Too many running pictures?

...but i LOVE sharing them.

Actually, i am just not sure how i missed posting about my fourth half marathon. The weekend before Ragnar Napa Valley, (Sept 13th) i ran the Big Cottonwood Canyon half. It was freezing at the start line, and pretty hard to shed the layers up in the canyon at the race start.

The race was the biggest (except for Ragnar) that i have done and was beautifully organized. There were huge mile marker signs along the course, texts sent to my family members as i passed certain check points and photographers along the way snapping shots of the runners. 

The course was stunningly beautiful. The leaves were just starting to turn and the road was windy and interesting. 

yeah...i ran that

i finished the first 10 miles with a 8:50 min/mile pace. My last 3 miles slowed down a bit and i averaged 9:01 min/mile. Coming in at the finish, i was pushing so hard and fast that i felt like my feet weren't even hitting the ground anymore. And then i saw this picture and realized that they weren't! ;)

Home stretch

i got my best time ever.

i also wanted to share one of my favorite pictures of myself of all time. The Ragnar crew snapped it of me when i was on my last mile of my last leg of Ragnar Napa Valley. i was running on sheer will-power at that point. 

i love this shot because i had no idea that my picture was being taken. i was tired but i knew how close i was to finishing. i had never pushed myself so hard in my life and even though i thought at some points during the run that i wouldn't make it, when they took this shot, i knew i was going to conquer. For me it captures the essence of me, the reason that i run and puts an image with these words:

"Running strips life back to the bare essentials. When we challenge ourselves, it breaks down barriers. It brings us back to our essence and peels away the layers of ego we surround ourselves with. Emotions flow freely, the struggle is obvious, and most of the competition is with yourself." -Granak Cunningham