SLC 1/2 Marathon...we survived!

Nate and Sara before the race.

Look at those calves...we worked hard to make our legs look like this!

Crazy Brothers-in-Law....but they sure made it fun.

On Saturday, April 18th 2009, Nate and I ran the Salt Lake City 1/2 Marathon. It was 13.1 miles of pure enjoyment....hehehe! I started training for this run in January and felt pretty good until about the first of April. But then I would have pains in my hip or right knee after a workout. So Nate insisted that I go to a running store and get suited up for the race. At 26.2 (a.k.a. Hoppers in AF), they video tape you running on a treadmill and pick out shoes that will help your running style. I was surprised when the clerk there told me that a size 9 1/2 shoe would suit me better, I usually wear an 8 1/2....but whatever works. And yes the shoes did help, no hip or knee problems after that. (Well at least not injury wise...just a little sore.) Now here is a reason why I love my hubby. 2 days....yes, 2 days before the race he says to me...."Could you register me for the race, I guess I'm going to run in it." I could never had done that just two days before a big race. But he did it to come and support me, and make sure I cross the finish line ;-). We ran together for the first 6 miles and I had told him that I knew I could make it that far without stopping. So at the water tables I grabbed a drink and so did Nate, but I felt good so I kept on going. That was the last I saw him until the finish line. I was so sad, I kept looking for him but there were so many people and he thought I was walking, when I was actually running. He met up with Emma and Jeremy, but decided to turn back because he was worried that he had left me. (Where in fact I had left him.) When he got to the finish line, he said that he had looked for me for 15 or 20 minutes. Which is about the time he came in after me. But all in all it was pretty fun. My two sisters JoAnna and Emma, and then their husbands , Derek and Jeremy, both ran in the race. And my mom and dad were at the finish line to cheer us on. The race had water, bananas, yogurt, and Creamies at the finish line for all the runners. I have to tell ya, I havn't had a better tasting Creamie than that chocolate delight! I am getting excited for my upcoming races. The Wasatch Back is in June and I am on an all woman's team called the Queen's of Sole. And then we'll both run one more 1/2 marathon in August. Of course we'll try to get a 10K's or 5K's in before then. It is fun to have an activity that we can both do together. And during the race when we would see some little old man running along, we would both comment of how we hope to be doing that same thing when we are older.