I think I just PR'd a little!

I have been chasing down a half marathon PR (personal record) of mine for the past couple years. In 2013 I ran a half in Long Beach and finished in 2:11:23 (2 hours, 11 min, 23 seconds). I was training at the time for my first full marathon, so that day the half felt effortless and the finish time came easily. Besides that race, my average half times were typically about 2:28 (2 hours, 28 min). But the past couple years I have slowly been increasing my speed and have averaged 2:15! The last two races before the Surf City half 2017, I got 2:13's! I was working hard, doing speed work, doing my longer runs at a faster pace... and I saw that 2:11 PR slip away those past two races.

I had one more half planned for 2017, then I had decided it was time for a break (this is because of the stress of the race weekend, like getting a sitter for the kids if I didn't have my husband home. My husband's work schedule being unpredictable, and the in-laws availability iffy on race days make the whole weekend a HUGE hassle. I am pretty much over it for now).  My point being, I had one more shot to beat that PR, before my race break. And I really wanted to beat it! I just recently have been struggling once I hit that 9 mile mark to keep the pace up fast enough.  It's one thing to run 4 or 5 miles at a 9:45 minute pace, or even 6 to 8 miles, but a whole other thing to do that for 13.1 miles!

I decided to focus on this race for that PR, and to dedicate it to LIFE Runners. Through this group I support my local pregnancy crisis center, and hope to raise awareness that the life of the unborn is as important as the mother's. I believe women need us in these crisis moments, to support and love them, to be there for them, so they can feel empowered to choose life for their unborn child. Often decisions are made to abort based on their emotions in that moment, and it only takes ONE person to tell them that they will be there for the for a woman to choose life. By being a LIFE Runner, I am saying I choose to be that ONE!

The back of my Meg's Miles shirt, and the back of my LIFE Runner's shirt. 

When I woke up race day I wasn't feeling 100%. Earlier in the week I was fighting dehydration, and I still was feeling off. I wasn't sure I wanted to try for a PR anymore. But I got up, and went to the race anyways. One of the MRTT gals I car pooled with, Andrea, was going to be my pacer, and she had a migraine and threw up when we got to the race. Things were looking bleak. But she said she was going to stick it out and stay with me. We both felt pretty horrible, but sometimes once you start running you start to feel good. I can't really explain that one very well. Seems counter intuitive, but I have often felt better DURING a run than I felt before or once I sat back down after an invigorating run. Kinda weird. But the truth. So we both resolved to give this PR thing a shot. She felt I could do it, and I needed the mental push. So I accepted her offer of sticking it out with me.

Some of the MRTT Mommas that came out to race! 

During the race I felt pretty good. Mile 3 a hill came along, but I was able to keep up the sub 10 min pace that I wanted (sub 10 meaning, anything faster than 10 minute per mile pace, for you non-runners). Then we rounded the corner to the long out and back section along the Pacific Coast Highway, at Huntington Beach CA. This section can get monotonous. Even though you are running alongside this amazing ocean, you just feel like this section is never ending! There is a lot of mental work to be done at this point. However, one mental boost came from seeing a friend, Renee, on her bike rolling by... it was awesome! She came out to cheer the MRTT Mommas out there. Many of us were on the course that day. And each time I saw one they cheered me on to meet my goal! They all knew I was working hard to get that PR. So that was amazing too. Can't beat having an amazing group of supportive women around you!

Another mental boost came from this app called "Motigo." Friends can record cheers for you, these are played along the route as you run. So you get your own personal cheering section while you run! It's awesome! At mile 9 these cheers really became needed! My music app stopped playing, but the Motigo app was still working. So here I was, on this long stretch of highway, in silence, only the sound of people's feet around me hitting the ground and my mental chatter. I focused on my friend's shoes in front of me, and kept chasing them down. I would catch up, then fall back, then catch up. I was fighting to not give up! And she wasn't slowing down enough to let me lose the pace I asked her to help me keep (a mark of a good pacer). The first part of the race I had remembered to pray for many people. But at this point my prayers turned to God for His help! Mental chatter can be very negative when you run. But I had to keep it positive. Besides mantras like, "Fight for it," "Beat that 10 minute pace," I also prayed for God's strength to take over. My body was fading, and I needed His supernatural help.

As I slowed down, right past the mile 9 marker, first I saw Renee on her bike again, which was an awesome boost. Then a gentleman was running by me and he said he loved the back of my shirt. He said he supported that his whole life (he was referring to the words, "Remember the Unborn. Jer 1:5 Liferunners.org" on my back). I said thank you and God bless you. Then another guy came by and gave me kudos as well. These little affirmations came at just the right time. It was time to pick the pace up and fight for that PR! Then on my Motigo app a Meg's Miles friend Missy came on and said "Jeremiah 1:5! Get that PR!" YESSSS!!

Then she came back on and spoke the words back to me from a post I had put on my Facebook wall earlier in the week. "The God on the mountain is still the God in the valley."

That's all I needed to hear! Yes! Let's finish this race, for the unborn, for women in crisis, to show that God is still the same God in the valley, and he will get me through these final miles! I was struggling, but the fight was not over!

I kept struggling to catch up with Andrea. But I kept her close. Chasing down those shoes.... left, right, left, right... repeat. I kept focused on my PR goal. She turned her head back after mile 12 and said, "We hit 2 hours! You can do this!" I dug deep, prayed for more strength, and pushed through that final mile! Once I saw the finish line ahead, I stepped on the gas (what little was left in the tank). Right before we crossed that line I grabbed Andrea's hand for a strong victorious finish! We did it! According to her Garmin she said we got 2:11:04! I said that was a PR! But still had to wait to check on my chip time. But I knew, no matter that final time, I had PR'd. Maybe by the skin of my teeth, but I did it! Thank you, Lord!

As I walked over to grab my medal I almost felt like I was going to fall over. My legs were ready to just SIT down already! LOL I guess that is what happens when you lay it all out there. Nothing left to give! (Funny side story: I went to pick up my "beach cities challenge" medal, the HUGE starfish medal, and they asked me what my first name was. I blanked. My buddy, Andrea, had to tell them and spelled it out for them. LOL. Yup. I ran pretty hard that day!)

This funny meme came to mind after I finished, so I put my finish time on it. 

Some more of my running peeps! (Andrea is in front taking the photo. Renee is on the far left.)

With this race, my last half marathon of 2017, I completed the "Beach Cities Challenge." Interesting fact, I started my racing career with the same challenge in 2012/2013! After my first half I found out it was a part of this challenge, you do the OC half, the Long Beach half, and the Surf City half and get this HUGE medal to celebrate your accomplishment. 5 years later and I did it again. Back then I did those races in about 2:28, but this time I did it in 2:11! In the running community that is a big deal! Shaving off minutes, even seconds, is considered an accomplishment!

What I have learned from running these past 5 years, is that dedicating my runs to God always equals success. Through running I have been able to raise money and awareness for melanoma cancer, and a few various other charities, as well as run for the LIFE runners and the unborn (supporting my local pregnancy crisis center), and run for Meg's Miles (supporting a grieving family, and an amazing loving online community of runners). But most of all I have learned that God first, is always the best move to make in my life.

If you would like to help me support Living Well, my local pregnancy crisis center, go here to this link: https://www.razoo.com/us/story/Oc-Life-Runners-Fundraiser-For-Living-Well

Thank you for reading my story! And thank you for your support!
-the Annagizer

And remember... #ChooseJoy #ChooseLove #ChoosePeace