I Run For Chocolate...

...And Champagne apparently. Angela and I ran the 1st annual Boise half marathon, I Run For Chocolate and Champagne, sponsored by See Jane Run. It was perfect weather! The course was marked wonderfully with inspirational thoughts in between mile markers, and it was beautiful. There was plenty of room to weave in and out of people which was a huge improvement from our last race.

We stayed together and talked for the first 11 miles and then we turned our iPods on and just ran next to each other. I started to get my huge boost of energy and by mile 12 I turned around to see where Angela was and she signaled for me to run ahead. I took off!!! I must have had 30 kills in that last mile and when I passed the photographer I was feeling so great. I was listening to "Jump" and I can't listen to that song without jumping... go figure! Right as I came up to the photographer I jumped as high as I could with my fist straight in the air and yelled, "Yeah!!!" The people around watching had a pretty good laugh, but I look like a dork in the picture. As I was coming up to the finish line I saw a lady just in front of me and I thought, "One more kill. Just one more kill." She saw me and gave me the look of, "No way! You are not going to pass me." And she pumped it!!! I ran as fast as I could to keep up with her. She beat me, but I was right on her heels and gave her a run for her money... ha, ha... get it.
I crossed the finish line, received my medal, took off my timing chip, and found a spot to cheer Angela on just in time to see her nearing the finish line. I screamed as loud as I could and then she smiled. She later told me that she didn't think she was going to be able to finish and then she heard me screaming her name. She kept telling me that I kicked her butt this race, but she came in only a minute behind me... what do you think? Crazy girl!

I later found the girl that made my legs jello at the end and had to get a picture with her. My official time was 2:09:28.368 and Joanna's time was 2:09:28.122. She literally beat me by a split second! Angela's official time was 2:10:50.298. I was so thrilled with my time. I cut another 9 minutes off my time since the last race and 18 minutes since the first race. Our goal was to finish in 2 hours and 15 minutes and I surpassed my expectations. I came in 92nd place overall out of 264, and 13th in my age group. I know to some of you that might be slow, but I was so excited. And for those of you wondering that is a 9.5 minute mile. Wahoo for me! I was proud of myself I wore my medal all day on Saturday... and even to church. That was more just to bug Bryce and make Angela smile. She told me to wear it loud and proud. That I did!