halvsies (sp?)

My legs hurt. Probably has something to do with the 13 miles I ran today.

(This would be a good spot for some kind of picture but I foolishly didn't take any before/during/after the race and the picture I found online (not of me) isn't working.)

Anyway, this morning I ran the Teton Dam half marathon, right here in quaint Rexburg, Idaho. I was expecting to finish at the 2:30 mark . . . but I slaughtered that with my time of 2:07:37.9 (a pace of about 9:45 per mile). Not necessarily a fast time, but a time that I feel really good about because I put my all into the race.

I enjoyed the course. Most of it was potato fields, which is prettier than it sounds. And it was the most amazingly sunny, cloudless day. The first four miles were mostly flat followed by a four-mile uphill stretch (which was probably the prettiest part of the race). Then course leveled out for about three more miles as it left the potato fields back into Rexburg. The last two miles -- passing the Rexburg temple, BYU-I, and my neighborhood -- were downhill until the very end, which was a staight-away to the finish line.

They were handing out orange slices at the 7 and 12 mile markers -- the best tasting oranges I've ever eaten.

I placed (I think) 88th overall for the half marathon and 12th in my division (25-29 year olds).

When I got home I slept, showered, slept, ate, and slept.

Anyway, training for and running this race was awesome for me because it really made me get serious about my running, and really improved my eating habits. For the past two and a half weeks I haven't had any candy, cookies, etc., and my red meat intake has been kept to a minimum for an even longer time. I'm gonna keep it up because during the time I went without sweets I lost over five pounds.

I'd like to try the full marathon next year, but if I'm not ready by then, it'd definitely be fun to do the half again.