City shot the night we picked up our race packets
Part of the gang (at hotel prior to race)
L to R: Jen, Livia, Katrina Bottom row: Camille, Laura
We all walked from the hotel to the race in the early, cold morning! These are pics I took along the way :)
Livia and Marie
Gorgeous!
Marie preps her music prior to race
View to my left (before race- 10 k runners)
View to my right (before race- 10 k runners)
Turbo Half Marathon runner...Camille!
10k Medal
Pictures I took while I was running...
This was tricky to take without stopping :)
Cathedral in the City
Bridge in nice city park area
Waterfall feature I saw from the one of the bridges
Okay, I love this shot but it was cooler in person...I ran backwards to take this shot- ha ha. So this is what I saw behind me at one point in race. The picture didn't capture the all the fog puffs steaming from each runner's mouth (due to COLD weather conditions) and rising above the crowd...it was very misty looking and neat.
Workin' It!
SHOUT OUT to JEN for driving this group of crazies all the way to Ft. Worth and back again! THANKS :)
My experience, thoughts, feelings...
I am so happy that I was able to jog at a steady pace and not stop or walk once during the 10k! I am delighted that I did not injure anything (since I didn't train for the race- long story that is filled with excuses, ha ha).
There is an energy and excitement in a crowd of 21,000 people that can not be described in words. Complete strangers cheering and hollering for you... clapping, screaming, shouts of words of encouragement, and ringing cowbells! It is awesome! If you haven't tried it yet- you should... even if you just go as a spectator and not a runner.
Running in a race like a 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon, etc. is not for just one type of person...not just for an athlete that is fit and weighs x amount of pounds. It is for everyone! I saw old, young, thin, thick, punky, nerdy, biker, mother, father, grandparents, handicapped, kids, and more! You name the type of person and they were at this race. There were 21,000 people that participated in this particular one. Each person has their own reason and story for being there, each one is unique, but they all come together to start and finish a goal.
My heart was overcome with emotion when my friends told me of the 9 yr. old boy that had no legs that was passing them on one of the hills in his racing wheelchair during the course. What strength and perseverance! My eyes teared as I watched people cross the finish line- a grown woman with her elderly mother crossing hand in hand, a married couple struggling to finish but staying side by side, wheelchair athletes finishing strong, proud, and FAST!
I didn't expect to have the feelings I experienced during my 10k run that I did. I felt peaceful, happy, and thankful. I was overcome with gratitude that I could be alive and healthy enough to have the opportunity to participated in something like this. I had a grin on my face for all 6.2 miles- crazy I know- but I couldn't help it.
When you run you have more time to think and meditate...and shut out the outside noise of the world. Tears came to my eyes as I reflected on the ups and downs of the last year... the physical and emotional struggles, pain, and obstacles that were mingled with the greatest blessings that I have ever known and received.
Peace came from the knowledge that all things I have experienced and will experience in this life are for my growth and will bring me closer to my Heavenly Father one step at a time if I continue to follow the path of the Savior.
I felt joy as I marveled at the beauty of the sun peaking through the cold morning and creeping past the trees just enough to start to melt the frost off the grass and warm my chilled face. The fog that rose above the grass and lingered there as the frost was melting away. It felt so good to breath, to move, to smile. I felt thankful to have a body that can do so many cool things.
Last but not least...doing something like this reminds me that we are all stronger than we think we are. We have untapped potential. It can resurface the fighter spirit in us that sometimes gets lost for a time.
I loved this trip! I loved laughing with friends, eating way too much yummy food, enjoying the great outdoors, seeing a new city, accomplishing a goal, and then coming home to my beautiful, fabulous family at the end :)
Okay, so when is the next race?
I am so happy that I was able to jog at a steady pace and not stop or walk once during the 10k! I am delighted that I did not injure anything (since I didn't train for the race- long story that is filled with excuses, ha ha).
There is an energy and excitement in a crowd of 21,000 people that can not be described in words. Complete strangers cheering and hollering for you... clapping, screaming, shouts of words of encouragement, and ringing cowbells! It is awesome! If you haven't tried it yet- you should... even if you just go as a spectator and not a runner.
Running in a race like a 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon, etc. is not for just one type of person...not just for an athlete that is fit and weighs x amount of pounds. It is for everyone! I saw old, young, thin, thick, punky, nerdy, biker, mother, father, grandparents, handicapped, kids, and more! You name the type of person and they were at this race. There were 21,000 people that participated in this particular one. Each person has their own reason and story for being there, each one is unique, but they all come together to start and finish a goal.
My heart was overcome with emotion when my friends told me of the 9 yr. old boy that had no legs that was passing them on one of the hills in his racing wheelchair during the course. What strength and perseverance! My eyes teared as I watched people cross the finish line- a grown woman with her elderly mother crossing hand in hand, a married couple struggling to finish but staying side by side, wheelchair athletes finishing strong, proud, and FAST!
I didn't expect to have the feelings I experienced during my 10k run that I did. I felt peaceful, happy, and thankful. I was overcome with gratitude that I could be alive and healthy enough to have the opportunity to participated in something like this. I had a grin on my face for all 6.2 miles- crazy I know- but I couldn't help it.
When you run you have more time to think and meditate...and shut out the outside noise of the world. Tears came to my eyes as I reflected on the ups and downs of the last year... the physical and emotional struggles, pain, and obstacles that were mingled with the greatest blessings that I have ever known and received.
Peace came from the knowledge that all things I have experienced and will experience in this life are for my growth and will bring me closer to my Heavenly Father one step at a time if I continue to follow the path of the Savior.
I felt joy as I marveled at the beauty of the sun peaking through the cold morning and creeping past the trees just enough to start to melt the frost off the grass and warm my chilled face. The fog that rose above the grass and lingered there as the frost was melting away. It felt so good to breath, to move, to smile. I felt thankful to have a body that can do so many cool things.
Last but not least...doing something like this reminds me that we are all stronger than we think we are. We have untapped potential. It can resurface the fighter spirit in us that sometimes gets lost for a time.
I loved this trip! I loved laughing with friends, eating way too much yummy food, enjoying the great outdoors, seeing a new city, accomplishing a goal, and then coming home to my beautiful, fabulous family at the end :)
Okay, so when is the next race?
2 comments:
that sounds soooo AWESOME! way to go!
Laura - I LOVED reading this. I can't wait for the next one. I'm THERE.
LOVE you girl. :)
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