Throughout the rest of the state the 24th of July may be known as Pioneer Day, but in Spanish Fork it is Fiesta Days, and we love a good fiesta. Since I started running I have run the 10k almost every year (except for a few years when I was doing the Spudman a few days later). It is a fun race, good course, and definitely a holiday tradition. We run the race then hang around to see my dad get an award (he always places in his age division), and stay for the parade. This year I was a little hesitant to run - it would be my first race post baby and I wasn't sure that I wanted the stress - emotional and physical. Luckily my dad and Jarin wanted to run so I couldn't stand to be left out and signed up. When I got up this morning I was so nervous and wished I had just stayed in bed. Most of my runs lately are about an 11-12 minute mile so I was really hoping to get in at under an 11 minute mile average. The race starts off on a steep hill which is always tough, but I switched it into granny gear and kept plugging through the initial hills. After about the first 3/4 mile it is mostly flat with a few short downhills. I kept making little goals for myself and planned some strategic walk breaks, but those ended up being super short because I felt so good. Ok, it hurt, but I forgot how good it can feel to run hard and push myself. I did get by with a little help from my friends Kelly Clarkson and Katy Perry - they have some great girl power songs that came on at the right moments and kept me moving. One of the great parts about this race is that as soon as you finish they give you a card with your stats. I finished with an average of 9:59 per mile. Whoo hoo! There have been times in my running history when I would have been disappointed in that, but considering where I have been over the last year, it felt like an amazing victory.
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This was Luke's first parade,
What better place to watch than on grandma's lap.
She spent a lot of the parade covering his ears,
Cannons, sirens, loud cars,
We need to invest in some baby earmuffs.
Grandma and grandpa love their babies.
I promise Calvin was having fun,
This is just his serious pose.
Mountain Dew enhanced happiness.
Is it the parade or the drink that is making him so happy?
The General Lee?
Next to the roller skating Captain America,
This was one of the best parts of the parade.
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