JOURNEY TO MY HALF MARATHON

Here is the story of how my life changed forever........

Early morning of August 29Th 2009. I stand just feet away from my bus. My bus! The bus that is going to take me to the start of the race. The race that I had been training for over 6 months to run. The race that I had put hours and hours of sweat and tears and pain... The race that in a little over two hours was going to be over. And I was going to see the reward to all my hard work!!! This race was so much more than just a "race" I walked away that day a changed person in so many many ways. So here is my story. This is my turn to tell it from the beginning and when I get to the end, I will stop.

So here I am. Smiling, because I am happy. Yes I was happy. I wasn't unhappy because of my weight. But I was limited... and it was time for me to grow:) I didn't know that this was coming and even when it started, I didn't know it had. Let me explain.

One day in January Lori (my mother in law) calls me up and tells me that she is going to do a half marathon. She invited me to do it with her. The first thought that came into my head was, well the pioneers walked miles and miles a day, I can sure as heck make it. I told her that I would love to do it with her and this whole time never thinking I was going to actually run. ha ha ha ha ha!! I figured I better go the gym and loose a little weight. So starting in February I went to the gym 5 to 6 days a week.

I always knew that people came into our lives at certain times when we needed them. This belief was magnified and it took me a min to figure it out;) Alex and Abee loved going to the gym. They made lots of friends, but their favorites where a couple of blond haired, blued eyed twins name Anelyn and Siriana. They kept asking me to play with them, so I invited them over. Their mama Cristy stayed to hang out and even brought me a running schedule for my marathon she heard I was running..... I told her I was too over weight to run but that I was hoping to loose some more weight and then I would start running. Cristy told me my schedule was 26 weeks long and that I needed to start Monday. And so I did! Shortly after I started, my mother in law hurt her back. It was devastating for her not to be running with me anymore. I was so sad, but I am glad she is doing so well now! I called up my neighbor Lisa and got her signed on as my new running partner:) So it was the three of us. Lisa, Cristy and Me! We started running 4 days a week with longer runs on Saturdays. I lifted weights twice a week and then still played my one soccer game a week. I was excited when I found out that Aree's school was doing a 5K fundraiser and the Saturday it fell on was my first 3 miles on my training schedule. It was perfect. I quickly signed up for it and lots of other family and friends joined me.

April 5th 2009

This is me running for the finish line! It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I had been suffering from sinus infections for the last month on top of never running in my whole life! I contemplated quitting I don't know how many times. Who knew running was such a mental game? Well I guess runners do. But I was not a runner, I was someone trying to be a runner, wanting to be a runner, and I stunk at it. It took me 39 mins to run 3.1 miles and I stopped gasping for air a few times wanting so bad to quit, to give it up. It was to hard and I was not strong. Luckily I had the best cheerleader this side of the Mississippi with me that day. She carried me and kept me going. She told me to finish and I did:) Later on this same cheerleader is going to give me a good talking to; and I was in need of it. My breaking point was about a quarter mile away from the finish. I stopped running and began to cry. I couldn't breath and I couldn't get the tears to stop. I was discouraged and felt bad for myself. Lisa had beaten my time by over 6 min. She ran like the wind and I ran like the winded. How was I ever going to make it 13 miles when I couldn't even run 3??!! But I made it to the finish line, and I was so glad that it is OVER! The next day while talking to Cristy I started to complain, and worry that I was not able to do what I set out to do. And this is when everything changed for me! Picture me on the other end of the phone tears streaming down my face and my sweet friend Cristy saying "Are you gonna run this marathon or not!" "Do you want to do this?" I was so taken by surprise that I didn't say anything at first. I wiped the tears from my face, I picked my chin off my chest and I yelled back "YES!" Yes I am going to run this marathon. Of course I am!! This was a changing point for me. I realized right then and there that I had to make the commitment to myself. I had to stop my crying and start believing in myself. And that's exactly what I did!

Three weeks later I was ready for another race! This time Lisa, Cristy and I signed up for a 5K in Farmington at my nieces school.

April 25, 2009

Here we are before the race. At this point I had lost over 20 pounds and was down 6% body fat. I was feeling so much better about my running and was getting faster. I ran this race in 32:37! I beat my time by over 6 min from the race I had just ran 3 weeks ago. I was so proud of myself and wanted to push myself harder and harder! I can't believe all the friends and family that were so encouraging to me. They kept me pumped up to keep going!

May 1st 2009

In this picture I am down 28 pounds and almost to the goal weight I had set out to reach. It is weird to look at this picture and see the clothes I am wearing that are to big for me now. This picture is just an update and my running becomes so much more than loosing weight.

May 13, 2009

My first 5 miles and last run with Cristy! Ya I felt so tough today. I ran my first 5 miles. It felt so great to do something I never thought I would do. I know it seems like such a small thing to so many, but it was a big deal for me. I was becoming a runner, and I loved every minute of it. I loved the feeling of running up the street and staring at the mountains ahead of me. Today while running I hit that runners zone and tears came to my eyes. Not tears of pain and frustration, but tears of pure joy. My mind was clear and life seemed so simple. I knew the reason I was running was more than to just loose weight. I was running to gain so much much more. I wasn't sure what it was yet but I was going to learn it soon. This was also the last time I ran with Cristy. Shortly after she sprained her ankle and was told she couldn't run for over 2 months... Cristy moved back up to Washington the end of May. There is not a day that goes by that I don't miss her. I don't know that I would have been able to keep going with out her. She has taught me so much about running, life, friendship, and laughter;)

May 23 2009

Lisa and Haylee ran 6 miles! We ran it in a little over an hour. Not too bad for just starting to run 2 months earlier. and we all know how I started out. bad bad bad! And when I say bad I mean Cristy and Lisa sprinting at the end of the run and Haylee barely making it to the end. Practically crawling folks! So to run 6 miles in just over a 10 min mile average it pretty dang good. I have lost over 30 lbs now and am completely off soda. I will admit I was hard core addicted to the bubbly goodness of Dr. Pepper. It called to me and I answered. I consumed the brown carbonated deliciousness everyday and I am no longer a slave to it. Think of all the money I am saving now. Heck water is cheap! And I feel good too. I was not the only one benefiting from my healthy eating. My family is too. Our eating habits start from day one and we had some bad habits to break. I couldn't believe how awesome they were about out little lifestyle change. Even the big guy has stopped drinking soda and eating better. So I am over all feeling great, I wished I had done this sooner.

May 29, 2009

Check out my muscles. ha ha This is me in Moab, Utah biking Slickrock. We had a great time and I was totally impressed with myself. I am no longer limited by my weight and lack of endurance. I can't wait to get back and do this again.

July 11, 2009

Farmington festival days was my first 10K race. It was also Kalani and Lisa's first too. My goal was to run it in under an hour.... and .... I DID!!! All three of us did AMAZING. We were so proud of our selves. The best part was seeing my sister Hollee at the finish line yelling my name. I even had a good friend write "Go Haylee" in chalk on the road outside her house. Plus having two rockin ladies run with me. What a perfect day.

Isn't it true to life that when things are going so good something bad is bound to happen? Some trial is going to come and hit ya smack in the face? Well it did, and it tried my strength and my courage and the whole time I was thinking "oh it's just a little race" But it wasn't just a little race! This wasn't just about running a half marathon. This was so much more that 13.1 little miles. I had put in hours and hours of time, blood, sweat, tears, money, strength, pain, and so much more. This was something I wanted to do and here I was only getting better when I came crashing down!

Aug 8th, 20 days before the half marathon.. I ran my first 12 miles and it was incredible. but from this day on my knees were never the same. I suffered so much knee pain that I was unable to walk down the stairs at times. I started to panic! And I mean P A N I C ! ! ! I went to the doctor looking for answers and help. He told me it was my IT band, a common problem with runners. He told me to keep running, but to ice and rest it when I could. The pain continued and I worried. I had come so far that to not make it was heartbreaking. I was going to run this race if my legs fell off! I prayed many time asking for help to find a way to make the knee pain go away. One day a happened upon a running store while going to lunch with my family. I decided to go in and find out if they could help me. They told me that I was running in the wrong shoe. I had been running in a stability shoe and I needed to be in a neutral shoe. This was the root to my knee pain. I was happy and sad at the same time. I was happy because I was now running in the right shoe, I was sad that some of my knee pain could have been avoided.... but I had to move on and get ready for this race that was only 1 short week away. I rested and prayed and rested and prayed the whole week. Please I have to run this race. I HAVE TOO!

So here we come back to the beginning picture of my post and the end of my story.

Then there was one.... Just me in the picture. In February there were six of us, and in August there was one. One running the race.. but many many people were backing this runner up. Brett told my sister that he felt like a nervous parent dropping his kid off to the first day of school. Waving goodbye as I got on my bus.

Brett, my mom, and Hollee met me a few times on the route to ring the cow bell and bring me water.

FINISHED! 2 hours and 13 min. huggin my mama:)

We are so tough!

My girls were so proud of their mom. I loved seeing their bright little faces as I crossed the finish line.

My sister in law Morgan came up to see me finish. Thanks sis!

I was so glad that Krista came and helped with my girls. Love ya tonz! I don't have a good pic of me and my father in law, but he stayed with my girls and brought them up to Logan for us. I have such a supportive family. I love you guys and thanks so much for always being there for me.

My cheerleaders!! my sister Hollee and my mommy

Brett was and is so proud of me! He has always been so supportive of everything I do. I couldn't ask for a better friend and husband. When things fell through with the other runners he was right there to help. We drove the race route the night before and carbed me up on pasta. He always had encouraging words and a giant hug for his little lady.

My oldest sista Heather couldn't be there so we got together for dinner after. Hey I think I still owe ya some money for my food. ha ha. Love you so much and thanks for believing in me.

My Daddy was at the race too. I wore an angel pin on my shirt for him. My knees hurt so bad many times through out the race. I would reach up and touch my pin and ask my dad to please help me, to carry me, and he did. My dad was a runner and I wish that I would have gotten the chance to run more with him.

I am a changed person. I have lost almost 50 pounds and over 16% body fat. But I have gained a new understanding of myself. This race was more than just a silly race. It was the journey of getting there. It was the running 4 days a week. It was the commitment I made to my self to finish what I started, to do something I never dreamed of doing. I over came mental blocks and knee pain. I kept running even when I didn't know if I could. The people I have met along the way have inspired me to keep going and to keep improving myself. I have learned that I can do anything I set my heart to doing. I have learned that "I am a machine" I actually say this to myself while running to keep me going. Crazy I know! This is not the end of my story really... it is the beginning. I have so many more goals to set and reach now. A marathon is in the works:) Not sure when, but someday soon. I feel I am a better mom, wife, friend, daughter, sister, and over all person because of this experience.