So, I can't help but feel really proud of this event for my family. None of them are runners. (I mean, none of them were runners.)  I started running 3 years ago, and they all thought I was crazy. Until last year, when I was able to convince my brother and two sisters to run a marathon with me. I'm from a family of 8 kids. So, this past December as I was thinking of another marathon to ask those same siblings to run, I wondered why not ask everyone in the family if they wanted to run a marathon. (Remember, nobody started this as runners at all.) My family is really determined and everyone gets a long for the most part, so as soon as I started asking, people were getting excited, but my oldest brother, Mike, who was overweight and had rarely worked out ever, seemed a little reluctant. So, I told him he was the last one to say yes, and that got him to commit. He was a true inspiration to the rest of us during training. He didn't miss ANY training runs. Not one mile. Plus, he lost 40lbs between January and the marathon on May 6th. (He's in the picture on the right, with the white hat. My dad couldn't run because of a heart condition, and my youngest brother Tim got a stress fracture during training so he had to drop out. Although I know that me coming up with this idea really is a very minute detail in the whole thing, and that the training and hard work is what matters, I love that I at least asked, and that because of my idea, they had a spark to start something that was life changing for many of them. (Mike gave me a big hug at the finish line and he was crying and saying thanks for asking him to run, and he never cries. It was a really awesome moment.)

Here is a pic from the morning of the race in the hotel lobby, with everyone together. My dad in blue and my brother in the white t shirt are the only two out of the whole family who didn't run. Everyone is from Utah and Nevada, but they all flew out to Pittsburgh where I live to do the run. 

My mom and sister in law Robyn finished the half marathon. Then me, 6 of my siblings, my brother in law Kilo, and my 13 year old nephew finished the FULL marathon. Caleb was the only 13 year old, and the youngest in a field of 20,000 runners, and he finished 8 minutes behind me. : ) My finish time was 5:10, it was VERY hot and humid. But honestly, it could have taken me 12 hours to finish and I wouldn't care, it was such an awesome day. 

Oh, one more cool thing- My sisters Rachel and Becca were waaaay behind. They were dealing with some sore hips and issues from the heat. They had already taken down the timing mats, the sag wagons were in, spectators were gone, and they were just not going to finish in time. The limit was 6 hours, and it was right at 7 hours. My dad went up to the announcing guy and told him that he had 7 kids running the marathon, and that 2 were still coming in. The announcer guy (in the black shirt in the video, my dad was in blue) held the line open for just a couple extra minutes, and Becca and Rach came around the corner. There were people with teary eyes about it who weren't even in our family, they were all so excited that we were all there waiting for our last 2. They gave them medals and announced that they were the last two official finishers. Gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. I posted the video of them finishing HERE. (my brother is the one making crazy noises.)

Such a cool day, I will never forget it, and I'm grateful for everything about it. 

Here are a few pics.  (I'm the one in the light blue tank and bright yellow shoes.) 

And a couple pics of everyone after we finished. (Dan had to rush Rachel to the airport to catch a flight, that's why they're not in the bigger group pic.) 

Awesome is right.  Congratulations to all of you!

Sarah, you have me in tears!  This is such an awesome story on so many levels.  Congrats to you and your family!!

Thank you guys. I really feel lucky that I was able to experience not just a marathon, but one with my family. Just very lucky and grateful. I'm so happy that people like the story. 

What a great story! What a great family!