Hobble Creek Half-Marathon 2008...

This was my fourth time running the Hobble Creek Half-Marathon. It is one of my favorite races. The course is beautiful (and downhill!) and it is really well organized (unlike Provo!). So, I was pretty excited to run it this year. It was a different experience for me because I ran it alone. Usually when I run, I love to talk the whole time. It makes the time go by faster and having someone else there keeps me motivated. I don't think that I will run alone all the time, but I ended up having a really great time! I downloaded a bunch of new songs to my Ipod (thanks Kels!) and that kept me really entertained. The first eight miles of the race flew by. I checked my cell phone a little after mile 8 and I had only been running for 58 minutes ( a little over 7 minute miles). I was so excited! I couldn't believe that I was going that fast. (In hindsight, it was probably the Red Bull that I drank 15 minutes before the start of the race.) So, I started to plan ahead. "If I can keep this pace up, I'll finish in...1:40!". And then, I got the blister. I've had blisters pop up in the past, but this blister was different. It was huge! And it happened to be right on the spot that my right foot lands every time I take a step. I didn't really notice it until after mile 10. I was still feeling great everywhere else, but I felt like I was stepping on something sharp every time my right foot hit the pavement. I tried to keep running, but the pain was too much (I'm a wimp!) and I stopped to walk. It was a little frustrating because I was so close, but I couldn't run. I tried everything I could think of...favoring my left leg, running in the field, hopping on one foot. Just kidding about the hopping, but I did seriously think about it. I was so excited to get to Mapleton City park and see the crowds of people by the finish line. My family was waiting right by the corner where the course turned into the park. At the last minute I decided that it would be fun to carry Owen across the finish line with me. I did this with Lily at the St. George Marathon, so I had to give Owen a turn too. The only problem was, I wasn't as close to the finish line as I thought. I still had to run another 200 yards. That doesn't sound like very far, but keep in mind that I just ran 13 miles, I had a nasty blister that had popped about a mile back, and Owen is not a light baby (somewhere around 27 lbs.). It is totally cheesy, but while I was lugging Owen and trying to sprint to the finish line, I was listening to David Archuleta belt out "Imagine" on my Ipod. For some reason, it helped me stay on my feet long enough to get across the finish line. My official time was 2:04. I am definitely coming back next year, but not without some new anti-blister socks!!