Race Report!!! Pacers Running Festival

What a great race! Such a wonderful Mother's Day experience. I could not think of a better way to spend Mother's Day- running with my kids!

Since the race was on Mother's Day and the race had the option of running as a team, I had shirts made for the kids and I! I loved them- I had a great experience working with

The shirts were adorable, and kids were so proud of them! They have each kid's initial with white shoe prints going across, and around the outside of the circle they say 'Toussaint Family Running Team * Run Happy*
We had a little pre-race photo shoot!



The trip down to Arlington was easy- the kids woke up early with no complaints and jumped in the car willingly.



The race was on the smaller side- it was really nice to run some of the same roads I ran during the Army 10 Miler and the Marine Corps Marathon without 30,000 others breathing down my neck. We parked right at the start- Rich took all three kids to Silver Diner and then they hung out at a playground and drove to the finish (which was also the location of the kids' dash). The course was beautiful! We started downhill, and then ran a lot of uphills. The course was a welcome challenge. I really could not get a great visual of where exactly the course went from the PDF map that was online- so some of the hills were a surprise. I started out well, my first 3 miles averaged 7:28, the next 3 I ran at a 7:40 pace- by the time I hit the big hill at 9 I was around 7:50. I figured I could make up the time on the flat stretch back into Rosslyn. I could not have been more wrong- those last three miles were straight into a fierce wind! The course passed the Pentagon a few times- I could not stop thinking about the mothers that lost their lives there on 9/11, thinking especially of a good friend whose husband lost his sister there. Put a lot in perspective. I finished at an 8:08 pace. My Garmin hit 13.1 at 1:46. The total race course was 13.49 on my Garmin, so no official PR, but my fastest half-marathon pace to date (yes- to date, I fully intend to crush this time come fall!!)
End of the race:


Kids and I in our matching shirts:


The kids' dash- William was amazing! He took off and ran, he was so determined. I could not have been more proud, and the joy on his face before, during, and after the dash was incredible! He has been bugging me to let him join a running team, but I really don't know of any for 4 year old boys!
Julia was a bit scared of the mob scene at the beginning of the kids dash. Between the woman with the microphone, the police motorcycle revving and it's siren, and the kids running past her, Julia was not happy. She did finish the race though- which impressed me!




I don't have another half coming up until the fall, but I am hoping to find a couple. I am totally in love with the half marathon, perfect distance and I finish having had such a great time! At my next half I am aiming to finish around 1:40 -1:42. Can't wait to try!