Sorry blog, running kicked you out

So, it's been awhile - over a month - since I last posted anything here. I have missed you blog. But, it's been for a good reason, a slightly healthier reason. As I gear up for the half marathon next month, my short runs in the evening have been getting longer and I find myself with less and less "free" time in the evening. I am getting very excited - and quite nervous - about the race coming up. I got a little glimpse this past weekend when I ran in my first 10K, a race called Mebane on the Move.

It has been quite some time since I ran in a race, and it was really exciting! As the gun singled the start of the race, I took off - WAY faster than I should have. I felt really good for the first several miles and then I started the second half of the course. The runners doing the 5K went to the right and the rest of us went to the left. And then the route went from slightly elevated to what I would deem as mountainous for Mebane standards. Why would they place all of these hills on the last half of the course ?!?!? It was insane, but so challenging in a great way. I was determined to run the entire race and I did. I wanted to stop so many times, but I just kept telling myself, "You can do this!" What drove me on was the thought of my boys waiting at the finish line for their mom. I cam up to the end of the race and all of the volunteers started clapping and cheering! It was incredibly inspiring and supportive. I crossed the finish line at just over an hour.

As I ran back to find the boys, Tyler ran up to me and said, "Mommy!!!! That was a great run! Did you win?" I told him, "No, I didn't win the race, but I did win for me."