The "A" Team: Top of Utah Half

On August 28, 2010 I ran my second half marathon. I was fortunate enough to convince a couple of my sisters to do it with me. (I have the absolute best sisters on the planet, just in case you were wondering.) I've decided races are much more fun when you have someone to do it with you. Even if I'm not running along side them, just knowing that someone I love is in it with me makes the whole experience much more enjoyable.

Brookie and Meek headed up to Logan with me, Brock and the kids. Brock's brother, Logan, was sweet enough to invite us to stay at his place for the night (as he lives in a house with a few other guys while he is going to school.) We picked up our packets, and tried to get as much sleep as we could before we had to wake up much earlier than any of us wanted to in order to get to the buses on time.

It was a beautiful run starting at the Hyrum Electrical Plant up Blacksmith Fork canyon. The race started at 7:00, and the weather was beautiful. I honestly don't remember what my time was (I'm writing this entry a year and a half after the fact...better late than never, right?), but I didn't care. I had an 8 month old baby girl, and just wanted to run the whole thing. I accomplished my goal, and that is good enough for me.

I was able to find Brookie before the finish, and we ended up running the last bit of it together, which was awesome. I loved crossing the finish line with one of my very best friends, who also just happens to be my sister.

The finish line is always a bit of an emotional experience for me. Especially when I see my amazing husband and kids. I think of them often when I race, and unbeknownst to them, they are the ones who cheer me on, and keep me going when I think I want to quit. Running for me is more mental than anything, and they help me keep my head in the game. I honestly could not do it without them.

After Brookie and I finished, we waited at the finish line for Meek. We waited for what seemed like way too long, and I was starting to get worried that something had happened. Meek has never been much of a runner, but she was an absolute champ when it came to training for this race. She worked soooo hard, and had had some issues with her IT band, so I was concerned that she was on the side of the road somewhere unable to continue. I decided I would just walk back along the course until I met up with her.

I found her, and thankfully she was still moving, though barely. She was having major IT band issues, and was in so much pain that she could barely walk. She has a bit of a stubborn streak, however (though I have no idea where she got it since the rest of us are absolutely NOTHING like that) and would NOT give up. She was determined to do her very best until the bitter end (and she may or may not have really been bitter with me for convincing her to run this blessed race....)

We jogged as best she could for the last mile or so, and she FINISHED!!!!!!! I was so proud of her! She completed something that was truly difficult for her to do, and someday, maybe, I can convince her to do another one with me so she can have better memories associated with racing :-).

The proud finishers:

My good friend Michelle, who lives up in Logan, was able to run the race "with" me too. She smoked all of us, but it sure was fun to see her at the beginning, and the end :-).