Half Marathon and St. George

I started consistently running back in August 2013 in an effort to shed more baby weight. Once I hit my 5k goal I then decided to set a 10k goal. Once I hit my 10k goal I thought I would just be content having that be my max running distance. I gradually added a little more distance here and there and once I hit 9 miles my friends and family started encouraging a half. I had always told myself that the idea of running that kind of distance was ridiculous and that I was never going to be able to do that. So about a week and a half before the race I signed up for the St. George Half Marathon with 10 miles being the longest distance I had a ever ran before. I was excited and nervous  all at the same time.
The day I signed up I got horribly sick with a cold and a stomach virus. I started to worry that I wasn't going to be well enough to run. Luckily, by the day of the race I was feeling much better but I still had a lingering cough and some congestion. I didn't plan on being able to run my best or run the entire race-I was just wanting to finish.
I started the race strong and feeling good. I was keeping a decent pace the whole race until the 8-9mile. My right calf started tightening up and I lost speed and time because I had to stop to stretch the rest of the race. Luckily most of the hills were at the beginning so the end of the course was flat.
It was the perfect day for the race. I was a beautiful warm day to run a winter race in sunny St. George. I really enjoyed the course, the fresh air and the time to think.  I felt healthy and strong for the most part but the last couple miles were killer but I made it. For my first race EVER of any sort I think I did pretty darn good with a finishing time of 2:18:44.
Running started as a weightless a scheme but now it's just something I enjoy and crave. Overall I did lose some weight but nothing drastic. I do feel healthier and stronger.
Maybe one day I'll do a Marathon....hahah...yeah right?!

Kolob Canyon

Red Cliff Rec. Area