Yo estoy lista para estudiar de nuevo.

Mom you forgot to pray about stitches!!

I had the opportunity to run another race this morning! It was a half marathon this time. After the high I got from the 10K a month ago I wanted to keep going. So I signed up, and it wasn't 2 days later and I already regretted it. I knew that with my new Neuro schedule I wouldn't have the time to run/prep for a half, but I let my pride blind me. Plus, common sense doesn't come naturally to me, and was obviously lacking when I signed up. But ni modos, I had committed to it, so I was going to run it.
I was regretting the race, because as I've continued through my Neuro rotation, I've quickly discovered that for some reason I am having a really hard time with Neurological Spanish. For the most part the English to Spanish translation comes fairly easy in all other areas of Medicine, but to my frustration, Neurology....not so much. The Neurologists I'm working with have picked up on this (kind of hard to miss) and not so sutely encourage me to study. So this past week, while tying my shoes and stretching to go for a run I'd have to fight a small panic I could sense telling me that I SHOULD BE STUDYING!!! It was the first time I was ever putting running as a higher priority than studying, and I'm one of those students that actually needs to study or I fail. I suppose I could have just waited and gone out and run this morning with out preparing for it, but I wanted to actually enjoy the race.
But it's Sunday now, and the race is over. Back to studying!

I cannot find my camera at the moment. :( But my roommate Jenn, got one of us after the race on her camera so hopefully I'll be able to get it from her.

There were about 4500 runners this morning. I've never run with so many before. I spent about the first 3.5K weaving through people and trying not to trip others or be tripped. I was also advised to take advantage of the water/gatorade stations along the race, so I did. I stopped with the gatorade after a bit, because I actually didn't really like the sweetness while running. After taking a sip of gatorade you just drop the cup, and there was once that I dropped the cup, it landed and splashed all over the lady who had been running to my right. I motioned my apologizes and she just laughed. It's all part of the race. I really liked the water breaks though. I never really drank more than a sip of it, but it was really refreshing to fill my mouth and then spit it out, and the rest squirt all over my face. A couple of times it'd end up being squirted up my nose or in my eyes. Whoops!

Most awkward thing that happened to me this race happened close to the beginning. I heard "Mi reina! mi reina! una foto! una foto?" I looked over to my side and a man had run up beside me. He restated his question, "No quieres una foto?" and motioned to his friend who had a camera. I smiled and quickly ran away. The photographer herself had been running, as well as we, so I just hope between the two movements there was enough to produce nothing more than blurriness.

At another point a man paused beside me and gave me some advice on my running style. I thought that was pretty cool of him. That also sort of shows the common attitude during these races. Everyone is excited and encouraging everyone else. Whistling, clapping, shouting "Animo!!!" Another example, at the end, Jenn's running friends, who had finished about 1/2 hour before me, were telling me congratulations! Like I had been the one to do a superb job instead of them!

I didn't make my time goal this race, but I also ran from about 15K to 20K with a horrible stich in my side. So maybe I'll just blame that. But at the end it had let up and I could sprint the finish of my own motivation this time. And honestly, when all's said and done...I ran a half marathon!

After the race, Jenn was already talking about the PanAmerican Games Marathon in October! But as much as I'd like to keep going I'm not going to fall for it this time. Back to studying for me!

Hasta!

P.S. Mexicans have more names than us Americans, and so signing up a maternal last name was required. I got to run as Christy Stoller Kuntz!