i came, i ran, i conquered!

"exercise releases endorphins, endorphins make you happy, happy people don't kill their husbands. they just don't." elle woods


thomas is safe for a little while longer.

it's a little hard for me to believe that the task that i have been training for for months and months is finally over. on saturday i ran in the 36th annual hospital hill run. the grandfather of all kansas city road races. hospital hill is famous for it's gratutious use of hills during the course of the race and this year was no exception. the website proudly proclaims that "trinity hill is back fo 2009". i wasn't that excited when i got to trinity hill.



i am still a bit in shock that i did it. i am not athletic. i have no natural physical inclination to speed unless it involves inhaling tacos or elbowing someone out of the way at a good sale. it probably sounds silly, but training for this event was exhilirating, fulfilling, overwhelming, daunting and incredibly spiritually rewarding experience. i feel like i was finally discovering untapped potential in myself. my goal for this race was simple; just don't stop running. EVER. i developed a mantra as i was running, "i can do hard things." i repeated this over and over until i really believed it. it's what got me through. when you are training for a race, you have plenty of time to think. i thought about all sorts of stuff, future goals, my family, clothes, alternate endings to gone with the wind, church, old friends, past decisions. that much personal contemplation leads to a few realizations. for instance, it's a reallyreally bad idea to eat a bowl of frosted mini wheats before a long run. the biggest lesson i learned through all my thinking time was that running is more of a mental exercise than anything else. the days that i got up all excited to run could easily turn disastrous if i didn't keep a positive mental attitude and a belief that i could accomplish any task placed in front of me. my body was in shape for the race months ago, my mind was a constant battle. I CAN DO HARD THINGS!

oh sweet victory!

my official time was 2 hours 10 minutes and 7 seconds.

the aftermath:
i had to use to the stroller to stretch my calves.

the puddles of blood in my shoes were a bit of a surprise. i had never had my feet bleed like that before in any of my races or long runs whilst training. needless to say i think those shoes are going to be retired. i was a vampire's dream come true.

race highlights-

for about a mile i ran next to a man wearing a long red cape and a wrestler's mask. he was also wearing the second tightest shorts of the race.

at around mile 7, the tightest shorts of the entire race ran past me. and he was visibly wearing women's underwear. runners are strange people.

around mile 5 there was a man standing on the sidelines wearing a tennessee football t-shirt. i got his attention and then shouted as loud as i could, ROLL TIDE!!! the look on his face sustained me through the next few miles.

a kind lady at mile 11 was passing out cold green grapes. normally i find green grapes more than a touch distasteful, but that handful of grapes tasted like manna from heaven. i will never snub green grapes again.

a special thanks to-

my dear husband who supported and loved me throughout the entire ordeal. and an extra special thanks for putting up with my restless legs all night long, me falling asleep on the couch at 9pm every night, and my sweat saturated stinky gym clothes smelling up our closet. and especially thank you for your wonderful face at the finish line. that made it all worth it. also, the twilight saga boxed set was a nice surprise.

marci claypot. who planted the dream in my head last year and was a driving force in my mind. you can have your high school running shirt back now. now i really know what it means to need to want it more than it hurts.

my asics running shoes. you made the miles that much more comfortable. and not to mention stylish.

my kids. for patiently waiting for me in the ymca childwatch while i spent way too much time on a treadmill.

the 3rd street hill. you were killer to practice on, but after the 5th major hill of the race i was grateful for the time you and i spent together.

for my many many friends and family members who have listened to me talk non-stop about my "race" or "training" or "yoga". now you all get to listen to me talk non-stop about actually running the race. lucky you.

my ipod. or as you are more affectionately termed, ipood. i could not have done it without you. running in silence is for masochists.

my race day playlist-because you are dying to know...

the entire twilight soundtrack. even for you twihaters, this is a great cd. especially for running.

guns n' roses greatest hits

stone temple pilots greatest hits

daughtry

roxette- joyride and faded like a flower

christina aguilera- fighter and beautiful

blue october- congratulations and hate me

don't stop believin'- glee cast and journey

cheap trick- the flame

alphaville- forever young

live- i alone

the flys- got you

led zeppelin- kashmir

muse- starlight

earth, wind and fire- september

garth brooks- standing outside the fire

my chemical romance- welcome to the black parade

sugarland- we run

radiohead- 15 step

prince- 7

tears for fears- break it down again

and last but certainly most important

britney spears- stronger