2 hours 5 minutes

I did it! I finished the Warsaw Halfmarathon! And when I crossed the finish line, I thought, "Is that it?" After a few months of training and running around Krakow in some of the most ridiculous weather conditions, it turns out I really was prepared enough to go 13 miles on a beautiful, sunny day. The two main goals I set for myself (to run -not walk- the entire race, and to come in under 2:30:00) were both met. I feel pretty good about it, and my legs didn't hurt as bad as I thought they would. I think the massage at the end of the race really helped on that account.

Like I mentioned, the weather was unbelievably nice. I may have even gotten a tad sunburned as I was running. But on Saturday, when I arrived, it was rainy and downright depressing. There I was, all prepared to take in the sights of Warsaw on foot, without an umbrella and three large bags (my backpack, a sleeping bag, and my race kit). I spent most of the day indoors having lunch and coffee. The famous mermaid statue in the Old Town square wasn't even up - it was gone for repairs... Thankfully I had brought along a good book passed on to me by Annie. By the time Saturday night rolled around, I was beginning to regret that I had come by myself. However, I spent some time in the Warsaw University library reading (which is a neat building), had my favorite tea from a Polish cafe chain, and got a surprise phone call from a friend, things were looking up.

Later, I made it to the sports hall where I was to sleep, and when I walked into the room with about 50 fellow athletes, no joke, I was the only girl! How could I have just assumed that there would be plenty of female runners at this place?? No matter, I rolled out my sleeping bag in a free spot against the wall and began chatting with the guy next to me. It was his first half marathon as well. I would keep running into him all throughout the next day, so it kind of felt like i had made a friend there. That was nice.

When Zbyszek (I think that was his name) went out to check the temperature in the morning, he said, in Polish of course, "Can I ask you a question? Why do you run?" I hadn't really thought much about this question in English let alone had an answer prepared in Polish. What I could say was that I like to run because it is something I can do by myself and I have total freedom. Freedom. Wolność. I think that is true.

I would do it again. Now I feel like there is a whole new world of competitive running open to me. At this race there were certainly a lot of people who did it like me, just to do it, but there were also some people, and some "big-name runners", who were really serious about it. I think I could become serious about distance running knowing that my mind and my body can take it. Now I have the goal of running a half marathon in under 2 hours. I think before too long I'll be doing a full marathon. ;)

Here are a couple of pictures that a hired photo agency took along the course: http://www.fotomaraton.pl/event.php?Lang=PL&Event=PWA08&ToFind=419. The building, one of the most famous in Warsaw and in all of Poland, affectionately known as "Stalin's penis" is in the background.