Courage 4Kuu

Instead of the annual turkey trot we did the Courage 4Kuu run.  Kuu is fighting liver cancer and is so amazing.  It was a great morning to get out there and support someone so amazing.   Jeannie even did the race on her due date!!

70.3

Danny came up to Utah for the weekend to compete in a 70.3 mile half-ironman race. He is truly amazing. The race was right in our backyard (seriously 2 miles from my house....yippee) so I cruised down in the morning to see him swim. He raced in the 3rd heat and finished his 1.2 mile swim in 24 minutes. I missed his transition because one of the volunteers said "did you see that guys body" to another one of the volunteers so I stopped and chatted with her for a minute. Then I met Traci and Kami and went for a quick 5 mile run while he was on his bike. After that I ran home to shower and he finished his 56 mile bike ride so fast I didn't see him transition. He averaged 26.6 miles per hour and finished in 2:06. Then he was off on his run. My dad and I jumped on his little dirt bike and rode to one of the parking lots that he would pass by 4 times (mile 3, 5, 9 &12). We jumped in and help set up and hand out drinks & gels to the runners until Danny passed us the 4th time then we headed to the finish. He finished his half marathon run time in 1:32 (7:06 min/miles). And finished the race in 4:05 and took 3rd overall. Honestly I am so amazed by how incredible he is. To do that good on his very first half-ironman is crazy. I am a very proud big sister!! Way to go Danny you are the man!

Ragnar 2011

This year for Ragnar - Wasatch Back - I was runner #3 (last year I was 10). I loved being so close to the start. I got all of my runs finished so early and could enjoy the rest of the race much better than last year. I train harder for this race than any other event I've done. We have long runs, short runs, multiple runs in a day. My hardest training week I put in over 40 miles (normally I'm mid 20's). I managed to get to the race with no injuries and feeling stronger than I've ever felt.

Our start time this year was 8:15 am. We decided to sleep in our own beds and leave at 5:00 am to get up to Logan for the start. It was perfect. I took an ambien and slept like a baby the night before the race and felt great at the start.

My first leg was 5.6 (moderate) miles. It was a pretty flat run and I felt great on it. The van stopped about half way through I took a gel and drank some water. I passed 17 people on this leg and averaged an 8:02 pace. The run was absolutely gorgeous. Bright green hills and beautiful farmland. I made sure to look around a few times and admire the beauty of the earth and where I live.

Laurie's first leg was all up-hill and she rocked it.
I love this picture - gorgeous girl and gorgeous background!

After the first 6 of us ran our first legs we met up with van 2. Here is most of our group. After this we went to Subway and had a quick lunch and rested a bit. Then headed for the next major exchange where van 1 would start our 2nd legs.

My 2nd leg was 4.9 miles of moderate running (pretty flat again) around 7:00 pm. I had a really bad stitch in my side and couldn't get an even pace at first. Then at about 2.5 miles I finally walked for a block and it went away then I was able to finish my run feeling good. I finished in 40:59 at an 8:09 pace and passed 22 people.

That night was pretty darn cold. We bundled up and some slept outside in sleeping bags during van 2's second legs. I slept in the van on the back seat and actually got a few good hours of sleep. Then around 4:30 am our van was back up again for our last legs.

I was really worked up about my last leg. It was 7.7 miles of down and uphill. I had 3.5 miles straight uphill right in the middle. I was driving everyone crazy with my nerves so Suzette broke the ice by flashing me - not too much - just enough to really make me laugh right before my run. I got out there and told myself just run this like any other training run. It was 6:00 am and perfect temperature. The sun was rising at my back and a few miles in I took off my sleeves and felt perfect in my tank top. Our driver Lisa got out and brought me water, walked up a bit of the hill with me and took my sleeves so I wouldn't have to run with them. I love van support. It's the best!!! I felt great on this run. It was my favorite of the 3 runs I did. I felt strong and was having fun. I kept thinking to myself "this is why I run". It was beautiful outside on this run. I stopped at one more water stop for a quick drink then finished my run with my tunes turned up loud and a smile on my face. I finished it in 1 hour and 6 minutes 8:40 pace and passed 23 people on this leg.

Oh how I hate 2 days of using porta potties!

Van 1 after we were finished! I so love these girls!!

We all ran in with Gretchen who brought us home as runner 12.

Housewives of the UC team

We finished the race in 30hours and 11 minutes. Were 15th out of all the women's teams and 3rd in the sub-masters category. We never go in with any pressure on each other to run a certain pace or anything but we still kicked butt. I love the feeling of accomplishment the most but it's definitely icing on the cake to do so well! Because it sells out fast we are already signed up for next year. I wasn't planning on running Ragnar 2012 but there is no way I missing out running with these girls next year.

Provo River Trail 1/2 Marathon

It just so happened that David and Kami scheduled Dean's baby blessing on the same weekend as the Provo River Trail 1/2 marathon. A few months back when I was training for Ragnar Todd said since he is traveling so much and can't do triathlons he wanted to do a 1/2 marathon. So I found this one and signed us both up. Then because Danny was coming in town for the baby blessing he signed up too. YIPPEE!

Danny, Todd & I at the start

Danny finishing strong

Todd coming in strong to the finish

After the race

I have been having a really hard time staying motivated with running since Ragnar - that race just took it all out of me. But we had already signed up and I really wanted to do this run with 2 of my favorite guys so I got out there and did it. It was a nice downhill run (except for 1 mile from 7-8 which was a slight uphill) so it was a very fast run. Both of my 1/2 marathons from last year I finished in 1:58 so I really wanted to beat that time. I finished in 1:49 (my garmin said an 8:20 pace)! WOO HOO! Todd came in at 1:50 and we were by each other but not running "together" the whole race. Danny kicked butt and came in under 1:30 - holy cow.

There are no pictures of me at the finish because Danny told Timmy that I was wearing a white top so he missed me when I came cruising by in my all black outfit :)

Ragnar 2010 - Wasatch Back

Last weekend I participated in a 12 man (or woman) relay race. It was 188.2 miles with lots of mountains. We ran up hills and down hills. Ran in the middle of the day and the middle of the night. We laughed, cried and sometimes just sat quiet because there was just no energy left. We ran, we drove, we tried to sleep a little, and we ran some more. I have never had this much fun at a running event in my life. I was so tired and so fatigued and sore but I was so happy the whole time. Participating in a event like this created bonds of friendship that will last forever.

Our team was the "Housewives of the UC". And we have 61 kids collectively between the 14 of us. Our team was made up of working moms, stay at home moms, divorced moms, mom's with babies and mom's with teenagers.


We decided to all head up to Logan for the start. Normally only Van 1 goes up and Van 2 meets at the first exchange a few hours later. But since for all but 2 of us it was our first time we wanted the full experience so we all headed up. Here is the whole team before the start.


Laurie was our #1 runner. I love how happy she looks in this picture. She is a very strong runner and started our team out perfectly. I got to train a lot with Laurie for this event and love this girl so much. She rocks!


Our awesome captain (Jill) had these vinyl letters created for both vans. We all had "spice" names. Mine was zippy.


Traci's very talented husband created a logo for us. I love that is is a combination of a crown, wings and running shoes. That really says it all.

After van 1 took off on their legs. Our van drove to get some lunch and decorate our van. I underlined each of our names but wasn't quite exact enough so Gretchen took a baby wipe and fixed them for me. It was so funny.


Both vans also had a huge blown up team picture on the back. So dang funny! Every time I saw it I would laugh a little. It got so dusty by the end of the trip but everyone who we drove by knew who the spicy housewives were.

Lisa and I at the first exchange. She picked up some sweet pink shades at Wal-Mart during our van decorating. So hot.

Our van was awesome and our driver was even better. Here are a few of my favorite things about our van.

1 - LISA. She was such a great driver. She was crazy and fun and didn't sleep a wink the whole time. She has a compulsive need to decorate and bling things out so every chance she got she added decorations to our van. We had a disco ball and several light up balls, a karaoke machine, a megaphone and so many other random treats. There is always a surprise with this girl and it was so much fun. She lost the keys before we left the cul de sac in the morning. Classic.

2 - The color. Almost everyone else had huge white 15 passenger vans...but not us it stood out in all it's burgundy glory.

3 - The cost. Lisa was able to borrow it from a neighbor and I couldn't be more grateful for her generosity in letting a bunch of crazy women borrow it to drive all over Utah.

4 - The hill. While Gretchen was going up the final hill the van overheated. Yes that shows just how bad that hill was. So Leigh Anne and I hitched a ride to the next exchange while the other girls figured out what to do with the van. Thank goodness it was just due to a lack of our driving knowledge - apparently you aren't supposed to sit on the side of a hill idle with the air conditioning running on high. Who knew?


Finally at 9:00 pm on Friday night I was ready for my first leg. Our team didn't start until 1:30 pm which was a very late start time - which I think made it a little harder for us in the end since really all 3 legs were done on little to no sleep.

My first leg was a nice flat 3.7 miles. I decided I was going to go for it and give it everything I had. My details for the leg were a 7:53 avg. pace and it took me 29.20 minutes. I passed 3 people (all guys...ah yeah) and got passed by 2 elite men who made me look like I was standing still.


Here is my first hand-off from Gretchen. I tried doing the "Olympic relay" style hand-off so I started running with her. She smacked my rear when handing it off and had a bruise on her hand the rest of the race and we managed to drop the wrist band in the process. It was so dang funny.



My second leg was just under 8 miles of rolling hills. I started it around 7:00 in the morning. This was the hardest leg to run. For some reason my legs felt like bricks. I couldn't seem to pick up my feet. Maybe from the lack of food, sleep or the fact that I forgot my electrolytes. I don't know but I hurt. At one point the van drove up next to me to see if I needed anything and I just said "I hurt so bad right now". They were awesome to stop and check on me and fill my water for me. Nothing helped so I just kept trying to go. I walked a few times and mentally just kept thinking about the fact that if I couldn't do this how would I ever be able to make up the Ragnar hill.

The details of this leg: 7.68 miles, 8:46 avg. pace, 1:07 total time and I passed 4 people.

"fake it till ya make it"

Here is most of the team at our next exchange. This started all of our last legs of the race. I was so tired at this point and so scared of my last leg. After Suzette came in and Laurie took off we headed off to try to eat some lunch. I ordered oatmeal and a scone and managed to eat some of it. Then took a 45 minute nap in the van while we waited for van 1 to finish their legs.

Then it was our turn again. I love this picture of Suzette. She is so excited and we were all so excited to be so close to finishing the race. At this point van 1 was done - I was so jealous of them.

Suzette's family came to cheer her on for her last leg. Her son ran the first part of the leg with her. I love it. I loved that her hubby was at the exchange cheering her on.


Now my last and final leg. You see that mountain we're looking at? Gretchen was going to go half way up and then I was going to finish it. Oh boy. I can't tell you how worried I was and I was just so anxious to get it over with.


I freaking love this girl. She is so amazing and so strong. I loved running right after Gretch.



The hill. This picture does not do it justice. This hill was BRUTAL. It was steep and dusty and so long. This was the longest and hardest 4 miles I have ever run. I thought that doing a training run on Squaw Peak would be good - but this was so much harder. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or the fact that I had already run twice before this. But it was so dang hard. The worst part was the first mile. I just kept looking down at my Garmin hoping more distance had passed. Then I finally stopped looking and just started running to the next tree or rock then walking. I did this the whole way up. If it was too steep I would just power walk.

I had my fuel belt on so it was ok at first that our van wasn't there to support me. At mile 2 I saw a friend from BYU and told him that our van had just broken down and he filled my water bottle and told me I could ride with them to the next exchange if needed. What a relief. Then our van started working again and caught up to me around mile 3. So we were able to get a few pictures of me and the hill. (P.S. I passed both of the people in front of me in this picture.)

Details of this leg: 3.97 miles, 13:08 avg pace, 52:10 total time, passed 7 people.


When I saw the exchange I knew I could do it so I powered up the rest of the hill the best I could.

I was sooooooo happy when I got to the exchange and Leigh was waiting for me. She gave me a huge hug and told me how proud of me she was. Oh how I love that girl. Then off she went to tackle her last leg of the race.

This picture really shows how I felt. Tired and hot. I had so much great support. And to top it off that blue washcloth was no ordinary wash cloth. Lisa and Suzette had individually wrapped washcloths, wet them down, kept ice on them and put essential oils on them so they felt and smelled heavenly.


Look at the hill Leigh Anne had to run down. OH MY GOSH!!! Not only was it ridiculously steep she found out they changed the course after her 2nd leg was finished and that she would be adding an additional 1.5 miles. It had uphills and downhills and was loose gravel. She fell at one point but still ran her heart out until she passed the baton. What a stud.

Our whole team ran in together (although Alyson was hauling and I couldn't keep up with her). Then we got our picture at the finish line with our medals by the sweet Ragnar van.


And we are already signed up for next year. WOO HOO!