This week I took the girls down to Salt Lake to party with family. We had so much fun! We were able to visit the new Oquirrh Temple, play at some AMAZING parks, and spend the weekend up in Oakley at my aunt's cabin. It was really fun to spend time with the Saxey girls. We played games, danced, colored, went on nature scavenger hunts, ate LOTS of yummy food and took rides on the Ranger, definitely the favorite of the week. It was so relaxing.

And even with all the partying I found time to log 60 MILES this week (one of the busiest running weeks yet) and go visit my favorite store, Wasatch Running where I was able to get some great new shoes, and some even BETTER training advice. That place is like Disneyland for me. hahaa

Thanks to everyone for making it such a fun week for us. We'll have to do it again.

142, 125, 178....

These numbers seem to become MORE and MORE important in my workouts lately. I've been faithfully trying to stick to more of a heartrate based training and so far, I am more confused than ever. Not that this will interest MOST of you reading this but I still have to vent. This is just so overwhelming.

For example, a run will state... Long Aerobic Run 65 min. This means, according to Ryan Hall..hehehe, that my heart rate should be about70% of my MAX. That for me is around 130. Somedays that means that I run 8 min miles, however today, it meant I run 10 MIN MILES at best!
Example number two. Tempo runs should be intense. like 85-90% of your MAX. Hard stuff. For me that's the high 160's. Last week it took me running at almost 10miles an hour to hit that and today I was hitting it at only 8 miles an hour. Hello? So I have two questions in my mind...

1. Am I not improving?
2. Did I work so hard on previous workouts my recovery hasn't be adequate?
Then today, spending the afternoon at Wasatch Running in Sandy,UT I talked to an experienced runner and coach who said he checks his heartrate the night before a big run and if it isn't REALLY low, then he postpones his hard workouts another day. Wow. That kind of makes sense huh? HE says heartrate is the ultimate training tool...

So, with that said. I guess I will keep trying to figure it out, though I am such a novice with this stuff...

So if any of you want to shed some light on this complex training method feel free.:)

Bored yet? hahaha

Dave is Deserving

In remembering Father's Day I want to say that Dave deserves a day like that once a month. And, might I add, being the supporting person he is, he spent 3 HOURS Sunday afternoon following me in the car on a 20 mile run out in Bone so I would be safe and have water. Through thunderstorms and POURING rain he waited for me to finish. Who does that stuff?? He's incredible.

The girls and I made him french toast for breakfast and bought him something he's been eyeing up for a while now... A Red Marmmot Ski Jacket at Idaho Mtn. Trading. He was so excited. He really is so simple.

Dave, we love you. The girls and I spent some time today listing your best qualities. Here were the favorites....

Ava said you work hard and get her fruit snacks.... haha
Sadee said your handsome and are nicer than momma...she's probably right
I say you are appreciated so much for all you do to support our family, and more so, me as your wife.

Happy Father's day

Like Mother like Daughter

Scenic Falls Saturday ended up being quite the event. I ended up signing up the girls to run the kids mile and believe or not, because I hardly could, Ava ran the ENTIRE time with no walking! Go Ava! Sadee is a natural of course and was way up ahead of us kicking butt with her friend Bryley... It was so fun to watch them run with their actually race numbers. It hadn't been more than 10 minutes after they finished when they both said they wanted to run again... SUCCESS!!

Here is their cute pic right before the race.



Watching the girls was the HIGHLIGHT of the race for me but I'd be lying if I didn't say I was excited about my OWN performance. I was disspointed I didn't AGAIN break 40 minutes but I DID WIN!! I won the the 10k and beat out Mara Briggs (way fast runner), and Katie Murry (SUPER fast cross-country girl). My husband says I should just face the facts that I, Kari, am FAST too. Faster, but seriously, I still feel like the runner who idolizes all these other amazing runners. I think I just set SUCH a high expectation for myself that I can't appreciate the victory I had today. It was a great win... and I even won MONEY!!! Check it out



I LOVED seeing and getting to talk with so many of the GREAT people I've met this year running. I know there is great people everywhere but seriously, runners are such cool people. Getting asked to run with Jeff Shadley, the LEGEND of running, who was lightening fast in Boston, come on, that is AMAZING!!! And meeting people like this...

Lynette Kunz. Mother of 8, athletic director, GORGEOUS, amazing runner, and about the warmest and most supportive person you'll meet.



But I had to smile when Sadee took this picture of me right before a run this week. I could almost pull off a real runner... check it out. I am NO Kara Goucher but hey, it's looking a little closer right? hahaha




I learned a lot from that race. I guess I learn a lot from all of them. It was a great day. And we even got to spend the afternoon up in Palisades touring a cabin that was SO nice it would take me pages to describe. A Chateu really. Check out the view..pictures do NO justice. It was gorgeous up there.



Then a barbeque with Dave's work and ya, that pretty much wraps up a Saturday for us. But tomorrow is Father's Day so the party keeps going.. :)

Not for Halloween

Nope, that is real blood. As request of my sister I am posting these. I had a bloody nose this weekend for almost 24 hours after taking TOO much IBprofen and antibiotics. And because my blood was SO thin it would ooze up into my eyes.

The best part was going into Sam's Club and right after sneezing and having my eyes fill with blood the sample lady gasped and said<

"I think you are hemorraging in your brain!"

Sweet lady I know, but I seriously had to try really hard not to laugh.

It did stop though...thankfully. hahaa

Road Trip

Dave and I decided to take the girls up to Jackson and Jenny's Lake this weekend to hike. I think MY expectation was probably a little higher than his on what the girls could do but nonetheless we gave it a shot.

After finding out it would cost us $25 to walk the kids around the lake we bagged the lake idea and ended up taking some short trails near the visitor center.

The picnic lunch, which took place in the car really due to bees, and the Teton Forest Museum were probably the highlights of the trip but it was worth all that driving just to see those mountains up close!! WOW! The Grand Teton is really a sight to see. It looked so majestic up there.

I think if I was REALLY rich Jackson might be on the top of my list for great places to live. :)

I RAN THE DAM RACE

Someone must love me because I woke-up this morning and besides having chronic bloody noses, I felt SO MUCH BETTER! I felt excited to run, rested, and suprisingly not near as sick. Besides those AMAZING shots of antibiotics I was really able to focus in my mental game last night, which always, always helps.

I got to ride up to Rexburg with Lynette Kunz, one of my running icons. I actually jogged 2 miles BEFORE racing as a warm-up with her, something I've never done. I'll have to play around with whether that helped or hindered me today... not real sure since that was the first time doing that. We loaded up on carbs, stretched, and gave each other our last "YOUR AWESOME" speeches and we were off.

I felt good starting out. I kept a pretty steady 6:40 pace for the first 6 miles, right alongside my competition. A tall skinny as a bean girl with effortless running. Great I thought, she's going to make this already HARD course even harder.

Which she did.

When the 4 mile dreaded climb came I was lucky to keep my miles under 7:30 and of course, got left behind by skinny girl. But, in my mind I thought... I am lucky to be running today. I am so happy to running today. I can't let her being ahead of me ruin my mental strength on these hills. Just saying that to myself freed my mind so much!!! I steadily climbed those hills and though VERY drained at the top, I recouped some energy taking my gu and felt really strong that last 3 miles.

I ran THOSE miles in all under a 6 minute pace.

But, even with a 5:04 on that last mile headed downhill to the park, it wasn't enough to catch Mrs. Speedy who beat me by a little less than 2 min. My final time was 1:32:21.

The awesome news is I BROKE THE COURSE RECORD!!! So cool huh? We both did I guess. So it wasn't my fastest time, but considering the course and being sick I was really proud of my finish. I'd never broken a course record before...that was almost better than a win!

Here is me with my Dam Metal and my Dam Award... haha. It's just TOO fun to say... I also got some free pilates sessons at some studio.

AND this awesome shirt.


It was probably the most perfect weather I have ever ran in. 60 degrees and overcast. Amazing really, with a slight drizzle at the end. Perfect.

As I was driving home I was laughing at the irony of my race number.


I told myself back in April I would be a runner who consistently ran 1/2s under 90 minutes. I guess that was a little, ok BIG reminder I still should..

I would definitely run this one again. :)

I had it coming I guess

When you avoid the dr. because you think you can mentally out smart what do you get?

A nasty, nasty, case of STREP THROAT... the day before a big race.

Yep, that's what I've had all along. So much for sinus infection. Never had one. Which means I should have been to the dr. days ago. Stupid me.

But the dr. there was EXTREMELY nice and being an athlete herself she hooked me up with a shot of antibiotics and oral medicine as well. I will be having ANOTHER shot here in a couple hours to insure those anitbiotics are CRAZILY ATTACKING my throat.

Though no difference so far. I feel just as lousy. In fact, this is the first time since the dr. I've sat up and done something. The Grider kids, thankfully, are helping entertain Sadee and Ava but I regret to admit they ate Cheetoes and candy for lunch. Oh well.

I am praying with everything I got that tomorrow morning I will feel 10X better and be SOMEWHAT ready to run 13 miles. Competitively? Well that's another story. That expectation kicked the bucket early this morning. I'll be happy to finish.

Running's Free Right???

Wrong.

I get the question quite often, "Is it expensive to run?" I struggle to answer it because everyone's journey as a runner is so personal. However, THIS WEEK, a RACE WEEK, sabotaged by sinus infections and sore muscles, has made me think, YES, running can be very expensive. Especially if you have a dream you refuse to give up on.

Sinus infection the WEEK of a race costs ya...I've spent 60 dollars on this,

a neti with silver solution for immunity PLUS ALJ, a respitory aid. I'm really trying to NOT use doctors lately so this was the alternative. I did however breakdown and use IBprofen and tylenol for the fever which WOULD NOT go away.

In my walking class on Monday I taught speed walking. BIG MISTAKE. My shins and calves were unbelievably sore. So sore I worried I'd be too sore on Saturday and spent $60 on a massage last night at Apple to strip those muscles.


Add into that running shoes at around $90 a pop every 400 miles or so.

Custom orthodics for my ridiculously high arches + physical therapy for the damage that occured prior to them.



Gear and clothes

My best friend... the Garmin 301. $185 on ebay (a steal really)

Running resources and books(which includes my fav, Running Within)

Music.. who can run without AC/DC??


Fuel..my favorites are the Roctane Orange Vanilla and Blackcherry shot bloks
Race Fees... anywhere from $10 to $75 dollars for St. George this year.

NOW you get the idea of how much goes into a sport most people think is free. haha
Obviously I think it is all SO worth it. Every one of those things makes MY journey as a runner that much more worthwhile.

I only have two miles to run today for training. Now if I can overcome this darn sinus infection, and keep stretching my ITband which has been aggravated from hill training, I think I might be able to run this weekend's race, The Teton Dam 1/2 Marathon pretty well. I've certainly done the training. BUT... I have to admit it is VERY intimidating course being so hilly. Well see how it goes I guess.

And regardless I always say by this point...

Kari- All the work is over. Now rest, relax and enjoy the ride.

Let's hope after this week it is a good one.

CRAZY KIDS

Yep, he's in his forties and I in my twenties but I'm telling you,we are just crazy kids who have more fun teaching PE than ANYONE IN THE WORLD!

I know I say this often... but....

I LOVE MY JOB!!

Curly girls with STRAIGHT hair?

I promised Sadee I would get your opinion. So here they are... Sadee and Ava with straight hair.

I think I will always be partial to the curls but the straight WAS kind of fun for a change.


What do you think?

Sadee


Ava


Both

What a way to start

So as most of you know, I have a race EVERY weekend in the month June. My family thinks I am obsessed but I say that is just the word lazy (sorry guys, I still love ya) people use for DEDICATION. hahaha Come on, you know it's true.

Anyways, today was just a local 5K but nonetheless, I took first overall, even beat the men, which I say ROCKS!! It wasn't a super competitive race but still felt great to be the first one across the line.

What a way to start the month eh?

Here's some quick pics of me reaching the finishline




Next weekend is the Teton Dam 1/2 Marathon. I'm hoping it will goes as well as this one did.

Ava makes me laugh

Ava is quite the little girl. She is not nearly as UP IN YOUR FACE as her darling sister so most people overlook her. And she isn't one to compete for attention so only when you really get-to-know her you see what a character she really is...

She can pretty much make any face you ask her to on a moment's notice.

Here is her grumpy face....


And here is her super happy face....

I NEVER follow the norm

And I mean that. When everyone wants sun, I'm enjoying the rain. When everyone is crying in a movie I am wondering what is so emotional. When everyone is happy the week is over, I am sad it's the weekend.

This is true.

So now it is summer and everyone is super happy and.... I'm still adjusting. I am used to, as are my girls, to being VERY busy. I function well on busy mornings and busy nights. In fact I will go as far as to say I am sad not to be in the gym teaching those cute 8th graders. My mom says I have become somewhat out-of-control. She recommends I slow WAY down and smell the flowers, watch Sadee play t-ball and teach Ava to ride a bike.

Which of course I still will but I'm being honest... I liked our schedule last week.

So think ill of me... I even do. But please, everyone out there with kids, let's get-together LOTS and Becky, count on me calling Danica for a hour here and there to run errands with JUST ME!

Told you I never follow the normal.