Day 277 - Big Runs

Thankfully, "runs" in this context is not referring to you know what! So to catch up since my last post... the next Saturday, May 26th, I went out at a crazy time of night with my girlfriends to run a Midnight 5K. It was the same weekend as the father's and son's outing, so I had to take my little Kai with me. My other friend was in the same predicament as I and so we both stuffed our poor, sleepy little darlings into the jogger while we ran around the old runway at the airport. 

What surprised me the most about this run was that not at all did it feel like 3 miles!! I was thinking we were about halfway through when the finish line came into sight just around the bend. So that was a lovely feeling!

 

Since we had only run the 3 miles that Saturday, we got together and ran 8 miles in Hurricane out by the Church orchard on Memorial Day, May 28th. I barely survived the last little leg of that run due to some intense pains in my stomach that were telling me I needed to poop, and NOW. 

And then, so begins my run of only running my big runs on Saturdays. On June 2nd, with my two friends who are running the half marathon with me, we woke up super early and drove up to Zion National Park. We took the shuttle up as far as it goes and then got out and ran the 8 miles down the hill back to the visitor's center where we were parked. Now that was an incredibly beautiful run! Simply amazing! And although I was very slow, I did run that whole 8 miles without stopping to walk! I was very proud of myself that day. 

On Wednesday, June 11th, I headed up to girls camp with my ward as I was called to be the ward camp director just a month earlier. Our stake property is up by Kolob Reservoir. Everyone packs up early Saturday morning and leaves. Because I knew it would be the only way to get my run in that week, I brought my running shoes and woke up early that morning (June 16th.) I had someone drive me to where the dirt road meets up with pavement, just below the reservoir, and I started running down the mountain. At around six miles our ward drove past me and cheered me on. And I had a ride waiting for me at the 9 mile mark. That was also a really beautiful run, but some of the downhill was pretty killer. 

The next Saturday, June 23rd, we were back east in Michigan visiting with John's sister and her family (and all the rest of his family since everyone came out there). The occasion was for our nephew's baptism. So on Friday I got on Google maps and mapped out a 10 mile route that made a big loop around the house. It was a really beautiful neighborhood with walking paths to the side of every road. Tons of green trees, lots of humidity, rolling hills... John came out with me so I wouldn't be alone, but he was riding a bike. And very slowly I must add, for I was running like a slug. I finished that 10 miles and was proud of completing a double digit run. I did not run the whole time, and was pretty darn slow by the end of it, but I completed it, and that's what this whole thing is about for me. 

I was back home the next weekend, but still feeling wiped out from that 10 miler. I had no desire or motivation to run at all, so I skipped out the next Saturday. But I felt bad about it, so I made sure to go out running on Monday. I got up early in the morning on July 2nd and ran about 4.5 miles. And then, last Saturday, July 7th, I got together with my girlfriends again. We drove about as high up and as far out as we could and still be in Hurricane, parked the car, and then ran home. To make the run be 10 miles, we were supposed to run another mile around the neighborhood across the street from our house. My friends did it, but I was basically running behind them the whole time at my snail pace, and by the time I hit about mile 8, I was dead. So I finished up with only doing just over 9 miles and was totally fine with that. 

So now, here we are. The day before my half marathon!!! I'm having a hard time believing it's already here. Remember those posts where I couldn't even fathom running 13 miles!? Well, now it's here, and I still can't. haha... just kidding. I am feeling a little anxious. I'm hoping that will translate into extra energy for the race in the morning. My little boy has been sick with strep throat all week and my husband just came down with it yesterday, so I am desperately trying to fight off sickness. I'm glad to say, so far so good. Last night my lymph nodes were feeling swollen, but I put on some Wintercrest and this morning I'm feeling fabulous. Today will be full of gargling salt water, drinking herbal tea, lots of vitamin C and prayer! We're leaving around 4:30 to go enjoy our girls night out up in Bryce Canyon and tomorrow morning at 6am... you know where I'll be!