Buena Vista, CO Autumn Color Run

(Update: They just posted the race results. It turns out I came in at 1:55:59. I was in 64th place of 226 total runners, 30th place of 150 women, or 12th place of the 50 women in my age division.)

A few weeks ago a girlfriend from an old ward invited me to join a group of friends to do a half marathon. When I asked James if he thought I could run 13 miles cold, he said,"Probably." We both laughed at the lunacy of the situation. The fact that I'd consider doing something like that without training suggests I have at least one screw loose... All the colors made me want to hunt down a Thanksgiving turkey right then and there. (Although, I did leave one cooking in the oven for James when he got home.)

View while driving the course the night before.

A road trip with 7 girls will cure most problems...


Out to dinner at the worst restaurant on the planet.

Just before loading the buses. It was a pretty chilly morning. Two of us didn't feel like spending an extra $20 just to be matchy-matchy. (For the record, Staci, I was wearing shorts under those pants!)

Over the all, it was a tough race. The first five or six miles ran along dirt road in a mountain canyon. Simply stated, it was a broken ankle waiting to happen. There were very few aid stations, so I was glad I had brought my water belt. I finished in 2 hours, 59 seconds. Considering the rugged terrain, an ankle injury that I sustained two weeks ago, and the fact that I hadn't trained, I was pleased with a 9-minute per mile average. I came in first of my friends (also not too shabby).

Thanks, ladies, for the memories. And thank you, James, for giving me the time off.