Archive for category A BIG Running Weekend

This may be one of the biggest, most exciting weekend for runners this year. Not only locally, but nationally.

Nationally, Houston will host the Marathon Olympic Trials this Saturday the 14th. This historic event will bring in roughly 200 women and 85 men who will compete to get a spot in the U.S. Marathon Team. The top three men and women will go on to the Olympic games in London this year. It will air on NBC from 3-5 EST on Saturday.

I wish so bad I could watch this event LIVE! It is going to be epic. I am BLOWN AWAY by every single individual athlete that was able to make it this far. For many competitors, this weekend IS their Olympics… simply making it to the Olympic Trials is a victory and a triumph. And though, I am in awe and inspired by all these qualifying runners, I will be especially rooting for the infamous Ryan Hall and our very own local gal on the rise, Ariana Hilborn! If you do not know about these runners, you should check them out. They are both amazing, humble athletes that run with honor and joy.

http://arianahilborn.com/

http://www.facebook.com/ryanhall3?sk=info

In local running news, the classic PF Changs Half and Full Marathon is pulling in record numbers of participants. It begins this Sunday at 7:30am. The Half Marathon will start downtown on Mill Ave. and the full will start at City Scape in Phoenix. Both races have the same finish line on Packard Drive. This race is HUGE and exceptionally exciting to be a part of due to the exciting new course lay out and record crowds.

Unfortunately, I will not be running it due to an injury I am working through. Not running the Pf Changs is intensely hard for me. It was this very race last year that started my love affair with running. Knowing that I have gotten stronger and faster than ever, I wanted more than anything to compete again. I was hoping for a new personal record, but life can be unpredictable and you don’t always get what you want or hope for. BUT, because life is made up of choices and attitudes, I refuse to mope around and feel sorry for myself. Instead, I will be on the side lines cheering on all the other runners.

I get goosebumps thinking about all the thousands and thousands of people being brought together this weekend by their love for running. This sport is definitely on the rise and it is exciting to be a part of such an enthusiastic, growing community of runners.