haunted half slc

 

This past Saturday was the Haunted Half in Salt Lake City.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but I really was excited to finally put all of my running this summer and fall to the test.

 

I signed up with a great group of friends that I have been doing some long runs with.  They are absolutely hilarious and so much fun to be around.

 

We had to leave Heber at 5:45 in the morning, drive to Salt Lake, and then take a bus to the starting line up Immigration Canyon.

 

Julianne picked us all up at my house and drove us there.  From the second I got my sleepy self into her car, it was all high energy and laughing the whole drive there.  It was great.

 

Karli bought us all matching batman socks...complete with capes that flew on the back!  They were awesome!

 

It was a costume run, but honestly there isn't a whole lot of "costume" that would be comfortable for 13.2 miles, so the socks were perfect.

 

 

 

We froze our bums off at the starting line for an hour, but we kept eachother warm with our stylin' foil blankets and lots of talking and laughing.

 

because 10 selfies just isn't enough, thank you Julianne.

 

 

Karli was not too thrilled about this race, because she didn't feel ready for it, and she almost had the other girls talked in to going out to breakfast instead!  They basically came to the conclusion that we got cute shirts, and really awesome SWAG, so it was time to leave. 

I had to threaten them with being drug behind me with a rope for 13 miles if they even tried to leave.  Eventually, the came around.  :)

 

 

I choked down a banana and a zip fizz about 15 minutes before start time, and of course, Julianne had to get a picture of that too. 

frozen Becky, eating a banana...lovely.

When the race finally started, Karli and I took off, but soon realized that we were not with the others.  We glanced back and Julianne and Jen were still at the starting line taking selfies and talking!!!  Crazy ladies.  We waited another few minutes for them to finish getting their pictures and getting ready and we finally took off...well after everyone else.  Geesh!

 

Unfortunately, we all run at a different pace, so around mile 4, I broke off from the group with Julianne.  And then my stomach did its typical freak out at mile 5 thing, and I had to wait in line at the bathroom.

 

I didn't see anyone else from the group after that, until the finish line.

 

I felt great during the run, aside from 3 bathroom stops, and literally gagging on some Goo at mile 9.  The course was the best I have ever run, with a gradual downhill the whole way, and a couple rolling hills, but nothing too steep.  It was definitely hard, and I did hit the wall around mile 10, but it was soooooo nice to be at mile 10 and know that I only had 3 miles left.

 

Typically, when I am at mile 10, I still have 16 miles to go, and it can be so discouraging.  Seriously, half marathons are the way to go.  Full marathons are killers!

 

I made it through the finish line and got the cutest medal ever!

yup, it opens up!  How cool is that!  I have to get it back from Luke and William every day, because they steal it and hide it in weird places. 

 

I also met up with two other friends, who ran the 5K course.  Pretty soon everyone else trickled in, and yes, we got more pictures.



the half marathon group...Jen Avery, Karli Sweat, Julianne and me

 

 

We had to blast home pretty quickly, because we all had soccer games to get to.  Julianne drove like an absolute psycho, and had Karli dry heaving in her foil blanket, but hey, we all made it to the soccer games on time!

I LOVED this Haunted Half!  It is definitely one we all want to do again.  Even Karly who said every nasty word under the sun for an entire 13.2 miles, agreed to do it again....in a year. 

Lucky for me, I am doing it again.  In 4 days.  Same venue, different course.  This time I will be alone though.  Yikes!

Wish me luck.