My story started when my husband and I were trying to have our second child. Our first didn't come so easily and neither was our second. I decided to focus my attention and relieve some stress and start running in hopes that it would help.

Two months after I started running and getting past the "I can't breathe" stage, I found out I was pregnant. I had our daughter, and after she turned 3 months old I returned to running to help me lose the baby weight and tone up a little. I signed up for my first 5k.

The whole time I was running that race I thought I was going to die, but I finished it. Then I wasn't happy with my time so I signed up for another one and thought, "I will never run a 10k, that is way too long!" That same fall I signed up for a 10k, finished it, and thought, "Who run's 13 miles? That is just crazy!"

That next year I signed up for a 10-mile race and a few half marathons. I then ran several long relays and four more half marathons. The whole time I thought, "Never, NEVER will I run a full marathon!"

Last year my mind started nagging at itself to run a full marathon. Then, I decided to go for it. I had that submit button to sign up for this race looking at me for days on my screen until I literally closed my eyes and held my breath and clicked it.

I say that I am only going to do this one marathon because every runner has to do it at least once, but with my past history I have learned to never say never.

Update: Niari completed her first marathon at Big Cottonwood on September 14, 2013. Despite her saying she would only run one marathon, we would not be surprised to see Niari join us again in 2014.