Saturday, August 29, 2009

New Hair



What do you think? I decided to try it straight for a change. Give me your thoughts.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Mesa Falls Marathon

Well, I made it. That is was the goal people. It's been two years since i ran a full marathon and the last time I did one,(Mesa Falls ironically) I was hit with ITBband so severely I found myself walking almost all of the last 7 miles. It is a very miserable memory.

BUT...this time I had no injuries and was able to run the entire time. I was cheering the whole time about that part. This is a journal for me to remember so forewarning it is detailed..hehe But here is the recap

Having to be in Ashton by 4:45 am to pick-up race packets, eat, potty and catch the bus by 5:15 made for a very early wake-up call...3am to be exact though Dave and I slept through the alarm until 3:45am. VERY lucky we even got up. Here is a picture from me in the car after picking up my number.I was tired but excited. There were SO many people there, many more than I remember from 2007 and so many from out of state. Pretty cool for a little town like Asthton, ID.
I sat by a guy from NY on the bus and was smiling the whole ride up as I overheard a group from Austin, TX talking about all of there racing experiences. I related so well to most of it. That is one of my favorite parts of racing I've decided-being around so many other people with the running disease.:) I can't tell you how often I've made the comment that runners are just such great people. I think it has something to do with it being a mental sport, so refining to the mind. idk, but Dave agreed with me this time after meeting and chatting it up with various finishers all morning.

The course was beautiful and weather perfect starting in the 40's and ending in the 80's. I had planned to conserve myself and run a steady 7:30 pace the first 15 miles and see how I felt the last 11. The first 4 went smooth, effortless really. However, not even into mile 6 the worst case of intestinal havoc hit me and I ended up in every porta potty and even the forest for the next 15 miles. It was a rediculous thing to watch I'm guessing because the group I was pacing with would laugh as I would dart of into the trees, then catch back up, only to be left behind again. SO FRUSTRATING!! The crazy part about it was I was feeling so good running wise. I was keeping a great 7:20 mile between stops but with 10 or so stops that pace starts dwindling fast. And I was stressed, admittedly. There was a one girl ahead of me and in my sights until after about mile 8 where I had just stopped too much to keep her in my view.

It's ok, I told myself, I came out to run this for training. I just want to finish respectably. But as luck would have it, as I was finishing my last mile on the trails, mile 16, there she was, I'd caught back up to that girl, and as AC/DC came on my ipod I thought...

now or never. Girl, you're going down right here.

Mile 16 is mine.

And so I passed her on the final steps before the pavement. Guess she was Thunderstruck..hehe Passing someone for the lead feels about as good as being passed for the lead feels terrible. I knew I broke her spirit as we approached the dreaded 3.5 mile climb up towards Asthton. But I couldn't have been happier. I was in the lead now.

The hills were challenging. I past a walker, a guy puking on the side, and I myself, had to slow up significantly to perserve my energy for that final 10k, but the Bone hill training had been good for me these last couple months and that climb didn't kill me quite like the Teton Dam hill did.

However....

The last 6 miles proved to be everything everyone told me. HARD AS HELL. It was hot, I was dehyrated from TOO many potty stops and my mind was starting to lose interest in the sport I love so much. In fact, at the 25 mile water station I sat down and aloud stated to the nice couple helping me with gatorade, "Why did I want to do this? Why? Why am I doing this?" But with their encouragement and a little over a mile to go I ran, even with Dave that last 400 meters to come in at 3hours and 24 minutes. I even stayed ahead of the other girl and captured 1st. Here I am running into the gate.


Lynette, my running buddy, put it best when telling me she always feels like she's been run over by a train after a marathon. AMEN. I've never wanted to sit so much in all my life. My lungs and heart could've gone for another 26 but my body was SO fatiqued. I felt slightly tramatized to be honest. I felt nauseous, shaky, and completely busted but happy that I finished this time running the entire 26. This is me sitting on the grass afterwards because frankly, I had no energy in my legs to stand.




As we left I told Dave how much I already dreaded running that distance again in 6 weeks at St. George. Though today, only one day later, I'm already excited for the challenge to do it all over again. With a taper, and hopefully a resolution to the potty issue, I hope to be able to race my little heart out and come in at my goal time of 3:10:00 or less to make the last race of the season a VERY memorable one.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Want to do go do something SUPER fun?

Then plan on going to the IDEA World Fitness Convention next year!!



I just returned from spending last week at this year's in Anaheim refreshed, motivated and with TONS of great memories. My mom and Dave were so gracious to take over mommy responsiblities so I could go down there to get credits, learn and play with other crazy fitness women like me. Here were the highlights. :)

- Stayed in the BEAUTIFUL Marriott right down the street from Disneyland. We could here the fireworks at night. NEVER have I been so grateful for a bed and a shower. We worked out ALL day.

- Met Tony Horton. That's him in the picture. He was as crazy and animated as he is in his fierce P90X workout program. He was so nice though, so willing to hang around and take pictures with everyone...and most importantly... HE KICKED OUR BUTTS! He's like 53 and completely ripped. The TV paid him no favors.

-
We ate at In & Out (like 9pm mind you..) and heard the FUNNIEST guy laughing hyeterically for seriously like 10 minutes straight. Diane, Tami, and Erika and I were crying laughing AT him. So funny...and a yummy hamburger too.

- I was inspired by this piece of equipment.... A KRANK Cycle.



It is a hand bike designed by Johnny G, the creator of Spinning, and had limitless possiblilities as a training tool. It encompasses ALL populations which is the coolest part. And make note... SO CHALLENGING. We kranked for only 30 minutes and were busted. Such an amazing workout, despite my thinking an upperbody machine couldn't get my heartrate up...BOY WAS I WRONG..:)

- Took EndoRow, a new and upcoming trend, with the world champ row guy from Italy. Hard workout. Did you know rowing is 65% legs?? I learned so much about the sport. Super cool


= Did the Ja Ho form Slumdog while jumping on these things. They're called Kangdoos. Hilarious people but tons of fun. Like mini trampolines hooked to your shoes.


- I got to hangout and laugh with these ladies.


It was so fun. Thanks guys for a great week!

Friday, August 7, 2009

Socks with a swimming suit please?


That's right. I feel like I should wear socks when I go swimming to avoid scaring people away with my feet.

I have runner's feet.

Novice runner's feet actually which are bruised, battered, knobby, blistered and every other thing imaginable. They are not pretty but they carry me hundreds of miles each month. I have to be grateful even though a getting a pedicure is probably way overdue.

However, even after orthoditics, change of shoes, etc, I STILL have major blisters on my big toes. I am currently researching the Nike Free or the vibramfivefinger free shoes but have yet to embark. Anyone out there tried either? Did you see improvement?

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Quick Getaway




Growing up my parents spend lots of money and lots of time making sure my siblings and I saw the world. In fact, traveling every summer we about visited every state along with places outside the US. I haven't QUITE made the same commitment to my kids but I did tell myself I would spend weekends with Dave taking them to all the cool spots around here that are worth seeing.

Today was Mesa Falls.

I love how the the mist creates a microenvironment where lots of cool vegatation grows ONLY there and no where else. Sadee and Ava loved the visitor center where they got to see a video on wolves, touch and feel various skins of animals in the area, and finally see what a marmot looks like. Pretty cute little things.

I rocked the Rock and Roll Race


This weekend's race was the PB Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon and it did rock and roll. With a good recovery week I felt excellent the whole time and was able to run a nice and easy 1:33:11 to capture first place overall in both the men's and women's division. (thanks Jeff for bagging out on this one. haha :))The coolest part was a I snagged a free pair of shoes from Brooks, any shoe of my choice, for the win and even some free socks. COOL HUH! I love shoes!!!

We also traveled to Utah for a family wedding. Pictures soon!