Baby Steps to a Half Marathon

My friend Jody talked me in to running a 5K this weekend.  I have never run an official 5K race. (unless you want to count a 10K I did about 17 years ago)  She said I needed to do this to prepare for the half marathon in June so that I would know what a race feels like. It was called the Running of the Leopards and it was a race to benefit East High School education programs.  The course was fun and all downhill, except for one teensy part.  Here we are in the bitter cold before the race at about 8:00 am looking perky and happy.

Cortney, Doran, Jody, Me

Then we hopped onto a school bus and got driven 3 miles up the road to a big parking lot across the street from Hogle Zoo.  We nearly froze our buns off!!  We had to find shelter fast from the canyon winds and this shovel was parked a little ways off from the starting line, so we made cover there.  It didn't make us warmer but at least we weren't getting winded on.  

 

Mark is such a trooper.  He got up early to take me to Salt Lake and take photos for us.  He waited patiently at the finish line for me to come through.  I'm not sure of my official time but I think it's about 30:38.  I was very pleased with that because at the gym a few days ago it took me 34:10 on a treadmill.  I realize that going downhill does make a person faster, but I'll admit running on the road was a lot harder. I think the most important thing I learned on this race was it's time for me to start getting some outside running.  

Here I come....with a big ole wave to the hubby.

See those tables behind me?  They filled them up with orange, bananas, and bagels. Such a great refreshment!

 Here we all are looking oh so completely opposite of the first photo taken, except Cortney forgot to look tired.

Oh this one is better :)

The whole experience was a fun one (minus the cold) and I would do it again in a heartbeat.  Thanks Jody for forcing encouraging me to do this with you guys.  It was pretty sweet.