OGDEN HALF MARATHON, AGAIN



Steve and I after the race.
Pretty tired, but the medal makes it all worth it!!





 This was my 4th time running the 1/2 Marathon in Ogden.

Steve and I got to the "busstops" about 5:00 am.  Steve loaded onto his full marathon bus and I found my half marathon bus and boarded.  I sat around others that were as anxious as myself to begin the 13.1 mile journey back down the canyon.  I had my earbuds in my ears and was already getting "pumped up" by my playlist, but I could still hear the people who sat around me talking.  The discussed times and fuel, but the comments that caught my attention the most was one of the runners saying, "...you know what really impresses me?  The people that walk the half marathon.  That is a LONG time to walk, I'm not sure I could do it..."  I can't even tell you how much it meant to me to hear them essentially be talking about me.  Made me feel pretty good.

The message that kept me going for 4 more miles

The start was not as cold as I had anticipated it to be. It began a little late, but once we got going I began to warm up.  It was a beautiful day to be racing.  It had rained 5 days in a row prior to race day.  Spent the 13.1 miles alternating between walking and jogging.  When I came up to mile 9, I began to remember how hard the race gets for me from that point on.  It was then that I could hear my phone ringing.  I had just received a text message from my daughter, Belle.  It said, "LET'S GO MOM".  I teared up a little.  How did she know I needed that.  It was that message that pushed me the next 4 miles.

Yep, that's me running!!!

Steve passed me after mile 10.  I was still feeling pretty confidant and impressed at how my body was feeling.  Nothing ached or hurt.  Before I knew I was running the last tenth of a mile and could see the finish line that never seemed to get any closer.  I did finally get there and finished the race and got my medal.  Another half marathon done.