A Running Bride

Today, I married Dallas, my best friend and ultimate trail partner.

It was a small, yet beautiful ceremony at San Pedro Vista trailhead, which is about 17 miles up Catalina Highway. I couldn't think of a better place to have it - up in the mountains we run in so much, surrounded by pine trees and amazing views.

Heading to the wedding-we are very happy today.

The plan was to have the wedding ceremony first and then run a 4 mile stretch of Green Mountain trail from San Pedro Vista downhill to General Hitchcock Campground.  We all congregated at GHC to get shuttled up to the top.



No dressing up fancy for this wedding...

I wore a dress that I could run in (like a tennis dress, from Athleta), Zoot running shoes, and a veil. Isn't that what every gal wears to her wedding? Of course, the dress and the shoes had pink on them. :)

The happy bride has arrived.

We were married by Susy Bacal, a local triathlete and ultrarunning phenomenon, who is also a Justice of the Peace. Seemed fitting, and I've known Susy for 10+ years. She runs with Pam Reed a lot. We were considering getting married in the middle of a long trail run, and thought Susy would be perfect. We wanted to invite a few non-runners to the wedding, so we changed our mind and decided to get married at the trailhead, a short walk off of Catalina Highway.

Don't panic!

After all of the guests that were going to run got shuttled up to San Pedro Vista, I determined that one vehicle didn't make it. Two of our guests were lost. Gene and Ross saved the day by driving down the mountain to find them. They returned with the guests and the wedding started about 15 minutes behind schedule. I was in a small panic, but Dallas calmed me down.

Having a little fun before the wedding starts

Me reading my words and vows to Dallas...

Dallas reading his words and vows to me...



Well, it's official now. It is in ink. :)



This is a very happy day for us.

Our wedding party - Shari is my witness, Gene is Dallas' witness



These are the people we spend the most time with and who we love so much.



13 of our wedding guests ran down the trail with us - Ross, Pam, Chris F., Mike, Joe, Tom, Billie, Denise, Steve, Gene, Wayne, Mark, and Chris A.

Green Mountain trail is gorgeous



A running bride!

Thimble Peak in the background

What great fun at a wedding.

Getting ourselves cleaned up from the run to go eat at Zona 78.

A friend of ours gave us a metal sculpture of two runners 'running towards each other'. That was his message - always be running towards each other.

Thank you to Pam, Ross and Patricia for taking pictures! Pam's pictures came out so professional - she has a lot of beautiful close up pictures of us. Unfortunately, they are too big to put on Blogger. We will probably enlarge some for our home.

What an incredible day - gorgeous weather, fantastic views, a difficult, yet beautifully diverse trail run, surrounded by friends, my favorite restaurant, and I married an infinitely gentle and kind man (who is also wild at heart) that cherishes me and treats me like a princess. I love you so deeply Dallas; your love is a symphony.

To us - to a lifetime of many laughs, intimate companionship, endless excitement and running together. I love us.

"Marriage is not only the beginning of a relationship but also the end of a life long search for the other half of your soul."

~ unknown