Back from California!!!!!!!

Hello!!!!!!  We're back from Cali!  And we all survived the 1/2 Marathon (but not without some major aches and pains!!!)  I'm going to split my wrap up into a few posts.

First up - the entire reason we went out..........the Napa to Sonoma 1/2 Marathon!!!

Here's the full Team Connecticut Winers - which is a mix of 1/2 Marathon team and 5k Team: We all met up to pick up our bibs!

This is the course map.  Holy Crap!

And - I had to take a picture of my gear plus my RFR shirt!!

Of course - the night before the race - I didn't sleep.  I kept anticipating alarm so I was up at 11pm, 2am, 4am and finally 4:45am when the alarm sounded!

We had to meet the shuttle at 5:45am in our hotel lobby and Jill, Cindy and I were SO HAPPY the hotel put out coffee for us!!!!!!!! Yahooo!!!!!!!

I was looking for some extra help with my run. Cindy and I put these wings on our sneakers!

These are just SOME of the runners lining up to start!  See all the way in the distance - 

that itty bitty white sign? That was the START!  I believe there were over 3,000 runners.

Here's our 1/2 Marathon team.........just waiting to get started!!

Pat, Melissa, Kathy, Carol, Sharon, Jill, Cindy and ME!

The weather was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT on race day!  Overcast and about 62 - 65 degrees!
We hit the starting gate about 4 minutes after the first people to leave did.  I felt REALLY good throughout the majority of the race UNTIL mile 11..........ugh - that was hard!

At Mile 12 I texted my hubby so he could expect me within 10 minutes because I asked him to video me! Then at about 12.65 miles - my phone battery died....no music, no Map My Run.....no nothing but me to finish!  And here's the short video!  I loved hearing our friend Armen and Dede (along w/ my hubby) cheering me on!

Not a quality picture - but a smile of relief that the finish line was just a few hundred feet in front of me!

After the run - I had to put on my Running for Rescues shirt with everyone who donated names on it!

And - here's all the CT Winers AFTER the run.

I was able to complete the run in 2 hours, 4 minutes and :48 seconds!  I was THRILLED with that time! I was hoping to be under 2:15 - so I can't complain about that!  I finished 68th in my age group, 475th for females and 900th overall!  AND........with the support of my family and friends - I was able to raise over $5,000.00 for Running for Rescues!

But, I'm sticking to my guns.....ONE AND DONE!  There was a lot of pain associated with this run and I know my limits!

If you stuck with me through this post - thanks!!!!!!  And if you donated.......thanks!!!!!!! And if you cheered me on..........thanks!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!