My First 5K!!!

My friend asked me a month ago if I wanted to run in the Utah Valley 5K with her. I have not ran since highschool, and never a 5K, but I really want to get in better shape, and some "Mommy" time to just think, so I said Yes! We started training, and my cute friend, who always ran with her IPOD, quickly found that while running with Melissa, you don't need music, talking, or distractions from an IPOD, because Melissa provides all 3 - plus more. :)
On race day, Liz ran with a different person. The girl that usually talked the whole time while running, was now nervous, anxious, excited, tired, quiet, & focused, & yet still managed to have a burst of energy & started jumping just before the race started. Soon they were off, and soon they were tired. Liz said later that one of her favorite parts was when her new found quiet/focused side of her friend started encouraging those that were walking. (Hey, it was the ONLY way I could keep my goal of running the WHOLE time) :)
The middle of the race was hard! I kept seeing people around me that were starting to walk. I kept thinking "Just walk a little bit" over and over again, but that wasn't part of my goal. Around 2.5 miles, I finally got to the point where I needed help from above, so I said a little prayer, asking to just get the thought to "just walk" out of my mind. Right then, a song came on my MP3 player by Michael Jackson "Beat it!" I wonder if Heavenly Father is now using songs from Michael Jackson as answers to prayer. :) It did make me smile & helped put my focus elsewhere other than wanting to walk. So I continued to run "Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it!" Yes, very inspiring! :)
Towards the end of the race I started scanning the crowds for Brian & Jackson. (The girls & Landon were home with a babysitter) I soon spotted them & Brian had brought the girls as well. They all cheered and he pointed to me & said to the kids, "Look, there's Mommy!" Hallie looked at me and said, "Mommy running, Mommy running!" Morgan then said to Brian, "Wow, she is running fast!" It was so AWESOME to see Brian & the kids! I was able to push even harder towards the end. In highschool, while running cross country, I would often imagine that my future children were there cheering me on. There was one part of the course that was extremely difficult. We had just come across a big field which we called "the oven" because it was so hot, especially with the Nebraska humidity. Right around the corner from "the oven" was a hill, or more like a mountain called "Choo Choo hill". It was a killer, but along with my parents being there, I always imagined the kids cheering me on. On the way up the hill, we would each shout, "I CAN, I WIll!" Maybe that is why it meant so much to me to see Brian & the kids cheering me on, knowing that they were there & that I could do this, and that I would do this! It was awesome!
After the race they had tons of yummy snacks for the runners. Jackson needed to go the bathroom, and I don't know if he has ever used a porta-potty. We went in right after one of the marathon runners had been holding in a lot. Let's just say Jackson was completly disgusted! I think that is why he is frowning in the picture. :)
One of my most dear friends & Y.W. leaders was in town from North Carolina watching her son-in-law run the marathon. It was so nice being able to see her & visit with her & was a great reward to me for finishing the race.
So now, during the race I told myself I never had to do this again, and yet, while getting ready this morning, my mind came up with a crazy plan to do a 1/2 marathon. Yeah, we'll see what happens with that. I think it might just be safe to stick with the 5K. :)