13.1

Last weekend I ran my second half marathon race! 

 I always feel that without something to train for I usually lack in my fitness. So when I got the opportunity to do a late sign up for the Ogden half marathon I did it! Although I didn't have a lot of time to train for it I was excited. 

This time I did a more aggressive training schedule, and used my Nike Running which creates a schedule based off of your pace, consistency and your goals! For some reason this time around I didn't LOVE running like I have in the past so I didn't train as well as I should have. My longest run was only 8 miles :/ 

I know this sounds lame but I wanted to do my hair kiiinda cute so I was looking on Pinterest forever but ended up just doing a braid into a pony. 

I was choosing between a Dutch braid 

Or a French braid

I ended up doing a French braid.. Ha ha it didn't turn out so well since I did it at 3:45am.

Elias had a race at Bear Lake so I asked my friend Kami if she wanted to go together and she did! I was so glad to have a friend there, especially Kami we danced together for years and have always been good friends although we don't see each other much, so it was good to catch up :) also back in high school her and I volunteered to work at the ogden marathon for a class we had so it was a little nostalgic! Ha ha ha

I picked her up at 4:15 AM it was a brutal morning and a terrible night sleep, I went to bed around midnight and woke up every hour. 

We got bussed up the canyon and 5:00am and the race started at 6:45am. While we waited around we stood by some fire pits and tried warming up, my fingers were frozen!!

I was really impressed by the race! There were SO many runners, it was truly a sea of people making their way down the course, and although it thinned out a little around mile 4 it never thinned out that much! At any point you could fully extend your arm and touch someone!

My favorite part was definitely going over the dam; the sun had risen over the mountains, the water was picture perfect, and that is right where the course turned downhill!!

Another thing I loved was how well supported the race was, about every 2 miles there was water, powerade, and Gu (which I LITERALLY gag down every single time!!! But it works so well) everytime I felt like I was bonking there was support right up ahead! 

Kami got an amazing time of 1:53 even with a hurt knee and I got a time of 2:05!  

All in all I had an amazing time, but I still have to say that the Big Cottonwood Canyon race is still my favorite: amazing course, perfect time of year, great support, and incredible swag bag.

-Stef