Thirteen point one

I am officially a half-marathoner!! :) On Saturday, I crossed the finish line of the Utah Valley Half Marathon with a time of 2:03:53. Going in, I felt unprepared. I knew that my training was not what it should have been and I honestly thought that I was going to finish with a time 2:15:00-2:45:00. I really had no idea what to expect. I hadn't really done any speed training and the most that I had run was 8 miles. But I loved the feeling of being back in a race. And I just ran and ran...and ran. And 13 miles later, I did it! It was hard but it was one of the best feelings in the world. 


Oh, and I have one of the best families in the world. My mom, dad, two sisters, two brothers, and both grandmas hit the road and drove to Provo and joined my husband in supporting me in the race. They all woke up super early (don't even get me started on how early I had to be ready to go. I caught a bus at 4:30 to take me to the starting line for a race that started at 6 AM!) and drove up and down University Avenue screaming and yelling out the windows of their car, holding signs and just being awesome! It made me so happy every time I saw them. They honestly got me through the race. 

The experience was so rewarding. And it was difficult. But really, the difficulty is what made it the experience that it was. For a little over two hours, I pushed my body and mind to the limit. I had to keep telling myself that I could do it, that I just needed to keep breathing and press through it, that I was capable. I started out the race with a 2:10:00 pacer. It was such a boost when I came to the top of a hill around mile 8 and I saw the 2:05:00 pacer in the distance. Determination took over and I was set on catching them and even passing them if I could. And so I just kept running and within the next mile or 2, I caught them! I think the sense of accomplishment that came from this feat within the face helped me tackle the hardest part: miles 11, 12 and 13. 

My body was hurting and I really wanted to stop around mile 10. But mentally, I wouldn't let myself. I was not going to come all this way just to give up and walk 3 miles to the end. I wanted to make it all the way to the end. And I did. I didn't stop once. I was running a few feet ahead of a 2:05 pacer around this time and his help and support pushed me to the end. The pacer's name was Steve and he helped more than just me get to the finish line. He kept yelling things out like "Pain is temporary. Pride is forever."  He kept encouraging us to keep it going, not to let our bodies win and to keep thinking positively. His encouragement was what I needed. 

So, now that it is said and done, I am pretty sure that I am hooked. I loved the feeling that came from pushing my limits and crossing the finish line and I am already looking for another race to run. Among the thousands of runners that participated this weekend, I heard a few runners talking about running a marathon. They said something to the extent of: "To run a marathon is to overcome adversity. If you can get your body to complete something so strenuous and overwhelmingly difficult as 26.2 miles straight, you can do anything." What a cool perspective. Before this race, I had no desire to run a full marathon. But after seeing that I am capable of a half, I have set my goals just a little higher. I will overcome a marathon. Even if it is just one, I will do it.