Just Keep Running...

Running is hard and it takes your body to its limit. Running is therapeutic as it literally erases your worries away. Running is great exercise to lose those extra pounds. Running is setting goals. Running is a social activity, it is time with my husband, family and friends. And I love it.

I never thought of myself as a runner. I ran my fastest mile in 9th grade at 7:24. I came in second place in my class (dance company-full of girls) and felt like I was going to throw up after. I hated it. When I started hitting the gym in high school, I was there to workout, yes, but it was much more of a social event than anything. "Let's go hangout at the Sports Mall!" I would huff and puff as I ran on the treadmill for about 10 minutes...at a 10 minute/mile pace. Pathetic, I know. Then I got married and really got excited about exercising. Tucker started training for a marathon, but I was more of a 3 miles in 33 minutes kind of person. That was my limit and there was no way I could last another second. I stuck to my kickboxing and that kept me busy for years.

After I had Karoline, I knew I needed something different to get me motivated to lose all of the baby weight. I decided to train for a half marathon. Crazy for someone like me, but I felt it was just what I needed and I had an incredible husband that was 100% supportive. I don't mean he was simply encouraging me, he literally trained with me the entire time and then ran with me the entire time. Sweetest husband ever.

Our training was actually a lot of fun. Granted, I had dozens of runs on the treadmill (not so fun), but once or twice a week Tucker and I would run together, usually while pushing the strollers. It was great family time, being outside at the lake, talking, and sometimes stopping to watch the ducks. As it got cooler we had to bundle them up, but the kids loved it still, especially when they were awarded a treat to take with them. It can be tricky to manage 4 runs a week with 3 kids, but we did it and I am so glad we did. Our parents helped out too, which we are so grateful for. Thank you! Tucker and I had a favorite route for our long runs and that was running from his parent's house up Bengal Blvd, south on Wasatch, up to the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon, and back. It was on that run that I realized I really could finish a half and that was an awesome feeling.

Here are my girls ready to go in their pajamas and hats:
Our first race was the SoJo Half Marathon. It started in Copperfield and ended near our gym, Lifetime Fitness, in South Jordan. It was the perfect day (September 25th) and a great course. Nothing could get in my way of running with a great time of 2 hours and 20 minutes. I had my sister's iPod full of great music, the best running buddy, my husband, comic relief, Richard and Cody, and the added bonus of my sweet Dad who decided to run the race with no training. He is crazy, yes. I was feeling nervous, but anxious to get going as soon as the gun fired.

At the starting line:
The whole group including Cody, Tucker, me, my Dad and Richard:

We headed out and I was going faster than normal. Maybe a bit too fast considering my shins flared up after only a mile or so of running. This was going to be a problem and my goal of 2:20 was in jeopardy. I decided to try running on my toes which seemed to keep the shins on fire feeling away. It worked and by mile 5, the pain was completely gone. Smile on my face. I was even more happy to know that we ran that 5 miles in 45 minutes, much faster than my normal 10 minute mile pace.

Tucker and I at mile 3ish:

From then on, I was feeling great. The miles were flying by and we were keeping a great pace. That ended at mile 11. Wow, it got tough. The course was almost all downhill or flat until you hit the Jordan River Parkway and you start running upstream. I know it seems flat, but after you have run downhill or flat for 11 miles, the slightest incline feels like a hill. I definitely felt the need to walk, but fortunately I am competitive enough to keep going. You see, there were these two girls in bright orange shirts that I followed the entire time and I couldn't let them beat me that bad!

Here is Tucker and I in those last few miles, and you can tell we are pushing it!
I couldn't believe it-we made it! Hooray! And we ran those 13.1 miles in 2 hours. That's 20 minutes less than my goal time. We found out that the course was actually 13.5 miles which would put me in under 2 hours and I was ecstatic about that!
My baby girl that doesn't mind the sweat or smell:
Our group at the finish line:
My mom and Cheri brought the kids to meet us and I can't tell you how excited I was to see them. We all celebrated by heading to Kneaders for their Chunky Cinnamon French Toast. To. Die. For. You can only eat one slice, but it is absolutely heaven sent, especially when you don't have to feel guilty for eating it!

I was thinking I was done, but Tucker talked me into running one other race before the end of the season. The Halloween Half looked like a lot of fun and I was game...I had to be considering he had already signed me up. So glad he did. The race starts up Provo Canyon near Aspen Grove. It was freezing and so luckily they held us up in a heated tent. It was so fun to watch the costume contest rather than sit there worrying about the race. Tucker and I came with Cody and a friend Hailey, but we met up with a bunch of girls from my ward as well. It felt so nice to know you were in this with so many others!

Tucker and I getting warm and ready:

The race started and then immediately stopped. Seriously. There was such a bottleneck of runners that I was forced to stop and wait for a good 20-30 seconds. Stop my time please! Oh well. You start down a steep hill for the first 5 miles and then run along the Provo River. There is not another race as beautiful as this one! The trees and colors were stunning and there were several times that I wished I had my camera. Tucker ran this one on his own so I was glad I had something nice to look at running alone!
OK, so you are never really alone-check out this old guy cruising next to me in a full suit and wig!

It may have been due to my slack in training, my increased pace, or probably both, but this was the toughest thing I have put my body through. You feel insane fatigue and some serious pain in those last few miles. You start to wonder if you will throw up over everyone at the finish line. But then you find someone you want to beat and you just go! I had a group of 3 guys pass me at the last mile stretch and I thought to myself, "No way are they going to pass me this late in the game!" I busted pass them and finished at my best time of 1:52...or 1:51 if you use my stop watch time! That was truly the greatest feeling! I definitely didn't look great after shedding my ear warmer-the hair was not at its finest-but who cared, I was done!

Now, as good as I felt about my time, this girl, a great friend from California, took 3rd place in our age division! Rhandi finished in 1:28...impossible, right?! I was so glad I caught up with her after the race:

Cody (in full beard for Halloween), Tucker, me, and another great friend from my ward, Ashley Guymon (who also beat me big time, but that's ok because she was the one to encourage me to do this whole running thing in the first place!):

That concludes our racing season and it was a great one. Until next year...