day after race

Well I did it; I completed my first half marathon before I turned 55! And I did it under 2 hours. And I never saw another barefoot runner but there must have been at least one out of 3500 people!
I am very sore today and am walking around like an old cowboy so I'm thinking about what I can do differently next time. The biggest thing is to keep doing walk/run intervals. Yesterday I was feeling so good and passing people and pounding along on the pavement happily and I didn't do walk intervals. Not until the last 3 km when I felt like my body was going to completely seize up. My muscles must have been full of lactic acid! I have never been stiff after my training runs but then I always do walk/run intervals. So what I learned is that I should keep the walk/run intervals and plan a strategy for time goals that includes walking times. I also want to train at a faster pace or do more speed play so my muscles are accustomed to faster movement.
I have 9 weeks to my next half marathon so there is time to change my training and to work on being more specific with my time goals!
But for now I'm going to enjoy long walks and slow feldenkrais lessons; on my way to regain easy flowing movement!

day before race

Well here it is; I am one day from my first half marathon. I am confident that I can do the entire run. What I'm focusing on is my comfort and ease so I'm thinking about what I eat and drink and I am setting my intention. I am visualizing myself finishing and by that I mean that I'm imagining how I am going to feel as I go through the race and finish the race. Using my sensing and feeling in imagining is more effective than just seeing myself go over the finish line. I am going to feel strong and vibrant the entire way!