The Nike Women’s Half-Marathon

We Run D.C. 
Yesterday, I embarked on my first-ever Nike Women’s Half-Marathon in Washington, D.C. I’ve never been the most athletic, so what would possess me to challenge myself physically—and to such extremes? Perhaps it was the alarming statistic that “4 out of 5 African American women are obese or overweight.”

Registration

The Nike Women’s Half-Marathon started with our arrival in Washington, D.C., on Saturday afternoon at the beautiful historic Omni Shoreham Hotel. Hubby and I headed to Georgetown to the Nike Registration for the Half-Marathon. Seeing the maze of the long line with women from every conceivable age group, every size and color was inspiring. The line moved quickly to receive our race information and racing bib with a chip for my family to track my every mile along the course. Over 17,000 women registered to run or walk the 13.1-mile half-marathon., my race bib #17060. Can you imagine?

After registering, we headed to the Nike Expotique, a tent filled with fun activities. We enjoyed chair massages, sampled Nunn hydration products, received complimentary makeovers, and had the chance to win Nike gear—all while enjoying upbeat music. It was an exciting experience!

Saturday evening, the 50 participants attended a Central Pennsylvania Team Meeting. The meeting included reminders about the information they need to enjoy the race, safety instructions, and a team photo tomorrow at 5:15 a.m.

Let’s go through the actual day of the marathon, shall we?

5:15 a.m. Team Photo

5:30 a.m., The Central Pennsylvania team headed to Pennsylvania Ave via the Metro to join the over 17,000 women registered to run or walk. It was indeed a sight to see!

6:30 a.m. The Grouping of Runners/walkers
The seasoned runners are at the very front of the pack. Talk about being a sardine in a can, but the excitement and thrill of being among women who raised a minimum of $2000.00 per person to participate felt like an adrenaline rush. I believe the participants raised over 2 billion dollars for Leukemia and Lymphoma.

At 7:00 a.m., the race began, but it took more than just a few minutes for my assigned pace group to move along Pennsylvania Avenue and the Potomac River. I questioned why I thought I could start at such a fast pace. Perhaps the excitement of being among so many women led me to believe I could keep up. By Mile 2, I realized that maintaining the fast pace was not feasible, and I needed to focus on the pace I had trained with my husband—slow but steady.

8:45 a.m. The Dreaded Bus

I spotted the bus on the other side of the road, the one that picks up stragglers who might not finish the marathon on time. Seeing it motivated me to pick up my pace. My goal for my first-ever marathon was to complete the race on my own, without the bus driving me over the finish line. If I maintained my newfound speed, I should finish the race before the 11:00 a.m. cutoff.

The atmosphere along the course was incredibly motivating, with curbside cheerleaders offering words of encouragement, live entertainment, and training coaches inspiring us. Knowing that my family was waiting for me at the finish line made it even more special as I aimed to cross the red-carpeted finish line.

My ultimate motivation was the thrill of victory and the excitement of my family watching me cross the finish line. Nike provided each runner and walker with a specially designed Tiffany’s necklace. A handsome young man in a tuxedo presenting it to me on a silver tray is not bad for motivation, right?

Have you challenged yourself physically? Have you ever participated in a full or half-marathon?