Salt Lake City Half Marathon 2013

A few weeks ago was the Salt Lake Half Marathon (and marathon...but I didn't run that so let's not talk about it). I signed up for the race to motivate myself to keep running hard and because running is way more fun when there is a race in the mix. 

 The race shirt and my number. Lucky number 4879...right?

So, unlike the last time I ran this race, the weather on race day was horrible. Like 30 degrees, rain, and wind horrible. Carson wasn't able to come watch me run because he had a History final that morning at the same time. So, there I was, alone in the rain. I was totally frazzled that morning as I tried to figure out what to wear for the weather and how to get to the starting line. Normally I get really excited at the starting line of races because of all of the excitement, but this time I just felt alone and cold. Really cold. Then Carson sent me a good luck text that ended by telling me to look for his parents during the race. I was overcome with emotion (because you know me...I am emotional). I didn't know they were coming to watch. I hadn't planned on anyone coming to watch. It meant so much to me that they would come all the way to Salt Lake in the rain to watch me that I almost started to cry. But by this time I was running out of the porta-potty line to the starting line because I was about to miss the start. Like I said - frazzled. 

Since the horrific events at the Boston Marathon were just a week earlier, there was a nice moment of silence at the beginning of the race and everyone was proudly wearing blue and yellow - the colors of the Boston Marathon. Personally I felt like a high school cheerleader with blue and yellow ribbons in my hair. Then, the gun went off and I forgot all about feeling alone and miserable and I did what I love to do, I ran. My mind went into race mode and I forgot about being cold (even though I didn't feel my legs until I got home a few hours later). I was feeling great for the first part of the race and when I started to get tired, there were amazing spectators that I didn't even know, braving the weather to cheer on all of the runners - and I felt their encouragement. That's another thing I love about races. There is definitely a palpable sense of community among the runners and the spectators. I feel connected to people I don't even know, and that's pretty cool.

I'm not going to lie, the end of the race was pretty miserable. The last two miles were uphill with wind and rain in my face. My soaking wet socks had slipped down in my soaking wet shoes and I could feel the insoles of my shoes starting to bunch up. It was pretty rough, but I finished within my goal time. Overall, I was really happy with how the race went...too bad it couldn't have been in better conditions. 

A little video of me finishing...swinging my arms like I always do when I am tired. 

Again, I can't thank Carson's parents enough for coming to watch.

 I was freezing pretty much until I got home and took a warm shower, but Carson was able to see my muddy legs and battle wounds (or battle blisters) before I cleaned up.

Oh, and he got an A on his final, so at least he made missing my race worth it. I guess.