Ogden Half

 Three of my closest friends (Marcie, Katrina, and Lori) and I have been training for the last 4 months to do a half marathon together. We also get to do Ragnar again in about 4 weeks and this was a kind of warm-up to that. We headed up to Ogden on Friday night so we could grab our race packets. The expo was fun and we got some new nutrition foods to try.

Marcie actually ran the full marathon, so she wanted a photo in front of this sign. 

After the expo we headed to Olive Garden to carb up for our big race. There was a long wait, so we went to a few nearby stores to go shopping. It was so much fun. Dinner was delicious and we always have such great conversations.  

After dinner we headed to Lori's aunt's house where we stayed for the night. We got all set up and situated and ready for bed pretty early. After that we tried to go to bed but we just kept talking and giggling. We were all finally able to go to sleep, but I think I'm the only one who actually slept well. Everyone said they kept waking up, but I slept great until I woke up around 3:30 AM. We had set our alarms to go off at 4, so it wasn't too bad. I actually got up around quarter to and started getting ready. We all got dressed, ate a light breakfast of bread and peanut butter, bananas, and yogurt, got our running chips and numbers on. 

The week before, the forecast was looking to be perfect, but the day before it changed to rain. Only about 40% chance, so we weren't too worried. We thought it might just sprinkle for a bit and then it would clear out. And it definitely started out that way. In the morning it was barely misting. We drove to the parking lot and took one last photo before Marcie headed over to the marathon buses. Lori, Katrina, and myself got in line for a half-marathon bus and got on quickly. The drive up Ogden Canyon took awhile but I was grateful to be warm and out of the rain.

 Luckily, Lori had brought ponchos for all of us.

After we arrived at the starting point we had to get off the warm bus and go out into the chilly and wet weather. I was able to squeeze us into the pavilion that was already overcrowded, but I did it anyway, haha. We were able to stay warm, albeit a bit claustrophobic, under the pavilion. And there we sat for the next 40 minutes until the race started. 

We ran to the restrooms before the race started and we were still in line when the gun went off. We didn't care at all though, and finally got going. We all felt really great, but as we ran the rain just started coming down harder and harder and the wind started blowing more and more strongly. It got to the point where we were so wet that we looked like we had jumped into a swimming pool. I was trying to avoid puddles on the road and finally thought, "Why am I doing this?! I am already soaked through!" It literally just got worse and worse as we went. The wind was freezing and my hands were completely numb. Besides that part of the race, Katrina and I had a grand, old time running. We kept a great pace together (Lori is faster and ran ahead of us after the second mile because she was trying to get a PR (personal record) which I thought was a little crazy in this weather. 

As we ran I saw a few people I knew and it was fun to wave hi to them. Probably the hardest part of the race for me was between mile 9 and 10. I felt like it had been forever since we saw mile marker 9 and thought we must have missed 10. But then, there it was and I swear the time between those two markers felt like 2 miles, not 1. But I did see one of my college roommates, Karen! She was waiting to cheer on some other friends, and it was great to yell hi to her as well. The last 3 miles were on the Ogden Parkway and it was a lot of little hills. It was hard. And that last miles was brutal. I could see the finish line, but it was SO far away! I was so cold, wet, and exhausted. My whole body was numb. Katrina and I just kept rooting each other on to keep running. And we did! We finally made it to the end and it was the best feeling to run across that finish line!

Lori had beat us and was waiting there with Andy, cheering us on. We got our blankets, our medals, and then I went and got some chocolate milk. It was so yummy.  I was so glad Andy came. it was so good to see him!

Katrina and I did it in 2 hours 24 minutes. That is 10 minutes slower than my first half, but I really don't think I could have done any better. It was a rough day and terrible running conditions. I was just so relieved to finish.

AND I was so relieved to go to the bathroom. I had needed to pee for about 5 miles, but every bathroom we passed on the race, I just told myself to hold it. I didn't want to try and pull my sopping wet clothes down to try and go, and then try and pull them all back up. So uncomfortable! 

After that I had to leave to go to a school conference, but the other two girls waited for Marcie to cross and said it was pretty exciting when she finished. I was so happy for her! 

I warmed up and changed in the car while Andy drove me to the U of U for my conference. I got as put together as I could and went to my conference for the next 7 hours (which was great, more on that later). I had to walk to trax and take the train home afterwards, and my foot hurt SO bad. I don't know what the deal was. It didn't hurt at all before or during the race. I actually went to the doctor's to get it looked at. He thinks I had some micro-tears in a tendon and I had to wear a boot for a few days. It helped a lot, but I hated wearing it and took it off sooner than I should have. It gets sore still, but it doesn't hurt, unless I really push it.

That night we had pizza and a movie and treats. The kiddos rubbed my feet. They were so sweet! I was SO tired after my busy day and feel asleep halfway through.

It was a hard race and since I have heard that the last 3 of 4 years of the Ogden Marathon have been rainy, I don't think I will ever do it again. 

But hooray for finishing!
Next race up, Ragnar!