The Revolution Run-January 11, 2014

I love this run. This was my 4th time running an event here at the Olympic Oval in Kearns, Utah.  Today's event was a 5 hour timed event, from 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.  If you run 96 laps then it's a marathon.  48 laps would be a half marathon. My training schedule calls for a 30 mile run today which actually puts me at needing over 100 laps.  See how excited I am about this?  Actually I'm trying not to think about it yet.  Just happy to be here and get my bib put on and get this running party started.

I decided since I needed so many laps I wanted to try and get a few done before the race actually started. A few of my FB friends from Runner's Anonymous were also planning to run here and so I was excited to get to see them again. We have been trying to plan more running events and parties because we have such a great time together.  

My friend Monnica wanted a ride with me and so I picked her up super early,  like around 5:30 am.  I got to the oval about 6:30 am and started running a little before 7:00 am.  I was a little worried of how I was going to keep track of my laps because the Garmin doesn't work inside.  I used a trusty little pad of paper and a marker.  I just kept track with my fingers as I ran around.  When I did 5 laps I would stop and make the tally marks.  I was able to get 16 laps in before the race started.  I kept getting distracted as more running friends kept coming because I wanted to stop and visit them.  Once the race started we had a chip on our bib that kept track for us but I still wanted to be sure so after every ten laps I would stop and mark it down.  My running friends knew what I was doing and wrote a cute little note to me on my paper.  They call me Mama Duck! That made me smile big when I saw their cute words.  Little things make me happy!

Running friends-Quesnel, Joshua, Robert, Me, Becca

Holding up 8 fingers indicating 8 laps.

My friend Robert Merriman was so kind to run a whole bunch of laps with me and keep me going strong.  It gets a little monotonous going round and round and round, but when you have someone to talk to it helps pass the time so much better.

Sometimes I was running alone and that wasn't as much fun.  Where did all my friends go?

HERE THEY ARE!  Monnica, Me, Quesnel, Elvia, Christy, London and Monte

 Robert, Christy, Elvia, Quesnell, Me

Josh has been one of my oldest running friends.  Not that I'm that old, trust me! But we have both been on this running journey almost the same amount of time and have run a lot of races together.  So that makes it feel like we have been running friends for a very long time.  He has become quite the baker/cook/chef.  He creates new concoctions of Rice Krispy Treats and calls them RK's.  He made a new batch for all of us running friends running at the oval today.  It has brownie mix, and peppermint patties in them.  I absolutely love mint!  He made a yummy one back in November that had snickers in them but this one by far exceeded that one!  Mint and chocolate just speak to my soul and this treat hit the spot perfectly while running.  I may have eaten 3 of them while running. Don't mind the extra chocolate in my teeth.  I was probably saving that for later.  After he had left and I went over to the table to record more laps on my piece of paper there were more RK treats for me.  What a nice boy!  I don't think those treats made it home.  I probably enjoyed some after-race goodness while driving in the car. 

Today was a great experience and helped build my confidence for my first 100 mile race coming up on February 15th.  I just want to finish.  I don't care how long it takes me.  I just want to know what it feels like to travel that far on foot.  Stay tuned.....