For the past 4 months I have been running my butt off--literally! To help lose the baby weight I gained with Harlee, I started running on the treadmill at the gym. When I started I could only run about a half mile before I needed to stop and gasp for breath. Then, as I began to get stronger and stronger I began to run longer and longer and before I knew it I was running 3 miles at a very slow pace. As the miles began adding and I started to slim down, I decided (on a whim) to run a half marathon. (Seriously, I still wonder what I was thinking!)
I have to admit that when I started running, I really wondered if I would make it to race day...and, well, I did! This past Saturday, August 7th, Kelli and I ran the Provo River Half Marathon--that's 13.1 miles! Wahoo!!!
We had a really fun time (did I really just say that?) and it all began with the bus...
We had to be on the bus at 4:45 am--holy crap that's early! And because it was so early, I was in desperate need of a Pepsi...something that I didn't realize would cause a whole bunch of strange looks and lots of laughing between Kelli and me. That and the bag of goodies I brought--I had everthing from bug spray to cream cheese (you know, for my bagel, of course!) in that bag--yet something else that others on teh bus found odd...
As we took the bus to the top of South Fork in Provo Canyon, we really wondered if the bus driver knew where he was going. Turns out he didn't! We ended up at a dead-end and had to turn the bus around with a 26 point turn. Finally after we moved baracades to the RIGHT road (yes, baracades that said, "Road Closed"), we ended up in teh middle of a big field with weeds to our waste. That's where the bus driver dumped us off. Still a little stunned and still laughing at how this morning has began, we got off the bus and discovered that there were about 60 port-a-potties waiting for the 3,000 runners half way accross the field. Eek!
The beginning of the race was REALLY unorganized! But, after we saw a buck deer up close--so close it was eating out of our fellow runners' hands, and we were totally befuddled at where the %$^@! race was going to start, we were enlightened by some old dude in a pick-up truck. He layed down the timing mat, told us all it was time to run and drove away. Yes, drove away. Hell, who needs a starting gun--we can use the pick-up taking off! Gee gads.
The first 8 miles or so went pretty quickly. I was stunned at how good I felt (despite the fact that I woke up with a TERRIBLE cold) and how fast I was running...and then, there was the HILL! This stupid damn hill was 1.5 miles uphill! By the time I got to the top I was nearly spent...but, I kept running and running...until I hit mile 12. At mile 12 I thought I was going to die!
I walked past the water station for about 50 yards until I realized that I was walking and that I have worked WAY too hard to walk! So, I started running again. And, before long, the finish line was in sight--thank heavens! That's where my cute family was there just a cheering for me! My mom had made signs for Brykn and her to hold and they were whistling whistles and clapping for me! I got so teary eyed!
I ran across the finish line with a time of 2 hours 25 minutes--not too bad for a wanna be runner! I was SO glad to be done! I can't even begin to describe the feeling I had as i finsihed this race--it was someting absolutely indescribable. To accomplish something I NEVER thought I could do was totally amazing. Even though I was exhausted, I was also so proud of myself--this was something I did just for me--all by myself with no one pushing me, but me.
A BIG thank you to Brandon for watching the kids on all those long runs and for being the one person to encourage me night after night. There were a few times that I thought it would be so much easier to throw in the towel and give up. Then, Brandon would say something like, "Just go--you can run 2 miles tonight." THANK YOU!!!! I could not have done this without you. I love you!
And, a BIG thank you to my race partner, Kelli--you are awesome! I know you hit a wall during training and were really wondering why you were putting yourself through this. You finished with such an awesome time and were really the inspiration for me to do this--BIG HUGS AND A LOTS OF THANKS!
Finally, thanks to my family for cheering me on! You all have no idea how welcome a sight you were at that finish line! Thank you for coming to see me accomplish my goal!
Wahoo! When's the next one?
