Dam Marathon

So a year ago I somehow wrangled, cajoled, begged & pleaded enough to con all five of my sisters into running the Teton Dam Marathon Relay with me. We had the best time ever! We may have been the last relay team to cross the finish line, but we had the most fun.

This year was much lower key. With 3 sisters pregnant there was no way that was happening again. So we had a surrogate sister, Eden run. My mom ran the 5K, our friend Eden ran the full marathon (she and her mom drove down from Spokane and stayed with us last night) and I ran the half marathon. All of our races started at different times so the only picture of my mom is this one here prior to her start. My dad & Eden's mom, Jenna dropped her off and took my kids and headed up to the marathon route to see if they could find me or Eden.

They caught Eden at around the 14 mile mark. At this point I was in front of her just because the half marathon starts an hour later and joins the marathon at around their 17 mile (our 4 mile) mark. I knew Eden would catch me eventually though. This may have been her first marathon but she's a 20 year old who was on a cross-country scholarship at BYU-Hawaii.

The family found me at somewhere near my 8 mile mark and informed me that Eden was probably only a half mile behind.

Gideon was excited to see me and since I wasn't on track to break my best time at this distance anyway, I stopped for a quick kiss and let him run with me for a while.

So I've learned over the course of many races that the girlier you dress, the less seriously people take you as a runner. This is an advantage for me for two reasons. 1.) When I'm well trained and in good form, I surprise people. I'm not fast but I'm very consistent and so slower runners, run/walkers and a lot of first timers who pick me off in the first couple of miles, generally end up getting passed by the chica in the pink and purple with the sparkly fingernails. Today it was an advantage for a different reason which leads me to point 2.) People have very low expectations of someone who dresses so girly at races. So today when I was't in my top form and the hills kicked my butt, it was okay. No one expected much of me anyway, so it was just an accomplishment to finish.

Here's Eden coming up fast! I should tell you Gideon adores Eden. He calls her "My Edee!"

Gideon told me, "Mom, I run the running race with you!" He was so cute!!!

I was not at all surprised when Eden caught up to me with about 2 miles to go. We jogged together for long enough for the family to get a picture and then she took off! I'd have been disheartened if it had been anyone but Eden. But since I love her to pieces and because she's such a great runner, it didn't bug me at all.

This is most of what the terrain looks like on this run. Up and down lots of rolling hills through spud fields.

Oh he found me again! Lots of hugs and kisses and a few more yards of having my running buddy.

And of course he had to run into the finish line with me. I was so far off my goal pace by this time, I didn't mind him running in with me. And he spent most of the afternoon wearing my medal around telling everyone about "his" running race.

So as it turns out, my mom ran/walked her way to a personal best in the 5K. Not bad for a woman who only just started training again this past Monday. And Eden had a heck of a marathon debut. She took 3rd place in her age division, only losing to two girls she knew from school. (In fairness she drove down from Spokane yesterday, was up late last night, isn't feeling her very best, and had a super gnarly blister the last few miles. So this is a girl who could totally tear it up if she's in top form! I mean she already did and she's not 100%)

Like last year we took a picnic lunch and waiting near the finish line to cheer on the last finishers.

Eden didn't know she'd won an age group award until someone came over to where we were picnic-ing & told her she'd missed the medal ceremony. So she ran over and grabbed it and we applauded for her.

YAY! Another race in the books! Can't wait for the next one!