I did it!

 I did it...I ran a 1/2 marathon.  In case you don't know, that's 13.1 miles...of running!  The best part was it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be!  I ran the Halloween Half Marathon through Provo Canyon...it was the prettiest run I have ever run...absolutely beautiful! 

 I was lucky enough to have some friends running the race also, which made it even more fun!  Thanks ladies for making it so fun.

I woke up bright and early...I don't even remember what time I woke up because it was so early...I think it was 5:00 and of course, I didn't sleep well the night before because I was nervous about the race, nervous and about not waking up on time, etc.

We parked at University Mall and then got bussed up to Sundance and waited for the race to start...it didn't start until 9:00, but we wanted to get there early to be sure we had enough time to take plenty of potty breaks, eat some food, chat, and have fun!  I am so glad we got up there so early and weren't stuck waiting 45 minutes for a bus at University Mall!

When the race finally started...it was about 10-15 minutes after 9:00, but that's ok...I was totally stoked!  The first about 5 miles was all downhill...like seriously downhill!  I don't know why, but when I run downhill, I tend to hold back a bit and don't run as fast as I know I can.  I did that a bit this time too, especially because I didn't want to start off too fast, then be dead by mile 10...I wish I would have pushed myself harder though because I totally could have gotten a better time!

I felt great the whole run...it wasn't hard...it wasn't miserable, it was fun!  The weather was perfect...it was fun watching people I passed and people who passed me that were dressed up in Halloween costumes and think, "How in the world do they run in that!"

There were SO many times while I was running that I wished I could stop and take a picture, it was SO beautiful!  But alas...I wanted a good time, so I didn't!

Jason was a trooper and got the kids ready and drove down the see me finish the race.  Jaxon thought it was so cool that I was in a race...actually my second race, but he liked this one because he could see me finish...my other he couldn't because it was in St. George.  Anyway...Jaxon asked Jason if I won the race...Jason told Jaxon everyone who finishes wins...I like that theory!

These were the best pictures Jason could get at the finish line...I can't blame him...I can only imagine what a nightmare it was trying to keep track of three kids and the insanely busy finish!  I am the one in the pink shirt and black pants.

 Right after the race...nice picture, right?  I look terrible, but hey...I just ran 13.1 miles...what do you expect?  We didn't stick around too long at the finish because I was kind of crazy busy and we didn't want to lose the kids!  We hung around long enough for me to get my medal, eat some fruit and drink some water...then we were off to start the fun Halloween festivities...which by the way, included a quick trip to WalMart, eating lunch at McDonald's (jealous huh?), finally showering...I was pretty nasty, trick-or-treating at SoDa Row (a little retail place here in Daybreak), eating dinner, then heading out in the freezing cold to trick or treat. 

 I was really pleased with my time.  I was hoping for anything less than 2 hours and my time was 1:53:07.  I was very pleased with that, although I know I could have done better if I had just let go on the hill, but oh well...I learned for next year, right?

In case you were wondering...My feet escaped with minimal damage...I got two blisters that weren't too bad...not fun, but not bad.  That day I wasn't too sore, but the next two days I was SO sore...oh my goodness was I sore!  I guess that's what a mostly downhill 1/2 marathon will do to your quads...trust me, it hurt, but it was so worth it!  I would do it again in a heartbeat!

By the way...if you are thinking about doing something 

like this and think you can't...you can!  I wasn't a runner before this and I would hear people talk about how running is totally mental and I thought they were crazy.  Well...it's SO true!  It's totally mental!  Your body can do it, it's your brain that tells you to stop and that you can't do it anymore...I promise...try it..you can do it!