'Back' in Action

What do you get when six somewhat crazy girls decide to participate in an 188 mile long relay?
Well, here you have it:



Apologies for the poor video resolution... Blogger's file size limitations are a bit stifling. I have a better quality version on my facebook page!

Being a member of a Ragnar team was an amazingly tough & wonderful experience. I learned so much about myself and created many memories to last a lifetime. Looking back on the miles I logged I honestly can't help but smile with a smidgen of pride. In the course of 18.4 miles I ran up the old sun-scorched road to Snowbasin, watched the black of night turn to day along the western side of Rockport Reservoir, and ran through a raincloud at the Deer Valley summit before making the descent to the base of the mountain. Not too shabby.

I was also blessed with 5 incredible teammates who taught me so much about perseverance and inner strength. Before my last leg I wanted to burst into tears. (And nearly did.) I simply did not know where in the world I was going to find the stamina and energy to crank out 7.3 more miles. But somehow we all got through those last legs-- and in pretty decent time, too! I know I could never have done it without all the support from my fellow Creatures of Habit. Thanks so much, ladies! We started out as a mix of friends, family, and strangers... and by the end we were all the closest of teammates.

One of the more surprising things about the Ragnar weekend was how my testimony of the priesthood was strengthened. I am so grateful for Dallan-- Deb's very brave husband that volunteered to drive six slightly sleep-deprived and sweaty women through the night and morning hours of the 30+ hour ordeal. I knew that come those early morning hours we would be thankful to surrender driving responsibilities to someone who hadn't been running throughout the day. What I didn't know prior to the race was how comforted and safe I would feel, knowing that we had someone watching over us who honored his priesthood and could minister to us, should the need arise. I am so grateful for God's power on the earth, and the men who strive to live worthily so that they might bless the lives of others.

Running through the back country of the Rockies, you cannot help but stand in awe of the majesty of God's creation. I am so thankful for the beauty that surrounds us in all of its forms-- whether it be the snow capped mountains, or the strength of a runner pressing on forward to reach their summits. Was it worth it? Every second.

Canyonlands

We did it!

The Canyonlands Half Marathon in Moab, UT was held on March 21. Bryson, my life-long friend Kelly, and I all participated.

For the last few weeks building up to this race, it has seemed like everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I injured my iliotibial band on a training run. Then reinjured it falling on the ice in our church's parking lot. Next, our hotel reservations fell through. A few days before we were scheduled to leave, I sliced my foot open. Seriously. I was beginning to believe that there was some sort of Canyonlands curse at work! I was stongly tempted (multiple times) to drop from the 13.1 mile course, to the shorter 5 mile race held the same day.

But we did make it to the starting line in one piece. Somehow.

Coming into this race, I had few expectations. I knew my knee had some definite limitations-- particularly on this hilly course. As it was, I was pretty certain that I would have to take a few short breaks to stretch my ITB to avoid the dreaded knee blowout.

It turned out to be a fantastic experience.

I was able to hold a good pace for the entirety of the course, stopping a few times to stretch. I even had a little bit left in the tank by mile 12, so I was able to really work that last mile in. Crossing that finish line was one of the most satisfying feelings I have ever experienced-- perhaps, in part, due to the number of obstacles I had to overcome to get there. I finished in 2 hours, 17 minutes.

Bryson & Kelly experienced their own set of challenges in this race. Bryson set a lofty goal of breaking 2 hours, but was unable to hold the pace on the hills. He still finished at an impressive 2 hours, 11 minutes. Kelly, our veteran half marathoner, succumbed to a combination of altitude and asthma, finishing at a respectable 2 hours, 23 minutes.

This race taught me several things for which I am grateful. For example, few things in life ever go just the way you would like. Obstacles rear their ugly heads, and it can be easy to throw in the towel and hope for better luck next time. In some ways, life-defining moments are made in times like that. We are presented with challenges that seem impossible to surmount. But at the end of it all, it doesn't matter so much how fast we ran the course, or how many people we beat. What matters is that we finished. We didn't give up. We did the best that we could under the conditions that were present. That in and of itself is something to take pride in. And really, I think that applies to a lot of things in life.

The exhileration of running along the Colorado River beside sheer cliffs of red sandstone was indescribable. Each time I visit, I fall in love with Moab all over again. Thanks, B & Kel for joining me on this journey. I love you both more than I can say.

The Next Insanity

With the Canyonlands Half Marathon under three weeks away, it was about time to start looking for the next big challenge... Serendipitously, my parents happened to run into a family friend of ours at a store in Cache Valley. Erin is my parents' next door neighbor and one of the nicest people you will ever meet. As it turns out, she was putting a team together for the Ragnar Wasatch Back Relay in June.

The Wasatch Back is quite the event. It is a 12-person relay covering close to 180 miles stretching along the scenic back country of the Wasatch Range. Over a 24-hour period, brave teams run from Logan to Park City, UT. Some teams run to win-- like the BYU & Weber Cross Country teams, who have a fierce rivalry in this event. Most other teams do it simply for the adventure-- to push themselves to new heights, with 11 buddies to help cheer them along.

Bryson ran the Wasatch Back last year with a team from his work and ever since I have wanted to participate as well. The course runs right past my parents' street, and as we lined the shoulder of the road to cheer the teams on, I was really taken by the entire atmosphere of the race. People of all shapes and sizes, quirky teams running in full costume, the tangible camaraderie as various teams get to know one another and encourage all to the finish line... It was fantastic! I knew I wanted to join the party this year if the opportunity presented itself.

If you ever have the chance to run one of the Ragnar Relays, I highly recommend it!



Park City TV Documentary:


One thing I've learned as I've started training for events like this is that impossible things are nearly always possible if you take things one step at a time. Last year at this time I was stressing over being able to complete a 5K. It's amazing what you can accomplish if you put your mind to it. A little belief in yourself goes a long way!!!

♥

Brawling at Bear Lake

Over the weekend Bryson & I raced in the Bear Lake Brawl at the sprint triathlon distance. It was a fantastic day for a race.

We decided that we really needed to complete a full sprint triathlon (750 meter swim, 20K bike, 5K run) before the season ended, since Salem had been shortened up. We love Bear Lake, it is simply gorgeous country-- an oasis of turquoise in the Rockies. I trained really hard all summer long, and was excited to see how it would pay off.

The race got off to a near-shaky start... I almost missed my heat wave at the start of the swim. I thought they still had one wave to send before mine, and then I heard the announcement over the speaker that my age group should be ready in the water. Ack!!! Thankfully I made it out there fine, and in plenty of time. But my heart skipped a few beats in the process, I'm sure. One positive thing about that, though, was that the adrenaline pulsing through my veins made the cold alpine water a complete non-issue.

The swim went fairly well. I took it out pretty fast, and by the time I got half way through the 1/2 mile swim I had a pretty sizable lead. That's when things got difficult. I tried to spot the buoy to mark the next turn, and I could not find it. Anywhere. The glare of the sun off the water totally limited my vision, and since I was leading I couldn't just follow the pack. Finally, after doing breaststroke for what seemed like months, I saw a small pack of swimmers headed for--you guessed it-- the next buoy. Irritated at myself, I caught up to them and the rest of the swim went well. I was the first swimmer out of the water from my age group. My transition was SLOW, though. I definitely need to work on that for the next time around.

The bike was fantastic. For the first time, I actually felt competitive. (I guess that's what a new road bike in your life will do ya!) I averaged 18.2 mph, which was a PR for me.

Coming into T2, I felt pretty good, and the transition went fairly smoothly despite a slight hang up with one of my clip-ins. I expected to hit the wall a little as I began the run-- and sure enough, I did. The first 1/2 mile was pretty intense-- the urge to walk was really strong. But after I got through that, I found my rhythm, and felt really strong.

Race Splits:

750 meter swim - 14:01

T1 - 5:21.5 (Yikes!!!)

20K bike - 39:35.6

T2 & 5K run - 27:57.1

There was a major malfunction with the timing company at the race, and that's why I don't have separate splits for T2 & the run... It was also really frustrating, because the timing problems interfered with the results. The preliminary results had me winning my age group at first, however the final results place me at 5th. Talk about a little let down! I know I shouldn't let it bother me, because going into the race I just wanted to crack the top ten. But when you see your name at the top-- well, there's a little high associated with it! : )

(Just ask Bryson, he ended up winning his division!!! And yes, I'm a teensy bit jealous!)

Out of all the women that raced, I placed 17th. I was pretty pleased with that, when you consider the number of athletes competing.

Triathlon has become almost an addiction of sorts for me now. When I think of where I was just a few short months ago and where I am today, I am so grateful that I took the leap and registered for that first tri. The sport has brought so much fun and athleticism back into my life. And I'm sure that if I can do it, anyone can.

A Speedy Spaniard

After all the tri hullabaloo in our family, my fabulous sister-in-law Linda (Chris's wife) decided that she wanted to get in on some racing action herself. When she was younger, she cheered her father on in Spanish Fork's "Speedy Spaniard" 10K road race, and always wanted to follow in those footsteps, so to speak. In high school Linda ran track as a sprinter, so the 6.2 mile distance was a little daunting. I was looking for a way to step up my run, so I told her if she'd sign up, I'd do it with her.

So on July 24th, Linda & I officially became speedy Spaniards! It was a great race, and we both had great times-- both sub-hour, which was our goal.

In some ways, this race meant more to me than Salem. While I ran cross country in junior high, throughout high school I was plagued with knee problems and really learned to hate running. When I started running the beginning of this year, I could hardly run longer than 3 minutes on the treadmill without having to stop and rest. Running 6.2 miles seemed an absurd distance. But I guess it all just goes to show that if you have a dream, and put the work in, anything is possible.

The Creamsicle

Racing at Salem was eye-opening in many ways, but perhaps the greatest insight I had that day was, "Holy crap!!! I need a new road bike!"

Now, I have had the same 10-speed since I was twelve. It is the original blue Panasonic I used to ride to my friends' homes way before I had a driver's license. It has seen many good times, and frankly I am quite attached to it. But it does have its quirks. The handlebars are just ever-so skewed after a crash many years ago, the seat has a tear, and one of the wheels is also in less-than-desirable condition. My maximum speed on that bike was also a "scorching" 14 mph. But like I said, I am fond of it. When the mechanic at our bike shop told me that "there was just only so much they could do to help an old bike like mine," I was a little miffed. Just you watch who are you calling old, buddy! : ) However, after seeing the beautiful road bikes at Salem gleaming like jewels on the black asphalt, I had serious bike envy. I was a little relieved when they cancelled the bike!

After Salem, Bryson and I decided that if we were going to really delve into the world of triathlon we would need better wheels. And so the search began. We brought Chris along for his encyclopedic knowledge and experience. We spent the greater part of an afternoon looking at Specialized, Felt, Scott... and I was getting a little frustrated because nothing was feeling "just right" for me. The final stop of the day was at the Trek store. And this is where I found her:

At our house we call it the orange creamsicle. Technically, it is a Trek 2.1 WSD. After my poor little ten speed, it has been a revelation. It is amazing the difference a good pair of wheels makes. Bryson decided on the Trek 2.1 as well, so most Saturday mornings you can find us

around West Mountain... two blurs in orange and blue. ; )

We took our new aquisitions to Lake Tahoe recently and had a blast riding the trails and roads there. I am slowly gaining confidence on the bike... It is my weakest link of the three triathlon disciplines, but I am steadily improving. Of course, the creamsicle is helping. : ) Currently my average speed hovers around 16.5 mph. The greatest challenge for me is simply trying to find the time to ride. With two toddlers at home, it is fairly simple to take the jogging stroller out or go to the gym (they have a kids' club there.) But despite long hill climbs on the stationary, it doesn't quite replicate the experience of being out on the road. Cruising on the rural routes with the wind rushing by... it is a fantastic feeling. I highly recommend it! 

Reaching Salem

With the arrival of June, thoughts in our neck of the woods turn to the Salem Spring Triathlon. A sprint tri, it consists of a 750 meter swim (1/2 mile), 20K bike (~12.5 miles), and 5K run (3.1 miles). Since the new year I had been brainstorming various punishing ways to whack myself back into shape, and training for a triathlon seemed to be just the ticket. Back in the day I used to be a fairly decent swimmer, and when I was in high school I did a super sprint with a girlfriend of mine. But 15 years and two complicated pregnancies later, well, let's just call a spade a spade and say that I was seriously overweight and totally unhealthy.

This is a picture of Bryson (DH) and I at my worst back in 2006. I was two weeks post-partum, and still dealing with issues from toxemia (preclampsia). Pregnancy, so far, does not appear to agree with my body. I gain weight rapidly despite a controlled diet, my blood pressure increases, and I become a swollen monster. I am hoping if we decide to try for no. 3 here in the near-ish future that the cliché will hold true & it will be "the charm."

By the beginning of 2008 I had lost most of the weight, but still was feeling terribly unhealthy. I had always been athletic growing up, and wanted to regain that part of my life. I swam competitively for over ten years, and coached in the sport for another nine years after I had hung up my goggles. I wanted to get back in the water.

Now, to add to the mix, I have a great brother-in-law named Chris that is seriously hard core when it comes to athletics. He does triathlons, century rides, road races... a little bit of everything. At the time I was in the process of goal setting he was training for the Napa Valley Half Ironman. He was the one that finally convinced me that I could conquer Salem. And so the training began... and I fell in love with competitive sport again. This past weekend I crossed the finishline in style, even beating Bryson in the process! Although I don't expect that will happen again... I think I've ignited the competitor in him just a bit! ; )

This is our crew at the finishline at the Salem Spring Tri-- Matt, Bryson, me, & Chris. It was a great experience. Despite the cold and rain that shortened the event (bike was cancelled, swim changed to 500 meters) I was really proud of myself. I have found that by finding the time to doing this for myself that I have the strength and energy to give more to my family. In addition, I feel more balanced, more whole as a person. I have found a new passion, and I couldn't be more thrilled!!!!! ♥