The Birds Nest: The Winter In Which I Ran...a Lot

I'm about to share one of the worst pictures of me ever taken.

I was crossing the finish line of the Provo City half marathon last year. I was totally wrecked. Looking back, I started much too fast and ran out of gas at the end. I was cramping and had to walk - walk - across the finish line. And I could hardly walk for days afterward.

Here I am at the start....look how happy!

And here I am at the end. The face says it all, doesn't it??

I didn't want that to happen ever again. So in January, I signed up with a training group to get me ready for the Salt Lake Half Marathon. I found it through the Salt Lake Running Company, and they hook you up with a coach who gives you an individual training plan for 16 weeks, does a gait analysis, and you get a snazzy shirt!

I have to give my coach, Lisa Menninger, a big hand for the job she does. She has people who are training for full marathons and some who are trying to run a mile. Basically, you pick a goal and she helps you get there. And she does a great job. She pushed me harder than I would've gone on my own, yet it's never been so much I felt like I couldn't do it. And she stays extremely positive and recognizes my accomplishments.

As a person who doesn't like to run in even a light drizzle, it was also good for me that she doesn't take any excuses about the weather. She recently moved here from Chicago and for every sob story she hears about our weather, she's got one that's worse. Which she will immediately tell you.

Here are some of the things I learned:

To run in 10 degree weather, I need to wear four layers on top, two layers on bottom, a hat, and gloves with hand warmers. Not forgetting a headlamp and red flashy-thing so traffic can see me in the dark. Sexy.
In fact, I can run in just about any weather if I dress properly for it.
But inversions suck.
When I get caught in a blinding snowstorm at Liberty Park and still have 4.5 miles to run, I might be surprised to pass by other runners who aren't giving up either.
Hydration belts look stupid but are actually invaluable.
Running socks by Features are amazing.
I like to follow directions (I knew this already). If my coach tells me what to run I'll do my darndest to do it.
I get inspired watching people in the group do things they never thought they could.
And like them, I can do more than I think I can.

Which leads me to the Salt Lake half. It was my fifth half marathon and it rained the entire time. Now, it wasn't my best time - but it was the first half marathon I've done where I ran the entire thing. And this was also my easiest recovery by far.