keeping that legacy status at all costs

from the very moment i finished getting myself dressed to run the hollywood half, i knew it was a bad idea.  i felt like shit, i looked like shit, and i knew i wasn't going to be able to run for shit.  although my head knew better, my heart said "you'll lose your legacy status and you won't earn that kick ass 5th anniversary bling!"

you can guess which body part i listened to.

i decided to save as much of my energy as i could and decided to head downstairs into the train station and take the red line over to the start line at hollywood and highland.  just one stop away, but  from previous experience i knew how far it was to walk.  i wasn't thrilled to see that i'd apparently just missed the train and had to wait a solid ten minutes for the next one, but i figured it would be worth it and i'd still get to the start line in time to hop into the team superhero and legacy runner group photos.

i was wrong.  instead of at 5:30 as i'd thought i'd seen on facebook, the photos were scheduled at 5:15 and i missed them both.  poop.  i was bummed, but what can ya do?  i managed to find a few of my friends to hang out with, and it was nice to chat with them and try to get myself swept up into the excitement of the race.

this is my friend ray, who i first met at the very first hollywood half in 2012.  ignore the horrible face i seem to be making here.

this father-and-son duo came totally decked out in full costume.  no idea who they were, but they looked great.

i don't know what was going on to delay the start, but we didn't get to cross that start line until well after the scheduled 6:00 time.  it wasn't even dark anymore by the time we got going.

even though i was feeling like crap, i still managed to take off at a decent pace and found myself at the first mile marker in no time.

a peek at the finish line.  i wondered how long it would be before i saw it again.

looking up at the w hotel, i thought of how nice it would be to just run back up to our room, crawl into bed and sleep for hours.

i don't care how cheesy it might be, the famous capitol records building will always be cool to me.

mile 2.  this wasn't so bad after all.

although i would've loved to give in to my instincts and split off into the 5K course, my stubborn ass just kept on going.

3 down, 10 to go.

i was grateful for the lovely weather, though.  it's always so much nicer to run with no sun.

apparently, i couldn't be bothered to take a picture at miles 5 and 6.  i kind of just didn't really care anymore.

i wasn't even bothering to run anymore.  i was tired, my body was aching, and every time i let myself cough my chest burned like it was literally on fire.  probably not a good thing, huh?

there was a red bull tent not long after mile 8.  while i didn't partake, lots of people grabbed a full can, took a couple of sips and then tossed it aside.  ugh, so wasteful.  and i kind of wanted to kick this guy, who laughed as he sprinted past and called out to his teammates (in tagalog, thinking no one else would understand him) "man, the homeless people are so lucky, they get to pick up all these cans!"

what in the fresh hell.  i was so disgusted, i actually picked up the pace and ran a bit to get away from him.  he's lucky i didn't trip him along the way.  how insensitive and ignorant and just plain stupid can you be?

i totally remember taking this picture.  i was just so done and so over it.

here, i just kept telling myself "you're almost there.  you're almost there."

apparently, the only facial expression i could muster up for the photographers was this weird little smirk.

i remembered this spot from my stint as a course angel a couple of years ago.  i'd had the opportunity to sign up for it again, but i just didn't have it in me to do it this time.

mile 11.  so close, yet still so damn far.

one of the moms at school was running the race too, and we'd caught a glimpse of each other during a couple of the switchbacks.  it was here that she caught up to me, and i was grateful for the distraction as we chatted a bit and powerwalked together.

mmmmm, roscoe's.  i was actually really hungry at this point, and i would've killed for a chicken wing and a waffle to gnaw on as i continued my long, long walk.

i gotta say...although i hated the many switchbacks during this course, having to pass the finish line with a full mile left is the absolute worst.  THE. WORST.  you can hear the cheers and the excitement and see the end, but you aren't quite there yet.

no, instead you have to keep on truckin' for a long half mile before making one final u-turn.

one of my team superhero pals was at the water stop and ran out to take a couple of pics.

and then finally, finally...

i only had .1 miles left to go, and i made myself pick it up and at least do a little jog towards the end.  after all, who wants a finish line picture where you're clearly walking it?  lame.  and so i sucked it up, if only for the photo op.

this right here?  this sucks ass.  worst. time. ever.  UGH.  i appreciate the effort, though, nike+.  way to try and make me feel better about it.

i did it!  and earned my bling, too.  

i don't know if i've ever been so relieved to finish a race in my entire life.  even more so than the first half marathon i ever did.  this...this was just painful.  and emotionally traumatizing.  i was proud of myself for getting through it, but i was mad that i'd done such a sucky job of it.  

oh, well.  i said i'd finish and i did, so i guess that counts for something.  and now i have another chance to redeem myself in a couple of weeks - this time, at the 5th tinkerbell half.  i'm finally starting to feel back to normal, so i'd better get to training.  because i was confused about having to send in proof of time, i've been assigned to the very last corral.  that's going to suck so hard.