Love/Hate Relationship

Running has been my passion for more than 15 years and yes I actually do love it. But I also hate loving it! People would say I am a freak, crazy, weird, hard core, insane, etc and some would go as far as saying I am strangely obsessed. No matter what people think it is a great hobby to have. It is the one and only talent/hobby that I have that I can be fully proud of. There are so many positive things about running, I just don't understand why anyone wouldn't want to do it. A real runners high is reason enough to do it and that's not listing the many many other reasons. Sooooo.... I DO RUN!

After having Zoey I did some running but really couldn't get that motivated. That was until last November when I started running with the most amazing girl (Lindsey I am not just saying that)! It is so hard to find a compatible running partner. I have tried many times before and it has never worked. I have to admit I was super scared to start running with Lindsey because I knew she had been training for a long time and was in good shape, but I went anyways. I knew from that first run that we were a match made in heaven. She got me motivated to get out the door and I kept her motivated to push hard. Just exactly what we both needed.

Lindsey and I at the start

After the race

We ran together for a few weeks as she prepared for a 5k in Seattle and I just tried to get in shape and loose weight. Due to a very very busy holiday season we missed a few weeks in December, but picked back up in January. This time we were both training for a race. We decided to run the frosty four miler her in Yakima. As we trained for that, some how,she convinced me to run a Half Marathon with her. So we trained hard and fast for the Frosty and then upped the mileage with the same speed so we could run a Shamrock 6k, five weeks before the half. Both the short races went really well for us and this pumped us up even more for the big one. With those two races over we slowed things down just a tad and lengthened it out. With lots of tempo runs, speed work and long runs behind us we were ready for Wenatchee!

Well we thought we were. Just over two weeks before the race my right foot really started to hurt and I just brushed it off. Well when it wasn't going away with ice, and my husbands magic we started to get worried about the possibility of a stress fracture. I finished my training and on the Wednesday before the race I went to the doctor and sure enough it was broken. The doctor knew that no matter what he told me I was going to run anyways and he was right. I didn't train all that time to back out three days before. Maybe peoples thoughts about me being crazy or insane are somewhat true, but that's beside the point. Plus he said the damage was already done and if I could handle the pain then whatever.

So.... we head to Wenatchee with excitement and fear! The race started at 8:00 Saturday morning and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. The first four miles we ran together and pushed each other. The next 5 miles were full of rolling hills that were unexpected. Everyone said it was really flat but they were wrong. The last 4 miles is when the race really started for me. It was time to pick it up and start passing people to the finish. Well the last four is also where I started chaffing, getting bad blisters, running out of energy, time chip strap cutting my ankle and really feeling immense pain in my foot. Needless to say I did what I could and pushed on. Tears ran down my cheeks the last mile and the finish line has never looked so good. I crossed the line in 1:50.23 (8.26 average mile pace) and 7th place for my age group. I was 84th out of 484 men and women combined and 28th out of just the women. Overall I was pleased with my results but am really looking forward to doing another uninjured. As for now I can't run for six weeks and have to wear a boot for four.

The last 100 meters

So much pain

Lindsey also ran very well and got 7th overall for her age group. We really had some challenges since we started. Between the really bad weather (wind), finding someone to watch Zoey, working around two very different schedules and aches and pains I am not sure exactly how we did it, but we DID! I really couldn't have done it with out her. She truly is the best and I owe her big for getting me going. Love ya Linds!

Lindsey finishing strong

Below are some pictures of the race and all of our great friends that participated!

Cindy and Mike (10k participants)

Kaisey Half Marathon

The Group

We are all so glad to be done!

Running its one of those love hate relationships! There's lots to love about it and then you hate to love it because it can be hard and painful!