Monday, May 20, 2013

Half!

I signed up for the lottery to be in the Ogden Half back in November and got in!  I never wanted to do a half before, but after having Alex, I knew I needed something concrete (and especially something I paid for) to help motivate me to get back in shape.  Since I also wanted to keep nursing, I knew that I would need to eat lots to keep my milk while running and burning all the calories.  This wasn't a problem for me:)   

I've never enjoyed running.  When we did the triathlons in Africa, the running was always the worst part for me.  In training I think I got up to running about 5 miles but that was it. I always have a side stitch and the first 3 miles were just so hard.  While starting my training (which is SO hard with two kids by the way, especially with one that nursed every 2 hours for his first 5 months of life), it was so hard and I definitely almost threw in the towel a couple of times.   But thanks to my neighbor and friend Michelle, she got me out and we went 5 miles and I LOVED it.  The last 2 miles were awesome and I felt like I could go for a long time.  This was the first glimpse I had that I could actually do it.  

I probably only ran a couple times a week and then did my long runs on Saturday with Ben.  I did 6 miles, then 7, then 8, then 9!  I was in total awe that I ran 9 miles.  Such a good feeling to accomplish a seemingly impossible goal of mine.  We skipped 10 and did 11 miles a few weeks before the race.  Then we got sick, started to pack and move and pretty much only ran once or twice before the race.  I thought I'd blown it and was really worried about how I'd do. 

The day before the race I had a wedding, but I carbo-loaded for lunch and then had take-out spaghetti on my drive home from Salt Lake.  I went to bed early in Huntsville and woke up at 6am to eat some toast, a SlimFast, and stretch.  I also took a pain killer (and saved one for a couple miles into the race).   I got to the race at 6:45 just as it was starting and basically ran from the car to the starting line and then just kept running.  It was wet and raining, but I didn't mind it at all.  The first uphill section was a breeze! I thought I'd have to walk up it, but as I was running I kept looking around to make sure I was still going uphill because I was just flying (in my mind) and the hill didn't phase me or even make me winded.  I forced myself to stop for 30 seconds to walk every mile even though I didn't feel like stopping.  When we got to the canyon, the rain started POURING, it was unbelievable! But I LOVED it.  My earphones wouldn't stay in my ears because they were too wet so I just put my music away.    I would stop about every other water station for about 10 seconds to drink some Powerade but I pretty much ran the entire thing.  I felt so awesome.  Especially mile 7 and 8, and 9, at the bottom of the canyon I was going really fast (under 10 minute miles--which for me, is fast).  

When I hit about mile 10, my knees started really aching and my right ankle.  I just kept pushing and still felt awesome. I never felt winded or really tired.

Here I'm coming by Monroe and Ben was up over the bridge (I'm in the purple):


I was worried that the last mile or 2 would be awful but they weren't.  The last mile just seemed to go forever, but I still felt great and was able to pick up my speed and "sprint" (again, sprint to me).


So wet and loving it!

I felt so awesome. I finished!!  And my goal was 2:30, which I thought was totally unrealistic but I got 2:18!  After the race I was sooo cold and couldn't warm up. We went back up to my parent's house and I literally sat in the hot tub for like 2 hours.  It felt amazing and I basically fell asleep.  Yum.

My knees (especially my left one) were sore for about a week after and I really didn't catch the "bug" of wanting to do more.  Maybe after the next kid... who knows, but for now, I'm good to stick to 5Ks :)  Oh and I still will NEVER be doing a full marathon. Never. You can definitely count on that.  My body is not made for that.  Anyway--so so so happy!!! 




Friday, May 10, 2013

8 months old


Claire sure loves her brother. She is so sweet with him and loves to make him laugh.  And boy does he love to laugh at her.  





They are sure going to miss living so close to Uncle Bobby! 


Tuesday, May 7, 2013

My birthday

My birthday was so fun this year!  I loved it.  I loved spending it with my favorite little people.

We started out the day by going to Kneaders--I'd never been before!  Now I see what all the fuss is about.

Claire took some pictures of me (she's been obsessed... I wonder where she gets it from).



 Then Ben took me out for our date night.  We went to Beyond Glaze, the new donut place in Ogden. YUM.  

Then we went to SpeedStreet in Ogden to race--one of our favorite things to do!  This is where we met, and where we try to go for anniversaries to see if Ben will ever beat me... which he won't.  I still got the fastest lap and average time:)   For our 2nd race we were put in with a big corporate group, and I was beating all the guys and they loved how aggressive I was:) 

Then we ate at the Pizza Factory.  Again, YUM. 

Then we played Big Buck Hunter and finished off the night with Iron Man 3.  Which we LOVED. 

It was such a fun night! Mostly too because it was the longest I'd been without Alex (since I finally got him good at taking a bottle).  I felt so free!!  

Thanks to everyone for making it so special this year, especially my lover Benji.