The Hobbler Half

(Me, Carla, and Staci)
I remember about 10 years ago entering the 5K during theRick's Homecoming week thinking that it would be hard but that I was young and should be able to run a few miles. I did some training for it but when the race came I ended up having to walk some of it! I was a bit embarrassed that I couldn't do it, but at the same time I wasn't surprised that it was so hard, I already knew what kind of an amazing runner I was. And a 5K was a big achievement! I was glad that I tried. Over the next 10 years I didn't make any big advancements in the running department. I would try to get out and exercise but for years never really made it over two miles, and if I did I was thrilled. So after having baby number three, and with 20 something pounds to lose, i decided I needed to get back out and slowly jog around the neighborhood or something. In fact, at first I did just jog around the neighborhood next to us because it was flat and if I ventured anywhere else I would run into hills.
My neighbor Carla, who was just starting to jog too after having her third baby, realized that we were both trying to get out a little and probably both on the same level. We scheduled a time to get out together and would do 2 or maybe 3 miles together and we were thrilled! We just kept scheduling the next time to get together and we eventually started adding new routes which meant new distances. It was hard! But it made all the difference knowing there was someone outside waiting for you to get your booty out there to join them.
I was shocked that we were improving. I had never improved really. I remember the first time I did 4.5 miles! I was so excited. Or the first time I did 6.5 miles. All the new millage we were hitting was so exciting and makes you start to wonder what you are capable of.
We took the month of December and January off because it was cold!!! And life was busy, and it was a nice break. Once we started up again in February it was hard again but we were still improving. I felt like we had never been in better shape and if we didn't do some kind of race now then I might not ever be in enough shape to do one. So the 1/2 marathon was planned! It was scary to commit to it because we still had a lot of new millage to hit.
We generally ran four times a week. A 3mile (fast), a 4mile, a 5mile, and on Saturday mornings we started with a 6mile and that eventually grew until we were up to 12 miles.
Those long runs never became easy, so much so that I stilled wondered if I'd be able to finish 13.1 on race day.
I was a ball of nerves the night before the race. I made us a spaghetti dinner that turned out bad and I still didn't know what I should use to fuel up with 1/2 way through the race. I got to bed really early and woke up around 4:30 to head down to Springville. I could tell I was feeling good the morning of the race, and that was a relief. Once the race got started Carla and I got to talking, like always, and the miles melted away. Around mile 8 we both kind of realized that we were going to be able to do this! Around mile 10 we could hear the party at the finish line, but then our course started to take us away from the sound which was hard. My parents, and sister Shauna, found us around that time and encouraged us along. It was great to have the support and to see others who were genuinely excited for our success. The last mile Carla was ready to take off for the last mile and finish strong. I wasn't! I hit a wall, but knowing I had one mile left and was so close was plenty to carry me through. I told her to take off and I finished up with the same pace. I finished with a time of 2:19. About 10.5 minute miles, slow I know, but I was totally happy with that. When I don't have somebody running with me I run even slower!

(At the finish line)
So the next question always is, Are you going to do a marathon? And the answer still is no. I really liked the 1/2 marathon and could see myself doing that again. The training was hard for me and time consuming and thinking of doing all of that x2 doesn't sound fun at all right now. But I did love the experience. What made all the difference for me in the training was having someone to train with. It was our fun girl time to just talk and talk and having someone whose counting on you to be there doesn't allow you to make excuses. It was a year ago at this time that we started with our little two mile jogs and here we are where we never aspired or thought we would be. Line upon line I guess!