Dallas Half Marathon 2012

Running is my release. It's cheap. It's easy. I can leave my front door and run. I don't have to get in the car if I don't want to. I don't have to have fancy equipment or a gym membership. I can just run. 

Somehow, I don't remember the original conversation, but Ryley and I started running together. I was trying to get back into shape after having Cason. She wanted to train for the half marathon. We both had strollers to push. It was a perfect match. Somewhere along the way Susan hopped on for the ride. 

We started running ONE MILE back in July. Ryley grossly underestimated her running abilities when we first started. Our official training started in September. After many miles on the Santa Fe Trail, too many hills at Los Rios and Parker, long runs on Chisholm Trail, and not enough frigid mornings, the Dallas Marathon finally arrived.

Exactly three years after this epic race day, Danny and I were back for more of the Dallas Marathon.

It was amazingly hot and humid. Do you see us wearing tank tops in December? I don't think I was even shivering in that first picture. The route wasn't our favorite and our time wasn't the fastest, but the friendship was good.

Danny did GREAT and finished under his goal time of two hours (1:56 to be exact)! My parents and brother braved the traffic and the crowds to bring the boys to see us at the finish line. I'm so glad they were there. Cannon now asks every time we leave the house to run, "You run a race again today Mommy?" Apparently he liked the snacks at the end of the race better than the snacks I give him when we get home after a jog.