wow, what a week/wow, what a week ahead

***(check back in an hour - photos will be added. I'm downloading marathon photos as we speak, and it won't allow me to add my photos right now!!!)

MESA FALLS MARATHON -

I took the photo above, last year in the fall - just about this time. The marathon of 600+ runners ran past these falls and wound all around the mountains and then finished in the little town of Ashton.

NEW photo website for LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

I've concluded - LIFE HAS GONE CRAZY! I have been too busy to blog (*****gasp*****).

Heather, my daughter and my good friend Kelly (who's really like my 3rd daughter) and I were commissioned to cover (photograph) the Mesa Falls Marathon on Saturday. My alarm went off at 4 a.m. Saturday morning (I kid you not) and hubby and I were heading to the mountains for a 6:30 a.m. start - some runners starting at 5:30 a.m.! Okay, now I know I've gone CRAZY - I kept saying to myself as we drove in the dark to find the start of the race. Met up with Heather and Kelly and headed further into the mountains. You could literally smell fall in the air. We figured out where each of us would be stationed and went about the task of waiting - waiting until the first runners came our direction. Race volunteers already had the STARTING point of the race blocked off - so we able to unable catch that, not a good thing when you're shooting a marathon!!!

Hubby and I were stationed at mile post #9 and as we sat in the cold, we could hear elk bugling all around us - pretty cool sound and the smell of the forest was refreshing and invigorating - almost made you want to run 26 miles (in my dreams!). A half-dozen runners came our way just as the sun was rising - they weren't official 'race runners' - but they run the route every year - just for fun. It was too dark to capture them so I just waved as they passed by! We waited and waited and the runners finally arrived in all their glory! The lighting was horrible because the sun was just rising and the trees shaded everything - so I really struggled with the photos blurring - but finally got into a rhythm and things began to flow and I was having a blast with all the runners! There were the 'super-serious' runners and those who were clowning around (and I thought would never-in-a-million-years make it to the finish line) and having a great time - but they were all so FUN and FULL OF LIFE - you couldn't meet a friendlier group of people!

After several hours at mile-post 9, we headed to town to capture the runners crossing the finish line! The crowds were meager and I hoped more would show up to show their support and, eventually they did and it was not disappointing! This little town of Ashton you have to pass through if you're going to West Yellowstone - so, many of you have been there and don't even know it!!!

Seriously, when we were done, I was draggin'-my-wagon and, when we got home, I crashed on the couch and took an hour nap - I was thrashed! After seeing everyone expend so much energy, I had to refuel for them!!!