Didn't you know?

It was a  beautiful race. 

The Salt Lake City Half Marathon was definitely and experience. When you have such an awesome sister as I do it makes racing a lot more fun. The princess made the race so fun for me. We got to take a taxi to the start which was awesome cause then we didn't have to do the whole awkward where do we park where is the start do you have your car keys etc dance. This picture was taken about 15 minutes before the race started when I race I don't get pretty. In fact I look pretty awkward. I have my Garmin, my road id bracelet (just in case I get hit by a jazzy) my head phones, my sunglasses and the lovely stomach accentuator (its like a wonder bra for your stomach it causes all the fat to be pushed up.) and as always messy hair and a smile! 

Races make me nervous at the start. Being hearing impaired I don't run with my hearing aids (too much sweat drips into them and I've got squealing and popping so not fun.) and I'm always worried they are going to announce something extremely important that I'm going to miss. So it was nice to have her by my side for a few minutes. When it was really close to start she went up to the fast people area and I headed back to the beef trust. Which if you don't thrust out your elbows you end up getting squashed by the breast cancer warrior group (I know! I thought it was rude they didn't ask me to be a part either!). As more and more people lined up it started feeling like they were herding cattle. They had both the marathon and half marathon people start at the same time which made things a little awkward. 

So when the they said go all the sudden you see all these little heads bobbing people trying to get their Garmins and ipods started and move! I being the genius forgot to turn mine on till after the first mile so pretty  much it was good for was telling me my pace time. Which was kinda nice. I normally try to go as slow as I can at starts so I can get out of the swarm of people. The first mile I was starting to get a panic attack with people everywhere I couldn't find my running grove. But it was okay. Then my ipod got its race day magic and Madonna came on and I knew that everything was going to be okay. I also put on my sunglasses and had to lie to my brain and be like these are magic sunglasses! They block out the people. They can't see you. You are now invisible. Run with abandon! (Yes my brain sometimes acts like its 5 years old.) 

Since I signed up for this race on Wen. I didn't have time to obsess over the course and memorize it so I just had to go with flow. I was a fat Dorothy on my way to see the finish line. It was fun! It was a gradual downhill and we ran through so many different little neighborhoods and areas it was fun to see all the people come out and support the runners. As we got further down they started having time clocks telling you how long you have been running when I was at mile 6(? it all gets hazy) I saw I had been running for 1:18 minutes and I realized that while I was almost half way the Princess was almost done. (I know. Life is so unfair.) 

At mile 11 the course drops you on State street and they were doing road construction and then all the sudden the race went crazy! Lights police! Cars rushing down the road and this homeless man (if he wasn't homeless he wasn't dressed to his best that's for sure) was in the middle of the race and he wouldn't move! They were trying to get the runners to clear a way for the marathon first place runner (No. It wasn't me but it was nice to pretend for a moment.) and I fell and heard a really loud pop! And shooting pain in my ankle. Oh did I mention I fell too? I've got a lovely bruise now too. Thanks Homeless old man! You really made my race. 

So I had to walk for a while. Crying but texting at the same time. Why? Cause why not multi task. Give the photographers something to focus on for a minute. 

Running down south temple was nice. 

One more complaint and I can put this opus to bed. As I was running down the finishing chute (HA! Another  cattle reference!) the guy next to me starts doing cartwheels. Really Popeye? Cart wheels?! And his form was terrible! What made it worse it wasn't a former fat person like me finishing it was supper skinny man! Jerk. 

But it was so nice to finish! I finished at 2:31 even. Which makes it more awesome is that I finished at 2:41 at Santa Cruz so a nice 9 minute drop. The Princess? Oh she took 5th over all and took first for the Amateur division. She finished at 1:25 and PR'd! I'm so proud of her! 

More tomorrow.