Half Marathon #2 and Colors of Fall

10.17.2011

This past weekend a friend (Kalyn) and I drove to Kansas City to visit our friend (and former coworker) Audra. She and I were going to run the Kansas City half marathon together, and Kalyn decided to tag along for moral support (and to help me out with the driving).


Unlike the Wichita course that I ran last year, the Kansas City course is hilly. Hilly as in steep, I-think-I-might-be-running-straight-up-toward-the-sky hilly. But Audra and I pressed on, and we made it to the finish. I have now completed two half marathons and am looking forward to my next race, which will most likely be the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon in April 2012.


Besides being a hilly half marathon course, Kansas City has a redeeming quality: it's a gorgeous place to be this time of year. I kept shouting, "I love the trees!" wherever we went pretty much all weekend.


We haven't gotten too much fall in Oklahoma this year (it's been hot, and the trees and grass are all mostly dead), and so I loved seeing colors on the trees and feeling the cool, fall breeze. I almost didn't want to leave. On Saturday afternoon after we finished the run, Audra went to take a nap, so Kalyn and I walked around for a few hours in this graveyard that's close to Audra's house. I know that sounds a bit strange that we chose to walk around in a cemetery, it was seriously the most perfect day ever, and we wanted to take advantage of it. It seemed as good a place as any to walk around.


We also ate some good food, had stimulating conversations, and just enjoyed each other's company. That's what I'd call a success. 


Following are some choice photos from the weekend. 






Heidi said...

Congratulations on your race! And walking around in cemeteries is totally weird, but also kinda peaceful. We lived in a tiny town a few years back and I would walk our dogs on the path through the cemetery there; it was so interesting because there were grave markers from the early, early 1800s.

Amy Nielson said...

you're awesome!!! i really really wanna do a half, but i think i'm gonna try & get one more baby outta me first. THEN, it's all about the training :)

Anonymous said...

yay! half marathons! that is all.

Amanda said...

Audra, yay indeed :) and yay for getting just off your fastest pace even though we ran up some serious hills!

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