The Great Race!

We've been pretty busy these last three months! Jeremy's brother Brian got married to Suzanne in Arizona, then we had a reception out here for them. Both events were wonderful and we're so happy for them both! Jeremy had a dirt bike race in California City that was three laps in the desert for a total of 150 miles! He did great! It was fun for me and the kids to be there to watch him start and finish. I'm glad he has a hobby that he enjoys and he's really good at.

I had my own race this last Saturday in Agoura. It was a 1/2 marathon, partly on pavement and partly on trails. The trail was pretty crazy. I was looking down a lot to make sure I wasn't going to trip over any rocks or anything. Some parts were like climbing up stairs. And some parts were single track, so everyone was walking since they couldn't really get around the slower people in front of them. I started out with Else and I'm so grateful we could run together for the first five or so miles. I hope I didn't annoy her! It was also a wonderful experience to do it together and to train together. We took turns during the week trading babysitting so we could get our three runs in. As I got ahead of her on the trail, at one point, I was climbing this huge hill with switch backs around mile nine, I could look down the trail and see her in her green shirt! I'm so grateful to be close to my sister and that we could accomplish this together! I know my other sisters would have done it too, had they been close or not just had a baby! :)

I think the hardest part was pushing past mile 11. By that time, we were back on the street and I just had to stare at the ground so that I wouldn't get discouraged at how far I had to go still. That was a nice thing about the trail, I just kept running. Since I couldn't see too far ahead, it wasn't discouraging. One of my goals was to finish in 2 hours and 10 minutes. I did it in 2 hours 18 minutes, but I'm still so happy with that, considering the terrain. My other goal, in all honesty, was to beat a certain person, who will remain nameless. He got ahead of Else and I at the beginning with his wife. They did awesome, but when I came upon them around mile 9, just as I was going up the big hill, I was soooo happy! Maybe that's what kept me pushing on the trail, as well, knowing he was up there and me trying to catch him! When he did see me catching up, his face fell! Yes! I thought, I've got you in my sights! By the top of the hill, I passed him and then didn't look back once. Thankfully it was down hill for the next mile or so and I was really able to have some speed and get a few minutes ahead of them.

When I got to mile ten and was still on the trail, I started to wonder when I'd be off of it! I pushed through the last three miles and thankfully Jeremy and the kids were waiting for me at the finish line! My parents were there, too, since they had finished their 10k, which I'm so proud of them! Haans also came up, too, with Charlotte and we all got to cheer for Else as she came across! It was great and well worth the effort. Hans also did a mile fun run for kids and did great. I would do it again, too! Thankfully my left IT band on my knee held up, although it was bugging my since mile one. The thing that hurt the most was my right pinkie toe, since it had turned into one huge blister! All is well!

Later that day, my dad treated his grand kids to the jolly jumps at the post race party and then we went to Ola's for lunch. Erik had flown down from Tehachapi and took us all for rides in his friend's airplane. It was a beautiful day and everything is so green right now. Thanks Erik!