Mt. Nebo Half Marathon 09.05.15

I have officially come to the end of my running season for the year.  I was bummed that I'm unable to run my last couple of races, due to my own poor planning, but I guess if I had to end my season I couldn't have picked a better race to end it on (running race anyway... I would have loved to have finished with USTC this weekend).  Besides being mentally exhausted from March, I almost considered not even running this race.  But I figured I'd give it one last push.

I got up at 2:45am on Saturday morning... bright and... oh wait... I mean, pitch black.  I had laid all my stuff out the night before so I could be ready to go in the morning.  Much thanks to my friend and running family member, Soren, for picking up my packet for me, and even hooking me up with some dinner so I didn't have to cook!  I donned my gear, got in the car, and headed down to Payson.

As I was heading over to the buses, I ran into Jess!  I'm surprised she spotted me, because it was really dark, and I was still half asleep!

I got in line for the bus and ran into my friend Karrie!  Then found that Joshua, Cevan, London, Jonathan, Suzette, and lots of other friends were on the same shuttle up the canyon.  When we got to the top, I made sure to hit the bathrooms, then I huddled around the fire and tried to sleep (standing up).  I wished I had been a flamingo at that point, because it was rather difficult.  I wanted to join my friends, but I knew I wouldn't get any rest.  But my good friend, Brook, happened to find me, as I was sleeping.  I love Brook!  She's just awesome.  I'm sure I've mentioned that before, but she always puts a big smile on my face!  I hope to be as cool as her when I grow up!

 

with Brook and Camille

and I found the Naked Canadian, Robert! :)

As the sunlight drove away the darkness, we were left with a lot of people in clear view of the half marathon start.

I also saw this guy this morning, and his shirt's message is just what I needed!

And... I couldn't forget why I was running this race... I was running it in honor of our friend, Meridith!

Did I mention it was cold?  I was excited to get started so I wouldn't be freezing anymore!  The timers were a little late, so we got started about 20 minutes after the start time (7:20am).  I had to say hi to my friend Cevan, my pacer (for awhile) at the Dino Half in May.

And off we went.  I wasn't expecting anything... I was exhausted and my stomach had been hurting, so I was just there to finish and get my medal.

As we headed off, I got to see Dulcinea, Camille, and Joshua.  Joshua and I kept tagging back and forth for a bit, as we both felt we started off a bit too fast (a problem I tend to have).  I kept a pretty steady pace for quite some time.  I thought I needed to stop for a bathroom break, but an image of my high school field hockey coaches popped in my mind, and it made me keep running (even when our bladders were somewhat full during hockey tryouts, we had to run through it on endurance days... those 3-6 miles were brutal)!
 

The canyon was beautiful, and it was nice and cool.  I felt great!  I'm surprised my stomach issues were holding out.  I just kept trudging along.  When I started to feel hunger pangs, I ate my Honey Stinger.  I tried not to go too fast, because I didn't want to burn out my legs like I did at TIMP.  Most of the run was a steady downhill.  I didn't feel tired, which was surprising to me! I caught up with Joshua again for just a few moments.  It's interesting that I can now identify him by his cadence!  Imagine that!

 Around mile 9, I started to feel the "Charlie Horse Bubbles," as I like to call them.  They're the bubbles you start to feel before your calves cramp and go into a full Charlie Horse.  When I start to feel those coming, I start walking a bit, so as to prevent a full Charlie Horse.  I ran into some Run4Fun ladies who thought I was the 2:30 pacer.  That was a good sign, I thought!  Not too much longer after, Marisa, the 2:30 pacer passed me.  She said they were a little ahead, so we had time to catch up and pass them.  I hung back, but stayed as close to her as possible.  I kept pushing, and kept asking myself how bad I wanted this?  I didn't expect a personal record (PR) this race at all, but it looked like it just might happen if I pushed just a little more!

Before I knew it, I was heading towards the track at Payson High School!  My calves and Achilles Tendon started to bubble, but I kept pushing.  The runners around me kept encouraging me too!  I was excited to reach the track, but not excited that we had to take the long way around!  That's okay... I was almost done.  As I rounded the last 100m stretch, I booked it.  I wanted to try and beat the 2:30 mark, but just barely missed it.  But that's okay... I was happy with my time!  2:30 baby!  Fastest Half Marathon time yet! 

I was so happy to see Ruthie and Royce at the finish line, handing out medals!

John, Ezra's best friend, was at the finish line congratulating me!  He was there to wait for his wife, Jess (whom I posted of earlier), finish her full marathon.

It was fun running into Elvia, too!  Elvia is another member of my running family (the Run Aways, which have been an integral part of my running season these past couple of years), who told me she PR'ed as well!  So awesome!  Congrats Elvia!

Because I had run 2 other Runtastic Events this year, I "Trilogized" and received my Triology Medal!  What an awesome way to end my racing season for the year!  I ended up knocking a total of 21 minutes off my half marathon time!

So, that's a wrap for my running season this year!  I'll still run 5ks here and there, but nothing longer this year.  It's time to focus on school again... A big thank you goes out to my Run Aways Family, Salt Lake Tri Club, Orange Theory Fitness, and all of you who have encouraged me to get here!  Love you lots!  

Who Knew I'd LOVE To Practice YOGA!?

Can I just tell you how much I enjoy... no, no... LOVE Yoga?  It is so much fun!  It all started when my friend, Elvia, invited me to join in on an Instagram Yoga challenge back in November of last year.  Elvia is part of my running family (The Run Aways), and she's just a spunky, amazing woman!  She kept inviting to me to previous challenges, which I resisted of course, but finally gave in to the short yoga challenge right around Thanksgiving.

It started out with just the challenges.  I'd usually do my poses out on trail runs (before, during, or after).  I noticed how much better I felt!  So I kept participating.  One challenge a month turned into four or five!  And then I'd see fun poses that I'd want to try, so I tried them!  And then... well, let's just say I turned into a monster!  A good monster, of course.  A fun, yoga monster!  [Disclaimer: I still enjoy running, triathlon, hiking, and other activities just as much]  I love how it's not so hard on my body like a lot of the other activities I participate in.  I do love Pilates too, but I'm having a hard time committing to a studio at the moment, especially after my fun class at SLCC with my teacher, Kim!

Anyway... I've enjoyed yoga so much I decided to try Anti-Gravity Yoga and even Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) Yoga!  Am I obsessed?  I might be... just a tad!  But I love it! And I'm going to keep "Yoga-ing" as my friend, Jenny, put it!

I love to see my progress, and I love seeing how it's enhanced my performance in running/triathlon.  I love the way it's transformed my thinking and my soul!  I love all my Yogi friends I have on Instagram and how supportive they are!  They inspire me!  And I love getting friends to join me too!

TIMP (Timpanogos) Half Marathon 08.01.15 #Run4Dith

This past Saturday, I ran the Timpanogos half marathon in American Fork Canyon.  Many in my running family decided to dedicate our runs (or whatever activity we were participating in that day) to our friend, Meridith, who was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer.  We even planned a big movement to #Run4Dith!


It was a very early morning start for many of us, especially those traveling from the northern counties in Utah.  I was up at 2am.  Ugh.  Joshua picked me up at 3:15am, and we headed down to American Fork High School, where we picked up our packets and got on the shuttles that brought us up the canyon.

After picking up my bib, I got in line with Joshua and Camille.  I sat by a lady on the bus, and we chatted about how we got into running and why we still run today.  It's really neat hearing others' stories about how running has changed their lives.  This particular lady started around the same time I first got into running/triathlon - 2007.

At the drop off point in the canyon, I realized what a big mistake I had made leaving my windbreaker in Joshua's car.  It was freezing (it was a lot warmer down in the valley).  Camille came to our rescue with all the warm gear!  Thanks, Camille!  They had a mass group doing yoga to warm up.  We found more of our running family.  Of course we gave Meridith hugs and took lots of pre-race pictures... by the way... we all decided to get decked out in pink for Meridith... and all those who have survived and/or are fighting breast cancer.

Joshua revealed how he was supporting Meridith in her journey... with a pink sports bra!She loved it!  We all loved it... we couldn't stop laughing!  Joshua is such a great guy!  He's always looking for ways to support and uplift others... and he's gone through his own struggles of weight loss, which has inspired so many others, including myself!


After all our pictures, we heard the national anthem, and then got ready to get our race started.  People got their last minute potty stops in and then got lined up at the starting line.  The moon was gorgeous above the mountains.  I found Marisa.  The gun went off, and we all headed down the canyon.

What a beautiful morning!  It was nice and crisp... and now, since we were moving, it wasn't cold anymore.  I had no expectations for my time and performance today, as I had been fighting a cold since last week.  I decided to just enjoy my time and the beauty of a new course.  I will admit that I hate looking at the course beforehand, because I don't want to psych myself out.

About 2 miles into the race, I realized that I had to stop for a bathroom break.  Not ideal, but I decided to just go ahead and go now, while it was still early in the race.

It took a lot longer than I had hoped it would take, but that's okay.  I kept going.  Instead of getting extremely hot, like I was expecting, we were blessed with a gentle breeze as we ran.  I loved the beauty of the mountains.  And I was brought tranquility with the flowing river that ran beside the road.  I was in heaven!

This course was a bit steeper than Emigration Canyon felt, so by the time I got out of the canyon, my legs felt pretty tight and achy.  I decided I'd walk a bit to let them rest for awhile.  I ran into an older lady, who was killing me with her power walk!  She was my inspiration.  We ran on a paved trail and through some neighborhoods for the last half of the race.  Around miles 10 and 11, I was sure that I was lost.  There were cones, but nobody around.  I figured I'd walk here too, just in case I was going the wrong way.  But I kept pressing on and finally ran into some walkers!  Yay!  My instincts were right!  Around mile 11.5 I reached the last aid station.  I really dug deep and told myself I needed to give it all I had, and just finish!  I thought about some happy moments in my life, and I thought about Meridith in her journey.  And that gave me the strength I needed to get myself moving again.

I found as I was running, that I was passing people that had passed me around mile 8.  That little break I took to walk really did me some good, I think! And maybe the salted watermelon Gu too!  I even caught up with a power walker, who at the end, would not let me come in after him!  He pushed me to finish before him!  What an awesome guy!  I'm not sure if it was just me, but I felt like the race was a tad longer than 13.1.  But it didn't matter!  When I finished, I was greeted by my good friend, Shelley!  Shelley's amazing!  She's part of my running family, as well as my yogi friend!  She was all decked out in pink too, but came to cheer on the sidelines for our friend Meridith!  And... I got to meet Jenny, too!  A fellow Instagram Yogi Hostess who I follow, and who I am in absolute awe of!  She's pretty amazing as well! And I have been wanting to meet her for quite some time now!  It was so fun to see a sea of pink there to support Meridith!

When you bring a bunch of yogis together, you can't expect them not to get together for a few poses!  So that's what we did... we posed together with Meridith... to support her before her next big marathon... cancer treatment.  She is such a warrior, and we love her so much!  We wish her all the best and a speedy recovery!

Deseret New Classic Half Marathon 07.24.15

Happy Pioneer Day, folks!  And you know what that means!  The Deseret News Classic Half Marathon!  I decided to run it again this year!  And I'm so glad I did!

We all started with a really, really, really early wake-up call!  Shuttles left from Rice Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah between 4:15 and 4:45 AM.  We then got shuttled up to Emigration Canyon where we waited until the half marathon start at 6AM.  It was dark and chilly this year, compared to the very warm start last year.  Buses moved along more smoothly than last too!

I ran into one of my favorite running gal pals, Brook!  She's one of my absolute favorites from my Run Aways family.  I totally love her because she saved me from quitting my triathlon career, after a really horrible race I had last year.  She's also a triathlete, and a pretty kick butt soccer player!  She's amazing!  And she always makes my day when I run into her on the race course, whether running or volunteering!  Today she was pacing the 2:30 runners, and she wanted me to run with her.  I totally would have tried to, if my tummy wasn't acting up today.  Not a good way to start, but I'm glad I started off with great friends!

As the gun went off, I decided to take my time.  Last year I started way too quickly, and fried my legs before I hit mile 9.  Today, I stayed at a nice easy pace on the descent.  It was nice to see my favorite apartment buildings at the mouth of the canyon, which I usually see on my bike rides, indicating I'm almost back to my car.  Last year, around the 7 mile mark, my legs started to ache already.  But not this time!  I was feeling pretty good!  I was pacing a few groups along the way... that kept me going at a consistent pace throughout.

I noticed, when I approached the 9 mile mark, that the brutal hills weren't so brutal this time.  Trail running, strength training, yoga, pilates, and my Orange Theory Fitness classes have really helped make me a stronger athlete, altogether.

At mile 10, I looked at my watch and realized that I was making some good time!

I finally reached 200 E, where we turned to head south onto the Pioneer Day parade route.  Lots of people lined the streets, awaiting the parade, and cheering us on as we ran.  It actually felt good!

We turned left onto 900 S and headed toward 700 E.  I could see the finish line... and a Charlie Horse was looming in my right calf.  I took my time.  There was a lady, Andrea, whom I had been playing leap frog with along the way.  We decided to stick together for the last stretch.  I ran into Brother Sosa around 500 E (right near Liberty Park).


When I got to 600 E, I sprinted in to the finish line!  I was so excited to be in one piece, and feeling good (one of my goals in a Mental Prep class I had taken at Wasatch Running last year).

And the coolest part?  I set a new PR for myself!  I beat my time from last year by 8 minutes!  That's pretty huge!  I came in at 2:42.  I haven't really been able to really break 2:50 for awhile...

I thought that maybe I could make it in within the 2:30s, but my tummy and my calf weren't having it today.  That's okay... I'll take 2:42.  I couldn't be more happy with my time!

with Andrea, my new race running friend

The Inaugural Bugout Run 07.18.15

A couple of friends from my running group, Jorge and Joshua, are starting up a new running series called The Bugout Run Series.  It combines running/hiking with emergency preparedness.  Has emergency preparedness seemed boring and low on your priority list?  This will get you really excited about it!  After you register, they don't send you all the details right away... they send you the details of the "undisclosed location" and a scenario (to prepare your bugout bag) 48-72 hours prior to the scheduled event.

They then invite professionals to teach you survival skills after check-in and bag assessment.  Pay attention, as you may need to use these skills later during the run!

This run took place on the trails of Bountiful, up by the "B."

We met with the owners of MinuteManRX and PrepperCon who assessed our bags and taught us an important skill of stopping bleeding.  We then took our 72 hour kits, bugout bags, whatever you want to call them, and headed 1.5 miles up the trail.  We then had a surprise element of physical activity where were to complete 30/30/30 of jump out to planks, V jumps, and mountain climbers, followed by 10 tire burpees.  This was to simulate"an attack by an assailant.       

I was the first "victim."  Oh... and did I mentioned these exercises were timed?  Yeah... I was huffin' and puffin'!  Mind you, this was all done after that 1.5 hike up the hill with at least 25 lbs on my back!


After we completed those exercises, our heart rate was pretty high and we were all physically taxed...

Got shot in the arm (orange sticker)

and then sent over to a station where we were put in a mock "shooting."  With this shot wound in our arm, we had 2-3 minutes to stop the bleeding and save ourselves.  We had to determine if there was anything in our 72 hour kits that would stop the bleeding.  They made us think after we were physically taxed, which was a little hard since your heart is beating so fast.  This is exactly what they were trying to teach us... being prepared in an emergency situation, when adrenaline and heart rate is usually through the roof.

We all passed the test!  And we learned how to use regular items as tourniquets... just in case!

After that scenario, we all hiked 1.5 more miles up the mountain before turning around and coming back.  I must say that the view was gorgeous... and worth the effort!

I totally loved it!  What an excellent idea!  I can't wait for the next one on August 8th!  Don't forget to sign up... it's free!

 Be there or be ... UNPREPARED!

The Bubble Run SLC 07.11.15

Bubbles, Bubbles everywhere!  Well... I was supposed to run the Echo Sprint Triathlon today, but due to all the craziness going on with our 4Runner (the tri vehicle), I wasn't able to participate at Echo.  So, Jessica invited me to run the Bubble Run at the Utah Fairgrounds in Salt Lake. 

The Bubble Run was much like the Color Run, but with bubbles! Lots and lots of bubbles!

I loved the environment and excitement everyone was feeling as they participated in the event.  It was open for all levels!

Because who doesn't love bubbles, right?  Each station blew bubbles that you'd run through!

We did reach a bottleneck along the course, which allowed my friends, Chrissy and Kevin, to pick me out of a huge crowd.  What's funny is... we never plan out events, but they always happen to find me randomly!  And... they had relocated to Nevada recently, so I wasn't expecting them here!

John and Jessica were the friends who invited me to the run...

I ran into Brother Sosa, and Brother Lee from my ward, but didn't get a picture with them.  I did have a lot of fun running through the bubbles and running with and into friends!  I'd totally do that again!