Running for Isabel: Walk if you have to...just never give up.

I never thought my home town of Twin Falls was pretty. This view changed my mind. #totesgorg

After last weekend's hard but awesome PR race effort, I was pretty excited to dig in deep these last few weeks of marathon training and really focus on my September date with destiny. During my Monday run however, I had to stop and lay down because I didn't feel very good. I wasn't pushing hard and was just waking my legs up, but I only got a mile in and knew I had to stop for the day. There is always tomorrow. Then I woke up Tuesday with the worst UTI ever and, instead of running and training for the week, I was put on antibiotics and told to rest for the next few days. When I asked if I could run on Saturday, my doctor told me that would be fine, until he found out it was a 17 mile run. With shock he replied "Maybe take it easier than that! You can not get dehydrated."

Fantastic. Okay. So, I took it easy and thought about doing the 17 miler anyway. Don't worry, I chose not to do that. I did want to get some running in and needed to do something. Then the quote by Dean Karnazes came to mind:

“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.”

So, thinking clearly, I decided to run my alma mater, the College of Southern Idaho, who has a mile loop around the campus. I could run as many loops as I felt like and would have my car there every circle so that I could refill my water bottle and snack as needed. And, if I needed to walk, then I could. Mark was going to run around the town and would meet me back at the campus. But, then I got a peek at the route he was going to take, I realized he was going to run along the Snake River rim. I really wanted to run there also. So, the plan was made that I would circle CSI until Mark got close to the rim, then I would drive and meet him at the trail and do the 5 mile section there. So that is what I did. I ran some, but mostly walked and did 3.5 miles at CSI and 5.76 miles (a few wrong turns later, I got back to the car) at the canyon rim. Despite being sick, I was able to do 9.27 miles and really learn to enjoy the beauty of the town I grew up in. Oh, and I saw several squirrels and a bunny! Yes, a real life, cute little white tailed bunny. My life is now complete. Here is a picture story of my run.

When we graduated with our Associate's Degrees in 2007, this sign was just completed and we got our pictures by it. I am very much in awe that here we are 7 years later taking a picture as we embark on another life changing event: running our first marathon.