After months and months of training, hard work, sweat, tears, and many hours away from my kids, I FINISHED my Salt Lake Half Marathon. I decided in September of 2011 to sign up for this race when my best friend Tara called me and said we needed to change our lives. Tara and I have been through a lot together and I thought this would be one more adventure for us! Months passed and I thought it was time to start getting serious and start training. Little did I know how much time, effort, and DETERMINATION this would actually take. I started following a running schedule in January and would brave the rain and snow to get my miles in. The starting this process was slow and smart. It was intended to prevent injuries and burn out. Run for 5 min, walk one min. Over and over. Some days were so hard. Getting up before the sun would rise, seeing the snow on the ground, peeking in on my sweet kids deep in warm slumber. I seriously would just want to climb back into bed, but I didn't. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.
February came and training was getting easier. It helped playing indoor soccer to accelerate my time run after run. It also helped with my lung capacity. In between running days, I would do strength training to prevent injuries and build strength. By the end of February, I was running 6 miles every other day. I remember my second week into March looking at my training schedule and my stomach dropped, "Now you will add a mile to one run each week until week before race." Could I even do that? Was that even possible? I was feeling pretty proud of running 6 miles in ONE day but to up that a mile each week on TOP of the other standard running days?
March came and it was time to get serious. I would wake up around 6:45 am, get in the shower (weird I know, considering I was just gonna get all sweaty) eat granola bar and a banana and a sip or two of water and head out. Miles 0-3 are the hardest for me, and were even on race day. I would spend this time trying to talk myself out of doing it.... but as I would pass mile 3, it was like I could run forever. Some days were spectacular runs, some days were down right horrible. (getting pine needles in my underwear after a secret potty break, wishing the park restrooms were open, having to walk at mile 7-8 because of charlie horses due to lack of water and sleep, crying one day after mile 6 when I almost tripped and fell on my face, and the worst was 5 miles into a run, I wore a hole in my favorite work out pants and had to hold my pant leg up the rest of the run to prevent chaffing.....) The days that were great were when I was hydrated, well rested and the weather was cooperating. It rained several days on and off weeks before the race and I loved that. The rain helped me feel stronger and less sweaty ;-) I would come home morning after morning and feel accomplished and ready to take on my life as not only a wife and mother, but also as a person. This race changed my life. No I didn't lose a ton of weight or even drop several pant sizes, but what I did gain was strength, health, happiness, passion, patience, and determination.
By the end of March, I was running 9-10 miles on my long run days and 6 on the others. I remember the day I ran 13. I wrote it on my calendar when I got home. April 10th. I was set out to run 11 that day and told myself I would go farther if I felt comfortable enough to. When I was heading back from the Rec center, it was like my whole body was bound up like a jammed gear. I stopped by a tree and started crying. I then began stretching and told myself I had to at least run home, the kids would be awake soon. I then turned up my music and started out again. The song that really made most of my runs and increased my speed was "Part of me" by Katy Perry. The song makes no correlation in my own life, but the chorus made me believe that I could do this, no matter what anyone said or did, no one could take this training from me. No one could stop me from doing this, except me. As a past Reading Elementary on Main street something told me to keep going, that I would be ok. I ran and ran and before I knew it, I was on my way back home on the frontage road in Farmington. As I sprinted that last part home (listening to Juke Box Hero, by Foreigner) I stopped at Greenfields and saw 13.7 on my nano. I had done it. I did it on a day I didn't think that I could. This race was going to be epic.....
My mom (who also ran this race with me) flew in to Salt Lake from Vegas day before the race. We went to the Gateway to pick up our shirts and race numbers and headed to my grandma's. We stayed the night there and it was comforting to know that my grandma would be caring for the kids while I prepared for and ran the race. We left South Jordan at 5 am and headed up to the start line by Trax. When we got to Legacy Bridge, I called Tara and we met up on the starting line area. It was so exciting and scary all in one breath! People were dancing and yelling and the hype was a little intense! Then, they blew the whistle and it was time to start this race! I soon found myself on my own running down Foothill and felt like I was in my element. I pretended that it was just me out there alone, running along the roads in my neighborhood that I had ran the last several months. It was surreal to say the least. I felt a smile on my face. Most of this race was downhill and for that, I am so grateful! As each water station passed (along with the restroom) I felt the need to just push past it and keep going. I didn't mind too much to the other runners. I didn't look at the times posted. I even wished they hadn't posted the mile signs. By mile 8, I saw the 2:30 mile pacer and ran past him. If I could run this in under 2 1/2 hours, that would make me so happy. By mile 9-10, I could feel blisters forming under my feet and was wondering if I should stop and tape them.... then I saw John. I thought my heart would leap out of my chest! I ran to him and gave him a sweaty kiss and kept going. His smile and cheers were just what I needed to get through these last 3 miles. As I saw the mile 12 mark, the 2:30 pacer past me and I was walking. I felt so defeated. I thought I was gonna throw up. I had ran way to fast for my pace on mile 10 and 11. Then a young kid ran passed me and yelled at me! "You are on the LAST MILE! DON'T YOU STOP NOW!" I yelled back at him. I then felt a tap on my back from Amy Hansen. I could keep going! I started running again, "Part of Me" blaring in the background, and sprinted to the finish line. As I was running through the finish line, I looked to my right and saw John, my grandparents, my mom, and our dear sweet kids cheering me on. I finished the race in 2:24, under 2 1/2 hours! I was elated! The next several min where a blur as they moved us along like cattle. I was able to be reunited with my family and it was so fun! 4 hours later, Tara and I laced up our soccer cleats and played our first outdoor game of the season. Although we were 4 men down and had no subs, it was like we were 17 again!
I am just so amazed at what the human body can do. This exact time last April, I ran a 5k with my mom and sister in 58 min. I had vertigo and was feeling low about myself. I feel like I have come a long way in just a year and I can't wait to try and accomplish things I wouldn't otherwise do. I am not a runner by nature. That I know, but, I can run and do it if I put my mind to it. I will continue to run, and maybe run the St. George half in January, but I won't let myself forget what I am capable of.
