13.1 Miles Later...

I did it!

After 6 months of empty promises, 7 weeks of actual training and 4 hours of traveling I finally ran the Bryce Canyon 1/2 Marathon! And I'm so happy that my roommate Katie E. joined me...she did awesome! (She's crazy fast!)

Check out it out:

This is Katie E. and I outside our hotel room/mini-cottage. Last week when I called to make room reservations I was turned away by every single hotel! I couldn't believe it. Luckily, after a little more research I was able to snag the very last available room at the Bryce Canyon Pines Motel. I highly recommend it. Most guests receive their own building, and the beds are quite comfortable. Its other amenities include TV, bathroom AND its close to Bryce Canyon! Anyway, I was very happy and grateful for the room because as of last Thursday, Katie E. and I would have been bunking in the car. And that would have been interesting. Thank you Bryce Canyon Pines!

First things first: Katie E. is an AMAZING runner. Right from the beginning she was weaving through the other 1400 contestants, making her way to the front of the pack. Any hope of running along side her was completely deleted. But it's all good! I got to run next to two 6 year olds. It's true. I kept pace with them the first 8 miles. The only reason I pulled ahead was because the brother suggested they wait to finish with their parents.

Now for logistics. The race starts at the break of dawn, just when the sun is reaching over the horizon. For the first 5 1/2 miles or so runners follow a road that winds down through the canyon. Large red rocks border the trail, and in the distance green valleys predict the end of the race. At about mile 8 I could feel myself slowing down. My chest felt tight, and my legs tighter. However, seeing the dotted line of runners in front of me kept my morale high. Every few miles or so there are stations where runners can either get a drink or use the porta-potty. I found it comical when people denied both these options. The brush seemed to collect more takers. One moment your focused on the person in front of you, and the next you're watching that same person veer off to the right and head straight for a clump of bushes.

This was about 45 minutes after crossing the finish line. Due to transportation issues I was unable to have my camera at the end of the race. It would have been nice to get a picture next to the FINISH sign, but we made due. By this point my legs felt ready to fall off. Actually, they still feel that way. But I wouldn't trade-in the pain. Every step and mile was well worth it.






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Overall, I'm so grateful to have had this experience. I told myself last August I wanted to run a marathon before I graduate from BYU. But I also know training for one is extremely time consuming and rigorous. I didn't want to ignore my desire though, so in January I was talking with my friend Carly about upcoming races and she suggested we run the Salt Lake 1/2 marathon. We registered and were all set to run together. Unfortunately, I ended up having a final on the exact same day and at the exact same time as the race. So lame! I was thoroughly disappointed. Again, not wanting to trump my goal, I decided I couldn't give up just yet. A few weeks later, Carly mentioned an upcoming race in Bryce Canyon. I did some research and decided it would be the race for me! I registered in June and have been training ever since.

All those hours running on the treadmill in the RB were well worth the sacrificed time and discipline so that today could really represent a day for accomplishing something great. I think the best part about crossing that finish line was knowing for myself that I can stick with something...even when that something gets really hard! There were many times during that race when thoughts of quitting entered my mind. "It's not like anyone would know. It's not like you would be disappointing anyone." But that's not true. Had I quit when my body wanted to do, I would have been greatly disappointed. Today was all about proving to myself that I can endure hard things. This whole experience has been a testimony to me that God blesses us with righteous desires, and it is those desires that define who we really are as children of God. As long as we continually strive to follow His will, while also giving our very best efforts, He will help us accomplish those desires and become perfected people...like Him.

Of course, sometimes we don't always get exactly what we want. While I would have loved to finish the race in record time, I realize I'm not capable of running that quickly. At least not right now. Sometimes we can want something more than anything else, and we can work passionately to attain it, but if it is not God's will we must simply endure to the end, always believing that He knows what is best for us. It is usually not easy to give up our wants for God's desires, but did not Christ say that it would be worth it?

Anyway, today was just a great day! I can honestly say that I did my ultimate best. Yay for running...and for bed!