johnson juice: June 2010

From the time my IT band started with it's angry self, I have been struggling to do something I love. Really, I love to run.

Some people run to lose weight, or so they can eat whatever they want, or because they have to, but I love it. I am not fast, I have never run a marathon, I'm too tall, and my legs or hips, or both, are uneven. (so I've been told) But for some reason, it really makes me 'work'. When I can't run, I don't work. Or, maybe I just don't work as happily. My family would tell you that I should definitely run.
When I started this boot camp endeavor in January, I never thought it would actually build some muscles and make my legs work a little better. I ran every week, and long runs every weekend. My IT band was completely happy and didn't bother me at all.

Until one day it decided to come back.
Only weeks before the Ogden Half Marathon.
I was completely scared to run it.
Then the week before the race my cutest Grandpa on the planet passed away. He waited a long time before he made it to his finish line. He's been begging to go for years now, but his little body just kept fighting. He's the strongest little man I've met, and we all want to be just like him. He was a man who would sacrifice all that he had, to give a better life to his family. He left his home in Mexico on foot, and came to the United States with my grandma. He worked harder than the next guy, doing anything he could to provide for his family. Even before he had his children and grandchildren, because he knew he could give them something special. He did all that he had planned, and made sure he had us laughing along the way.

I knew I'd make it to my finish line, no matter what, because he had.
And I made sure I ran with him that day.

MAY 15th 2010
Isn't a race so much better when you have your best friends right next to you! Especially after hardly any sleep and an alarm around 3:45 a.m.!

Troy showing Bishop his new work out.:)

FREEZING by the fire-pits for an hour before the start! Our toes were frozen!

Cute Heather and tall Robyn. Amber was at a different starting line. She's nuts and ran the 26.2. Well maybe we're all nuts. Who gets up that early to freeze, use porta-potties, freeze, wait, freeze and then run for hours and sweat to death??!!

This half marathon was different than my last. I didn't have my husband with me this time!

I was worried about running by myself, especially with my bum leg. Amber's hubby was so great to stay with me. He has run so many marathons and I was worried I would go too slow for him. He asked what I wanted to finish in and I told him around 2 hours. Our last one, Jer and I finished in 2:23 and had some little hiccups along the way, so I new I could do better. This was the most beautiful run ever! We started up in Eden, and ran down Ogden Canyon. Past Pineview Reservoir, the beautiful mountains, waterfalls, and then the cool dinosaur park and a nice view of the Ogden Temple at the end. I loved it all.

At mile 5 my leg started hurting. 8 more miles!!! It would come and go away. Until it didn't go away. But I didn't stop running. Troy told me not to think about it. He told me to turn my music up and run.

It was hard.

The reason I think I kept going was because I was running with him. If it was my hubby, I would have complained more. If it was a girlfriend, I think I would have just cried to her. But I had to be tough in front of him, because he is tough. And he's a runner, so I was trying to be a runner. Heather and Kirk passed us at the beginning, then we caught up to them and passed them for ONE minute until we all ended up together. At about mile 11 1/2 Heather told Troy to run up with Kirk and then I told her how much it hurt and maybe started to cry a little. (see I told you!) She said she would walk with me, bless my little friend, but I was determined to run. And when I did walk, it hurt soooo bad to start running again. So we just ran.
We can almost see the finish line!

I was surrounded by angels during this race.

THE FINISH LINE!!

It says 2:08, but our official time was 2:06. Slow for most but I was so happy with that time!

Troy, Kirk, Heather, and Me.

One of the best parts was right at the last stretch, Heather looked over and saw my family. She pointed to them and I think I almost peed my pants I was so excited! Seeing my kids, watch me finishing something I had been training so hard to do, was just awesome.