Christmas!

Christmas was ah-maze-ing! First and foremost, we fed the homeless Christmas morning, just like we did last year. It was such a neat experience, and one I wish everyone could enjoy. We set up under a bridge in Phoenix with all of our cook stoves and fed a couple hundred homeless people. Whew, it was hard work! Good thing there was our family and a few other random families that my parents knew. My mom invited them all on Facebook. hehe! Anyway, I truly believe that serving those less fortunate while being together as a family was definitely the best way to spend Christmas. It made the rest of the day so much better, it also made me much more thankful for the things that I have! Seeing those who have nothing be so grateful for something as small and simple as a hot breakfast really changes my perspective on things. I hope that this is a tradition that we keep on having for as long as possible. I almost can't imagine Christmas without it!

Well, for Christmas my mom (I mean Santa, of course) got me an amazing device called the Garmin Forerunner 405. On first look, you might just think it's a glorified (although large) wrist watch. Don't be decieved. This baby packs a very accurate GPS system which measures my pace and the distance I run and also comes with a heart rate monitor that measures my HR continuously. This way, I know exactly how fast I am running by just a glance at my watch! Amazing, right? This will change running for me forever. The best part, my favorite part, is (wirelessly!) loading all the info from my runs onto my computer. This, in turn, is automatically transferred onto the Garmin Connect website, where I can analyze everything from average pace to total distance to my route...to basically everything else. I LOVE this thing!! Might just be the best present I have ever gotten!! Thanks Mommy!!

With the new year coming up tomorrow night (2010! where did the time go?!) I decided to give my blog a makeover. You like? I do! I even downloaded a picture editing software and made myself a header. I also changed my title to "Always an adventure..." because honestly, when am I not doing something insane? Case in point- I went skydiving for my birthday. Best. adrenaline. rush. EVER. Holy cow. Words cannot describe the feeling of jumping out of a perfectly good airplane into thin air. I would be an addict if it wasn't so expensive! I really believe in living life in the moment, but don't believe I don't plan for the future as well!

p.s.- If you have not read The Hunger Games, stop what you are doing right now. Borrow it, buy it, I don't care what you do to get a hold of that book.....READ IT. Might just be the best book I've ever read. So so so intense!! I couldn't put it down. There's also a second book already out (it's a trilogy) but the third isn't due until August of 2010!! Total cliffhanger!!! I got them both for Christmas...and finished them within 5 days. hehe :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Dreams deferred...

So, I was planning on doing a half-marathon at the end of January. I guess it wasn't meant to be, because three days ago I got sick. I don't see myself running for at least a week (head cold= hard to breathe deeply!) so I decided I would face reality and downgrade to a simple 10K that day instead of the more intense half. There's no way I could catch up on training for a half after being sick. With the race less than 7 weeks away, it's not really possible.

In other news, I ran my first Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving and LOVED it! Although it was pretty warm and during the race I wanted to die, afterwards I felt great, because that is 600 calories I didn't have to worry about that day!! hehe! Also being around alllll those people was pretty fun, and it was very laid-back event. Definitely going to be an annual thing for sure!

Welp, I am for sure looking forward to Christmas. This weekend I am having a big birthday/Christmas/end of finals party at my house, and I am way excited. These parties always end up being good! Then, on Monday I am SKYDIVING on my birthday!!!!!! holy cow. Talk about super adrenaline rush. It is official. I am adrenaline junkie for sure!! Then there is Christmas, and all the awesomeness that it brings, and then school doesn't start until after the middle of January!! Can you say sweet?? (sweet!!)

I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR!

(except for the sick part, of course!)

Can't wait for Thanksgiving!

First of all, because I am pretty sure I will be running that 10K Thanksgiving morning. I ran 4 miles tonight and it felt amazing, and I even kept a fairly good pace throughout the whole thing. I need another event to run so that I don't get lazy!



Second of all, the food. Duh. I honestly don't know how people can eat oven-cooked turkey. It is, quite frankly, like trying to eat cardboard. Dry and tasteless. Now, pit-roasted turkey.....my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Pure juicy goodness straight from heaven (or hell? since it comes from underground?). Also, besides turkey, we also roast some buffalo roast and pork roast. Now you can see why our Thanksgivings are better than yours.



Third of all, being with friends and family. This year is our "anti-family" Thanksgiving, and we're having a couple families from our ward and neighborhood over for the day. Way fun!!



Fourth of all, I get to go on my first bull hunt ever!! The day after Thanksgiving we are heading up to unit 23, and I swear I will not leave that place, nay, I will not sleep (comfortably) or eat (a lot) until I find the biggest bull in that forest and take it down with my bare hands (a.k.a. my rifle). The elk have been warned. I am coming!



Fifthly, after Thanksgiving comes Christmas. And with Christmas comes Christmas music. And cold weather. And happiness. And cute winter clothes. I have been trying my hardest not to ruin the Christmas music by listening to too much too soon, just a little bit here and there. Since August :). Can't help it! I love Christmas music way too much.



Anyway, this month is turning out to be crazy! But I like being busy much more than being...not busy. AND...I might get a full-time job soon!!! Well, between now and January I am getting interview and I desperately need this job so PRAY for me!! Thanks! :)

HAVE A GOOD NOVEMBER!

Feels like forever...

It seriously feels like forever since I last went running. In reality, it's been like, a week and a half. I think tonight I'm going to try again. After all, I still want to do that turkey trot on Thanksgiving, and I can't run a 10K if I'm not prepared.

Anywho, I am so glad it is finally FALL! Although October was really hot in the beginning then really cold towards the end, I think I'd rather have the cold any day. Hopefully November doesn't heat up again. I'd be pretty ticked if it did.

Halloween was kind of fun. I am very anti dressing up, but I have a friend who also didn't dress up so I don't feel dumb. Anyway, before we went to the YSA party we went to a haunted house that was going on right behind my house. It was so fun and scary! The worst part was when people would jump out at me. And then at the end, if you run out there is a chain saw guy and he will chase you for a bit and rev up the chain saw right behind you. Yeah, I screamed. And ran, then screamed even more. It was a blast.

The single adult party at the stake center was pretty fun, actually the only fun part was seeing how creative everyone got with their costumes. I saw Nacho Libre and his friend walking around shirtless. I can't even name all of the costumes that I saw, but the Nacho one stood out because I almost got touched by "Jack Black's" naked stomach. Ugh.
The rest of the night wasn't too interesting. So I'm not even gonna bother. But that's how I like my Halloween, which in my opinion is the most pointless holiday ever. Let's dress up like buffoons, eat a bunch of candy and get fat. Sounds like a typical American holiday to me! Haha!

Welp, we are now into my favorite time of the year. Thanksgiving and Christmas!!! I LOVE this time of year. Especially the weather. It's mostly awesome because now if I want to go running or go on a bike ride, I don't have to wake up obscenely early or wait until it gets dark. Love it!!

Feel the burn(out)

Now that I've finished this whole marathon thing, I was excited to start focusing on other things- like the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot, or the half marathon out in Queen Creek in January. I figured I could jump back into running and I'd be just as good as ever.

Not so much!

It's like my body has checked out, along with my brain. I've tried running several times over the last three weeks since my marathon, but my body does not want to cooperate! I can't even run a straight mile anymore. It is the strangest feeling, like I know I could run 6 or more miles, and I want to, but my body really does not want me to! It's the tell-tale sign of burn-out. Which is why I am still holding out hope for that Thanksgiving 10K, but these next couple weeks there will little to no running at all. Good thing I love my bike! Also this will give me some chance to do some more weight training. I actually did some today for the first time in months, and my arms are like jelly, it is hard to type! But it felt good! Haha I may not think that tomorrow when my arms are sore!

Anyway, the plan for these next two to three weeks is bike riding and weight training at least 3 days a week, if not more. I like being sore, so this should be fun! Also, I am starting to get "Relief Society arms" which is never good!

I am LOVING this fall weather, it allows me to go for a spontaneous bike ride at noon and not get heat stroke. Also, sleeping with my window open is the best thing ever! I love cuddling in all my blankets :)

This weekend is ward summit with Mission Bay Ward, and I SUPER-DE-DUPER excited!! Who wouldn't want to spend a weekend at Camp LoMia with a bunch of attractive men??

I FINISHED!

This has to be one of the first New Year's Resolution's that I have actually followed through with, which is very exciting. Okay, so a play-by-play (mile-by-mile?)... (warning: this is looooonng!)

We (me, my mom, little sis Chic, and her friend Ashli) drove up Friday, got to St George by 4-ish. Then we freshened up and headed to the marathon expo, which is basically a bunch of vendors who set up booths, and also I picked up by bag that had my number in it and my sweet shirt. I also bought another cute shirt there that says "St George Marathon" on it. Just know it's cute. Then we ate at their pasta dinner, which was all-you-can-eat and was also cheap and surprisingly good! Then we went back to our little hole-in-the-wall hotel and went to bed early. Except of course I didn't sleep well. I fell asleep almost right away because I hadn't slept in the car at all, but then my dad called at 11 which kind of ruined things for me. After that I tossed and turned a lot, having at least 3 separate nightmares. They involved the marathon, such as I slept through it, I couldn't finish, etc. They were those kind of dreams where you wake up and still think they are real. Horrible!!!

Finally, my alarm went off at 4 a.m. I got up, forced some breakfast down (who eats at that hour?) milled around for a bit, got dressed, and nearly died of nervousness. Finally, I woke up my mom at 4:45 and she took me to the bus loading area, where all the runners get on buses and they take us to the start, 26 miles up the canyon. On the ride up there, I chatted with the lady sitting next to me for a bit, but eventually fell into silence. She could tell I was nervous. I told her it was my first marathon ever. She just laughed. At one point we went down this super steep hill, and she told me that was the dreaded "Veyo Hill". Of course, we had to go UP this hill on the way back, on nothing but our own two feet and willpower.

We finally arrived at the start. I felt like I was walking around in a fog. It was still completely dark, and absolutely freezing! The wind was blowing pretty hard (but it was blowing at our backs, which was good) and I immediately headed over to the bonfires. There were many fires lit by the start, but people were crowded around all of them, and I pushed through the crowd until I got close enough to one to get warm. Then, I noticed the long lines at the porter potties. I figured I should jump in line and go before the start, seeing how there was half an hour left till the starting time. So, I braved the cold and stood in line forever, but I chatted with the people around me. I love the running community! Everyone I talked to was so nice, they gave me encouragement when they found out it was my first. Everyone is also so different, but we were all the same in that we were going to finish this thing we set out to do.

Anyway, the wheelchair people started the race at 6:40, and five minutes later it was our turn. I was farther back in the crowd because I am slooooooww, so it took me about 7 minutes to even reach the starting line. I gave a cheer as I crossed that line- the journey was on!! It had taken me 10 months to reach this point, so even crossing that starting line was a huge achievement. As I shuffled along with everybody else, with "Ready To Run" blasting in my ears, I felt incandescently happy. Here I was, among these wonderful people, doing something that only 1% of the country has done. I felt mighty special!

Those first few miles were great. It was so cold that my legs were numb, which for some reason made me run faster, I guess. First mistake of every new marathon runner- starting out too fast. And I made that mistake. Bad. I was meeting my time goal at every mile (number two mistake- even having a time goal in the first place!) and I was hitting these small hills without skipping a beat. These first 5 or 6 miles looked like a hurricane had swept through there, because as people were warming up, off came their jackets and pants and beanies and gloves, and there was no where to put them except to throw them off onto the side of the road. Volunteers come by after us and pick up all clothes, and you can try to find them at the finish line. I got rid of my warm-up clothes before the start in my bag, so all I had to do was find my bag at the finish. But I digress...

I have never in my life seen so many people peeing on the side of the road. Haha! It may sound funny now, but when you're running along and all of a sudden the person in front of you darts off the road and into the trees....and you know exactly what they are up to, it's kind of weird. And some of the men don't really bother to go into the trees, but they would simply stand on the shoulder (still on the asphalt!) and just go. I didn't see anything, but there were some close calls! I figured I could wait until the next mile marker, as there were porter potties (and toilet paper!) at every mile and every aid station.

I was feeling so good those first 6 miles, until we rounded a bend and I saw it- Veyo Hill. It looked like it went straight up into the sky- forever. I was ready for it, though. I was feeling good! However, as I went through the aid station at mile 7 that was supposed to have carb reloading gels for us, I found that they were out! I really could have used a gel for Veyo Hill and beyond, but I had to settle for a banana. Actually, half a banana. So you see, this is where my troubles began. Not too disheartened, I set out for the hill with determination. I was going to run this whole hill without stopping! That lasted....for about half a mile. I ended up walking up most of this hill...and then the 5-hour pacing team passed me. That's when I knew I was in trouble. If I wanted to get a 5-hour marathon, I would have to stick with them. However, that hill took more out of me than I thought, and I couldn't continue running for a mile after the hill was over! I was so spent. That's when I knew A. I had started out too fast and B. this was going to be painful. But I didn't give up. As soon as I felt better I picked up running again, although considerably slower than when I began.

I kept running until about mile 10. I should not have been exhausted by then, but I was. After mile 10 I don't really remember any specifics. I remember that I could still run pretty fast downhill, but as soon as it had even a slight uphill grade I slowed to a walk. It just took the heart out of me. I kept truckin along as best I could, but after mile 15 or so my feet were really mad at me. I talked to myself a lot on that course, such as "You can do this" or "This doesn't hurt!" or "I can pass this person" or "I cannot believe that person just passed me!" Mile 17 was the first place where there was any real spectators besides the volunteers at all the aid stations and the town of Veyo (that we passed through between miles 6 and 7). It was called Snow Canyon, and as I thought my mom and the girls were going to be there, I picked up the pace. However, they decided to wait at mile 23. So after not seeing them there, I was a little disappointed, but I kept going. The famous mile 20, what marathoners call the "real halfway point", was also a blur. There was one volunteer there who kept yelling "You've made it to mile 20!" but all I could think was "6 miles to go!" I tried to get in the whole mindset of "okay, now I am just running a 10K, I can do this!" but it was one thing to imagine myself doing that as I was training, it was another to actually do it. I think I only ran a total of 2 or 3 out of that last 6 miles, in fact after mile 24 I only ran the last 200 yards to the finish. Anyway... my mom and the girls were at mile 23, and they cheered me on and took some pictures, and then they got in the car and drove to the finish. By this time I was completely exhausted, no running left in me whatsoever. I speed-walked as fast as I possibly could, but I still felt I was letting myself down. Which was ridiculous! I was still going to finish, I knew that.

Walking through the streets of St George in the last 3 miles, I was cheered on by countless families sitting in their front lawns, and the volunteers were still going at it, too. I was kind of alone by then, there were still 200 people behind me, but over 5,000 had already crossed the finish line! Haha at least I wasn't dead last. Anyway, as I finally rounded a corner and saw the finish line about a quarter mile away, I was so happy! No matter how much my feet hurt, no matter how nasty sweaty I was, I was going to finish this thing.

I picked up the pace, and then in the last 200 yards I started running again. Then I sped up into a sprint. Or at least, it felt like a sprint to me! There was a guy that had been running near me for most of the race, and he was also running toward the finish. I was like, there's no way this guy is beating me. So I sped up even more and passed him. Sucker. Even when I am totally exhausted, I've still got this competitive streak in me :). So, I passed the guy, hammed it up for the cameras at the finish (which I also did for every camera along the course, pictures coming soon!) and CROSSED THE FINISH LINE. It was the best feeling I have ever experienced. Not kidding. Then I ran through the water misters (yay!) and then got my finishers medal put around my neck. Then I got some more pictures taken in front of the finishers banner. It was awesome, made me feel like a real runner- even though I didn't run the whole thing.

Turns out my time was 6:08, and I know I could have done much better, but at least I finished. That's the important part. And you know what? Next year, I want to do it all over again! You could call me crazy, but I have to redeem myself. I have to get at least below 5 hours. Then when that happens, I might have to try to get below 4:30. And I will probably keep going until my body breaks down and I can't run anymore. I love this lifestyle. I love being able to tell people that I am running this race or that, and I especially love how running makes me feel. I love the running community, the people I meet and see at races. Everyone is always so happy! It makes me happy, too.

Welp, that's my marathon story. Sorry for so much detail, I couldn't resist! On the way home from St G., we stopped at the Grand Canyon among other things, and took some great pictures. I hadn't been there for almost 10 years! So it totally took my breath away. I love that place. We also climbed up and down some stairs on our many stops, and I was so sore I could barely step off a curb, let alone whole flights of stairs! Coming down was much worse, because my quads were shot from those steep downhills (8% grade in some spots!) on the course. Anyway, we eventually made it home Sunday night at like 9:30, it was such a fun drive home!

I was really, really sore for only three days, then it like magically went away. Now I feel great, except for some slight shins splints. I went on a bike ride last night, and it was amazing! I'll try running again next week, because I have a 10K to do on Thanksgiving Day! Then I am planning on doing a half-marathon in late January, and we'll see where I go after that! I am going to keep running for the rest of my life, if I can, because there is no way to go except up. I don't think I can get much worse, I can only improve!

So, sorry again for this ridiculously long story, but it needed to be written!

I still love running!! Haha

pictures coming soon....for JoLynn :)

Leavin tomorrow...

...For St George!! Isn't it crazy how I've been waiting since May for this day to come? And how I am kind of freaking out because the big day is almost here and I feel so insignificant and I keep getting all these crazy thoughts about not finishing and....oh boy. I think I have been stress eating. I feel fat! Hopefully it's just a bunch of water weight from these carbs I've been eating, but we'll see come Saturday, bright and early!! If I'm nervous now (Thursday night) I cannot imagine how I am going to feel Saturday morning. I sure hope I don't freak out. I have a plan all made out in my mind, all I have to do is stick to it! And right now I am just rambling, but it is therapeutic :). Welp, as I am leaving at 5 in the morning and I need to get my sleep, wish me luck!!!!

One week from now...

I will probably be crying for a foot massage.

I will probably be crying because I am so sore.

I will probably be crying because I finished.

All I know is that, for some reason or another, I will be crying.

A marathon'll do that to ya.

ONE WEEK!

Coming down the home stretch

Less than three weeks until the marathon, and I can barely stand it. I remember waaaay back in January when I made the goal to run a marathon this year.
I remember lying in bed before I went to sleep and getting little jolts of adrenaline as I imagined myself approaching the finish line. Seriously. I am so weird.
I even had dreams about running the marathon, and they were always nightmares that included sleeping through it, getting a broken leg halfway through, not finishing...seriously, those dreams were horrible.
I remember telling everyone that I was running one, and I could also remember how nobody really thought I could carry through. Nobody said it straight out, but I could tell. It wasn't until I started training in May that people could see how serious I was.
I remember the feeling when I got the email saying I got into the St George Marathon. Total happiness and excitement!
I remember waking up every single Saturday this summer at 5 or 6 in the morning in order to do my long runs. Didn't particularly enjoy that part.
There are a lot of things that I will always remember from this summer, but training for a marathon will be at the top of the list. I seriously cannot wait- only 19 days and I will be standing at the starting line, ready for the adventure that is the marathon; 26.2 miles of self-discovery!

20 fetching miles!

I mean good crap. It will be nice to say I ran a full marathon, but these training runs are hard! I just barely finished my big 20-miler, which is the farthest I'll go for training. Luckily for me, the weather this morning was amazing! I woke up at the obscene hour of 4 a.m., and I was out the door by 5. It was still pitch black so I stuck to the streets until it started to get light, then I cut over to the greenbelt. It was so stormy, at some points I was kind of scared for my life because the lightning was out of control! And, I got rained on three seperate times! After only 2 miles it started to rain, but it didn't last very long. Then when I was running by Freestone Park the heavens opened up and I got soaked, but it was glorious! I'd rather have cold and rain on a run than hot and sunny. Good thing I had my Camelbak so I could stow away my iPod, because it poured buckets! That one lasted about 15 or 20 minutes, and it cooled things off really good. Around mile 16 or 17, the storm started to get really bad and scary, I almost wanted to burst into tears because although I love lightning and thunder, being out in it with no shelter and miles from home was pretty stressful. Anyway, the last two miles it rained on me again, but I was glad to get home and out of the elements.

Well, now what? I have 4 weeks until St George, which will give me plenty of time to recover from this run and be in tiptop shape at the starting line. Maybe I should focus on working my abs and back for these next four weeks, because I start to slouch after awhile. Now all I need to do is eat healthy and cross-train a lot for these next 4 weeks, and I will be ready to take on the marathon!!

um ouch

Okay, so yesterday was the biggest run I have ever done in my whole life! 18 MILES. Really. I didn't think it was possible, but I did it!

It all started out so wonderful. I left the house at 5:20 am, and the weather was gorgeous! Overcast, cool, with a couple sprinkles here and there. Perfect running weather, except for the 50% humidity. It didn't bother me too much though, because even though I sweated more buckets than normal, I had plenty of water in my trusty camelbak. I started out super slow, because I knew if I started out too fast that would be the end of it, I would never be able to hold out for the whole 18 miles. I took the east-west greenbelt that runs behind my neighborhood, and I ran from Greenfield to Power road, then turned around and ran alllll the way to McQueen road. Then I came back to Greenfield and ran a small loop around my neighborhood for the last two miles.

Needless to say, it was painful. When your feet aren't used to going that far, it starts to kill big time. I must admit that there were tears between miles 14 and 15, but I just complained to myself for a little bit then moved on. Seriously, my feet were screaming at me to stop, but I had no choice but to keep going. The sun came out at around 9, which didn't help me much. It turned hot pretty fast! And I won't even pretend like I ran the whole thing, I did take a couple short walking breaks and ended walking the last mile or so, because my feet just couldn't take anymore pounding.

I would not have finished this run without the Clif Bloks that I bought the day before, they're like these chewy fruit snack things that are pure carbs with some electrolytes thrown in, which gives me the energy to keep going. I ate two packs of them, and it definitely made a world of difference.

So yeah, that was my run! I am extremely sore right now, everytime I stand up after sitting down for a while it hurts a lot! This coming Saturday I have 8 miles to do (easy stuff!), then the week after that is 20 (gulp!), and then it is three easier weeks until the marathon. Oh man. I'm gonna admit, I want this to be over! Training is hard!

And on an unrelated note, I have recently become obsessed with the show Psych. Season 4 just started, and I've seen most of season 3. I just bought seasons 1 and 2 on Ebay for cheap, yay! So if you haven't seen it before, I HIGHLY recommend it!

Aren't Shawn and Gus adorable? Haha! I find Shawn (the one on the left) extremely attractive.

Reunited and it feels so good!

Welp, after missing two long runs in a row and practically no running for the last two weeks because of vacations, I am back into full swing into marathon training. I ran outside just now, on the street, for the first time in a long time and it felt way good. For the last two months I have been doing mostly treadmill running, but I finally couldn't take it anymore and went for my Monday run on the street! Reunited and it feels so good! Although, I could do without the people in cars yelling, honking, and leering at me. Kind of scary when you're running along at 9 at night and all of a sudden a car honks at you. Makes me jump!

There is less than two months left until St George, but I am confident I can at least finish. At the beginning of training I had all these unrealistic expectations about what time I could finish in, etc., but now my main goal is to finish within 5 hours and with a smile on my face. And preferably not puking. Haha. Running in the heat has slowed me down considerably, but I am hoping for cooler weather in St G so that I can maintain a better pace throughout.

This last weekend I went to Havasupai, and it was freakin amazing! I was so excited to see the differences from the massive flood last year, and it sure did not disappoint! There is an entire new canyon that was formed which has two new waterfalls in it, and it also caused the river to completely bypass Navajo Falls, which are now bone-dry. I put up my pictures on Facebook, but they do not give the place justice! Also, I thought I was in pretty good shape for this year's hike, but nothing can really prepare you for strapping on a 35-pound pack and hiking 22 miles round trip. Needless to say, I am extremely sore (made tonight's run interesting!) but I am still looking forward to the next time. Don't know when that will be for sure, because of some maybe plans for the future that may involve 18 months of being away from home [hint, hint ;)] but we'll see. As it is, I absolutely loved the trip, the people I went with were way fun, and I have some great new memories. Nothing can compare to last year though, when we got caught in a flash flood on the way out, totally long story though that I don't feel like typing out.

Anyway, I am excited to immerse myself in the training once again. School starts in two weeks, I am babysitting a couple times a week for auntie Annie, and I am training for a marathon. Don't you just love being busy?

Sick...but not with piggy flu

Well, this past week I have been sick, which has made it impossible for me to train! I haven't ran since Saturday, and even then I was starting to get sick which meant that my 6-miler ended up being a measly 4-miler. And I didn't even run the whole time. I tell you what, being sick SUCKS big time. And what sucks even worse is that this Saturday I have a big 14-miler to do. I'm thinking that I am just going to speed walk it, since going the distance walking is better than doing nothing at all, right? It would be suicide to try and run it after not running for a week. What is bad about this flu-like sickness is that it has given me a sore throat and a cough, so I have a strong feeling that even if I tried to run, I would be doubled over coughing before long. Okay, enough with the negative part. Done with the venting.

Come to think of it, there is no positive side to this week. So that is the end of my post. Oh wait...I lost 5 pounds. There is something positive to being sick! Haha!!

Roadblocks

So I haven't given an update on training in awhile, but the most important thing is that I am still goin at it! In fact, this morning I ran my first 10 mile run EVER and it was exhausting! Basically, I feel the same after I hike Havasupai with a 30-pound pack on my back. Same achey feet and everything. But it is so worth it! (speaking of supai, August 6, 7, and 8th! I'm so excited!)

These last couple weeks I've had some issues with energy. In January, I could run 6 miles straight at just over 10 minutes per mile. For some reason, I've slowed down A LOT in the last month or so. It was starting to get really frustrating. A couple weeks ago I set out for a 9-mile run, but I couldn't even go four before I had to admit defeat and walk home. I was so exhausted after just two miles even. Then last saturday I had to do a short 6-mile run, but had to take a walking break in mile ONE! Needless to say, something was going on here. After some discussion earlier this week with Kelsey, she threw out the idea that maybe I was low on iron. It made perfect sense- I wasn't taking vitamins like I should have, and I hadn't had a piece of red meat, literally, in months (you can blame my mom for that one. All we eat is fish and chicken! haha). So I went right to work (knowing I had a 10 mile run that I absolutely had to do) and took a multi-vitamin with iron in it for the last 4 days and ate a ton of spinach. Good thing I like spinach! Well it seems to have worked, because I definitely improved! This morning I was able to run 8 miles before I got too tired and had to walk the last two. But, I did the distance, and I didn't run out of steam at mile 2 like I have been for a month or so. Placebo affect? I don't think so. There was some real energy there this morning, I could feel it.

You know what time I had to wake up this morning so as not to die of heat?

4:30. Woof.

Needless to say, I took a nice 3-hour nap after I got home and showered. Glorious!

Also, Gilbert is beautiful at dawn!

Training so far...

It's been great!

Okay, but I've slacked off. I don't think I've completed a full week of training since I've started, but this week is shaping up to be the best yet! You know why? Because I just bought a 6 month membership to the rec center! I love it! Now I can run on the treadmill or the indoor track instead of in the heat and I can use the weight machines and the bike machines and...it's AWESOME.

Going to the rec center again will be a great thing for my training. Now I can do adequate cross-training, which are activities that do not involve running, on days when I don't run. I can bike outside, now, too! I finally fixed my bike after three months of a flat tire, and this morning I took it for a spin. Still works like a charm!

Something I realized after my first workout at the rec center- I have become extremely slow! I used to be able to do a 10-minute mile way back in January, but now I struggle with even that! How pathetic is this? That is why I am now implementing treadmill running into my routine. Hopefully in a couple weeks I will be back to a 10-minute mile. Also I need to work my abs every day if I am going to be able to run comfortably- all that extra flab around my middle does not help me be faster at all!

So, new training plan:

• Run my weekday runs on the treadmill at the rec center, since they are only 30 to 45 minutes long.
• Continue running my Saturday long runs on the streets. Several hours on a treadmill at a time may be too much for me!
• Work my abs every single weekday, especially after running on the treadmill.
• Stretch after every run. Sometimes I forget.
• Be able to do 15 good push-ups by the end of the month.
• Have at least one strength training day at the rec center, most likely Fridays.
• Don't wear a gray shirt to the rec center when I run (the sweat marks are nasty!)

All in all, even though I am progressing well, I still have a lot of work with regards to speed and simple consistency.

I am still very excited for October 3rd to roll around!!! Only 115 more days!

first 2 weeks

Well, the first two weeks of marathon training are done. Here is what I have learned:

• Even while you're running and obviously busy, the missionaries will still try to ask for references. Sorry Sisters and Elders, I just don't know anybody who needs to hear your message! Keep up the good work, though.
• Arizona weather changes fast. Yesterday I set out in cool, cloudy weather, and came back with a sunburn and near heatstroke. I did have plenty of water though!
• Freestone park is a lifesaver for one reason only- bathrooms.
• I should probably wake up early for my runs from now on. This week of nice weather has spoiled me.
• I am still out of shape. Still. After almost 6 months of running. Oh well. It's getting much better!
• New running shoes make a HUGE difference. Turns out I was wearing a size too small for 5 months. No more injuries for me!
• Training runs throughout the week are just as important as the long run on Saturday, without them I would be dying on the long run!
• If I think that 6 miles is hard now, imagine when I am doing twice that. Or three times that. Or four. What am I getting myself into!?
• Guys like it when I tell them I am training for a marathon. Hahaha!
• Running clears the mind. Really.
• There is so much more, but I don't feel like writing it down...

As I really get into training, I find myself a happier (although tired-er) person. Endorphins are great!

YES! YES! YES!

I got into the St George Marathon!!!

You have no idea how happy I am!

Out of over 10,000 applicants, I am going to be one of the privileged 7,200 who get to line up at the starting line on October 3rd, 2009. The reason I am so excited is because I thought for sure I wouldn't make the lottery. They put my name in a pool with these thousands of people, and it is pure luck on who gets drawn to run. I am so excited. Beyond belief. Now my running has a purpose again!

(This is the logo for the marathon....AH!)

For the next four months or more I will be kicking my butt on the roads. Right now, training is my top priority, although I may need to find a job soon....grrr. Anyway, wish me luck on this crazy venture. I must be crazy, right?

Procrastination...

Yeah, I'll be the first to admit it. I procrastinate in everything! It doesn't matter if it is school or anything else, you can bet it will be done last second or I will be late to something. I call it Alicia standard time, like Mormon standard time only worse. I'm always running late, but what can ya do, you know? Anyway I suppose the reason I bring up this horrible sin called procrastination is because that is what I am doing this very second! I should be studying for two finals tomorrow... economics and math. Boo on both of them. I will be sooo glad when it is one o'clock tomorrow afternoon because that means I am done with the semester!

Speaking of tomorrow...I find out if I got into the St. George marathon.... and seriously it is all I can think about right now. And starting tomorrow evening, the running begins again, whether I get in or not! Running shoes, it has been a lonely life without you these last two weeks. Maybe first I will wash you up since you have mud and dirt and chicken poo on you. Then we will both set out on an adventure together, just the three of us. Me, left shoe, and right shoe. Those beautiful Asics 2130's...

Can you imagine if I really spoke to my shoes like that? Boy, I must be getting lonely...

Tomorrow at one o'clock is my official beginning of SUMMER!

Oh! The suspense!

So I find out this coming Monday if I got into the St George marathon.....

Can it be Monday now, please?

Purty please?

Seriously though, it is so hard to get in and if I do, I shall be the happiest person ever. If I don't.... well then, the opposite will happen. And I won't know what to do with myself! I'm currently in week 2 of my two or three week break from running, but tomorrow I am FINALLY fixing my bike and going for a dang ride. And I will go swimming. And obtain a sexy tan. And find time to do a big english portfolio project. Hmmm.... priorities. 

The parentals are coming home on Saturday! Huzzah! I can't wait to see pictures from their ultra-awesome Europe trip! And maybe gripe and complain about how jealous I am....

Okay this had to be the most random post ever. Are you happy to get a glimpse of my craziness?

MONDAY. 

Now I know what a hamster feels like....

I have been in one of these!!!! On Wednesday I had a slightly horrible day, it was just one of those days where nothing is wrong, and yet everything is wrong...ya know? Well, to take my mind off the crappy day and to cheer myself up, I went for a run to Freestone Park and back (even though I told myself no more running until official training in May, but whatever. It was an emergency). So anyway, I'm running along the gravel path and way up ahead I see three people rolling this huge white thing across the path, right by Freestone. So I'm thinkin like what the hey? So I get to where they are a couple minutes later and I see that it is a huge hamster ball, just like the one in the picture. It was that big, too! So I ask them (they seemed about my age) where they got it and they got it from New Zealand! Then the girl asked me if I wanted to go for a ride in it, of course I said yes!! So I took off my watch and my shoes, because they put water in it so that you don't get rubber burns. They held it while I got a running start to jump through the tube that was just big enough for a person to squeeze through. Took me a couple tries, but I finally got in and noticed that there was straps inside so you could strap yourself in. Well, one of the guys said that it is much funner without the straps, then he pointed me in the right direction and said RUN! Welp, I started running for about ten steps, then lost my balance, almost drowned in the water that was on the bottom, and then it started going really fast! Everything was a blur, only because it was almost dark and I couldn't really see anything around me. All I know is that when I got to the bottom it stopped and I had a huge wedgie from sliding around! It was a blast. I kind of wanted to run around in it, but it was getting dark and I needed to get home, and I didn't want to take up their time by playing with it. Seriously though, it was sooooo much fun!

I wonder how much they cost?

ah-maze-ing Sat-ur-day

Saturday morning- me and Chels did Pat's Run! Although I will admit that Chelsie beat me, and I didn't do as good as I thought I was going to- it's all about having fun though, right? Chelsie did it in about 40 minutes, while I came behind at 45 minutes. I kind of wish we had people at the end taking pictures of us, but we made my mom take a couple when we got home!

Aren't we so hard core? Ha ha. The reason I think I didn't do so swell is I ate a Clif Bar about an hour and a half before, and since I haven't eaten one in a long while, and they are kind of heavy and filling, my stomach freaked out on me and I had stomach cramps for most of it. I still had a blast though, running with 20,000 people really makes it a great experience! I took it easy for the first half, although I took it a little too slow, because I was three minutes behind my goal time at mile three. The last 2.2 miles I tried to speed it up. I would look ahead, spot a "victim", and attempt to pass that person. Then, I would pick a new victim. This is actually a fun strategy only because I am slightly competitive when it comes to these things, and picking out different people to pass was pretty entertaining! All in all, it was the biggest event so far (people-wise) and I had so much fun. Good job Chelsie on beating me!

Then, I had about three hours to shower up and get ready for our big kayaking trip. We had twenty people, and we were lucky to get 18 kayaks and a canoe. It was so much fun! I love just chillaxing on the kayak on the slow parts, and chatting with people throughout the whole thing. Braden was a punk and jumped on my kayak and completely sank me! Now, first of all. I hate the river water. Hate it. But I hate the river bottom even more. Nasty algae and moss and fish and dead bodies....NASTY. So of course I screamed bloody murder as my kayak sunk from under me. It tipped over, and I hauled myself on top of it, trying my hardest not to touch the nasty bottom. I saved my shoes and my paddles though! Then I commanded the people nearby to drag me to shore. Everyone was laughing pretty hard, and I definitely was too! I don't get mad about things like that, I just laugh along with everyone else. After Julie's friend Isaac was nice enough to help me empty my kayak of water, we were on our way again. Overall, it had to be one of the funnest kayaking trips ever, only because there were so many people!

Needless to say, i was pretty exhausted after waking up at 5 for the morning's event and then kayaking, but I still had to go home, take a quickie shower, then go to the benefit concert at Gilbert High. The concert was for the family in Gilbert who were in a small plane crash last August, and the mom has horrible burns over most of her body. She has extensive medical bills, so the concert was to raise money towards that. There were so many awesome performers, including Jordan Bluth, Debbie West Coon, and......Brooke White! Now, I wasn't exactly a huge fan of hers on American Idol, I just thought she was alright. But after seeing her perform four songs live, and seeing her hilarious personality (the girl is a spaz!), she has grown on me. Her voice was so much better last night than it was on AI, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole entire night. After that, I went home and crashed at like 10:30...first time in forever that I have been to bed that early!

Well, I hope everyone had as amazing a weekend as I did... Sunday has been awesome too!

Through rain, sleet, or snow...

NOT! Ha ha. This morning I drove to Chelsie's house to do our last long run before Pat's Run next week. It was raining hard when I left my house, but I figured it wouldn't be too bad at Chelsie's. I forgot to account for the freezing coldness of the rain! We set out of her house, determined to run our four miles, but before we had gone 50 yards decided it wasn't worth it. We didn't much feel like getting hypothermic and wet, so we ran to the end of her street and back. Which is probably about an eighth of a mile or so. Ha ha! We are such wimps! But really, it was freezing. So, we set to work in Chelsie's living room doing random strength training workouts in my Running for Mortals book. This turned out to be a decent workout, at least my sore legs tell me so!

Then, later in the morning, the rain stopped. This is what I was waiting for! I set out at around 1 to finish my goal of four miles. It was definitely challenging, since my legs were already tired from that morning, not to mention they were cold and stiff! There a zillion puddles that I had to dodge on the gravel trail, which meant that I got my shoes a little muddy and I also had to run on the grass for a little bit. All in all, it was a slow but meaningful run, and I did a lot of thinking too, which was nice. I came up with my own mantra, kinda like my personal motto. I realized that I haven't run with my iPod for awhile, because I noticed that I run slower and I don't focus on form, foot turnover, or anything when I listen to music. So, my new motto is:

I don't need an iPod to enjoy a run. The steady pounding of my feet is music enough.

Inspirational, eh? Well, at least it is to me! I love listening to my own footsteps and my own breathing as they create perfect rhythm with each other. It is kind of like a song. I love the feeling of empowerment when I realize that I am two miles from my home, and I managed to get there under my own willpower and by my own two feet. It is an awesome feeling when you realize the power that you have stored up inside you, just waiting to get out and propel you toward your goal.

Wow, I'm feeling pretty poetic!

I am so looking forward to Pat's Run next week! It's going to be such an experience, so much emotion and willpower and just all around love, all in one place. It's like you are surrounded by thousands of your closest friends. That's why I love these running events so much!

The week of amazing-ness....

So this week actually went really good. I got a new Runner's World issue, complete with my own training log and runner's guide. And I got my Running for Mortals book that I ordered on Amazon two weeks ago. I love getting stuff in the mail! Haha. Also, I ran with Chelsie a couple times this week, which is always fun. We ran 3 miles on Saturday, which is actually the farthest I've ran since January, so props to me! Ha ha. Also, I was crazy enough to want to do an interval workout on Wednesday. I say want because an interval workout is a speed workout that you do on a track, and it is pretty difficult for those like me who have poor running form and are not very fast. At all. So, what me and Julie did is we ran one lap around the track at max speed, took a recovery walk lap, then did it again. All in all, we did four running laps with the cool down laps in between. It was horrible. But I would definitely do it again. The sense of empowerment I got from this workout was so uplifting! This week I want to do 8x200, which is just half a lap, but you have less recovery time and you are running 8 times instead of 4. So, still a big challenge!

This week for one of my runs, I think I just want to explore. I'm going out to Chelsie's house twice this week, since I made her come out twice this week to mine. I think we'll just take an easy 3 and a half miler or so, and just explore her neighborhood and find good places to run. Sounds like fun to me, mostly because I usually have a set place in mind that I want to run to. This will be nice to just let loose and go.

This week I made some big improvements on my running form. Julie taught me some good stuff on Wednesday! I am now trying to use my larger leg muscles like quads, hamstrings, and gluts more in order to give my calves and shins a rest. My shins take some serious beating every time I run, so I'm hoping this helps a bit! Something about the way I run is making my shins hurt a lot, but even making improvements just this week has helped already. I feel like my strides are longer, but I'm still using about the same amount of energy. So, basically I'm being more efficient- going farther and faster, but not using more energy than I was before. It's great!

I'm missing the rec center! Since I'm no longer injured (as badly), I can now do my regular running workouts, instead of spending stupid amounts of time on the bike machine (which I hated, by the way. You don't go anywhere!). So now, I don't need the rec center. I might pick it back up in the summer when I might be able to pay for it myself or something, but right now I'm just gonna have to do ab work and pushups at home.

That's probably why running is such a wonderful sport. You don't need a gym or a special field to do it. You just walk out your front door and GO. All you need is a decent pair of running shoes. Now, when you want to start doing races, that's when it gets expensive! I spent 70 bucks this week when I registered for the St. George Marathon, but the good news is, is that if I don't get in then I get 65 bucks back. So, it's not a complete loss if I don't make it into this marathon. Although I would still be sorely disappointed!

Conference!! I LOVE General Conference. Although I need to rewatch Elder Oak's talk because I missed half of it while outside picking all the lemons. My dad said it was good, though. Can't wait for the Ensign!

Sorry for the long post, but I guess I'm just putting off doing my homework. ;)

Coach Julie? Haha

Well, turns out I had more in me than I thought. More speed, that is. Yep. Tonight I ran an 8:43 mile! But, I was only able to do it with the help of Julie. Apparently I have not been pushing myself to my full potential! And this time, no cheating with the wind at my back! I can't remember the last time I ran a sub-9 mile...probably never! But one thing is for sure, I would never be able to keep that pace up for more than a mile. I was exhausted afterwards! So, that is my new goal. I think I would like my marathon pace to be at least 9:20, maybe even 9:10 per mile. Wouldn't that be awesome?

Basically, I wouldn't be where I am without my friends! Julie pushes me harder than anyone else, and I am so grateful for it! Kelsey is seriously my veritable mine of information when it comes to questions I have about anything running. She has helped me so much, so thanks Kelsey! Chelsie is my new found running buddy, even though we have to travel 20 minutes to run with each other...it is worth it! Annie is like my pen pal running buddy, since we plan on running a marathon together this fall. Can't wait till she gets home, so she can join me and Chelsie on our runs!

My friends are pretty much AWESOME!! I love you girls!!

Did my stopwatch really just say what I think it said?!

Okay, so today was a milestone! I ran a mile in 9 minutes and 10 seconds!!! My previous mile that I had timed (probably sometime in January) was just barely over 10 minutes, so this is a HUGE accomplishment, at least to me. Granted, I did have the wind at my back. And the wind today was insane. So, although it might not technically be a 9:10 mile, at least I know I can run below 10 now. Hopefully sometime next week I will time myself again, this time on a less windy day. I ran on the greenbelt between Greenfield and Higley roads, and that last stretch between the canal and Higley seemed to last forever! I forced myself not to look at my watch during the last hundred yards or so, and when I finished and looked I was so surprised! Then I collapsed onto the grass and lay there for a good five minutes. I was exhausted! Then, on top of that, I had to walk home again. I couldn't run against that headwind! But all in all, a great day for me. Those tempo runs sure do work!! I can feel my fitness coming back, but I am seriously trying to rein myself in (and not doing so great of a job of it). I really do not want to be injured again, so I need to still try and take it easy and STRETCH more to prevent further injury.

Because being injured sucks. A lot.

Still looking forward to Pat's Run, though! 23 DAYS!

Pat's Run!

So yesterday, on a total whim, I signed up for Pat's Run! It is a 4.2 mile run in honor of Pat Tillman, and there are thousands who participate each year! Now I say I did it on a whim because I was not really planning on running another race that soon. BUT my leg is about 90% better, I'm running with almost no pain, and these events are addicting. The atmosphere- there's nothing like it! Also, I can handle the 4.2 miler easy, I just have to get a couple five milers in before then and I'm set.

I got my first Runner's World Magazine issue in the mail the other day, and it has already completely changed my life! So many amazing tips on what I should eat and how I can lose some weight without losing energy and how to make my workouts more amazing....seriously the list goes on and on. That magazine is already my favorite, after just one issue. Sadly, I only get one a month. Darn it!

Anyway, on a non-running note, spring break was pretty awesome, only because I got to travel to Mexico with the family AND Cali with the friends. Mexico was so fun, we seriously lounged around, got sunburned, watched lots of TV, read on the beach, played on the beach, ate yummy food...basically everything great about a vacation. Cali was kind of on the other side- not relaxing at all, weather was horrible, and there were some frustrating moments because there were so many people with us. However, the time I spent with Julie and Matt at Six Flags was by far THE BEST. Standing in line for hours at a time is a whole lot easier when you have your best friends with you! Oh, and me and Julie and Matt did that sky-dive simulation thing when you get harnessed up, they strap you together, then pull you very,very,very high up into the air and then you pull the cord and you swing crazy fast and crazy high! If that makes sense...anyway, just know it was the funnest thing I have ever done! So the week ended up being pretty good, I got a nice base tan for the summer! On to training for Pat's Run!!

I'm almost better!

Okay so, no stress fracture! Best thing I could ask for. I am figuring that it is just a sprained or torn muscle. It's almost better, too! Still not 100% back to how it was before the 10K, BUT I can run now! I ran twice this week, and it made me so happy! I'm taking it as easy as possible, so I haven't done any intense mileage or anything. I feel like I'm starting over from where I was in January but I have plenty of time to get back in shape for real training in the summer.

Oh, I have also decided to switch marathons, if I can! I started thinking about how high the altitude is in Logan, UT where the Top of Utah marathon is, and I figured that that high of an elevation is going to kick my butt. So, instead of that one, I am going to try to get into the St George Marathon! This is a little tricky because they have a limit on how many can run the marathon, I think the cap is at 7200 or something. Which is still a ridiculous amount! The way it works is, you register for the marathon between April 1st and May 1st, then your name gets put in a raffle and they draw out 7200 names. I can't tell you how much I want my name to be drawn! This marathon is much bigger (more people), and so much more of an experience because of it. If your gonna run a marathon, go big or go home, right? So instead of in September, I'm looking at running one in October. October 3rdd, to be exact. Which is my little sister Chic's birthday! That would be the greatest birthday present, wouldn't it? To watch your big sister finish a marathon? I think so!

Speaking of drawing names, I find out if I got drawn for elk or antelope fall hunts next month! At first I thought I wouldn't know till mid-summer, until I checked the game and fish website. Woo hoo! I do believe I will learn results on or before April 24th....yes! Can't wait!

Really?! I mean, really?!

This is the funniest thing to happen to me to date at the rec center...
So, the other day, I go to do just a little boring workout (no running) and I decided to focus on my abs (swimsuit season is coming up!). So I'm using the sit-up thing where you lay on it and you put your feet under the bars so you can do good sit-ups. I'm facing the mirror, which coincidentally means I'm facing the weight racks. Two guys who look to be my age are working their biceps (not that I was watching them), and I happen to make eye contact, through the mirror, with one of them as I'm doing a sit-up. It was kind of an awkward eye contact, just because eye contact is always awkward.... ha ha. So two seconds later, he turns to his buddy, lifts up his shirt, and says "Dude, check out my six pack!" What the...? Is this your way of picking up women? Good crap! Anyway, I tried really hard not to smile or laugh, because I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that I did, indeed, enjoy looking at his six-pack. It wasn't the best one I've seen, but pretty good nonetheless. But really, how full of himself was he?? Too much for my taste. And frankly, I look hideous at the gym so I don't know what in the world he was thinking!

NO! Anything but this....

Well, I talk to my friend Kelsey Lesueur yesterday. She is a hardcore marathon runner who is experienced about all things running. She's known about my injury this whole time, and has given me some great advice about it. I saw her last night at the adult Stake Conference meeting (which was really good, by the way) and she asked me how I was doing, running-wise. Basically I said it sucked, because it does, and she asked me about my pain. When I told her how it feels, she told me I should get it checked out, because there is the possibility that it is a...gulp...stress fracture.

So, I headed straight to Google to read up on stress fractures, and I have a nagging suspicion that I could have one. Pain gets worse with exercise? Check. Localized pain that hurts in one specific spot? Check. Swelling about the size of a half-dollar at the time of the initial injury? Check (that was when Julie was trying to massage it out and it hurt like a mother). Constantly throbbing? Check. Getting worse over time, because I keep exercising on it? Check. Happens when doing too much, too fast? Definitely check.

Basically, I'm screwed. These things take an average of 2 to 3 months to heal, which is totally not what I need right now! I've got a bloody marathon to train for, good crap! So, I'm getting a doctor's appointment this week and getting it sorted out once and for all. Although, stress fractures can be hard to diagnose with an x-ray, so I might need an MRI. Booo!

I'm trying not to be melodramatic/hypochondriac here, but I need to get it fixed! And, where else to vent but on my blog?

Oh, and one of the missionaries in my ward looks like the kid on the Sixth Sense. Only twelve years or so older. Every time I look at him I want to say "I see dead people." For some reason, I don't think he'd find it funny. That kid is creepy.

I'm startin to get the itch...

So I haven't ran for over two weeks now. It's killing me! I was driving home from school today, and I drove right past my favorite haunt- the greenbelt that runs just south of the Riparian Reserve over by the library. You can take that thing for several miles in either direction, and I love it! I was so sad to see it being unused. But, alas, every time I try and even jog I get this shooting pain in the same spot as always....blah. It sucks. More than I thought it would. I'm startin to think I pulled a muscle, and only rest will bring it back to normal. BAH! So frustrating.

Anywho....I think I am allergic to something in the chicken noodle soup my mom made last night because I have hives allllllll over me.... driving me abso-freakin-lutely INSANE! The stress of that plus the sadness of not being able to run is going to put me over the edge today if I'm not careful....

But, in better news....LOST is on tonight! And I think we will FINALLY know what happened to Locke when he went back to the real world- sorry Annie, if you read that, just ignore it. 8 o'clock couldn't come faster!

Note to self....

Don't go to the rec center on a Saturday afternoon. It's like Wallace Theaters plus San Tan Mall. This equals junior high (and probably freshman) kids EVERYWHERE and the most annoying part about it is the fact that they stand around talking, in the way as usual, and they show up in flip flops and jeans. Okay, so I know that the rec center isn't a full on gym, but if you're standing in the way of the weight machines, with jeans and flip flops, I can garun-dang-tee that you are not there to use that machine! Grrr I was getting pretty tee-ohed. Ha ha.

But, I would have been a lot more mad had I not made a Jack Johnson playlist on my trusty iPod before I went- I tell you what, it was extremely relaxing to listen to Jack while working out. In fact, he's relaxing anytime. Definitely one of my favorite artists!

Did more lunges, still more sore. I LOVE IT.

If you love to be sore like I do...

Do lunges! Seriously, I did over a hundred of them for the first time in over a week and a half, and I did a lot more than normal. I can almost feel my butt shrinking...haha!

Today I went to the rec center, also for the first time since I got the flu. I figured out that going at one oclock on a Thursday afternoon means a hot-guy-free-zone. Grrr. Seriously, the only men there were either really old, fat, or 10 years old. Okay, I'm not one of those girls that gets all "girlied-up" for the gym and such, but fer real, what is wrong with checking out a hot guy as he works his biceps? I submit that there is nothing wrong with that. It was kind of annoying to be the only girl on the weights floor (there were some on the track, though) because this one kid, (looked to be about my age, only three times as big!), I swear he was like trying to show off or something! He sat on the quads machine next to where I was working my calves and started swinging his legs so fast and so hard that he ended up slamming the weights on the top of the machine! I just kind of made a scoffing sound (not quite laughing, and not quite loud enough for him to hear). I don't find it cool or attractive when people don't even know how to use the machines. Slow and easy does it, people! That's my workout advice for the day. :)

Oh, one more thing. There were like two or three of these kids who I swear had been dropped off there and forgotten about by some careless parent. Seriously, I was sitting there on the mat by the elevator, doing my stretches and ab workouts, and all of a sudden the elevator opens and some kids come running out, almost running me over! I just kind of laughed it off, because I am not the type to get mad over nothing. Anyway, they run down the stairs, and sure enough, two minutes later the elevator opens again, and again they come running out screaming and laughing. After about six or seven times of this I give them a dirty look the next time they come through. They didn't get the message. After that I was ready to go home, because I was done stretching and whatnot. But seriously, any moms reading this should know that the rec center is not a playground for unsupervised children! I was so peeved that there wasn't a parent around.... oh well. It's not like I can give parenting advice! Maybe they use the rec center as a way to get the kids out of the way for a couple hours. Like a babysitter. My advice- hire a babysitter next time!

New goal- be able to do ten normal pushups! No more of this "girl pushups" crap for me!

Let Me Explain Myself

So, to explain myself for finally breaking down and getting a blog...I was bored. And I need to use it to get more motivation for the marathon! Yes, I am running a marathon in Sepetember. It's the Top of Utah Marathon in Logan, UT. The exact date is September 19th, 2009. I am working on just getting into good shape right now, because to tell ya the truth...I don't think I've ever been in shape my whole entire life. So, I don't know where I got the craaaazzy idea to do this, but...maybe it's 'cause I heard Annie wanted to do it. Annie, you inspire me!! Hahaa. But seriously, why wouldn't you want to make your life better by getting in shape, and not to mention look great for the men in my life. Hahah! It's great though. I love it.

I ran a 10K just over two weeks ago, and there are so many words to describe that race. Fun, a blast, exhilirating, crazy, hard, awesome.... the list can go on and on forever. Seriously, I've never felt that kind of adrenaline rush before. After the race, I couldn't wait to do another one. Unfortunately, a couple hours later, I realized I must have pushed myself too hard because my lower right leg had a crazy pain in it. I gave it a week of rest, then tried running on it again. It got worse. I was so mad!! This was more than a stupid shin splint, because I've gotten those, and they are gone in a couple days with some good stretching and icing. No, this was definitely worse. So then, this last week, I caught the flu. This totally sucked because now I couldn't work out, and I had also signed up for a 5K because I thought my leg would be well enough to do it. Mistaken!

Instead of running a PR (personal record) on this 5K, I was forced to walk the first two miles which totally took a drain on my pride. Although it was really fun to walk with my mom. We ended up getting there late, so we started the race about 8 minutes behind everyone else....haha! We ended up catching up to the last people (while walking), I'm thinking they were really slow. Anyway, on the last mile I couldn't take it anymore, so I left my mom and ran the last mile as well as I could with the flu and a bum leg. Wasn't too bad. I have no idea what my time was, but neither do I care. It was all for charity, and free t-shirts. Talk about a sweet deal. But, as a result of the running, even after almost a week of total rest, my leg acted up again.

So the moral or point of this story is to say that I am on rest for at least two to three weeks. However, being on rest just means no running. I plan on using the bikes and the elliptical to their fullest potential at the slightly amazing rec center. Thank goodness for the family monthly pass! If I had to go these two or three weeks without working out I would totally lose it. Even after this one week of being deathly ill, I'm about to lose it. Which is why I am going to the rec center tomorrow no matter what!

I apologize for the bloody long post, but maybe the next one will be shorter. Although, don't count on it.