51 seconds. And that, my friends, is pretty much awesome. I feel no shame at all in declaring to one and all that I...am a Rockstar.

And I am totally going to do it again.