Sitka Cross Trail 1/2 Marathon....

So I am a little delayed on this post....I've been busy enjoying the sunshine and drinking wine on the back deck!

Anyways....

I finished!  I finished with a better time then I had hoped! All the training, running and training and running has paid off.   It felt so good to cross the finish line but I am already looking for another race to run.  Perhaps one in Hawaii this next Spring!  Trav keeps insisting we are running the full marathon next year.  I'm really apprehensive.  This was a tough course.

It was the perfect day to run.  We got up early, made homemade waffles with berries to give us energy and got ourselves down to the start.  The weather was foggy, gray and misty...perfect for running!

Trav kept me on pace, motivated and smiling.  I literally could not have finished this course without him.  His support, devotion and encouragement was really what made this race so important for me.  I wanted to finish this race so badly but I also didn't want to let him down.  He did every long run with me, carried water for me, feed me energy beans when I needed them and told me at least 100 times  throughout my 12 week training that I was doing awesome.  On race day he stayed with me at my pace, which is much slower then his.  He could have finished roughly 20 minutes earlier but he stayed with me.

I am really proud of myself.  I am really proud of my Trav.  

We thought about switching numbers before the race, so that our race numbers matched our perspective ages but we decided last minute we wouldn't want to mess up there system of tracking runners. 

I wanted this medal so badly!!  This course passed by some of our very favorite places in Sitka.  Totem Park and the Cross Trail.   Most importantly is the bridge that extends over Cascade Creek on the Cross Trail.  Its a gorgeous spot that we always stop to admire and steal a kiss at when we are on the trail.  On the medal you can see the bridge over the cascading falls and the runners enjoying it.  This medal epitomizes what we love about being here.  I had to have it, now we have two of them.  

Running is such a great hobby, a great way to stay in shape and its a great stress reliever.  Its a lifestyle for Trav and I.  I loved everything about preparing for and  finishing this race.