The Mo is back in my Mojo (and my Motivation)

I am so excited to tell you about the Deseret News 10k!!! Not 'cause my time was amazing (according to the website I was in 1:01:03.... but that is what the timer said when I crossed... pretty sure (for reasons you'll find out soon) we were at least 3-5 minutes behind the beginning stopclock... but whateva 1:01 is a decent time and meant that I averaged a 9:50 mile...(which I know I ran faster than that for at least 3 of those miles... but whateva. :) but because I had such a great time!!

Wow.. tangent. Okay. I had convinced all my sisters-in-law, except one, to do the 10k with me. Kim had to bow out cause of her sick son, totally and 100% understandable. So, that left me, Jenn and Alli. Both are new to running and have been training on elliptical trainers. This was the first time running this far for either of them on road. They did AWESOME. Our morning started crazily. We were WAY ahead of schedule, we met at 5:30 about 5 minutes away from the start to drop a car at the finish line... well... 25 minutes later we were still LOOKING for the start line. We found it just about the time we heard the big MC guy say "2 minutes til start!" We still had to put on our BIBS, tie our shoes AND we had to truck it up the hill. Least to say we passed all the runners who had already started the race. Haha. We were officially... no joke... the VERY. LAST. PEOPLE. to cross the start line. Tee hee. That's a first for me. But, let me tell you what, being able to pass people the ENTIRE race? That is kinda fun... so maybe being farther back in the pack isn't such a bad thing. Tee hee. ( THAT's why I think our time is off... cause there were, what over 2,000 runners running the 10k? Yaaah.. come. on. it took more than 30 seconds for ALL 2,000 to cross the start line. Anyway, I digress..... )

I stayed with Alli for the first mile and a half and when she stopped to walk she encouraged me to keep running. I remember being that person (oh, wait, I'm ALWAYS that person with you two) that honestly wants the other person to keep running and do their best. So, although I felt GUILTY for the rest of the run, I left Alli around 1.5 and tried to book it the best I could. (reason #2 I think my time is off... I know the difference between feeling the 9 min/mil gives me and a 10 min/mil gives me...) The course ROCKED. Ladies, I forgot how much of it is DOWNHILL. I was freaking LOVIN the downhill...and since I started at the very back I was passing peeps left and right til about mile 5.5 when it started going back uphill again. Why, oh why do they make the LAST half mile of a 10k uphill? Seriously, people! I was so proud of myself. I only took walk breaks at the two water stations----90 degrees.. yes the water stops were GOD SENT---- and pushed it the rest of the way.

I finished the race feeling like I could keep going, which made me excited for the half marathon. Mainly cause I did these three things:

• I figured out a mantra to help me not hit that "I can't do anymore" place no matter what the distance. I pushed the entire race and STILL felt good at the end. YESSSSS.
• I didn't try to catch up or pass anyone specific, the minute I did I got discouraged and my mind told me I couldn't keep up with them. So, no more!

and the most important thing?

• I had a freakin' BLAST.

I'm waaay excited for the half in two weeks! But, honestly, the one thought I had after the 10k was "Ooo get excited Lor, you get to run 20 MORE miles in Sept...." and then I started to cry. :) However, I am excited and motivated to do better with each race this summer. So fun!! I was SOOO proud of Jenn and Alli. They did the 10k and they did it well! I've talked Alli into running the TOU half with me.. I'm still working on Jenn. But, I promised them I'd go at whatever pace THEY wanted to go at ... I think that might be my ticket.... bringing one innocent non-runner over the dark side... one race at a time. (cue evil laugh)

Tomorrow is my 14 miler. Wish me luck! I'm all carbo'd up and mentally wrapping my mind around it. Amanda is meeting me 7 miles in, so I'm totally going to kick that last 7 miles. Awesome. I'm not sure if it's just taken the time, running alone or having Sue Ann kick my butt, but as Manda said last week "the Mo is back in your Mojo"... I hope it becomes infectious... we have some serious running to do!!! Can I get a WOO WOO