Run for Sherry

Today we joined with thousands of runners and walkers across the country to dedicate our workout to Sherry.

Sherry Arnold went for a morning run on Jan. 7 in her small town of Sidney, Mont., and never came home. Two men are now accused of abducting and killing the 43-year-old high school math teacher.
Her family used the power of the blogging world to share her story and organize the Virtual Run for Sherry, asking people to "GO. Run as far and as long as you want. Walk, hike, cycle, rollerblade if you don’t want to or can’t run."

On her cousin's blog:

My goal is to get the MOST love, momentum and energy moving in honor of Sherry. This run symbolizes the beginning of healing and honors a woman who was courageous, strong and loved by so many.

At cities around the country (and perhaps around the world), people gathered today to do just that. My family joined by running and walking at Lacamas Lake trail in east Clark County.
Check out the account of some of the runs on the Shut Up and Run Web site.

What a wonderful way to honor her life and to remind us all that life is precious.

My half-marathon training program called for 9 miles. The trail is 3.5 one way, so we parked at the west end and ran 3.5 out and 3.5 back. Then we ran out another 1 mile and back for a total of ... 8.99 miles. Shoot.

I'm counting it anyway :)
I really had to work for this one. I had an intense spin class Wednesday afternoon and then set a new 5K PR during Thursday's tempo run. My legs were tired, and the rollers on the trail just about did me in.

BUT... I dialed it back a bit and then hung in there, running about a 10:17-minute-mile average until my sprint at the very end. Ended up finishing in 1:32 - a 10:14 average. I took just one short walk at mile 6 to eat some gu.

It was tough. But I finished it out. So glad it's done!

Now to taper before my 10K race next weekend. NICE!

Brad and I celebrated with our favorite Mexican food: Davidson's fajitas.
Is it bed time yet?? :)