Cleveland Rocks!! Cleveland Half recap

We had a great time in Cleveland this past weekend, especially when it's primarily free, who wouldn't?! 

Friday: We left Danville and drove the American Greetings (AG) minivan. Which is sort of funny, since we don't have kids we aren't used to driving something so big!  We drove to World Headquarters at AG, where they gave us a tour and fed all the raffle winners a pasta dinner.   We got to see Taylor Swift's reserved parking spot. She has a line of cards with AG and apparently does go to the headquarters. 

After the tour and dinner, we checked into our hotel room which was fabulous.  We had a corner room and a view of the Cleveland Browns Stadium (aka the start and finish line) and Lake Eerie.

view from our hotel room

Then we walked to Hard Rock Cafe to get my souvenir t-shirt.  We counted I have 16 total from different cities.  Then it was early to bed.

Saturday:  We got up and went to West Side Market, which was very cool.  There were vendors selling mean, seafood, baked goods, vegetables and fruit.  We ate at the cafe there and Jeremy also got a gyro from a place that had been on Man vs. Food. 

After we went to the market, we took a shuttle to the expo where Joan Benoit Samuelson was speaking.  We were just in time to hear her. 

Jeremy bought a "stick" which as been getting a lot by both of us since Sunday.  I decided not to change my event from the half to the 10K, although I was VERY tempted.   After the expo we went back to the hotel, rested, and watched t.v. for the rest of the day/evening. The hotel was having a pasta buffet for the marathoners so we decided to do that for dinner.

Sunday - RACE:  We woke up about 5:30am, got ready, and walked the 3-4 tenths to the stadium.  It was already warm, around 63 at 7AM.  I wished Jeremy good luck and we parted ways to go to our starting areas.  There weren't corrals, but they did have signs up that stated pace times.  I had initially thought I would try to keep up with the 5:35/2:42 pace group, but quickly realized that wasn't going to happen.   After the race started I was walking within the first mile.  It was so warm and humid that I knew I wasn't going to PR or even get close.  I just wanted to finish and to mark Ohio off my list.    I walked probably over half of the half.  At the water stops the volunteers had hoses and were spraying the runners and they had pitchers to refill water bottles.  Best thing ever was getting sprayed and  a little relief from the sun and heat.   I had put a lot of body glide on my legs so my shorts wouldn't rub. This worked brilliantly. I'm not sure whether it worked bc I had applied so much or bc I walked a lot during the race, either way I was happy.  Til I got back to the hotel and realized that my shorts had rubbed my stomach above my belly button!  Oh well, at least it didn't bother me during the race. 

The race went by Cleveland Indians and Cavalier stadiums which was cool.

Indians field

Cavaliers stadium

Browns stadium

After I finished, I walked around for a bit killing time before Jeremy was to finish. I had tracked him on my phone so I knew about when he should be in.  He had worn a water bottle belt for the first time ever during this race. He had told me before it that if the belt bothered him he would toss it.  I had hoped he wouldn't and in fact he said afterwards he definitely needed it bc it was so hot out.

right before the finish line

in front of the AG tent

After the race we walked back to the hotel and rested for a bit. Then we walked to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and toured that. 

Monday: We woke up early and drove home.  Neither of us were very sore that morning, but after sitting and driving for 6 hours were much more sore once we got back home.