I was saving this post for when I had pictures downloaded, but I didn't want to wait any longer.

Two Saturdays ago I ran the St. Jude half marathon. It was an amazing experience. Thousands of people got in their respective "corrals" at 7:45 am just like cattle going out the fence gate to gaze. I stayed in one of the last because I knew I hadn't trained very much and I wouldn't be fast at all.

Little by little we inched forward for our time to cross the starting line. As we ran, people lined the streets cheering for you. And as we passed St. Jude hospital the families and patients came out to the streets with signs and noise makers to cheer us on and to say thanks. My favorite sign was "You're all Kenyans to me!" There were a few times in the run that I thought I was going to cry...and then I had to shake it off because I can't run and cry at the same time. How would I breathe? =)

It was the perfect environment to do your first race because there were hundreds of people that are non-runners that walk the whole way, but they do it because they are raising money for a good cause. My time was better than I had planned for. I planned on 2 hours 45 minutes, but I made it in 2 hours 33 minutes and 49 seconds! Next year I hope to train much more than I had time to this year. What makes me laugh is that the first people done with the full marathon did it in 2 hours and about 15 minutes! Now that's fast.

I'll post pictures soon.