Recovering from micro-fracture surgery :(

The Annual Panguitch Balloon Festival...three days of getting up at 5:30 to go to the balloon launch area and help my brother get his balloon up and in the air.  It really is beautiful to see the blue sky decorated with balloons.

This pic is my brother, nephew and sis.  They are filling up the balloon.

Smokey the Bear balloon.

My brother's balloon is the black with the rainbow in front.

 River lane is on the left.  You might be able to see it.  I love running down that road.

This is the balloon glow.  They light up their balloons at night on the main streets and it is so cool! They only do this in Page, Arizona and Panguitch, Utah.

It was suppose to be my first actual 5K...my 11 year old daughter Sarah, all of my kids, and some of my family were suppose to run it with my while my hub and other family helped my brother get his hot air balloon up for the balloon launch. Sarah decided to become a drama queen Saturday morning an hour before the race.  She didn't want to miss out on the fun of getting the balloon off the ground yet didn't want to miss running in the 5K and she wouldn't quit crying!  I told her I would run down there to get her before the run started--45 minutes later I ran down to the balloon area and searched and searched for her.  Finally, I found my family and they told me she was up in the balloon.  It was then only 15 minutes before race time at 7:30.  I ran back, threw on my clothes grabbed my mom and 4 yr old and ran to the high school to see all of the runners start running! We were a couple of minutes late! I ran with my 4 yr old on my hip to the starting line and they told me they would start my time over so that my time would be right.  I stood there for a second because I didn't know what to do.  My 13 yr old, 11 yr old and 7yr old were all with the balloon crew and they were suppose to run with my 4 yr old so that I could actually run it.  My mom is 76 and walks every day but she wouldn't be fast enough for my 4 yr old. He is pretty fast but tires out fast too, and then you have to carry him.  I decided to be a MOM and make it fun for him and not for myself since he had been looking forward to that run since our last family 5K a month ago.  

He would run his fastest until he was tired and then I would put him on my back, piggy back style and run with my arms around his butt.  My arms were throbbing.  It was actually a great workout.  We made our way through it and my legs were tired. This 30ish looking blond was running just in front of me and Jake the entire run.  I kept getting close to her and sometimes pass her for a second while bouncing along with Jake on my back.  I was determined that I was coming in before her.  I gave it my all and passed her about a half mile before the finish.  I passed about 6 more people my last half mile with Jake hanging on for dear life on the back.  I am sure I was quite a sight! haha! We came in at 32 minutes...something.  Not bad!  The first place guy was 16 minutes something and the first place gal was 24 minutes -- I was sooooo bummed the rest of the day because I know I could have come in under 24 and been in first place! I remember looking at my Garmin on the Bryce Canyon Half  last year and at 3 miles I was 21 minutes.  I kept feeling sad about it all day, but then I would look at my four year old that kept his little kid medallion on most of the day and kept showing it to everyone and that made up for not coming in first..almost --haha!.  

We went to Bryce Canyon later that day and I hiked with my 33 year old nephew and 30 yr old niece and my 53 and 45 year old sisters from Sunrise to Sunset and then back, while everyone else with the kids walked the rim. We had lunch on a picnic table in the park. It was such a beautiful day and the orange hoodoos were breathtaking!  

I am a sore disaster today! My legs from hiking and my arms from holding Jake's butt through the run!! Home again, home again, jiggety jig! :)