New Orleans Half Marathon!!!

What a fabulous weekend! First, college baseball started at LSU on Friday and at Clemson on Saturday. Clemson won the series, Wil Boyd hit a home run, and I missed every single minute of it. But I'll be listening during the week!

Second, and the biggest news, is that I ran in the Mardi Gras Half Marathon in New Orleans, and I got a PR [personal record] by 2:15!!! Last January I ran 2:23.45 and TODAY I ran 2:21.32!!!! The chip time is actually 2:23.15 but that's because I waited in line for a portapotty for about 1:00 and then got back on the course after about 2:00 total. I stopped my watch to do that, so my watch reflects the time [2:21.32] that I was actually running. It was so fabulous. I felt SO STRONG, so happy, and so confident!

Marcelle and her friends were waiting for me around mile 10-11, and they had a sign that said "GO MELISSA, ASHLEY, AND KAREN." I was so happy to see her! It was so sweet of her to have a sign for us, that was so awesome.

I was technically there with those two sweet girls but we all ended up running at different paces so we just met up at the end! Ashley was cheering for me and then after I finished she and I cheered for Karen! It was so great. The whole time I was running I was wondering where I would see Mauri, our TNT coach, and I finally saw her at Mile 11.25ish. That was so fabulous! It was great to see her and when I told her I KNEW I was going to get a best time, I really did know it for sure.

We spent about an hour and a half [after a Subway and two beers and Chee-Wees!] cheering on the marathon finishers. It was incredible. We saw one girl who was really in trouble medically when she crossed the finish line. They had to put her in a wheelchair and all but we never heard sirens or anything so we hope she was alright. It was pretty scary though. We were standing there watching marathoners finish and all of a sudden Ashley realized that a TNT teammate of ours, Rose, was finishing the half marathon. We started jumping up and down and screaming Go Rose! Go Rose! It was awesome!!!

Other sights we saw were a daddy holding his three-week old baby after running the half marathon, the most beautiful blonde curly haired 19-month old named Wyatt :) whose Mommy had just run it, and a woman who was sobbing while embracing her husband after finishing the marathon. It is always such an emotion-filled place to be. I just love it.

So then we walked back to the hotel, via a pit stop in Dominic's Bar for bloody marys for them and an Abita Amber for me. We showered, checked out, and then went to Chili's for lunch/dinner/snack, whatever it was.

I've just been home resting ever since. It was such a wonderful weekend. I am actually looking forward to running my 10 miles on Saturday. I really do think this is the beginning of something wonderful this Spring. We shall see :)

Until then,
Love always,
Melissa