Little purple pansy in Moab redefines being a Bad A

Who doesn't love a good story about irony?

I'm the odd ball out in almost every way in my family. Out of the three siblings I have all the weird genes. I didn't grow big muscles and I didn't like meat. When we would have barbeque for almost every meal I would have a tortilla with peanut butter. So I was a late bloomer and uncoordinated...and still am a little bit.

BUT

That's cool. I'll just use that to my advantage and dress like the giant pansy I am. The pansy who runs a half marathon after training on a treadmill. The pansy who could have trained a little better but goes through with it anyway because she is STUBBORN athletic! Plus, where are my coordinated athletic siblings now?! HMMM?

Tiffany and I finished stitching the shirt around the campfire. What, you don't embroider when you camp?

 As an interesting side note around mile 7 or 8 two girls who were right behind me ran up and asked if they could take a picture with me (my backside) because my outfit was so Bad A**. I hope we all learn to associate Hardcore with wearing purple tutus and declaring how NOT HARDCORE you are.

As Roomie put it- running 13 miles is pretty crazy in and of itself. No need for proof. Giving myself more credit one step at a time.

Speaking of credit, that outfit was even better at the end of the race after being soaked in my sheer AWESOMENESS. You know...cause girls don't sweat.

I felt every mile of this one. Wind gusts were dead on the entire time. Birds couldn't fly. A nice little group set up at mile 6 offering all runners beer, tequila, and donuts in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Little tempters. I heard the people who took the alcohol puked. Dehydration with most of the race ahead of you? Man, the Word of Wisdom doesn't always kick in with immediate consequences...but when it does, you are taking a shot of Jose Cuervo 2 miles away from a bathroom with 7 more miles to go in a half marathon.

Some decisions are easier than others apparently. 

I tried explaining to my roomie why I love endurance racing so much even if it makes me a cripple for days afterwards. There is just nothing like beating yourself in a race when everything in you wants to give up/ die. You just find that last bit of resolve somewhere deep deep down where you didn't know you had it and you finish. And there are always friends and volunteers strategically placed where you need the most encouragement. It's just like life. You aren't even ashamed that you were beat by a power walking grandma because you weren't racing her. You were racing yourself. She was an ultra-grannie anyway.

Let it go Jen.

Nothing says pain like a wonderfully ungraceful race day picture!

Glorious reality

 By far not my best race day but I was in Moab, hadn't really slept, and biked the day before. I didn't lose any limbs so who am I to complain? And I had my friends with me! Jay even massaged my calve muscles and complained about my pokey cactus like hair. It's something I would imagine Nicky to have said and done.

I think this is Mackenzie and Bailey checking out my rear. I'll pretend at least. Jay was nice enough to point out that a 10 year old boy came in 20 minutes before this.Best Friends EVER!

 Oblivious to the world around me

I think the above conversation went something like this
Jen: Grunt...zombie noises...Banana!
Kandi: Are you dying?

I am so thankful my friends were with me. 
Tiffany quietly made sure I didn't roll over and die after this. She had my back the whole time. Kandi drove my car home like a champ. Jeff made me sprint to the finish line even though I yelled at him for it. Jessica took pictures and compared race stories(She's a boss). Mack-Dawg and Bailey were hilarious. And Jay periodically picked me up as awkwardly as possible so I wouldn't have to slow the group down.
Let's not even get started on Denny's. My favorite part was washing up in the bathroom. I'm making that into an art form.

Next running goal? Marathon in October. You better believe I will enjoy training for that mess.

What have I learned from all of this?

Justice league can't even handle super pansy NOW!