Pioneer Day Classic 5k

Jonny (19:51 ), Melody (21:16), Grandma, Dad, Mom, Amber (unfortunately not pictured), Cami, Drew, Julie

This was our second year running this one. We were disappointed we forgot to wear pioneer bonnets as planned! Some people run all decked out in pioneer garb. Kind of fun. Anyway, we arranged for Katy to come and tend the kids while we ran, as we recalled a lot of the course being uphill. And yes, we were both glad not to be pushing a heavy stroller and two heavy kids. But they were still there to join in the fun - including a bounce house, an impromptu kids race, and a hot air balloon ride! It was quite the morning. 

As if all of that wasn't exciting enough, with 6:51 min/miles I actually placed 1st woman overall! (If there wasn't a 10k as well then surely a few others would have beat me. Glad I did the 5k! There were 267 runners, not sure how many were women. I was 13th overall. See full results here.) At mile 2 I passed a woman but still had no idea I was leading. I felt great and pushed myself up the hill to pass two guys. It was so fun to run through the finish line where Matt and Jack were taking pictures. (They were the hired professionals.)

Jonny ran a super fast one too, even though this is not an easy course. He came in 2nd in his division and 7th overall. Taj Mecham beat him by 9 seconds! It was fun to visit with Taj and catch up on their little family. Hopefully next time Meg will be running this one too - when she doesn't have a two week old baby! As you can see from the top picture, Dad, Mom, Grandma, and Cami placed in their divisions as well. Not a bad day for the fam, huh?

The kids run was just right for Julia. It was super short and she didn't miss the hot air balloon lift because of it. (She was very nervous about that. We left the boys in line while she and I hurried over to make it to the kids race. She ran fast! A "fire balloon" ride was on the line, after all.)

And as it turns out, it pays to run fast. Not only did I set a new loop course PR that is faster than my current downhill PR, but I received a $50 check and a nice watch. Sweet! It's not every day I place overall. So that was pretty fun.(I'm not sure how I ran this one faster than the downhill Pony Express Days?! But I'm down with it. I just don't know that I will beat this RP anytime soon, if ever. Only time will tell...)

 Gabe cried in the balloon. He didn't like the heat and loud sounds. Julia loved it.

 The Race Photographers

Check out their awesome photos here.

Mantua Dam Race 5 Miler

Melody (36:27), Grandma, Dad, Mom, Amber, Cami

Mom and Dad ran this race in Mantua (a small town near Logan) last year and came back telling us what a nice course it was. So we three UT sisters decided to make a weekend of it and head to Logan with Mom and Dad. (A road trip without toddlers is actually quite relaxing!) We ate Red Vines and laughed all the way up. Then we picked up Grandma and ate out at Angie's. After chatting, watching YouTube movies, and laughing some more, we finally went to bed and were up early for the race.

It really was a nice course. It seemed shorter than five miles, maybe because it just looped around the reservoir. It was nice to look out on the water and run on the gravel path. (This could have slowed times down a little, as it is tougher to run on loose rock than pavement. But it wasn't difficult.) I listened to Anthem and finished the book just before the last mile where I finally passed a fast teenage girl that I was trying to catch the entire race. The race ended on an uphill, but that was okay because the finish line was in sight. I felt really good after running quick 7:25 minute miles and was excited to cheer in my family members. There were some super fast runners in my age group, coming in two minutes before me. I placed 3rd in Women 25-29 and 38th overall out of about 300 runners.Yes, I missed Jonny and the kids terribly. Next year perhaps we'll stay at the campground down the street from the park where the race starts. It was a fun one and I look forward to running it again. (Plus, fun shirts.)

Mack Family Fund 5k

Melody (23:09)

This race, as well as activities at the park throughout the day, is a part of a fundraiser for the Mack Family. I don't personally know the Saratoga Springs family, but I was referred by a friend to a blog that the husband Denny has been keeping up since his wife Wendy and fourth child Maylee died in childbirth. (The mother died because of heart complications unrelated to childbirth.) Jonny and I read the accounts of the day Wendy went into pre-term labor and passed away, how Denny dealt with telling his three young children, and his feelings of loss and faith through the grieving process. We were both in tears as the sweet, honest, heart-wrenching posts helped to put things in perspective for us. Wendy had no life insurance so this fundraiser is to raise money for the funeral and other family expenses.

I kind of forgot about this race until last night. I decided I'd run it last minute. Jonny wasn't up to it this morning but he and the kids came to cheer me on. It was a smaller race, and full of families and surely lots of friends of the Mack family. (About 350 runners/walkers.) The course through Harvest Hills was not an easy one. (They don't call it Harvest Hills for nothing.) It began with on a pretty steep incline, and I was glad I opted not to push the kids. When I realized that I was one of the first 6 or 7 runners, and the first woman, I kept up a decent pace to keep my place. Yeah, it was a small race - not to many hard-core runners. But it was still fun to place first in women! Especially when Jonny, Julia, and Gabe cheered me in on the final hill to the finish line. I received a $25 Fleet Feet gift card and the kids came away with fireman hats big foam #1 hands. Having my family there meant a lot to me, as I thought about the Mack family who are so badly missing Wendy and Maylee. I'm thankful that they know the truth of the Plan of Salvation and can find peace and comfort in Christ. How else could you get through something like this?