two halves make a whole, right?

I'm not sure that I'll do another marathon, but I did two half marathons 3 1/2 months apart, so that sorta counts, wouldn't you say?

Tyler and I ran in the Leavenworth Half Marathon this weekend! It was Tyler's first half and I think in a few days (weeks? months?) he'll say that he enjoyed it. At the finish line he told Max, "It was hard, Max, no matter what Mom says." No, I think he really did enjoy it and is glad he did it. My other races this summer had me a little more prepped. The man didn't have much time to prepare and didn't realize how much it can hurt the body. But he still finished ahead of me and I was so proud of him!

*Nelsa - my good friend who ran the Ragnar with me...she and her husband ran the half together*

I had a great race! Maybe it's because I have collected some wisdom in the 4 months I've been 30 :)...it seems that I am giving myself a break so much more these days. It may have been a "race" but I just wasn't up for making sure I made my best time. Sure, I wanted to push myself (and did!) but I decided to enjoy the experience and not care about the results so much. With three little ones 4 and under, a husband who works full-time and goes to school, and everything else I have going, I just DON'T have time to train as much as I used to. I was able to train more when I was a two-kiddo mom because I have a double jogging stroller. I don't have a triple jogging stroller or the muscles that would require. It's not my season to be hard-core and going for my personal record. I do these races to lose the baby weight (which I have, though the rolls when I sit down suggest otherwise) so why beat myself up if I don't meet some made-up-by-me expectation? I'm not gonna do it anymore. So much more enjoyable!

We didn't take a single picture at the finish or of the kids or our great babysitter, Jessica, who made the trek out there with us, but everyone did GREAT and had a good time.

This isn't my picture - I found it online - but it's of Leavenworth in the fall. Gorgeous, huh? Such a good course too, although I wish that there were just a few more hills. Too much flat wears on me. I know, weird. Must be the hills I have to run on around my home that have warped my thinking.

*sigh* So nice to have this race behind me. Now I can run for the heck of it...until next spring when I'll have to kick it in gear for the Wasatch Back Ragnar with the hubs and his fam. Gotta get a few more races in next summer before we decide it's time to add another babe to our bunch!