I did it again! I crossed the finish line of the Moab Canyonlands Half Marathon! :) For those of you who have ran one before know the adrenalin and exhilaration you can get. It was just as cool of an experience as it was 4 years ago. There were uncontrollable winds this time that didn't let down though. It blew right in our face and along with it came all the dust of the canyon. But, what's a race without obstacles along the way.
One of my favorite parts of doing this is the people you meet. People come from all over to run this half marathon. I met an awesome mom and daughter that have ran a few marathons together. They were one of the pacers for the race. They have people running with small signs that are setting paces for whatever time you are trying to shoot for. They were holding the 2:50 pacer. I ran with them from about mile 5 to 9. Along the way we would help encourage the stragglers to come with us. We had a group of about 6 or 7 of us that kept with each other for 4 miles. We were all sharing our energy treats and helped keep each other going. At mile 9 the pacers had to pull back to stay on track so I picked up my pace.
Mile 1-5 was good. I had good energy and nothing had started to hurt yet. Mile 6 my feet started to burn. I was losing energy so I ate part of my Cliff Bar right before one of the water stations. After that I had energy back, but my body was starting to feel the solid ground below me as I took every stride. I pushed through the pain and at mile 9 I got a burst of energy and made into the city pretty quick, hitting mile 11. Mile 11-13 was the absolute hardest. You come out out the canyon and have to run in the city with cars right next to you, the wind having no blocks, and you're using up your last burst of energy and strength. There is one last water station before you the last 1.1 mile stretch. It seems like the longest mile of your life. In that last stretch I was running next to a lady who has MS and has been running against her odds for 4 years. I couldn't help but feel inspired by her.
As I turned the last corner I saw the finish line. I pushed myself to the limit and finally, at 2 hours and 47 minutes, I had done it. I had finished my second half marathon. Chris was at the finish line to cheer me on and snap some pictures. Boy, was I glad to see him!
We spent one more night in Moab. We spent the majority of that time eating and sleeping, but I was just fine with that. I was sore and exhausted. I got a few blisters on my feet and my muscles are a little tense, but other than that I felt pretty good for just running 13.1 miles.
So, another half marathon is behind me. It was another amazing experience. Now to train for the next! Layton Half, here I come! :)
Pictures to come!
5 years ago
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