Bear Lake Half

I ran the Bear lake half marathon this weekend.

drive up
The drive up takes just over 80 minutes to get to logan, another 40 minutes to get to bear lake. I was careful to get my hotel room first so that i could get the cheaper rate. this year there were plenty of rooms available. They build a new marriott down the street i was certain was taking up more customers. Still, Going up the canyon this year at least was more familiar and was so afraid of all the twists and turns.

green forest green everything
So much rain has fallen over the past few months. So amazing, i will always look at rain as a blessing. This year the foliage was amazing, pure, pull of life. every plant and tree, looked greener, fuller. as though they basked in the joy of natures bounties. I almost ran off the road several times gazing at the beauty. I love the rain for that reason, that it is a source of life. I have a problem with weather men and their assessment of rain as bad weather and how quickly they change when it doesn't rain enough, they call it dire and horrible at that point, that the heavens are closed, yet when it rains again, they call it bad again. Why is it so hard for people to see the good in what God has blessed them with. We live in a desert, rain is a blessing. always will be, even the mountains agree with me.

good run.
Got up at 4:15am to drive to bear lake to get on the bus. they had them there already when i got there at 5:20. didn't leave till 5:50, then got to the location early and waited until 7:30 before they actually started the run. not sure why they waited to long, they changed the course a bit this year just extended it up along the lake a bit more. they capped the race at 400 people and it sold out quickly. much like Ogden, which sold out in feb, this one also sold out quickly. everthing started out fine. the change in altitude didn't affect me until 3rd mile, but just one of those things that you just have to press on with. there were plenty of mosquitoes and storm clouds. they also had plenty of wind and it was very cold. these were perfect conditions. my knee started hurting at mile 5, just a little but enough to have me slow down. i started up the hill and at around mile 8 it hurt again, but this time wouldn't go away. still i kept going.

new friends
one thing i love about running in these races are the people I get to meet along the way. Sometimes they are friendly others just ignore you, which is ok. rude, but ok. met a girl named emily at the start, her first half. She was nice, great her husband was going to meet her at the end. great to have a goal to run for. then bruce. i met him before, great guy, he was running and he has a great stride, much faster than I. another gentleman, 72 years old, runnig his 7th half marathon for the year. This was my 7th half over all. i was impressed with him. we talked alot along the way. infact he helped me finish. another girl i didn't get her name, but she helped me up the hill. She was also in her first half marathon, came up from Orem. getting married in August, very nice, talking with her helped me through the hill and the pain.

finish in style
My knee hurt so badly at mile 12, but wasn't about to stop, i slowed but i kept going, by then the altitude got back to me, my muscles needed oxygen, not enough at that altitude, but i pushed forward. i could see the finish line and tried to hide my limping, and finished in style, which means i wasn't grimacing, wasn't showboating, just kept a strong stride and finished. Felt great, as all finishing lines feel to cross, felt great. my favorite part, is just after wards, that feeling that i had done it, and can restnow. can't wait to run next year.

sore evening
Because of how i pushed it toward the end, my knee rebelled. after my long drive home, i could barely walk, in fact bending my knee wasn't possible. so walking up the stairs, one step at at time hurt badly. i stretched, got some ibuprofen and rested. later i went to a party at Rachel's house, alot of great people and they are great friends. I left because of the soreness. just relaxed in my pain for the evening.

sunday rain.
Got up sunday morning, pain decreased by about 90 percent. it was a little tight, but i could walk without wincing. the rains came again. the trees around my condo are so full of leaves and a rich green color. amazing. i love mornings like these.

church again
Church was great. Rachel, other rachel got released from Relief Society. She was in that calling for a long time. Rachel is timeless and beautiful. I'm glad she's my friend. They were refinishing the gym floor and so we couldn't fit the people we needed inside. so they had people sit in the choir seats, chairs in the aisles and all outside in the foyer. i was asked to pass the sacrament, which is always an honor. i saw that jana again visited, this time with her boyfriend from back east. I don't know why she is coming here, she has her own ward, my guess is to show him off. so not the people i thought she was. I know that they had broken communication for whatever reason, i know that is why she was visiting the ward. then she had rich last week. perhaps getting cozy. my own reasoning, he came back to utah, to make amends. she took him back. She was very cozy in his arms. She seems happy. even if i don't like it, if she's happy, then that's the way it's going to be. I know in my dream, everything so far, has come true about her and with him. all i have to do is stay away, i have a promise from the Lord she'll be ok. I will keep away and i'll be ok with it, later when i got home, i felt the peace and joy of the spirit move me so deeply, i'm fine, i can move on, it'll be ok. my time will come when i hope to find a righteous woman i can take to the temple and be married. I look forward with hope to that day. i'll keep hoping and not lose myself to despair. my race isn't over yet.