Hoo Doo's on the Way to the Finish Line

Oh...back in January, me and my 3 sisters made a commitment to run a half marathon. We decided on the Bryce Canyon Half.
A few of my sisters had ran this a few times and another sister had ran a few other halves...but this was my first! I was so excited to run it for so many reasons.

reason #One...to know I can do it.
I love the way I feel when I finish something that pushes me to a different place. I have been running for that very reason. To see where I can take my mind, body and soul. I have been thinking about running a lot lately. Since this race, I have lacked in motivation to get out there. I am wondering what pushes me...what keeps people running every day. Running itself is some what enjoyable but I will say that it's not really addicting to me.
The addicting thing about the run is finishing.
It's scary, sometimes to me, when I start a run...am I gonna finish strong and be excited about how I did that day or mad because I wasn't fast enough or strong enough or what ever. I think, I think to much about it all.
I need to find a different mind set. BUT...I love the way running make my body & mind feel..strong and healthy. So...I must continue.
This race was something that made me dedicated to something every morning...for only me. I felt selfish some Saturdays..out running by myself, while the kids were home. But when I would finish...they were all still sleeping...so I got over that and really loved it.

reason #Two....to have some time with ONLY my sisters. I love it when we, sisters, accomplish something together. Since I got married..I have lived away from my family. They do things together once in a while. They run together, bake together, hike together, talk face to face, watch each others children...it's time with one another I don't get. So this was a time I have been looking forward to for months.

Anyhow..to me..having just our time with NO interruptions was something I was longing for. I love being around them so much. We are all so different and yet so much a like....I love it! We have a good time. My 2 sister in laws were going to run with us as well...whom I LOVE just as much...but one lives in GA and the other made a commitment to her stake to help with a pioneer trek. So it was the 4 of us.

We left town around 5pm and headed to Bryce. We arrived, picked up my oldest sister at a campground, drove to Henriville to pick up our packets and then off to dinner.
We drove around to many different places...but it being a tourist place...things were either packed or 25.00 for a plate. We were not interested in either. Finally..Subway was our place for nourishment. We ended up eating at 9pm (Utah time) and headed to the hotel. Got settled and visited for a few and then by 11pm...were in our beds trying to sleep. Oh, yeah..we had to wait for the toilet man to come fix our potty. POOR GUY!

1130 pm we were all snoozing.
2 am..I was up, wide-eyed and NOT going back to sleep.

As many times as I visualized attending the Temple, Visualized me sleeping, thought about the peaches in the cooler next to the ice and the milk that my sister bought that would be warm for her breakfast, and anything else I could run through my brain. I tried music to sleep, meditation, praying and just picturing the stars and a black universe. NOTHING was putting me to sleep. I stayed awake...along my sister till 5am (4am AZ time). By then...everyone else was up and at em and we were preparing to get to the starting line.

I had to kneel down and pray that I might have the physical & mental strength to not worry about not sleeping, but finish strong and find all I could inside me to do my best and use no excuses.

5:45am we were having our last minute preparations and knelt down as sister to pray for our day to be joyous and that our feet will be guided in strength and we will finish happy.
5: 54 am We walked out our door and started our .5 mile walk to the starting line. We knew we would be late crossing the line because we could hear them starting the race and we're not there yet.
My older sister mentioned that it really didn't matter because we had a chip on our shoe that clocked us from start to finish...so being 6 minutes behind the first person that crossed the line...it wouldn't matter.
That put my mind at ease and I felt much more relaxed.

6:04 am Three of the four of us crossed the starting line together. We high-five and were on our way. I didn't see my sisters again the entire race. I was torn about this. I wanted to run with them for the company of it...but my mom reminded me that we needed to experience this on our own, at our own pace and focus on what we were getting out of it. I LOVED IT!

I Started the race feeling great...no issues.
In fact there was a time when I was running down into the valley. A place people call "the Dump" and it looks a lot like these photos.

On my IPOD, at this very time was this song...




I know that it's a love song...and I was thinking of my love at this time...but the words that just hit me were "Do you feel Alive?".
I was only into this race about 1.7 miles but...I heard that and remember saying to myself...
YES..I feel Alive!.
Looking out over the beauty of the valley, feeling my body moving and just at peace....it was cool.
It was all cool..in fact we started our run with the temp being about 47 degrees.
I LOVED IT! cold nose, cold hands and warm body.

MILE 3...My belly felt like it was being torn open...just below my belly button. I needed a bano and fast. I stopped at a port-a-potty...only to see the line 7 people deep and my time was ticking away. So, off I ran hoping there was a bathroom soon.

Mile 4.5.... was the mossy caves and again a line of 5 deep. I remember they had bathrooms back off the road for hikers...I ran there with only 1 person in line...I waited. OH the Smell! The chemicals in the place burnt my throat and I left coughing and not able to finish my purpose. (sorry for the details, but it was all part of my experience). So off I ran.

Mile 8....I found 4 port-a-potty's on a trailer with nobody in line. OH...I MUST ENTER!
With better success...I was back on the road. I hated thinking of the time I was wasting...but so necessary. At this point...I made it a mental point to NOT look at my watch and just run to finish. I knew I was behind where I wanted to be...but with situations that required my attention...I had to forget the time and run to enjoy.
Only .5 mile from this point was where I felt my body being pushed by some other force than my own. I felt strong and wasn't in need of help (as far as I knew) but...I got it and must of needed it more than I thought. Maybe I needed to know I wasn't alone and that I was being accompanied.

Mile 9....I ran past the Cemetery and gave a glance to the family.

Mile 10...My body was in a groove and feel super...but my mind said "it's 10 miles, you re good...STOP"
I remember my leg slowed for only one step to a walk and that made me mad...and I sad "GO".  I remember something my mom told me "the only way to get to where you re going is to keep moving".
At this point I was distracted by beautiful green fields with pink cliffs behind,  that I know my dad ran through as a kid. It put a lump in my throat.
That was a good thought. I was missing my dad.

Mile 11...I ran into my bro-in-law's brother and his wife. I trailed them for a bit and visited a minute and then off I went.

Mile 13...I was feeling good.
My legs were sort of numb...but still feeling good.
My breathing was good.
My feet were good.

I knew the finish line was just a minute or two away and then I saw my 2 sisters standing on a corner ready to encourage me. At this point I felt great...but when my sisters joined my sides it was like my brain gave out and I remember thinking (really loud) "Robbie, help me!!! How can I do this??? Robbie, Help me!!!"
I broke down in my brain...but my body Spirit took over and I finished the race strong and so so Happy. As soon as I stopped, had the volunteers cut the chip off my shoe, collected my medal and grabbed a water..my belly started screaming at me to find the nearest out house. I was on the run again!
Enough of the toilet talk.
I did give a notice to my time...it being 2:11. I was slightly disappointed about it...but then realized...I FINISHED!

My sisters and I all found each other and sat on the grass that has held many a family reunion for our family. We looked over the pink cliffs that were above us and this brings me to my number 3 reason for running this race.

reason #Three....to spend some time...if only a few hours...in my daddy's stomping ground. My father was raised in the small towns just 13 miles east of Bryce Canyon. My grandparents and greats and aunt & uncle & cousins lived and live there now. So...having lived away from the area since I got married and only visited a few times since, I loved being there among the red, pink & white mountains. Oh, the beautiful alfalfa fields, the beautifully manicured cemeteries that my family rest in. IT was like going home all over again. There were times in this run...one in particular where my body was being pushed by the spirits of family members cheering me on. I remember exactly where I was when I felt like my body was in a strange state of being. It was as if I could of looked behind me to see a person giving my shoulders a nudge. Like I was being touched with the softest hands all around me...Like my feet were barely touching the ground. I remember a smile came across my face as if I were part of side show and everyone knew what was happening....but nobody said anything. It was strange and special. Later...talking to my sisters a few of us had similar experiences. I think we all observed and paid respects to our family that were in the 2 cemeteries that we ran past. It might sound strange...but it's our experience.

As we finished our race, collected our gear we jumped on a bus and headed back to our hotel for clean up duty. On the bus we happen to sit next to these young 23 year old guys. They were #1 & #2 in the race...the first guy set a new course record. He ran the 13 miles in 1 hour and 4 minutes! WHAT!!! I was inspired.

All in all...it was a wonderful experience. One I can't wait to do again next year.

Love you girls and thanks for going with me.

After the race...and yes...we ate those Jalapeno Cheetos! Yummy