Running 101

The Ward Gang

I look really extra excited about my free T-Shirt...Wooo!

Do you remember that part in the movie Forrest Gump where he just decides to run across america?...

1st Reporter: Why are you running?

2nd Reporter: Are you doing this for world peace?

3rd Reporter: Are you doing this for women's right?

Newsman: Or for the environment?

Reporter: Or for animals?

3rd Reporter: Or for nuclear arms?

Forrest: (voice-over) They just couldn't believe that somebody would do all that running for no particular reason.

2nd Reporter: Why are you doing this?

Forrest: I just felt like running.

Why do I run? Sometimes I think I do it for world peace, although it seems as though I'll be running for ever at this rate! Mostly I think I run for the same reasons as Mr. Gump, just because I feel like running.

So that is what I did. The Salt Lake Running company was celebrating there grand opening of the new location on 2100 S and 700 E so they had a free 5K. Most everyone in my ward ran it, I also saw my friend Melynda there...so we ran together. It's always great to run with a buddy. Funny enough, Nicole was supposed to run with Melynda and I but had slept in that morning.

I love the roll out of bed look...I think it looks good on us!

Back last fall I promised Nicole that I would run the Ogden Half Marathon with her. This was when I was thinking that I would actually still be running as much as I was. Piece of cake right? Well I didn't sign up in time so it was sold out before I could use my Christmas money....and secondly I pretty much have only been running about once a week since my winter series experience...see here. I was sure that there was no way that I could just pick up and make it through a half marathon.

Sadly I called Nicole and told her that I knew that she had been training and I didn't want to muff it all up for her. She convinced me that it would be fine and that I should do it because it would be fun.

Oh heck...let's do it! Am I crazy??? Maybe, but we had a great time. Probably because this was one of the most beautiful races I have ever run! They are not lying when they say that it's one of the top 10 most beautiful races in the United States.

Unlike our Top of Utah experience last year...we had a plan and we shaved 40 MINUTES off our time!!! 2:21 as opposed to 3 hours! Ha. I guess being mentally prepared helps too. I think we worked well together as running buddies. Nicole would push me and I would push her (even though I think she was doing most of the pushing, Ha!). We stopped about every 3 miles and walked for a minute or two. It made me laugh when I crossed the finish line and they tried to put the metal over my head. "No thanks" is all I told them. I swear the gal thought I was CRAZY but hey that wouldn't be honest now would it?

So if any of you are interested we are running the provo half marathon on Aug 7th. We would love to have you join us. After all....maybe you just feel like running!