Date: 8/28/21
Training Day: 33
Miles: 13.1
Shoes: Chacos
Weather: Sunny, mid 40s to low 60s

How It Felt: Not too bad considering how little I trained and that I ran in CHACOS!

Commentary: The Mesa Falls Half Marathon took place near Ashton, ID, which is only an hour from where we live. My husband and I considered driving up there Friday night, picking up my packet and sleeping at the race start.

Instead we decided to get up early Saturday morning and drive out. Friday night I got my running vest ready – water bladder filled, headband and inhaler stashed in pockets, and a soft flask of sports beverage. I also staged all my clothes for the race.

Saturday morning I grabbed some clothes to change into after the race, put on my running clothes, grabbed my backpack and running vest, and we hit the road.

I picked up my race packet, and we got to the starting line with over an hour to spare. About 15 minutes before the start time I figured I should start getting ready. That’s when I realized I never grabbed my running shoes.

We drove the van to the race, the van we used to live in, so my husband and I sifted through all the shit that was still in there, hoping I had a pair of shoes hiding somewhere.

Nope.

I looked down at my Chaco-clad feet and decided my only option was to run in what I had on. I fished a pair of toe socks out of my sock stash, tightened the straps on my Chacos, donned my running vest, and headed to the starting line.

Let me tell you what, 13.1 miles in Chacos is not great. It’s not the worst, but it still sucks. My running shoes don’t have any sort of arch support, but my Chacos do. By the halfway point I felt blisters forming on my arches.

Other than the blisters, the rest of the race was fine. I maintained a decent 13-minute mile on the long uphill, and still managed to pick up my pace the last two miles. By mile ten I needed a little distraction from my burning arches, so I turned on my 180 BPM playlist and focused on the music.

At the finish line my husband mentioned to the announcer that I ran in Chacos, and he announced it to the whole race. Part of me felt badass, and part of me felt like a dumbass. But I was still proud of myself for finishing in 2 hours and 27 minutes.

Afterwards, we swung by the house so I could grab my flipflops before heading to the beer fest. Needless to say, my Chacos and I need a break from each other for a little bit.

At the beer fest a lady who also ran the half marathon stopped me and asked if I was the one who ran in Chacos. I had enough beer in me at that point to be proud of my accomplishment instead feeling like an idiot.

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