100 Half Marathons!

I completed my first half marathon (the Indy Mini) in 1997 and if someone had told me afterward that one day I would cross the finish line of 99 more half marathons I wouldn’t have believed them. I thought people only did ONE a year. Plus back then there wasn’t a half marathon every weekend somewhere in every state to choose from either. AND after doing the Mini again in 1998 & 1999, I didn’t do another half marathon until 2008. 

Yet here I am having just done that on Saturday, September 17, 2016.

The breakdown is as follows: 

1997 = 1 
1998 = 1

1999 = 1

2008 = 1

2009 = 1

2010 = 4

2011 = 4

2012 = 9

2013 = 17

2014 = 31

2015 = 17

2016 = should end the year with 23

100 Half Marathons.

I'm very humbled that the Indy Women's people made such a big deal about me prior to this race. Ten days before the race, this was in the email newsletter:

Then this was on Facebook & Twitter race morning:

Although it rained the middle 6+ miles of my race, it was not raining those last three.

The finish line was made special by my brother driving 90 minutes to be there even though he had worked all night and he brought two other friends with him. My niece (his daughter) made this fabulous poster for me.

My friend Allison was off on her own running adventure but made this 100 medal and got it to my husband to present to me at the finish line.  I "tricked it out" (with her permission) then next day by adding some bling to it. Pictured here with the butterfly race medal.

Indy Women's even saved bib #100 for me.

And of course my husband was there to cheer me on as well. He had some streamer "poppers" (like you would use on New Year's Eve) and popped one as I ran past on to the finish line.

In the big ol circle of runners that I know, many of them have passed #100 a long time ago. They are in their 150s or even the 200s. They’ve done a half marathon (or even a full marathon) every weekend of the year. Several have done a half (or a full) every day for 5 consecutive days in 5 different states! I could go on and on about the different types of commitment and tenacity some of my running friends have that makes 100 half marathons seem like a drop in the bucket. But I am proud of this accomplishment. Although my running isn’t what it was 2 years ago, I’m still out there getting it done. Along the way I’ve made some great friendships and I’ve even been told that I’ve inspired a few people to step outside of what they thought might be possible and at least try.  And THOSE are the types of things I hope to be remembered for when my time is up - that I was an encourager, that I was kind, that I was a friend to many.

Professional race photo at the finish line