Save the Light Half Marathon!

For YEARS I have talked about wanting to do a half marathon. This year I finally decided to take action. I have been looking into the "Save the Light Half Marathon" for a couple of months. And finally when we got home from Christmas break and after me telling Brayden over and over that I am thinking about doing it, he just told me just sign up and do it. So I did it. I signed up! 

As soon as I signed up I realized I needed to get moving on the training since I would have just over 4 weeks to train. Throughout the week I would do my "short" runs and then on Saturdays would be my "long" runs. I went up by 2 miles every Saturday. Starting with 5 miles, then finishing at 11 miles with the following Saturday being the 13.1 mile run. Training actually was not as bad as I thought, a couple Saturday's I did not want to run and almost didn't do it, but I did and I am so glad I did!

The morning of the race was soooo cold. It was 30 degrees. Everyone was bundled up for the run, except for the few people in shorts and tank tops. They were the legit runners. They had fancy running sunglasses on and everything. Brayden and I got to the race about 40 minutes early and waited inside the nearby hotel. With about 15 minutes until the race we made our way out there and Brayden left to go to his basketball game. ...yes he had enough time to go back downtown play a whole game and then come back before i was done, that is how long I was running for.. ha! 

The run itself wasn't too bad! At the very beginning I realized I was running way ahead of my normal pace, so I had to make myself slow down a bit or I knew I would wear myself out way to fast. A little part of the course was on the sand, which was definitely not my favorite part, but once you hit the asphalt again you felt like you were flying. 

When I turned the corner for the last mile and could see the hotel where the finish line was, I couldn't wait to stop running. I finished the race and beat the goal I had for myself by 10 minutes! After I finished the race I had so much gatorade and water because I don't really like drinking while I run so I never took any of the water from the stations they had throughout the course. Then we headed home! We realized that we maybe should've stayed because they had some awards, but honestly I didn't think I would get one anyway. But I was looking at the finishing times the next day and I got 2nd in my Female age group! This race really wasn't that big so I am sure if I ran in a bigger one that wouldn't have happened, but it was still fun anyway! 

The rest of the day was spent lounging and then for dinner we enjoyed some burgers and nachos from Bohemian Bull. It was delicious! and just what I needed! 

I am so glad that I finally accomplished one of my goals that I have wanted to do forever. But I am even more glad that it is over! 

**Scroll down if you want to see THE most flattering pictures ever....haha!**