I’m about half way through with my half marathon training (ahhhhhh) and what better way to commemorate this special moment than by running half half a marathon? Especially a Christmas themed one. Enter: Houston’s 12K of Christmas Fun Run. See what they did there? So 12K is 7.45 miles. Some quick math here…that’s over half half a marathon. BONUS POINTS. Also the longest distance I will have ever run to date at one time. BONUS POINTS WITH A CHERRY ON TOP. I had previously thought we were going to be running through Buffalo Bayou. PLOT TWIST. We got to run on Memorial. Small victories. It was AWESOME. I drive on that road all the time. Super cool to just casually run down a highway. Anyways wondering how the race went? Here’s a minute by minute timeline of my adventures with running.

T-minus 3 days to Houston’s 12K of Christmas. Have the usual swimmer-land-paradox crisis.

Race Day.

6:00 Alarm goes off.

6:10 Turn on Beat’s World Cup hype video to get inspired/wake up because 6am on a Saturday is effing earlyyy.

6:18 Roll out for a light jog to warm up/wake up.

6:30 Meet up at my friend’s apartment to pick up race tag.

6:37 Do some yoga on her living room floor to warm up/continue waking up.

7:02 Park outside the Wortham Center.

7:03 Follow tackily Christmas-y dressed people in running shoes.

7:03:30 Lament over the fact that we are not wearing any tinsel, reindeer ears, or tutus.

7:03:35 Congratulate ourselves for not wearing any tinsel, reindeer ears or tutus. Bc #aerodynamics and ain’t nobody got time for that ish.

7:05 Hear “Buenos Dias” over the speakers and automatically wanna say “It’s Ivan” BECAUSE IT WAS IVAN. FROM HOT 95.7.

7:11 Do a “dynamic warm up” courtesy of the Notre Dame Swim Team lift workout. Think high knees, butt kicks, lunges, wobbling, etc.

7:34 Find the Christmas Chick Fila Cows and take an awkward pic.

7:40 Line up behind the Start arch.

7:43 Guy next to us asks if its one lap or two around the course for the 12K. Makes a joke about finishing one lap (aka a 6K) in 25 minutes. HA WHAT NO JOKES.

7:48 WE BEGIN.

7:58-8:50 Run a few yards behind Buddy.

9:00 ish FINISH!!!! SURVIVED!!!

9:05 Get fro-yo bc yolo.

9:07 Run into the guy that lapped us around mile 4 and went on to run the 12K race in 39:34. His name is Travis. OKAY I SEE YOU TRAVIS. #RESPECT

9:08 Proceeded to take the MOST award pic. (But actually look at that spacing. I blame the lack of motor control of my muscles after the race….)

9:14 Get a bunch of free ish from all the sponsors (ice packs, chip clips, draw string bags, pens, bananas) because everything’s better when it’s free.

9:21 Attempt to go to Niko Niko’s in Market Square. (Their breakfast gyros are BOMB).

9:42 Get there. Realize it’s effing cold (aka 50 degrees) and we’re sweaty and no thanks to sitting outside.

9:43 Form contingency plan and head to the real Niko Niko’s.

10:14 Smash some serious bomb breakfast gyros && live happily ever after.

10:51 Some randos tell us congrats (they have no clue what our medals are for) #hardware

11:30 Turn on The Grinch. Ice my knees. Live happily ever after.

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