The time we ran in cowboy boots

What's the best way to celebrate the completion of the marathon?  4 weeks later, after not even running once, to run the Butch Cassidy 10K dressed from head to duct tape boot covered toe like Butch Cassidy!  perfect way!  This course is Beautiful!!   We had so much fun running down the road shooting our cap guns at each mile and trying to hold people up as they passed us.  Ok, so maybe we got a little hot, but it was worth it.  Maybe my knee hurt and we may have come in close to last, but it was worth it.  We (me and Lexie little) didn't even make it there in time for the costume contest.  What?  Can you believe they would do it without us?  Our friends even ask them to wait for us....  bummered.  We were glad Lexi Cutler won, but we would have liked to give her some competition and put on a good show ya know.  It was Lexi's idea to dress up anyway.  We decided yesterday and immediately met at the thrift store to shove all the Butch Cassidy garb we could fit into 2 bags for 5$  ...  oh ya!! Score!   That night Lexie Little and April made us the amazing duct tape boot covers for our shoes and April picked us all up some cap guns (best investment ever).  ok.  So it was most of our slowest time ever, but we were celebrity.  People ask to get their picture with us and told us we looked awesome. (which we did).   The perfect ending was to ride out of there...  19 of us, shoved in the back of MaryAnn's dad's cabbed truck!  I got to be on the tailgate and I'm just happy to be alive right now!  Ha ha..  no it wasn't that bad, only going up hill..  Thanks for another great race Butch fish..  ha ha

The gang...  this is a stick up.  give us all your running metals.

No really..  we totally look like dudes!

Ktown had a good turn out at this race.  Way to represent!

I'm sure we annoyed people when we boxed out at the front of the starting line.  I can honestly say, I've never done that before... 

Had to stop for a picture on the bridge. Thanks nice person who offered to stop and take our pic!! some people really get it!

 

Our cool duct tape boots

My sister thinks I look like an old Mexican guy...  what do you think? also, Im going to need a bigger hat next time..  ha ha.

Back of the truck, holding on for dear life.  Isn't april cute in her cowboy hat if she lost the stash? 

 

Running is a gateway to adventures...

I guess this was part of my last long run, the day before when the other girls did 8 miles, Bryant and I only did 5, we both wanted to save some energy for this race.  Actually we were both being kind of lazy and decided that between the two runs we'd be over the 8 and that seemed good!  Kanab KTX trail run is awesome!  I love it!

I love that he loves to run with me.  Well I should say I love that he has the same running addiction as me!  We start together and he waits for me at the end.  Most races he starts back through the course to find me and cheer me on.  I love that!  I am a pretty lucky gal!

It was FREEZING at the start line this year!

 Amanda ran the 10k too, but I didn't see her only at the very beginning!  

 Such a beautiful place to run!  I really like this race.  I decided that I wouldn't push myself too hard, since the marathon was next week and all.  I loved it.  I love running and just enjoying!  

 Bryant kicked butt and totally ran it in 43 minutes.  He beat the course record by 2 seconds and won it all!  Super proud of him! 

 April ran the 5k with her family.  We went back up to the park to listen to the Grand to Grand runners and met up with April.  Those Grand to Grand people are amazing!  After seeing them and listening to them I really started considering maybe wanting to do it sometime.  

Because what if I ran it and could look like this guy?  That would be awesome!

 Other then seeing Julie Jensen and getting to hug her, having this guy talk to my kids about running was probably the best part of the day.  He actually came up to Bryant and the kids and said, I want to share with you my pack and tell you what it takes to run this.  He shared what preparations he had made to make his feet strong.  He actually soaked his feet in dog pad stuff to make them tough.  He also told them that running wasn't just running it was a gateway to adventures.  He has ran the Great Wall of China, the Sahara Desert, the North Pole and many other amazing places.  My kids were enthralled!  I loved it!  He told them to keep running!  

Julie's story about having to deal with injury during her G2G experience was very motivational to me and I admire her for continuing on even when she was hurt.  She is an amazing person.  

Run the canyon.. cedar half

Saturday some of us ran the Cedar City Half.  I wanted to run this race last year but Dason was returning from Afghanistan.  So I was really excited to finally get to run it.  My day started at 3:20 AM..  I seriously laughed out loud when I got up.  Darin was getting home from a football game and changing into scrubs to go deliver a baby.  I laughed because if you would have told me two years ago that I would be getting up at this crazy hour and driving for 2 hours to run for over two hours and then drive back home I would have laughed in your face.  but I was up and super excited!  I rode over with MaryAnn and Bryant.   Here we are taking the bus up the canyon.  I love this picture..  so us!  I love us.  =)

 

It was chilly up the canyon. There was music playing and bomb fires blazing, but we spent our time in the porta line.  We were barley able to shed our warm cloths throw them in the truck and get to the starting line and snap this pic:

And we were off.  It was so so Pretty.  I loved it.  Every minute. I kept thinking, "this feels so great". but I didn't dare say it out loud.  Ok, I did, and It didn't even curse me, I kept feeling great.  My knee's did not hurt AT ALL!!  whoot hooo!!!  So excited about that. 

 I did decide that Lexie has spoiled me and I am not going to want to run races by myself anymore.  It so great having someone to talk to, sing with, observe other people (ha ha) with.  It's great to have someone to cover you when you head off into the bushes.  "look at me, not at her.."...  ha ha ha.   We had a volunteer take this picture for us.  This was right after we finally passed the cute mom/son team dressed in orange.  Ya..  we had goals. 

 We had less than a mile left and Lexie got her chest pain.  I was ready to walk with her, after all, it was just a training run, but under the circumstances she insisted I go ahead.  So I did.  I was amazed at how great I felt I was able to just go and go hard.  Great way to finish a race.  Finished in 2:16.  time doesn't really matter to me..  slow and steady is our motto, but people seem to like that deet.  =)

I really loved this race.  I was on a high from it all day (that and the fact My Marine is home) I really feel like I am ready for the marathon...  Bring it on!!!  EXCITED!! 

My favorite 1/2 ever.  Always will be!

I think my grin shows it all.  I was so happy to share this race with some of my fellow fishies and runners.  I felt good during the whole run, didn't hate any of it and when I was done didn't feel like I was going to die.  There was a girl in front of me that I could tell didn't want me to pass her, so I didn't.  At the end she collapsed on the ground and I walked past feeling good.  Don't worry she wasn't in physical harm, just pushed herself past that comfortable point, I on the other hand was able to enjoy the last few miles and get my yummy treats, I love those granola bar things they give out at the finish.  They have them every year!  Then Bryant and I jumped in our excursion to head home to watch our boys play football in Kanab.  I was a little stiff when I got out of the vehicle, but I have been worse!  This was a great race/run to pump me up for the Marathon!  Some elite runners said I can't run the cedar half it's too close to marathon day for St George, but I say why not, it's the BOMB!

It's a thing...

That do ya do when it's July 13,2013 and you're not scheduled to run a Half Marathon (13.1).    (I'm cracking up that I explained a half, but really, two years ago, I had NO idea!!)  Well, ya just make one because on 7.13.2013...  You just HAVE to run 13.1!!!  Especially if a fellow fish is doing the Bryce Canyon half and you're super jealous, but don't think your knee can handle it.  Hence, the Johnson Canyon Lucky 13 was founded....  Ya, it's a thing.  Not only is it a thing, but it was one of the participants first half ever, so that's cool..  right?  Annnddddd all the participants had 13 in their number.  Yes we had bibs.  I'm sure all the Cowboys going down the road wondered...  what the heck.

It's the little things that make life big!!

It's a helluva place to lose a cow, or run a race!

Bryce Canyon half marathon 2013.  I haven't ran it in years, it just hasn't fit into my schedule.  I wasn't going to run it this year either, I had signed up my husband and I for the 1/2 and all our kiddos for the 5K.  Bryant and I have been running A LOT of races and relays lately and I really just wanted to call and cancel our spots.  The kids were all excited to run, so we stuck with it.  
(Way to stick with it MaryAnn. Who cares about your time! Your kids will always remember it)

I tried to run and keep a good pace, but my gut hurt almost the whole time.  It made it hard to want to keep running, so I walked a bunch.  I think the last time I ran the Bryce 1/2 I did it in like 1 hour 50 minutes.  This time that was not the case, took me 2 hours and 1 minute.  I even had to stop at a potty along the way.  I know that most of my problems are from my lack of eating right!  I have got to change some terrible eating habits, like RIGHT NOW!  

 There were SO many runners this year.  I never had to run by myself, always tons of people around me!

(my family and I at the end of the race)