Wasatch Back- Speedy Turtles Edition

I ran the crazy Wastach Back Relay race again this year on June 18-19. I didn't feel quite as prepared as I was last year, but all in all, I really enjoyed it. I think a lot of the fun of this race is spending time in a van with 5 other crazy runners for nearly 2 days. Even though I didn't know all of them when we started, by the time we were done I wished they were my neighbors. We had a great time together.

The Speedy Turtles (I AM Running!) team started out at 7:15 Friday morning. Our team consisted of 12 people in 2 vans. I was in Van 1 along with Dustin (my brother), Craig (one of Dustin & Monica's family friends), Jill (Craig's daughter), Chad (Criag's son-in-law), and Jessica (one of my good friends).

Dustin got us off to a good start as he made his way through Logan, Providence, and Millville. He handed off to Jessica who booked it through Nibley, up Hollow Road, and down into Hyrum. She was struggling with an injury, but you really couldn't tell. She was a champ. Jess handed off to Jill, the Jill ran through Hyrum and Paradise and handed off to her dad, Craig. Craig ran through Paradise and headed up Avon Pass:

If there is one thing our van was good at during this race, it was support. Not to toot our horn, but we were great supporters,of our team, and of those around us. I think that's what made it so fun.

So Craig handed off to me and I started making my way up Avon pass. It was about 7.5 miles uphill. And really, the uphill part wasn't too bad. It was more the dust and dirt and heat that made this run a lot of "fun". I just kept plugging along. I walked when I couldn't run, and tried to get into a pretty good pattern of running 5 minutes, walking 1.

About 2/3 of the way through my run I noticed a girl running behind me who was keeping pretty good pace with me. She never passed me, but was always pretty close by. I asked her if she wanted to run with me. So we ran together for the rest of the race. She wasn't quite prepared for the heat and dust and hills and was having a pretty hard time. Actually she sounded like she was hyperventilating and I don't think she had enough water in her. Several times she said she might pass out. So we walked together for at least the last mile of that leg. In a way I was disappointed to not be able to give it all I had, but in another way it felt good to be able to help someone out. That's one of the things I love about this race. Really, you're not trying to "beat" anyone or get a PR. You're there to have fun, and support one another. And even though my time was not the best on that 7.5 miles, I felt good about it.

At almost the top of Avon Pass I handed off to Chad who was amazing on the downhill portion of his leg as he made his way into Ogden Valley. Chad became known as our "pleasant runner" because he was so happy and pleasant to be around. I don't have many pictures of Chad running. I think because he ran right after me and I wasn't thinking about taking pictures. But here he is with his cute daughter after finishing his last leg:


When Chad was done we had a chance to rest for a few hours. Craig directed us to a great, shady park where we ate, rested, and got ready to run again. A few hours later, we were up at Snowbasin ready to run. Dustin ran all the way down Trapper's Loop. He is a trouper. His knee was hurting, and I'm sure at this point he as developing his monster blister. Look at this thing:

Anyway, he kept running and running down that hill for over 8 miles. Crazy.


When he got to the bottom of the hill, Dustin handed off to Jessica and we started the whole process again. Along the way, we had quite a bit of fun. Craig showed what it meant to be the ultimate Speedy Turtle:
Chad found some great places to rest and support his runner:

He may, or may not have gotten caught. Oopsie.

Jill just rocked all of her runs. What an animal:
We found a team mascot in Winston the dog:
Jess showed us all what it means to be tough and push through the pain:

and Dustin demonstrated that safety flags are good for more than just safety:
For me, the evening/ night runs were the most enjoyable. The sun was starting to go down and we were running through such beautiful country. My second time running I ran out of Morgan and started to make my way up to East Canyon. My leg was pretty short this time, a little over 4 miles and it was pretty nice. Again, towards the end, I met up with an injured runner. We ran and walked our way to the finish line and I really had a good time talking with her. I'd like to think I stopped to help her because it seemed like a nice thing to do, but in all reality it was good for me to stop too. I didn't mind walking for a bit, and I think my team was OK with it too. So I wasn't speedy on my 2nd run of the day, but it was enjoyable.

I handed off to Chad, and he ran all the way up to East Canyon. It was a killer climb, but he handled it like a pro. It was really dark by this time and a little hard to see him in the dark. Dustin started yelling "CHAD! CHAAAAD!" Into the night because we had no idea where he was. He kept this up and one time he randomly shouted, "CHAD, IF YOU'RE THERE, SAY HELLO!" It just so happened that Chad was right next to our van at this point and shouted "HELLO!" We all busted up laughing because we weren't expecting him to be right there. I know it doesn't sound funny now, but at that point in our journey, it was hilarious. There's something about running all day, sleeping little, and eating less that makes you a little loopy.

Anyway, we finished off at East Canyon, handed off to our second van, and made our way to Kamas where we'd start running the next morning. We slept at South Summit High School and were able to find a nice quiet sleeping spot in the library. After about 4 hours of sleep, we were off again on Saturday morning to finish off our last leg of the race.

Dustin started us off again still running on that monstrous blister (which he never mentioned until the race was over). He still had enough left in him to do this:

Remind me to never open my mouth while using the camera. Anyway, we all finished off our last legs without incident. I think by this time we were all so tired and worn out that we were lucky to finish. My last leg was only 3 miles, but it went up a steep hill for at least the first half of it. I walked most of it, but made it. I was just glad I didn't have a longer leg to run. Those 3rd runs were killer.

We all finished our last legs and did pretty well. There was still plenty of silliness to go around. As in, Craig wearing Jill's Pink pants:
But we made it. We finished up somewhere near Heber and were planning on making our way to the finish line where we'd meet Van 2. However, the rest of our team in the 2nd van didn't fare so well. They were sick and dehydrated, and not feeling like running all day. So our van stepped in and ran parts of one leg. It was a killer because it was hot, and we'd had little sleep, and we'd already finished our runs for the day. But each member of our van took a part and ran some. We finished that leg for our teammate who was being pumped full of IV fluids at the time.

Then we made our way to Park City and the finish line. Once we finally got up there (after waiting in lines for over an hour) we had a great time finishing together. Here we are on the gondola ride up to the Canyons resort for the finish.

Chad, Jess, Jill, Me, Craig

Craig, Chad
Dustin, Jill, Jess

And here we are after we met the rest of our team and had finally completed the race in over 33 hours.

And here's our Turtle-mobile. Our giant inflatable turtle made it the whole journey without popping.

It was exhausting, tiring, exhilarating, but most of all a blast! The teammates in my van made it such a fun experience and even though after finishing I thought I'd never want to do it again, I'm pretty close to making plans for next year. Go Speedy Turtles!

Race #8: Half Marathon. By the Numbers

5:30 a.m. = Time I woke up Saturday to get ready for the race.
6:00 a.m.= Time Dad got here to watch the kiddos (Thanks Dad!)
7:30 a.m.= Time the race started.

35= Approximate number of port-a-potties at the starting line.
1980= Number of runners who completed the race.
3= Minutes we waited from "Go!" until we actually crossed the starting line.
0= Number of cars that passed the runners. The road was packed! One guy with a load of sheep just pulled off and waited for everyone to pass. He had a long wait.

3:1= Ratio of running to walking throughout the course of the race.
117= Number of people we passed. (Alright, I'm making this up. But it sounds cool, right?)
9:53= Our fastest mile (I think it was mile 5).
12:00= Our slowest mile (Pretty sure it was mile 12).
12 &13= The two hardest miles of the race. I pretty much thought I would die.
13.1= Number of miles we ran. Although the last .1 mile felt like an eternity.
139= Number of minutes it took us to finish.
65= Number of minutes it took the winner to finish. (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!)

I don't think I can put a number on how satisfying it felt to be done. I certainly was glad to have that thing over with. But I did enjoy running it with a friend (thanks Jess!) It made it much more enjoyable and also motivated me to push myself a little harder. This race also helped me realize that I am nowhere near ready to run a marathon. Sheesh! That will require much more time and dedicated training, which I'm not sure I'm up for right now. But I really did enjoy the race and the course and the company. And there's not much more I could ask for than that.

Race #7: Freedom Run

Alright, I really don't mean for this blog to become a series of random race reports, but that seems to be what it's become. Last week, on July 4, I ran a 15K Freedom Run. It was pretty fun to run on the 4th of July with a bunch of other crazy people who decided to wake up early on a holiday. There were SO many people at the race that it took an extra half hour to get everyone checked in so the race could start. But still it was fun.

Let me preface this race by saying that I have, in the back of my little brain, a crazy idea that I'd like to run a marathon. However, I'm not sure I have the power or stamina to do it. So, I decided I would try Jeff Galloway's running method. His philosophy is that you run an entire race with a series of running and walking. From the beginning, you run for a certain amount of minutes, then walk for a certain amount of minutes. He maintains that walk breaks allow your muscles to recharge so you don't tire easily. I decided if I'm going to make it through a marathon, this might be the only way I'll make it.

So for last week's Freedom Run, I decided to give the run/walk thing a little trial. According to his recommendations, my ratio should be 3:1, running to walking. For this race I tried 4 minutes running, 1 walking. It actually worked very well. I think the hardest part was forcing myself to walk right from the beginning. Everyone was just starting out, and after 4 minutes, I definitely wasn't tired. It was so hard to stop and walk. But I did and I kept this up for the entire race.

It was amazing how much more pleasant the race was. I didn't feel like I was dying toward the end and I actually felt like I had energy to keep going once I was done. When all was said and done, I completed the 9.3 miles just a little slower than I would have if I had run the entire race. I usually average between 10-10:30 minute miles. My average time for this race was around a 10:45 minute mile. I'm not complaining.

But as I was running (and walking) I had a bit of an epiphany. I decided that for me, what's important is that I keep exercising; that I don't stop running (or walking, as the case may be). As much as I'd like to be super fast and competitive, it's not going to happen. I think a lot of runners focus on how fast they go, or how many people they pass, or on improving their PR's. And of course, true, hard-core runners never stop to walk. It's really hard not to get caught up in all of that hoopla.

But during this race, I decided to let go of the idea that I may someday become that hard-core runner. It was kind of hard to get to that point, but I'm OK with it now. I have a bit of a competitive streak in me, but when it comes to running, I'm just going to set it aside. I have come to accept that I will never be a graceful gazelle who takes car-length strides with each step. Nope. Not me. I'm in no hurry. I have my whole life to run. Maybe over the course of my life, my times will improve, but I'm not really worried much about that any more. Nope. Not me.

I decided I'm just going to be a short-striding, selfish runner. I run for me. I run to stay healthy. I run so in 20 years, I'll still be able to run. I run to enjoy the accomplishment I feel after crossing the finish line. I run because it gives me a chance to escape from reality for awhile. I run to stay in shape. I run for me.

It's taken me over a year to get to this point, but I think I've finally found my happy running place, and I'm taking up residence.

Race #6: THE race

This weekend I participated in the Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back. This is what the last 6 months of training have been for. This is what all the hill training and cross training and miles of running have been for. And can I just say it sucked? It sucked, but I loved it.

I knew when I signed up for this thing that it was going to suck. Really, when you run 188 miles over the course of 2 days and nearly half a dozen mountains, it's going to suck. But at the same time it was cool just to say that we completed what we set out to do. It was fun to share this experience with a bunch of other really impressive women. It was inspiring to see others do so well and to have so much fun doing it.

I was part of a 2-team group that was a mish-mash of 28 women from all over the country. There were 2 teams of 12 runners and 4 drivers. Then each team of 12 was broken down into 2 separate vehicles so I got to know the other women in my van very well. Here's our team's tagline:It was so fun to encourage each other and support each other and to see them all rock it! Here's a picture of Team1 before the race:

My part of the journey included 3 legs. Here's how they went: my first leg was running up one side of a mountain pass. It was 7.4 miles up a stinkin mountain. Each time we would exchange runners we'd usually stop and park and be a few minutes early so the next runner could get ready. This time the line to get into the parking lot was so backed up that the runner before me nearly passed our van. I had to hop out fast and take the baton (aka, slap bracelet) from the previous runner without really getting ready. But I took off up the mountain on a dirt road for an hour and a half of running uphill. It was hard. Dang hard. I kept telling myself that this is what I trained for, so I might as well give it everything I had.

My legs got very little rest because I was constantly going up, up, up. I ran on a dirt road but it had been raining all week so there wasn't much dust and dirt kicked up from the passing vehicles. That was nice. I ran midday and it started to get hot and my stomach started doing crazy things. I tried to get a system down of running 10 minutes and walking 2. That worked well for the most part. However toward the end of the mountain, the ratio became closer to 4:1 running to walking. And it always seemed like every time I walked, it would be right where my van was parked to wait for me and give me water and support. They must have thought I was a complete slacker because it looked like I was walking the entire way. Here's a picture of me...walking:

I tried to enjoy the scenery as I ran. It really was beautiful. The hills were so green and it looked like something from a postcard. I tried to really soak it in, but something about running uphill for that long turned most of my thoughts into curse words. It sucked. But it seemed like everyone around me was struggling too. Toward the end, with about a mile to go, a few of us runners banded together and ran/walked the rest of the way. It was really nice to feel support like that and to know that even though we were strangers, we were all in this crazy race together. So I finished the 7.4 miles and it felt really good. Especially because this was my hardest leg and I wasn't too worried about the rest.

Our van finished and we had a few hours to relax and try to sleep before running again later that evening. Here's our team after completing our first legs:

By the time my second leg started, it was pretty dark. Right before this leg I had nice surprise. Mom, Dustin and his wife Monica met us before my leg started. We got to chat for a minute before I was on my way. Dustin ran with me for the entire leg. It was kind of cool to run in the dark under the stars and not really stress about what was ahead because you couldn't really see too far ahead. This leg was 4.2 miles and wasn't too bad. I think I actually finished a few minutes before I was scheduled to. I'm sure most of that was because I was running with Dustin. He helped push me a little faster than I felt like running, which was a good thing. Here we are finished after the night run:
Then I handed off to Shelah-the running machine- and tried to catch up with her and give her support along the way. It was really hard to see her in the dark though, so she passed us without us even recognizing her. But we met up with her again at the exchange and then headed out to try and get some sleep. We did sleep a little, but not much. By 5 in the morning we were back on the road, driving to the next exchange.

A few hours later it was my turn. Lucky for me, my last leg was the easiest of all. 2.5 miles on a slightly downhill slope into the town of Heber. Perfect. It really was. Not grueling at all. I kept wondering why I lucked out so much while others were running 8 miles this time around. Not that I'm complaining. I finished off my leg and handed of to Shelah. When she was done running we headed back to Heber for a celebratory lunch of hamburgers and milkshakes. Mmmm. Here we are after completing all of our legs:

(Lyn, Me, Meemer, Arlynda, Shelah, Marie, Cara)

Then we waited until the remaining 6 members of our team finished. We waited and waited. And then it started raining, and then it started hailing, and we were freezing! Finally we saw our last runner round the corner and we all ran together toward the finish line. We didn't really even have time to stop and say goodbye because of the awful weather. Everyone scattered so fast. But it was so nice to be done!

The race was amazing. It was amazing to become friends with these incredible women through the course of a day and a half. It was amazing to see them reach their goals and to see all the hard work and training pay off. It was amazing to be a team and to pull for one another and to celebrate one another's accomplishments. It was just a cool experience. One I'm glad I had a part in. But it still sucked...in a good way.

For a more detailed report of what went on in my van, check out meemer's blog here.

Race #5

Last Saturday I ran a 5K. I actually ended up running it with another girl in my neighborhood. It was fun. It was her first race and it was fun to run with her, and to remember back to my first 5K about a year ago. But besides that, there's not much to report on this race. It was a 5K, I ran it, it was nice weather.

The thing I liked about this race, though, is that it actually helped someone. The father of a family in the area was killed in Iraq. So this race was a fundraiser for his family. I love that. The entire race course was lined with flags and it felt good to know that the money I paid to run would actually do some good.

I've decided that's one thing that bugs me about organized races. The roads are always open, right? So why should you have to pay money to run on them? I understand that there are costs associated with races. There are police officers to pay, timing chips to provide, and water and other essentials that runners need. But it still bothers me that most races require an entry fee. I get it, but I don't like it.

So last Saturday's 5K was a nice change. It was nice to know the money I paid would be used for something other than Dixie cups. It was nice to feel the support the community gave this family. It was nice to see that when they were about to give away the last raffle prize (a new treadmill!), the crowd started chanting that we should give it to the recently widowed woman who this race was to benefit. In my book, that kind of feel-good stuff is worth paying money for.

Race #4: Half Marathon

Alright, first of all, I know I've been a neglectful blogger. Lately, it just seems like I have nothing interesting to say. That's probably always the case, but usually I just say it anyway. But for the past couple of weeks, I just haven't the blogging bug.

But in a spirit of continuing my race reports, I decided today to just give in and try blogging again.

Today was a half marathon. All week I've been dreading it. Number one, because it was supposed to snow today, and number two, because I haven't been training very well.

But two things happened to help. One, mom was so worried about me running in the snow that she got me a super cool running outfit complete with running tights and a warm shirt. That mom. She is just always thinking of everyone all the time. I sure love her. And two, Dustin was able to come and run with me. That's always such a good thing for me because he helps take my mind off running, and he also helps my pace a bit too. I'm sure it's a pain to have to run so much slower than he's used to, but he is a good sport about it.

Luckily this race was downhill for the most part. We ran down a canyon for the first half, and then around a lake for the last half. Surprisingly, the snow wasn't bothersome at all. It was falling down lightly and there was no wind as we ran down the canyon. It didn't even feel very cold at first. We made pretty good time as we came down the canyon (at least for me).

Then as we finished the canyon part, the wind hit us. It was pretty dang strong. There were times it felt like we were moving, but we weren't getting anywhere. And it was cold! I kinda felt bad for those runners who dropped their warm shirts in the canyon. They were probably hating life. I tried to run behind Dustin and use him as a wind block. It didn't work very well. I'm sure he was glad about that.

I'm glad I had Dustin, because I'm sure I would have stopped and walked a lot more than I did. He kept me going and he is just an amazing person to help me like that. Eventually we made it to the end. It wasn't much fun, and it wasn't very easy, but we made it! I felt good just knowing that I accomplished something. We finished around 2 hours 20 minutes, which was an improvement over my last half marathon time. We had a whole crowd of supporters to cheer us on too. That's always the best part. It's so nice to feel that support and love.

After the race we ran over and caught the rest of conference. It was a great day and I am so grateful to everyone who helped and supported me.

Here are a few pictures from the day:

At the starting line:


Coming into the finish line, and finishing!

Race #3. It's all in the numbers.

Alright, here's a simple math equation for you:

3.1 miles + 6.2 miles = 9.3 miles

9.3 miles is surprisingly close to 10 miles. It just so happens, that's how today's 10 mile race played out. It was a combination of the first killer 5K (3.1 miles) and the next horrendous 10K (6.2 miles) plus a few extra hills just for fun. It was a party, let me tell ya. I really should be positive and say that I love running and how good it makes me feel and all that other stuff. But really, what it comes down to is that if I hadn't already paid my entry fee, I probably wouldn't have run this race. I'm fighting a cold and the remains of the dog bite, so I wasn't entirely thrilled about running a hard race.

However, it actually seemed a little easier today because I knew what to expect. I expected the worst, and then it really wasn't as bad as I imagined. Yes I walked up almost every hill, but I tried to run all the other parts. I ran solo today, so I probably didn't push myself as hard as I could have. I tried to just enjoy it and to feel good about running 10 miles. All in all, it wasn't so bad. And I didn't finish last. Even if I wasn't the fastest, I still finished. And to me, that's an accomplishment.

Here's the elevation profile of this race. Nearly 1900 ft. of elevation change in 10 miles. What fun.

Race #2: Of Mountains and Museums

Alright. Let's just say Saturday's 10K was not easy. Again, there were plenty of signs that this race wouldn't just be a 6.2 mile walk in the park. At mile marker 1, there was a dead skunk on the road, complete with entrails displayed for all to see. That should have been some sort of sign that this race would not be pleasant, and that one might just end up in the same situation as said skunk.

But let me back up. The absolute best part of this race was unexpected. As I was doing a few warm up laps, who should appear, but my fabulouso brother Dustin. He showed up to run with me and help me up the mountain when I had nothing left in me.

So we're running together and it's icy and cold, and (you guessed it) uphill! We ran up a short hill and then down a loooong hill. My quads were definitely feeling it by the time we got to the bottom. And it was with a sense of foreboding that I realized this course made a loop. So we would soon be headed right back up the same loooong hill. Dang! Here's the elevation profile of the race course.For some reason I don't really remember the middle part of the race. Probably because the hills were so monumental. But what I do remember as I ran, was feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the goodness of people. We ran by a little old man and his wife along with their dog. They were out there at 8 in the morning in front of their house with pom-poms to cheer everyone on. There were the police officers that helped stop traffic so we could pass by without becoming roadkill. And then there were the runners themselves. Everyone was so kind and took a moment to wave and thank those that were out on this cold morning to help.

Dustin was a great example of sportsmanship. Because he stayed with me the entire race (read: he was running much slower than what he's capable of), he had all sorts of energy to wave and make friendly comments to those along the race route. I, on the other hand, was lucky if I could puff out one word answers to Dustin's questions.

But as I was running, I felt a sense of gratitude for even being able to run. For being able to work towards a goal and achieve it. For my parents who graciously offered to watch the kiddos while I ran. For Aaron giving up his entire Saturday for me. For all these people who went out of their way to help me. Most of all for Dustin. He didn't have to stick with me, but he did. He helped push me (literally) when I couldn't make it up that last bugger of a hill. He stayed with me and supported me when I didn't want to go any further. I don't think I could have done nearly as well without him. He is one amazing athlete, and an even better person. I really look up to him in all aspects of his life and I love him so much.

So we continued running and suddenly there was only a little over a mile left. At around 4.5 miles we began climbing back up the hill we had recently descended. I'm not gonna lie when I say I felt no shame in walking up a good portion of that last 1.5 mile-long hill. I knew there was no way I could run up that monster, so I settled for fast walking. I guess it was good enough because once we made it to the top of the hill, we were home free. We finished in 1 hour 5 minutes. My goal for this race was 1 hour 15 minutes, so I was really happy to beat that goal. However, I'm sure that I wouldn't have made it without Dustin. He is a champion and I'm so glad I got the chance to run with him. Here we are just after finishing. It was all I could do to contort my face into a smile, while Dustin looks ready for another 10 miles or so:

So that was Part 1 of our Saturday. Part 2 involved taking the kids to a nearby children's museum where they had all sorts of fun with Grandma C. exploring and being adventurous. Parks even got to take part in a mini play and had so much fun. Here are a few of the highlights:

Parks the firefighter

Madame President Maddie

At school

Exploring with Grandma

And finally, here's Parks in his theatre debut as a pirate in "Grandma and the Pirates":

What a weekend!

A snow story

Lately, This American Life is one of my favorite free podcasts. Sometimes when I'm sick of running to music, I'll download an episode and listen to it while I run. The format goes like this: each week there is a theme. Then there are several stories based around that theme.

So for today, the theme of my life is freezing cold; stories from my life that revolve around frozen things.

Act 1: A frozen car. Poor little Cleo the Camry doesn't seem to want to start in the cold anymore. After replacing a battery, alternator, and starter, something is still on the fritz. I think Cleo just prefers warmer climates. Hawaii, California, or Florida perhaps. Most days we'll get lucky and she'll start right up. Other days, luck is not on our side and no matter how much coaxing, coddling, or pushing we do, she won't give in. I think she's sick of winter. She's also nearly 20 years old, so we could always blame the lack of starting on old age.

Act 2: Cool running: an equation. Broken treadmill + an upcoming race = running outside in the snow. Last Saturday was supposed to be my "long run" day. I have a 10K race this Saturday, so last Saturday was supposed to be a long run to get me prepared. The bad thing is, I had to run outside. The worse thing is, it was snowing outside. But because I'm stupid, I thought it would be fun to run in the snow. About a mile into the run and I realized running in the snow is not fun. Not really even a little bit. But I kept at it and finished. This is what I looked like when I came in the door. The snow and ice were sticking to me everywhere. I had to roll my pants up because they were so soaking wet, and the heat from my head had escaped out my hat and then had frozen on top of my head. After this experience I've decided that snow-running is not for me. Spring will be here soon, right?

Act 3: Frozen man. Remember a long time ago I posted about not attempting things I'm not good at? Well, I've decided snowman building is also one of those things. The kids have wanted to build a snowman all year. What that really means is they want mom to build the snowman for them. Well I'm no good at it! My snowballs always crumble or the snowman's head falls off, or I end up freezing cold. I just don't like it. But after Tuesday's snowstorm, the snow seemed like perfect snowman-building snow. So Parks and his friend E went outside to build a snowman. It turned out OK, if I do say so myself. But it will probably be the one and only snowman that is built at our house this year. Hope they enjoy it.

And now we've reached the end of our program. Tune in next week for more exciting adventures from the W household. Who knows, I may just pick up a sponsor. ;)

Race #1: Are you serious?

I'm relatively certain that whomever planned the route for yesterday's 5k must be some sort of sadist. Either that, or I have an uncanny knack for only choosing races that inflict the most pain.

Yesterday's course was uphill. ALL uphill. Logically, one would think that if a race started and ended in the same place and contained a large percentage of hills, that there would be the same percentage of downhills. That was not the case with this race. I think the ratio was closer to 80% up, 20% down.

And it's not like I wasn't warned. The first thing the megaphone guy said was, "Welcome to the 5k that feels like a 10k. No, the course hasn't gotten any easier since last year, so good luck." I needed luck to make it through that race. It was uphill from the start. And it wasn't a nice gradual sloping uphill. No, it was uphill, like you could almost reach straight out and grab the ankles of the person in front of you because the incline was so steep. Alright, I may be exaggerating, but not much.

So I made it in nearly 32 minutes. And the best part was, Mom, Dad, and Dustin were there to cheer me on. They were real troupers to stand outside in the freezing cold and wait for me to finish. It wasn't easy, but I made it. 2 more weeks until the next race. I'm thinking if there are many hills in the next one, I may just turn around and walk home.

Snowman Shuffle

I'm pretty sure our bodies aren't meant to run in freezing temperatures. I don't think they like to do it. Mine doesn't anyway. For today's Snowman Shuffle 5k the weather was actually pretty nice, but my body still didn't like it. My body also didn't like that there was a humongous hill half way through the course. I so wasn't prepared to run that, so I didn't. I walked it. At least it was an up and down hill so it took me nearly 5 minutes to go up it, and about 1 minute to get down. I finished the course in just over 32 minutes, which isn't fantastic, but it's better than I thought I'd do after 3 months of no running. I guess it's a good starting point to get ready for this summer's 180 mile relay race. Ya gotta start somewhere.

A confession

I'll admit it. I've become a little lazy. My running schedule as of late has not been very full. Actually, it's been...uh...non-existent.

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I'm pretty sure that if I don't have a race to prepare for, I'm not that diligent of a runner. I don't seem to possess that inner drive to run. I don't think I'm a runner at heart.

Actually I went out for a little jog the other day and came back with sore knees and shins and calves. I think my body isn't too enthusiastic about me pounding it to death. But I need some motivation to keep running. I think it was good for me, and for my health. And I've also signed up to do a killer relay race next June, and I need to stay in shape for that. So I'm signing up for a Snowman Shuffle. That sounds like fun. Right? I think it's pretty sneaky that they call it a cute fun little name, when really it's just a race. Out in the cold. In December! Fun fun.

Quick race report

So this morning was the half marathon that I ran with Dustin. Things went pretty OK. I finished. That was my goal. I ended up finishing around 2 hours 32 minutes. So I'm not a speed demon, but I didn't think I'd be. That's OK with me. Dustin finished the 13.1 miles in just a hair over 2 hours. He's an animal. I'm glad to be done with that one. I think I'll cut back on the mileage a little bit and work on getting a little speedier now. I'll post a more detailed report later-maybe. :)

What to do?

Saturday mornings I have a very important, very critical choice to make. Do I go for my long run, or do I go to garage sales?


I'm sad to say that garage sales have taken a back seat this year. And I'm starting to get worried. My stash of clothes for next year is not so stashy. I'm not ashamed to admit that I find most of my kids clothes at garage sales (you just can't beat getting a pair of jeans for 50 cents). But I haven't been to many garage sales this year because, among other things, I've been trying to get my long runs in.


Dang. It's such a hard decision to make. If I don't wake up and go running really early, I miss my chance because then it gets too hot and the day starts filling up with other things to do. On the other hand, if I don't get to the garage sales right when they start, I miss out on all the good stuff. What a conundrum! Seriously it keeps me up at night. Which reminds me, maybe I should head to bed. I've got to go running in the morning...or maybe hit the garage sales. Ugh!

Next up: 1/2 Marathon

Ya know what I've realized? There really aren't many competitive sports for adults. I mean there are some- look at the Olympics. But it seems like once you're done with high school or college athletics, there's not a whole lot to keep you motivated sportswise. So maybe that's one of the reasons I like running. Not so much that I miss competition, but that I get to test myself and my abilities.

Anyway, I digress. I was just thinking about this because my brother Dustin and I are going to try and run a half marathon in a few weeks. And when I say we'll be running together, what I really mean is that we'll probably start together, and then I'll see him at the finish line. He is so much faster than me. He can bust out 13 miles without even thinking about it. He is really an incredible athlete. But, just like me, since high school he hasn't really done much in the world of competitive athletics (but he still looks like he could throw a bus). Anyway, it will be fun to see him pass up the pack (no pressure, Dust).

I, on the other hand, will be lucky to finish in under 3 hours. We'll see how it goes. And I'm hoping that since I'll be running 13 miles, this race should count for 2 since I didn't participate in a race in July. Or maybe that just makes sense in my head. Anyway, the race is 3 weeks from tomorrow, so I guess I'd better get runnin'!

Go Biathlon!

What better way to start off your Saturday morning than with a biathlon? Well, that's what me and my brother Trent did today. We both ran 5 miles together and then Trent did the 16.5 mile bike. He did awesome! It was so fun to have someone to run with- especially since iPods were banned in this race. I think we kept pace together pretty well. Although I'm sure I slowed him down at times, he was gracious enough to keep running with me. I really had a great time and I'm glad I was able to finish the run. I was a bit worried since I haven't done much training with the crappy shoes and all. And I know I couldn't have gotten on a bike and done 16.5 miles after running for 5 miles. Trent is an animal.

Speaking of which, Trent will be biking the BikeMS: Best Dam Bike Tour in two weeks. He's biking to raise money to support MS Research. What a sweetie. I love him a lot for doing this, not just for me, but for others with MS as well. It really is amazing to see the kind of money these bikers raise for the National MS Society. It really makes me grateful and a little bit teary to think that all of these riders are doing this, in part, for me. If you get a minute, check out Trent's MS Race website here to track his progress or to make a donation.

Anyway, it was a great day today. Thanks Trent for the biathlon! We'll have to do it again next year. And here are a few pictures of the race:

Here's T coming into the finish line on his bike.

Finished!

And here we are: team 756. We are the ultimate biathloners!

Running Tag

First of all, I really need to put a disclaimer on this post. I really am not a runner- I just pretend to be one. Especially lately with the whole shoe business. I got some of those shoe inserts that you put in the oven, then put in your shoes, then they mold to your foot. Yeah, they didn't really work. Well, they did, but they don't go to the edge of my shoe, so the outside of my foot feels like it's clinging onto the edge of my insert for dear life. Anyway, maybe one day I'll get real running shoes and one day I'll become a real runner. Until then, thanks for the tag Meemer. Here we go:

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago? About this time 10 years ago, I started running up hills near USU to try and get in shape. I was walking onto the gymnastics team and figured it would be a good idea to at least be able to run down the vault runway. Even after a few months running, I was in sorry shape after that first week of training at the gym. Those gymnasts are maniacs. After that week, my running career ended. I'm a wimp.

2. What is your best and worst run/race experience? I guess my first ever 5k was both my best and worst experience. It was the best because I actually proved to myself that I could run 3 miles. It was a milestone for me. It was the worst because I pretty much finished last. Not much of a self-esteem booster.

3. Why do you run? A few reasons. To get in shape. To try and prevent MS from getting the best of me. And to actually feel like I'm accomplishing something. It's also a nice excuse to get out of the house every once in awhile.

4. What is the best or worst piece of advice you've been given about running? The best: to take it slow. It's hard for me to take it easy and not push myself too hard or too fast.

5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.
Um. Er. I really can't think of anything. If I do, I'll come back to this.

I tag:
The Mouse
Annie
T

5K- take 2

I decided my goal in this whole running thing is to run at least one 5k a month. Due to other things planned for the rest of May, this was the only Saturday that would work this month. So I ran the Health Days 5k this morning, before jetting it to a Primary Activity. I made Aaron and the kids stay home because I didn't want to drag them out of bed to be there by 6:30 in the morning. So I don't have any pictures of this little ditty.

I didn't realize that each little race has its own name. My know-it-all brother asked me what the name of my race was. I responded, "Uh...5k race?" He just laughed. Apparently they all have cute names. So the last 5k I ran was the Panda Family Fun Run. There were no pandas, and I didn't have a whole lot of fun, so I don't know where that name came from. So, now that I'm a "seasoned" (ha ha) runner, I know that each race has its own name. So today's race was the Health Days 5k. Hooray.

This race had 100 or so participants so I didn't finish last. Woo-hoo! Is it bad that I was cheering for all the slow people? I wasn't really cheering to be supportive, I was cheering because they were slower than me. I know, I know, that really is bad. To my credit, I did come back down the race route to cheer on those who came in after me (not that there were very many that came in after me). At least that makes me feel better, a little bit.

And have I mentioned before that I don't like running outside? Well, I don't. It's hard. I prefer the treadmill, thankyouverymuch. I'm a wimp. This race course ran up a canyon and then back down. So the up part was h-a-r-d! The down part, not so hard.

My goal for this race was to not stop running. And if it weren't for a shoelace that came untied, I could have met that goal. But besides the shoe-tying incident, I ran the whole 3.1 miles. I finished about 1 minute faster than the last race, so there's some progress. I can't complain. I'm kind of liking this race thing. Now, if only they had treadmill races...

My first ever 5k

I just ran my first 5K this past Saturday. This was a bit of a milestone for me because I have a love-hate relationship with running. As in, I love not running and I hate to run. Haaaaaaaate it. I swear my body is just not made for it.

I was on the track team in Jr. High (go Mustangs!) and I was a sprinter. I did pretty well in the 100 and 200 meter sprints. I think I may have even won a few. But I remember one time the track coach had me fill in for the 400 meter. I literally couldn't make it. I'm sure I finished, but I think I was well behind the pack. I remember seeing stars and feeling like my lungs were going to explode. I just don't do long distances.

But, over the last couple of months, I've had several things motivate me to try running again:

1. My neurologist told me I need to be exercising every day to reduce the risk of more MS relapses. It's not like this was news to me, but I needed more motivation to kick me into gear. So,

2. I have some friends who are running the Wasatch Back Relay in June. They are amazing! I think what motivated me the most is that there are several girls running the race who have very little running experience. Just like me. I figured if they can do it, so can I. Also,

3. I really need to get in better shape. And,

4. I like the fact that I can set attainable goals and reach them. It is empowering to do something for myself and feel like I'm actually succeeding.

So, about a month and a half ago I found a treadmill in the classifieds. Go, fight, win! So I start running. Well, I guess fast-walking would be more accurate. It took me a couple of weeks to actually feel like I could run more than 1 minute without dying. Honestly, I'm in bad shape. But I kept at it.

So, fast forward to today. I thought that since I've been running for nearly 2 months now, I can bust out a 5k. No problem. I have been running 3-4 mile stretches at home on the treadmill, I can handle it.

I'm sure I screamed "novice" as I arrived at the race. I'd never worn a timing chip before or even knew what to do with it. I was worried that if my pants covered it up it wouldn't work. The guy kinda laughed at me when I asked him if I had to turn it on. So I'm a beginner. I'm OK with that.

I had set a goal in my mind for how fast I wanted to run. It wasn't a very lofty goal, but one I felt I could reach. Baby steps, right? So the race starts and it quickly becomes apparent that the others in the 5k group have run more than one race. My self-esteem starts plummeting when I get passed by a 10-year-old (I'm not kidding), then a gimpy girl (no offense, she was literally hobbling along), then a woman pushing her baby in a jogging stroller. Seriously? All these people are going much faster than me. So my goal has now changed from a set time to "finish the race". I figured I probably wouldn't make my time, so I just wanted to finish...hopefully in front of gimpy or 10-year-old.

As I'm running, I remember how much I don't like running. I don't like huffing and puffing and feeling like I have to spit at every corner. Not fun. I don't like feeling like my lungs are on fire. I don't like freezing to death while I'm running. I don't like running up hills. I don't like running outside. I don't really like running. Remember the love-hate thing?

But I keep running. I'm thinking, "Just keep running, just keep running" in a Dory-like fashion. The depressing part is when I turned around there was no one behind me. NO ONE. Then, even more depressing, the police escort is following right behind me. It's like he's waiting for me to hurry up and run so he can open the road back up. At this point I just want to stop. I keep willing the lady with the jogging stroller to get a flat tire or something so I can at least beat her.

But I keep running, and pretty soon I realize I'm more than half-way done. I'm still in last place, but I'm still running. The course starts heading downhill and now I'm really running. I am so cool. I'm such a good runner. I love running. It's so great. I should do this every day. Woo-hoo! Why didn't I pick up running a long time ago? I was a fool not to realize how great running is. Then the finish line is in sight. Hooray! I made it! Of course no one notices (except for Aaron and the kids) because they have long since finished and are now mingling around waiting for their times to be posted. But I finished. And I actually finished about 12 minutes faster than my goal. I really don't know how that happened, but it did. And, I finished about a minute in front of jogging-stroller lady! Go me.

So in the end, I realize I still don't love running- but I don't hate it either. I think I'll keep at it. I may just run another race next month.

This is me coming into the finish line. Suprisingly, no one else is around. Hmmmm.

Our Saturday: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Today was an eventful day. First of all it was Parks' 4th Birthday! I can't believe he's already 4. Time really does fly by. The whole day was jam-packed with stuff: some good, some not so good. Here's how it went:


8 a.m. I ran my first race- a 5k.
The good: I ran a lot faster than my goal time. Woo-hoo!

The bad: I was too lazy to go get my raffle ticket from the car afterward and missed out on a $50 gift card (they totally called my number!)

The ugly: Me after finishing my race. Not a pretty sight.

10 a.m. Adventures in swing set building continue.
The good: We are now on Phase 17 out of 27. Progress!

The bad: Aaron got 2 nasty cuts which are now infected.

The ugly: The children got little to no attention which made them very unbearable to be around. The building process ended very abruptly.



12 p.m. We go to Discovery Gateway for Parks' birthday.
The good: The kids loved it. There was so much to explore and learn. It really was great. We'd never been there before and it was so fun.

The bad: It was SOOOO crowded and Parks couldn't understand why he had to wait for turns. He became very whiny. Maddie just took things away from other kids. I think she's a bit of a bully. And Aaron wasn't feeling well, so he had a hard time with all the commotion.

The ugly: We totally backed into a wall in the parking garage while leaving. It made a nice dent in our bumper. And this just so happens to be the bumper we had JUST replaced last month after another rear-end experience. Ugh.

8 p.m. Arrive home and celebrate.

The good: Parks loved having a day all about him. He loved the presents and treats and being treated special. He is such a good kid and we love him so much.

The bad: The kids were so tired after a long day, so at this point they really started to melt down.

The ugly: Kids were put to bed without bedtime stories or prayers. They screamed themselves to sleep.


It has been a loooooong day. But a good one (for the most part). Hopefully next weekend will be a little less eventful. Aw well, it was fun. Happy Birthday Parks!