I am here to write this post, which means I didn’t get lost somewhere on the course. Despite feeling like I wanted to die at times (OK, so that’s a bit dramatic) I survived and am very happy with my overall experience!! First, I must rewind to the day before the race. I was so jazzed to venture to Seattle, because I was able to meet MEGHAN!
If only her co-blogger Rebekah came too!
This unbelievably gorgeous gal (seriously..she was a babe) KILLED the FULL marathon and has a shiny new PR tucked into her back pocket!! Way to goooo M! We got lunch at The Veggie Grill, because I am obsessed and like to drag all my blog friends there. I had a blast with this girl, and we chatted as if we were long time friends. I love blogging!
ONTO the race!! 3 AM came quick, but I was able to roll out of bed and get all my stuff together. I was running with one of my longtime friends, and she was picking me up around 3:40. I got my coffee and we hit the road!! We got to our parking spot EARLY, just how I like it. This left lots of time for bathroom breaks and photo ops.
When you let someone else take your photo, 90% of the time it comes out blurry. OH and it was cold.
7:30 came and we were off. Now let me just say..my friend up there..on the left…is a bit of a speedy-gon-haul-ass. Her pace is at least an entire minute faster than mine for most runs, but I ended up running with her for the first 4 miles. Finally, when I looked at my watch and saw I was running sub 9 min miles I knew I needed to calm down. I didn’t train for this race, and if I kept up this pace I’d never make it. I gave her my blessing and she took off. She ended up owning this race and finished about 15 minutes before me.
The first half of the course was fine, I felt OK..not great..but OK. I hit mile 7 and my hips suddenly felt like they were carrying 10lb bags of sand. UGH. I was way too far from the end to feel like this. This is when I knew the remainder of the race was going to be almost 100% mental. I had to push..hard. This is also when the hills really started to show their ugly faces. Damn you hills, you killed my hips and lower back!
but I don’t wanna!!!
I ended up walking..A LOT. In fact I was shocked by how many OTHER people were walking as well. I have to admit I was easily influenced by others walking. I walked some of the hills that I just couldn’t fathom running up. In all reality it wouldn’t have been running anyway, more like an injured looking mouse hobbling away from a fox up the hill.
The course was stunning, and I wish I would have appreciated the scenery more instead of focusing on my legs aching. We ran though woodsy trails, neighborhoods, and over the city. I felt like I was on top of the world at one point. My Garmin lost satellite around mile 4 so it was completely off, and I was convinced my time was going to be awful. I was shocked when I finally made it to the finish and saw that my time was 2:15, a 10:19 pace.
I walked a lot, I didn’t train, the hills kicked my ass, and my legs felt like lead…but somehow I still managed to complete a half marathon FASTER than two of the three previous half’s I trained for. This time is 6 minutes slower than my PR, but I have NO complaints and I was more than jazzed about my finish.
After the race I was walking like I just gave birth. My legs were like jello and any stairs I saw were quickly cursed at and made me want to cry. I sucked it up though, because I was on my way to Mighty-O to get myself some DONUTS! Will run for donuts..
Overall I would say this race was a success. I’ve run a handful of race in Seattle, but this course was one of the prettiest. I would love to do it again next year..with proper training of course. Despite feeling like I was dying for 1/3 of the race it still went by fast and I earned my medal, and I destroyed an apple fritter.
Q: How do you refuel after a long workout? After regular workouts I like to eat a healthy meal, but after a race I love to eat poison sugar! DONUTTT.
Blissfulbritt 
74 thoughts on “Seattle Half Marathon”
Gillian @ That's G
Congrats!! I wanna run a race in Seattle — and I love that medal!
I don’t have a go-to post-race refuel, which is weird because I have everything pre-race and during the race down to a science. I guess I just eat whatever sounds good — often pizza.
EverdayLivingPNW
Nice! Glad to hear you made it…I should of prepared and came to spectate, ohh well lesson learned. Thinking of training this year for the 2014 event, we will see. Oh and yes veggie grill rocks, thanks again for the tip!
Brittany
This may sound way creeper, but I totally thought of you at one point on the course!! I was like, “AHH Ed lives in Seattle I wonder if I am running near his house”..haha. You should really do the race in 2014, despite my minor whining I loved this race.
EverdayLivingPNW
No not creeper at all!…isnt like u ended up at my front door knocking unannounced…that there would be creeper, I am just honored to be thought of! Chances are you didnt go by my place, we be up in North Seattle, like north north…I am thinking more and more seriously of it, it is going on the list!
Alex @ therunwithin
way to go! it is funny because I read a magazine article in a running one saying that walking hills sometimes will help your race – you conserve energy overall and can use it later on.
Brittany
I totally believe it!! Power walking up the hills really isn’t any slower than I would be going if I were “running” them anyway, and it feels like much less exuded energy!
Lisa
Wahoo congrats on the half marathon!
You rock, my friend. I can’t even imagine running something that long;)
Amy @ A Desert Girl
Well done!!! Considering the fact that you hadn’t trained, I’d say you did AMAZING. Rockstar = YOU.
Boise Runner (@RunInBoise)
The Seattle Marathon was my first marathon & I do want to go back to run i again. I walked a lot of those hills, too!
Davida @The Healthy Maven
You met Meghan!!!! I’m so jealous!
Goes to show you that training isn’t everything! Maybe I should sign up for a HM tomorrow? Ok that would be a terrible idea. But congrats to YOU!
Brittany
I may have completed the race, but I am still paying for the lack of training a day later!! HA, I AM SO SORE!
kathy @ vodka and soda
I AM SO JEALOUS YOU GUYS HAD A MEET UP. when meghan emailed me (and rebs jealous-emaild me to tell me you guys were meeting up), i could not believe that i forgot that was happening and WITHOUT US!! but i’m glad you met even though it gave me the mega sads that me and rebs were left out.
that said, congrats on such a great run! and the fact that you got to eat donuts after the race is heaven; way better than that medal, i’d say!!
pickyrunner
I’m so jealous you got to meet meghan!!!!!! What the heck man! Can we transplant all of you over to the east coast/DC/Bmore/Boston so we can hang out all the time?!?! Not fair. In all seriousness, you are awesome! Hilly courses really make you realize how strong of a runner you are. As much as I don’t love them, I end up feeling like I’m on top of the world afterwards. Plus, who wouldn’t want to fuel with donuts?
Brittany
I would love to have a giant blogger hangout..then again I AM COMING to your area soon enough and we MUST get together!
Kristina at damntenpounds
Congrats on a great race, girl! Your time was awesome, especially considering the hills and that you didn’t train much for this one. At least there were no hornets this time around. And I love that medal! It’s like you were destined to eat donuts 🙂 BTW I’m super jealous you and Meghan got to hang out. I think we should all sign up for a race somewhere in the middle and have weekend full of running and debauchery. Yes? Say yes!!
Brittany
Thanks girl, and thank goodness there were no ratchet hornets!! OH and yes…just yes!
Ja @Ja on the RUN
Aww! That’s cool that you met a fellow blogger! If I meet you someday, I would love for you to bring me at the Veggie Grill! 🙂 That place seems interesting!!! 🙂
Congratulations on finishing the race despite for the fact that you didn’t train for it! YOU made it! Wuhooo! 🙂 The hillssss sounded really tough! 🙂
Megan
Way to go lady loo!!! After long work outs I will 9x out of 10 eat something really healthy BC A) I don’t get hungry right away and B) I am still concerned I may fall over / barf on some one…
Her Happy Balance
Aww yay! So glad you got to hang out with Meghan!!! ❤ Love her to death.
Congrats on your race! For not training, you still killed it and totally would've kicked my butt! Post-race carbs = heaven. Glad you went to town 🙂
Rebecca@RunningFoodBaby
YAY!!! Well done!
Omg donuts!!! I would run for donuts! I like the medal! It is pretty!
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
Congratulations pretty lady. I knew this race was going to be a success. You know I love planning, but sometimes being chill is the best way to go. Apple fritters certainly don’t hurt either. I would run that far for one of those bad boys.
Amy
Girl, I am SO proud of you for gutting it out, sticking with it, and FINISHING!!! With an incredible 10:19 pace. Seriously. That’s fast for me! (I’d be the snail that finished about an hour after everyone else.) You’re amazing Brittany!
And I TOTALLY approve of running for donuts! I do my workouts in the mornings and try to eat healthy food until after dinner because the earlier in the day that I consume sugar, the more I want! (Excluding dark chocolate, of course. It’s a vegetable.) That doesn’t work too well with donut shop hours because they tend to open at 5 am and close by 3 pm… Maybe one of these days, I’ll buy one in the morning and test my self-control to make it last untouched until nighttime!
Brittany
Surprisingly my self-control has been amazing lately and I am OK with just ONE (or maybe two) cookie..or ONE donut, regardless of the time of day! If I have a raging sweet tooth though, it doesn’t matter if it’s 5am or 5pm..I will eat like four cookies. HAHA.
Amy
TEACH ME YOUR SELF-CONTROL WAYS!! 🙂
Missy
Yahoo… that’s a PR!
PNWRunner
GIRL you KILLED it TOO! The first half was great, the second half of the half SUCKED. Those hills, my o’ my……Next time I train for anything, I’ll be sure to run that course! I didn’t realize you were up soooo early! WOW. I literally sat on the couch all day yesterday when I got home. Lazy time.
Brittany
I made myself go walk around for a bit haha. After eating a GIANT (boca) burger from Red Robin..and TWO entire baskets of fries. I hurt so good after that. I am still sore today…haha.
PNWRunner
Ohhhh yummmm! I made myself go to the gym today. Still super sore too…stretching has helped a bit. The pain was so worth it tho!
Lauren
Woohooo!! CONGRATS! I don’t think I could function long enough after waking up that early, haha! After a long workout, to refuel, I’m all about some sort of carb in my meal! Sweet pot fries, quinoa. ezekiel toast, etc. Bring on the carbs, baby!
katymarie5
Ha I did the same thing after my half – went straight for the cinnamon french toast! Congrats on an AWESOME time!
Jan @ Sprouts n Squats
Wow well done on getting another half marathon under your belt and on such minimal training too!!
Very impressive you should be very proud 🙂
Brittany
Thank you so much!
Christina Does It All
Yayyyy! Congrats! And good choice on donuts afterwards 🙂
An Unrefined Vegan
You did it!! Good for you for pushing through the Wall. BTW, what a cool medal! The color is great!
katalysthealth
GIRL!! You did awesome!! Congrats on pushing through that and being the beast that I know you are!
And btw, you are quite the babe if I do say so myself 😉
Brittany
It takes a babe to know a babe.. 🙂
P
Yay for another half in the books, running for donuts, and rocking those running tights! I love the teal color of your bib and medal! Seattle also sounds like an amazing place to run in too!
I feel the same way about wanting to appreciate the scenery more, since that’s exactly what happened to me during the Nike Half. I had aches n pains on the descent of the first hill, which kept me from enjoying the natural beauty around me, haha.
Laura
Congrats! I did the Seattle marathon last year and it kicked my butt! I couldn’t believe some of the hills and was sure they’d never end! Amazing job!
brickhousechick
You earned those donuts, Brittany! I love the pictures because I can visualize the whole day’s events. I feel like I was there with you – except that I would have been at the donut shop waiting for you. Congrats. 🙂
Heather @ HeatherRunsFast.com
Congrats on the race my lady! The “hills” in my race killed me and they were prob .0005 the size of yours, haha. Way to push through mentally, we all know that’s more than half the battle right there. For no training I’d say you put the smack down on that course. Bam! I’m all about the bad food after a race. Run hard, eat bad, that’s my moto haha.
Brittany
I love that motto..HA!
Alexandra
AHHHHH WAY TO GO GIRL!!!!!!!!!! 😀 That course sounds INTENSE but you did it!! And boy was it a sweet, sweet victory–those donuts look bomb 😀
So glad you had an adventure-filled, fun race!
Change of Pace
Congratulations on another great race!! That’s awesome how well you did with little training, ms. speedy!
Ha ha- loved your comparison to the injured mouse being chased. I’m sure you didn’t look like that 🙂
Post-race donuts sound unbelievable! My personal favourite: cheese pizza, the greasier the better!
jessielovestorun
Congratulations on finishing your 4th marathon. Even without training you did awesome!! I don’t blame you for diving head first into those donuts…. i’d be right there with you ordering some. Except mine would be a cream stuffed one. YUM!
Brittany
I got a cream stuffed one!! I had it this morning and OHH MY GOSH..divine.
Britta
CONGRATS LADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I KNEW YOU WOULD KILL IT! Honestly, for not training, you were an absolute beast and I wouldn’t expect anything less!! ❤ ahh, its my GOAL to come down to seattle and run a race with you.. even if its only a 5k, I don't care!! WAY TO GO – SO FLIPPING PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
Brittany
PLEASSSEEEE CAN WE RUN a race together!?!?! PLEASE!
ahellams
Those medals are awesome and the donuts looked absolutely life changing!! Especially after a race!
A friend of mine is on rotation in Seattle and this was her first half ever and I know she loved it.
I can’t wait to plan my trip to Seattle some day so we can go eat at The Veggie Grill!!
GiGi Eats Celebrities
I kinda wanna eat some hills for breakfast.
GiGi Eats Celebrities
Oh wait, how rude of me NOT to ask if you’d care to join me 😉
GiGi Eats Celebrities
OMG if I keep replying to my comment, my comments will sort of form a hill….. Kind of like the hills that “kicked YO booty”….
Mary
Well done!!! I have never completed a half marathon without at least a little walking. I’m really rubbish at pacing myself on race day. That medal is really unusual!
sincerelylily
yesss! i was waiting for the re-cap…. love the pics! you look so pretty – as usual. I love that medal too! I always feel like you get the coolest medals… I need to fly out there and run a race I think. I HATE IT WHEN MY GARMIN LOSES SATELLITE AND IS LIKE ‘HMMM SORRY.’ Worst thing ever. Ugh.
so happy you did this!!!!!!!!!!!!!! horrrrrrrrrray for being beautiful and athletic and healthy and strong!
Brittany
I totally run for the medal..I creep on half marathons and make sure I get a medal..HA!!
kelly @ racesrepsramblings
What a beautiful medal!! Love it! And CONGRATS on an awesome race! It sounds just lovely 🙂
luminousvegans
Congratulations! As someone who has trouble running laps at the gym, I am SUPER impressed with your endurance. I am sure I would have walked the entire thing. What a great feeling it must have been at the end…rubbery legs and all.
apartmentwife
aww congrats – sounds like a lot of fun and i’m having a harder time deciding whether i would keep going for the donuts or the medal – both so awesome 🙂
B
Congrats on finishing! I don’t run but if I saw those hills I’d be all “NOPE” and turn around. LOL
B.
Congrats!! I don’t know if I’d ever want to do an official half, but I commend you; you’re like my running idol! I would not be able to handle Seattle hills for 13.1 miles since I can barely tolerate a 5k on flat surfaces now.
I also said I would never enjoy running, and now I do so who knows…maybe one year I’ll finally join the party!
Life After Swimming
Way to go, girl! Another half under your belt…and some donuts, too! Those look banging 🙂
Rebekah @ fitnesscreatures
I’m so sad I didn’t get to come 😦 Kathy and I were legit sending shit-talking/super sad face emails about your meetup. YAYYYYY to your half! So awesome 🙂 And you already know how I feel about those donuts. I would almost consider going through the agony of running another 13.1 just to get those at the end. Super cute leggings!!
Melissa @ Al Forno Mementos
Great job, Britt! It doesn’t matter if you run the whole way or not. Just finishing is a great accomplishment … and to finish with a faster time? Even better! I realized that sometimes when I walk/run I finish faster than when I try to run the whole way. weird how that works.
Luv What You Do
Sounds like an incredible race! I love a unique race like that and need to get back to Seattle. Congrats!!! BTW, I think I need Meghan’s yellow coat!
kadeecramer
Yay!! I knew you’d kick butt 😀
Elizabeth
way to kick some hilly-ass!!! you’re amazing!! 🙂 xoxo
Sarah @ Feeeding the Brain and Body
Yay congrats on being done! Now you can sit back and relax knowing you finished the course! What an awesome medal!
Pingback: The Aftermath | BlissfulBritt
Rach @ This Italian Family
Success! You go girl! Way to finish that race! And I love your post race eats. 🙂
The Vegan 8
You are so bad a$$! I can’t imagine running those hills….I’d surely die! Those donuts would have me running faster though, knowing they would be at the finish line, haha! 🙂
di @ life of di.
Whoo-hoo! I seriously cannot imagine walking all of those hills – let alone running them. Columbus is flatter than a pancake so I have NO experience with more difficult, hilly runs. Anyways, that said – so happy for you and completing this half! You seriously killed it.
PS – I can totally relate to your post race indulgences. Whenever I complete a typical workout, I’ll still eat healthily but on race day – SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR!
chapelrat
Congratulations Britt – I am amazed by you 🙂
❤
At some point it would be nice to hear your thoughts (and others) regarding the BEST bras to wear during exercise/running and so forth. A bra that doesn't completely flatten the girls and won't adhere to shirts.
Brittany
OH my gosh I cannot believe I never replied to this!! I hope this gets to you!! Thank you, and I find that I have to DOUBLE UP on the bras because yes..I NEED MY babies completely flat!! I don’t have any fancy recommendations, just whatever sucks those girls down!
Pingback: Relaxation Here I Come | BlissfulBritt
Pingback: Gluten & Dairy Free Carb Loading | BlissfulBritt