The Color Run

Prepare for a long and photo filled post. You've been warned.

Back story: Back in November during the Smith Fam reunion, a bunch of people did a Gobble Jog. The night before, Shirley wasn't thinking she was going to be able to do it because she hurt something. I said, "Well, I'll do it for you." Scott looked at me like, "who are you????" And I explained that I've always wanted to do a 5k because everyone else does them. But you know once you say that sort of thing out loud you've committed yourself. Needless to say, I did not run that next day. BUT Scott held me to it. I figured, you know, this would be the time to do it. I'm only going to get older and chances are I'll be too pregnant next year to run. So, in January, I bought my place for the Color Run. I had 12 weeks to train.

I did all this research online for "couch-to-5k" training schedules. I bought a couple of songs I thought would be good to run to. Scott and I figured out the time that I would go run- right after I put Levi down for the night. By the time I got back it'd be time for prayers with Addilyn and I could sing her.

Then I started to run. I quickly learned that I was not going to follow these training schedules. They all start with "run 1 minute, walk 1 minute" and grow from there. Well, thankfully, I was not as in bad as shape as I thought I was. I was at least more than at couch level starting out! After studying some more and talking to some real runners, I realized that my training is for running for a length of time, not distance. In other words- I was training to run 30 minutes without stopping. So every time I went running I had my phone with me and I had an app on that tracked my distance/time. Before I ran I would think of what route I was going to take and give myself a goal for how many minutes I would walk total. I would only let myself walk for 1 minute at a time when I needed to (I even timed it on my phone so I wouldn't cheat). Eventually I got to the point where I was averaging 2 miles a night and I was working on how fast I was running. About once a week I would try and run 3 miles. (I would just run in the neighborhoods behind where we live)

About 2 weeks before the race my left knee was starting to bug me, so I laid off a little bit on my distance. Once after the race was over and I was cooled down, there was no walking for me! My knee was killing me! And it still is. But that was the only bummer part of my race. So now, RACE DAY!

Addi was jealous of my fake tatoos, so I gave her a sticker to put on her cheek.

Good morning! It's too early! Scott had Addi and Levi in the bike stroller. They were the best cheerleaders! The race started at 9am at the fairgrounds.

the starting line

There I go! Scott didn't realize I would be out so fast from the start he almost missed me! I had told him that one of the benefits of being a "single" runner is that I can squirm towards the front of the line. I was only about 20 people deep back from the line.

Again, Scott almost missed me! I was waving my arms and going crazy to get his attention that I was coming. I couldn't help but give Addilyn a smooch. She was thrilled. This is right after the second color station-blue (yellow was first).

the last color station, purple (pink was before)

This was how I ran through them. I put my shirt over my mouth and nose and raised my other hand up. I would dance through them and twirl so I could get all of the color. It was nuts! The pink station got me right in the face. Thankfully I was wearing Scott's nerdy eye goggles from work ;)

Scott was there for the last 100 feet of the race with the stroller. We ran through together

I look slightly crazy...

so out of breath for this picture!

my cheerleaders!

They had an after party where you throw color at each other. It was so much fun! I was in it for 2 throws and I got Scott over there to get in on it. He got lots of color for only going in once! These are the rest of the lovely pictures:

post throw

oh ya, and this couple planned to get married after the run

the color finds you, everywhere. Oh, and notice the bride behind me?!

the whole fam! too bad you only see a sliver of Levi's head!

According to the time stamps of the photos of me crossing the finish line, I ran it somewhere between 27 and 28 minutes!!!! WHATTTT. (this race was not officially timed) That puts me at about 8.60 minute miles. That is ridiculous!!! I was hoping to just make it to at the fastest 30 minutes. That was my goal. And to run the entire thing without stopping. (ok, minus giving Addi a kiss..) and I did! I ran it all! Also according to the pictures, I finished in at least the top 100. There were 8 thousand people there! Of course there was probably people faster than me that just started way behind me. But it's still cool to think that! There was one part where there was short steep hill and I was coming up to it. A boy about 7 years old was just ahead of me. I got to him and I asked if he was going to run the hill. He said hills are really hard but he agreed to do it if I would. Basically it made me run it without stopping.

In the end, it was so awesome! I'm really glad I did it. Scott said he was so proud of me :) ahhh.... I plan to do at least one more race- a timed one. Yikes! Maybe I jinxed myself here...But until my knee gets better I have to slowly get back into it. And I've got to find a race... Also, we plan on doing this one next year, together.