MOAB CANYONLANDS

After I did the Halloween Half marathon last October I didn't really have a desire to do another one. It wasn't fun! Maybe because my knee was a nightmare, because I ran most of it alone or because Redrock was so much fun and this just didn't compare. So when Sunshine wanted us to do Moab I was not super thrilled. I believe that Sunshine signed Shannon up so that Haley and I would have to and we did. To say the least I have not been training super hard and over this last 2 weeks pretty much nothing but I was only nervous about my knee. I have been doing a ton of yoga, stretching, icing, and rolling so I was hoping that would be enough to help.

We left for a quickie to Moab. Leaving Friday at 1 and coming home Saturday at 5. The weather started out REALLY windy but by mile 6 or so it turned out to be pretty good. We all started out together but then we lost Haley and Sun so Shan and I finished together. It was a great run. Just a slow gradual slope with a few hills, nothing crazy. We were in a grove pretty quickly and both of us felt great. No knee issues, side aches or shin splints. I think it was the OVER CARB LOADING that helped. We really didn't push super hard until the last 4 miles and then we booked. We were both a little cautious running but we now know that next time it is on! We have got to catch up to Haley!

Running through the huge amount of people lining the finish line, the last half of mile or so was emotional for me this time. It is such an amazing site to see all of these families and friends cheering you on. I know my dad was right there with me even though the rest of my family could not be there. This is such a new, strange and overwhelming process for me to not be able to see him or have him talk back to me (I am still talking to him a lot) but to now just feel him there and I did. I kept thinking no crying Ris, these people will think your a baby and your barely making it to the finish. I can't have that you know.

I keep saying that I will not do any more Halves but until I am preggo I believe that I have a running bestie I can't let down! For sure no fulls though!!!

STATS: Out of 5000 people in the race I came in 951. Not to bad to rank in the top 20%. With a chip final of 1:57 and average pace of 8:57. In my age group I came in 86 out of 895.