Run, run and run some more.

Yup, I am still running and running and running some more.  Some days I have to drag myself out the door, but once I'm out I am happy I did it, most of the time. :)  I have started running without an iPod, I really fought Kirk on this one for a while.  He was mostly worried I'd get hit because I couldn't hear traffic, but he also wanted me to overcome the mental side of running.  Now  I love to go run without it and listen to the peace and quiet we are surrounded by, it's been good for me.    

Since my last post I have run 2 more half marathons, only one more to reach my goal of 4 before I'm 40.  My 40th birthday is in May and I plan to run Canyonlands again in March.  When I first made this goal I kept going back and forth thinking it's would be too hard and I would burn out, but here I am after 3 halfs and all ready planning on running 3 more  next year!  (Crazy huh?!)

So my last post was from my very first half marathon in Moab.  When I finished I wasn't so sure I wanted to do another one, my legs gave up at mile 10.  But we had all ready signed up for one so I kept training.  Steamworks was here in Durango in June and it was a great race.  I shaved off about 9 minutes from my time in Moab which made me super happy.    I kept looking down at my Garmin and couldn't believe our pace.  Super gorgeous run by the way!  My sis-in-law came down with her boys and she made signs with all the kids and Olivia dressed up in her old cheer outfit.  It was so awesome to come around the corner and see them there cheering us on.  

Our 3rd half marathon brought us back to Moab and was this past weekend.  The Moab Trail Half Marathon wasn't like anything we've done in the past.  In fact once we signed up and I read all the info.  I looked at Kirk and asked: "what did you get me into!"  There were warnings about how falling on the trail could result in death, REALLY?!!  Okay so it really wasn't all that bad, although we did feel like mountain goats at some points!  It climbed over 800 feet in just the first 4 miles, but oh it was worth the climb.  We walked/climbed the huge hills and then at one point had to hike down and at some points slide on our butts.  It was hard and we learned we needed to fuel better next time, but it was so fun!  It took us 3 hours, about an hour longer than a road race, but the whole time we just kept saying we are definitely doing this again next year!  Great race.  Here are some pictures! Might make you want to give it a try. 

In this first one we are climbing to the top of the rock you see.  I'm on the bottom right in the blue t-shirt.

 I had to enlarge this so you could see the runners.  If you look just above the shade you can see the little dots.  This was from the top of our climb.  Incredible!

 Here I am at another hill!

 Here I am coming down!