AKRON MARATHON 2011

 This year I talked Josh into running my first Half Marathon with me in Akron. I have been running my butt off since last year (and have lost 57 pounds since, I guess I should document that), waking up at 5:30 numerous times a week to run and then some eve's before bed. Last year I ran the relay for this marathon with some dear friends of mine from church. It was right after I had Delaney and was SO much fun. I ran the 8 mile leg of it. I was bound and determined this year I was doing the half. Of course nothing in my life can be easy (and I tend to really have bad luck) I had pulled a hamstring about a month before the race came so I hadn't ran in about 2 1/2 weeks before the race, I had a trial happen in life that we needed to get through and that was all I have been able to think about for the last few weeks, so I wasn't really mentally prepared for the race as well. Then my period started the night before (which sorry if that's TMI but everyone knows that I have these severe and problems with) and I had found out at the doctors a few weeks ago I have another big cyst on my ovary which hurts worse during that time, and the Dr told me that if I end up having significant pain on that side its probably ruptured. Then the RH and A. Spondylitis arthritis in my spine was acting up huge,  and finally I got 3 hours of sleep, went to bed at 2AM and got up at 5AM so we could get the 3 little ones dropped off at the Tora's so we could get downtown (which by the way, thank you to the Tora's for taking our kiddo's so early in the morning so we could run, they are awesome friends! :) so I didn't really have everything on my side for this big race, but none the less I was super excited to just say I did it. My only goal this year was to run the entire race and not walk. The longest I had ran prior to this half was 10 miles, which I did fairly well until the 10th mile of this race, than my back started KILLING me but plugged along until we hit the 12th mile which was all uphill and by that point my back felt like it was going to burst into tiny pieces, I had never had my back hurt that much, not even during labor with no epidural!! I literally cried the whole 12th mile, telling Josh that I had to walk, but he kept his hand on my lower back and nudged me along, he knew that I did not want to walk any of it and said we didn't come this far running to walk now. So I DID IT!! I ran the whole thing, it was in crappy time, but oh well, at least it was under 3 hours lol..our chip time ended up being 2 hrs and 41 mins. I was so glad we did, it was a great accomplishment. NOW next year, my goal is to ran the half marathon in a BETTER TIME!! :) and next year I will wear a back support :) I just love to run, and I have had lots of Dr's tell me I need to find a different sport (and josh has told me as well) but I just love it, it really does come down to mind over body, and I am a VERY determined person when my mind is set. You can really do anything if you put your mind to it!

 Me at the starting line, waiting to go!

 Josh trying to look like he is wide eyed awake, but he was really tired!

Our names that Josh picked out for our bibs were Wifey and Hubby

 these two pictures are horrible of me, but its after we finished wearing our nice medals they gave us, I just could not wait to sit down and have some support on my back,

WE DID IT, 13.1 MILES!!