I can make it
Should I start off strong or wait till the end.
I hope nothing is going to start hurting. Do I have a good pace?

I can make it; the adrenaline starts to flow through my body like a car tank being filled with much needed gasoline.

Should I pick it up a little bit? Will I have enough in the tank for the last stretch?

I feel the cool refreshing autumn breeze hit my skin, it feels good.
I can make it; the cool stream of icy water replenishes my desert dry mouth.

Flat course so far, I can deal with this.
I see the calm rising uproar of the sun approaching the horizon.

My mind is trying to focus on the task at hand but my body is telling me a different story, the signals of pain go through my body like the World Wide Web.
I try to ignore it but it’s hard to get it off my mind.

No! I can’t take a break, I need to keep going.

A sharp pain hits my knees, that of a grinder rubbing against the muscle and bone,
I can make it; when you get to the hills just take them easy and conserve your energy.

Oh no! There they are. Why do they have to be so steep?
I can make it; I feel the resistance in my legs as I nearly climb up these huge mountains, they call hills in Rochester.
I feel like I’m going no where, a helpless feeling inside begins to grow.
There should be only a couple more treacherous hills left.
I can make it; it’s ok the last stretch should be coming up shortly.

My feet begin to go numb with pain the further I go. Maybe this is a good thing.
I can make it; this pain is all in my head,
The pain is all in my head…and my knees…and my shins …and my ankles.

I can make it; the small Dixie cup of water feels so good on my face.

I can see the finish line in the distance. I find myself picking the pace up. I’m a cheetah beginning to hunt down his prey, I’m hungry.
This is the best part of the race; the finish line gets closer and closer with each long and fast stride.
I pass as many people as I can, I am so energized.
I’m running on fumes, will I have enough in the tank to finish?
I hold nothing back
Finally I’m done,
I made it,
I just ran my first half marathon.