Pocatello Marathon

well, the whole event is called the Pocatello Marathon..... I chose to participate in the Half Marathon (13.1 miles). Mostly because after the Boise run, I thought I could do better! - meaning a better time, & feeling better at the finish.

so a few months ago my little brother David said he'd love to join me, so we picked the Pocatello to run in. This was his first so I thought I'd have a leg up and shortly after the hard training began, I realized that he ran faster than me. that doesn't work so good when you want company for those long 13.1 miles.

Here we are at the start line, waiting for them to yell GO!!!!!!!!
notice: we are smiling
about mile 2 we hit the first hill, it was great that we got our support crew out that early too!! we weren't really expecting them until about halfway, so it was really a great surprise to see them early on, hand off my jacket & get a boost for the early hill!

not long after mile 2 or 3 I started getting blisters, lots of them on my feet!! and running was really getting painful! just before mile 8 I told Dave to go on without me. Our deal was he'd stay with me as long as I was running. I had run up until then and my feet were absolutely on FIRE! we were facing another HUGE HILL and my energy had all gone to my feet and I was sure I couldn't run up another hill, so I told him to go on without me & he flew....


Just past the mile 9 station my cheerleaders were waiting, it was a great boost. so with newly bandaged feet I ran, and Merrick was so excited to be able to run with me!! -- yes, I was running that slow that a 4 year old could keep up with me!

.....................Finally the finish line!!!!!!

Aubree, Merrick and my Mom were waiting to run across the finish line with me, it took all I had to run that last little bit. But I knew my kids were waiting to run with me to the finish so I pulled it together and drug myself to the end!

Here we all are at the FINISH!!

Dave was able to finish a good 32 minutes ahead of me, He did Awesome!! I am so grateful that he stuck with me as long as he did, he was a huge pain in my behind, but also a huge support!

The kids both ran too!! they ran .2 miles. we have no pictures of their actual run (sorry) but they had a great time and are so excited to have their own medals and race shirts too!

I sadly did not beat my previous half marathon time, & I'm blaming my feet! My body did feel better at the end. I have had some leg pain for a while so to finish without sore legs was really a blessing!

Immediately following this picture and shoving down some food, I got to the ground and removed my shoes!!! I don't ever have to wonder what it's like to walk barefoot across broken glass, or red hot coals. I think what I did was worse!! I've never had to deal with blisters in my running career, & I'm taking every precaution to avoid it in the future!!!

I made sure to document the agony..... sorry if it grosses you out, but I'm still feeling it! there are 5 blisters on the bottom of my feet!!!!!

But I got up!! I did it, I finished!!!! 2 half marathons in four months!!!!!!
............and now, I'm planning to do another one! I'm not sure when or where. most likely next year, but I've got to finish one feeling good & BEAT my time!!

I totally see how this can become addictive!

so...... If your not doing anything next summer, Join me!! it'll be fun?!?!

***a huge shout out of love to the guy at the mile 9 station that bandage up my sweaty, stinky blistered feet!! at that moment I totally loved him and had no idea who he was!***