No One Runs Alone {Weston 1/2 Race Recap}...

The Weston Half was the day after Ragnar ended (I'm still working on that race recap but I promise it will be posted soon), so as you can imagine I was pretty exhausted. But I decided to push myself to do it anyway since perseverance is the key to success. Well, that and race registration wasn't refundable.

Once I got to the race site I headed straight to packet pickup (which was quick since very few other people were there at 5:30am) and then went to use what I can only describe as THE BEST PORTA POTTIES EVER!!!

(I borrowed this picture from the web... this is what the female porta potties look like)

If you're a runner you can appreciate that porta potties are a necessary, but often unpleasant, reality of our running and racing life. However, these porta potties are impressive. They don't make having to use them magical, but compared to what you normally experience at a race they come pretty damn close!

Anyway, while in line for the porta potties I was talking with my former interval group coach (Anne Marie) from the Memorial Milers group that I used to train with. Anne Marie was with Yvette, who was running with the Milers for this training season, and I overheard Yvette say that she always finishes the race by herself. Well, I figured that no one should run alone (unless they wanted to) so I offered to run with her. At races, and even in training, sometimes we runners like solitude, but I was all up for having a running buddy to distract me from the miles and miles ahead, and so was she.

At the start of the race I saw a few other people that I know from the running community including Andy...

But once the race started Yvette and I kept pace together. We spent most of the 13.1 miles filling each other in on our running, races we've done, races we want to do, work (we both work at the same hospital and didn't even know it!), and our kids. It was really nice getting to know a new running buddy at an actual race.


The Weston Half is nice and flat, and a well supported course. They had a lot of water stations (which I love!). There was a station every 1-1.5 miles for the first half of the race, and every mile like clockwork for the second half of the race. I had forgotten my handheld water bottle and the one that clips on to my running pants so frequent water stations were essential.

Just like last year, it rained during the race. Thankfully it wasn't a heavy downpour and there was enough cloud cover to keep the sun from creating too much heat and humidity. The rain almost seemed perfectly timed because every time it started to feel a little hot it would start raining lightly to cool us off.

Eventually we made it through the 13.1 miles and crossed the finish line...

And just like that my last half marathon for the year was completed and I made a new running friend...

The Weston Half "Run For Tomorrow" is a great local race to close out the running year (although I still have one more race to do), and it raises money for the Rotary Club of Weston which in turn provides a variety of humanitarian services within the community. 

I had a great time at the race this year😊. Between the improved medal, running with Yvette, and those PortaJane porta potties, the race was definitely a great experience! 

Have you ever used/seen PortaJanes? What did you think?

What race are you closing out 2016 with?

Do you like racing solo or racing with a running buddy?