Run the Burg....

I wasn't intending to run a half marathon this fall.  I enjoyed triathlons so much that I never even considered it.  Because my runner girls were all training for the St. Louis rock and roll half, I started running long runs on Saturday with them just for fun.  And I was actually having fun.  It was crazy.  Because I wasn't training for anything there was no pressure.  Pure enjoyment.  On the Saturday that we ran 12 miles I decided that since I was ready maybe I should actually run a half.  So.  I signed up for Run the Burg.  Due to it being in Warrensburg, I knew the course was a nasty one.  Every hill in this town was on the course.  But.  I felt the need to run it anyway.  My girls all raced the weekend before, so I would be running this one solo.  Until Christine decided she'd do this one with me just for fun. 

We started together at the start line.  It was a really small group running, as you can tell by the picture.

Mile two I started talking to Nathan from Lenexa who happened to be running my same pace. 

At mile four Christine found her groove to be faster than mine and left me in the dust.  I was happily plugging along to my own music and conversation with Nathan.  We talked about so many different things that I wasn't paying attention to the grueling hills we were climbing.  It was nice to have the distraction.  I finished with my fastest time yet.  And I had the most fun I've had during a half marathon.  I truly think it was because there was zero pressure put on myself.  By myself.  If only I could always train without the intent of training.  That would be perfectly amazing.