I started running in the fall of 2007. I truly believe I was inspired to start running and I have seen some very big blessings come my way because of following that inspiration.
Ran Boston Marathon 2013 & 2014. My favorite PRs: 2011 at the SG 1/2 and 5K where I ran the 5K in 22:22. 2013 Nebo 1/2 (downhill) 1:36:15
Short-Term Running Goals:
Long-Term Running Goals:
Running throughout life with Tom. Staying healthy and happy.
Learn from others, learn from myself, work hard, do my best, enjoy!
On running and on life.....
On occasion we need to make a second effort - and a third effort, and a fourth effort, and as many degrees of effort as may be required to accomplish what we strive to achieve.
~Thomas S. Monson~
Personal:
Going to St. George? Bag the hotel and stay in one of our condos instead!
I thought I was just meeting up with Kay earlier this morning so Tom decided to sleep an extra 1/2 hour and go on his own. We ended up meeting with Dan and Carolyn also.
After my run with them I hurried to the church to meet up with my "iwannarunners" for thier training. I kind of like that nice 25 minute cool down I get with them. They have 2 weeks down, 7 more to go. I have a consistent group of about 12 with others coming here and there. They are going to have to choose to be there consistently if they want to run their 5k on May 21st.
Today's 15 miles was much more enjoyable than the last one mile of 14 last Saturday! Does that make sense? In other words, I would rather run all 15 miles today than mile 14 alone of last week's run. Everything went well this morning.
Tom and I met up with a nice big SF group. Two of the guys had started out a bit earlier and were down in the riverbottoms when we got down there. They decided it would be funny to hide in the shadows and come out with a loud roar. Well, I guess it must have been funny because I was the laughing stock of the group for the rest of the run! They were impressed with the loudness and duration of my scream. They were also impressed that instead of running from the source I was coming after them with vengance!
I enjoyed session one of LDS conference this morning, however, I think I may have had a few too many z's during the afternoon session. That will be my first session to read in the Ensign when it comes out. : )
We were lucky enough to get 6 or so inches of snow yesterday and some cold temps and wind for this morning. Tom and I got out early so I could meet up with my 5Kers in training. We ran just over 3 together then parted ways so he could add in and I could head back towards the 5Ker meeting station. I was able to get 5.75 in before meeting up with them.
They completed day 1 of week three of their training. I am very impressed with them! They were worried about today and they all passed with flying colors! Next week is going to be the tricky week as it is spring break and everyone is heading different directions. I hope they will commit to following the plan on their own for the week! We have about 11-13 of the original 18 who are keeping the resolve so far! Plus about 4 or 5 in other towns who are following on their own. It's lots of fun to help these ladies achieve something they thought was impossible for them to do! Many of them didn't even think they could do what they did today!
My run back home took my own mileage up to six. So very cold when I got home....my little doggy wanted his turn to go out with me but he will have to wait till later. I get sweaty on my run and then slow down with the ladies and freeze! But I think after this week the freezing part should be gone. At least I hope so!
Today I met up with the "iwannarunners" before going out to do my workout with Tom. It ended up being a perfect day for running! A few of my ladies were worried about this morning so they called me last night and told me they got today's in then. They should have waited...it was perfect! Most of the gang is hanging in there and doing a great job! I'm worried about a few who are missing too many of our scheduled workouts. Unless they are doing them on their own, I'm afraid I'm going to be losing them.
Tom and I went out after we got the kids out the door. He actually started while I was getting kids ready and had a few miles in before coming back for me. We had a hill repeat workout planned...6 - 10.
It went well and we ended up with 11. At the end of 11 I was done, done, done. But after a few minutes of breathers I was ready to finish the trip home. The pace quickened as we headed home and it all felt great! Woo Hoo! Better than the blah, blah, blah of yesterday! : )
Tom and I decided to change things up a bit from our normal running route. Today we ran past a few orange groves, a grapefruit grove, a cute little lemon tree and the beautiful Redlands Temple! Very enjoyable! : )
The nice thing about traveling with teenagers is that they can be at the hotel with younger siblings while mom and dad go out for a nice morning run! (OK, there are probably other reasons to like teenagers too.)
There's no place like home! As much fun as it is to go on vacation, it sure is nice to get back home!
After a long car ride home yesterday (which included a car sick child the WHOLE way home) it was nice to get a good night's rest in our own bed and then get out for a run in our own stompin' grounds!
We went out an hour later than our usual Saturday mornings and saw many more people out and about! I don't know if it's cause it was a bit later or that more people are getting out with the nicer weather. We actually had a Curtis sighting...don't usually see him since he seems to have to do most of his runs later in the afternoon.
The animals and birds were out and about today too! My favorite today was the big ole' rock chuck! I thought he might be an otter there by the river, but as we searched pictures on the internet when we got home we think he was a rock chuck. He didn't chuck any rocks at us, but he let us know he wasn't too fond of us getting very close to him. There were also a few deer, some cows on the road a woodpecker and various other birds.
Now to my nephew,Weston's, wedding. And a happy birthday to my cute SIL, Heidi and my equally cute neice, Jamie!
The run itself felt OK to start with but really good the last half! Nice to be able to get that in after a crazy week!
This morning was perfect for running! The rain held off till I was done with my run and my "Iwanna" run.
Tom and I started at about 5:20 and did our regular route. It was very dark out this morning! At 4 miles Tom went one way and I went another so he could get ten in and I could meet up with my group.
I had 6 1/2 miles in before meeting up with the ladies. There were 10 ladies there this morning. Two of them ended up walking but the other 8 are keeping to the schedule and hanging in there. This Friday they will have their first long run....20 minutes running with no walking. They are nervous but excited.
Running back home after the workout with them gave me seven miles. Everything felt really good today. Nice to feel that way after a week of vacation!
It's good I have a persistent hubby or I may have stayed in bed this morning. And that would have been bad because I don't have any other time today to get a run in. So even though I was grumpy about it, I'm glad I got out in the rain and ran. Luckily the rain only stayed with us for a mile or two.
Coach Tom helped me out with some speed work on the track this morning. Nice to run into our buddy, Stephen, down there doing some good speed work of his own.
The plan for today was 5-6 x 800 @ 3:30 - 3:45 with 1/4 mile rest of about 3 - 4 minutes.
Here's the run down:
3:38, 3:37, 3:31, 3:30, 3:29, 3:28. All the rests were in the 3:00-3:30 range except for the first one which was 2:5 ish.
After we were done there Tom went to add 4 more miles while I went to put my Coach Kimi hat on to help my Iwannarunna5k ladies. They are doing so good! Many of them have never ran at all and today they ran 8 minutes at a time twice! It's fun to see their improvements! We are half way through their 9 week training. I still have about 10 - 12 consistent girls here in town following the program and four others outside the area.
I am more excited today about my "Iwannarunners" first 20 minute run than I am for my own regular ole 6 miler! My run was nice too, Tom and I enjoyed the dark morning, but my ladies ran 20 minutes straight! Most of them started this program 5 weeks ago without ever running more than a few yards! I am just thrilled with their progress! A couple are starting to ask me if I am going to help them get to a 10K after this 5K training. I have also had many ladies ask me if I am going to start another 5K training when I am done with this one so they can start up. Maybe I should start charging.....hmmmm.... :)
Weeks go by so quickly! I can't believe it is long run day again already! Tom and I met up with a large, fun Spanish Fork crowd. A bit nippy at first but a very nice morning for a run! We get very few perfect days for runs so I will put this one in that category.
Around the 8 mile mark Tom went one direction with the speedier guys while I went on the trail with the rest of the gang. Some people left here and there but 4 of us went back down to Bishop's storehouse which meant we had the last mile and a half up hill all the way.
Not a bad run at all, especially after crawling into bed at 1:30 and out of bed at 5:30. Hopefully a nap will be in the schedule sometime today.
Today has been one long workout! I am ready for some Zs! Ran with Tom and then with the Iwanna girls. Then off to St. George to paint our condo. My mom and dad are here helping me while Tom is keeping the fort together at home. I thought we were going to be able to get away without painting the ceilings, but when we got here we realized the ceilings needed it too. I'm not sure how Michelangelo (sp?) did his amazing work on a ceiling like he did....my neck and shoulders are sore just from what we did! Still more to do tomorrow. I hope it looks good when we are done. Painting seems like an easy thing to do yourself, and it is, but it's also hard work! So glad I don't do it for a living! We'll see if a run happens tomorrow or not.
I was able to get 5 miles on the bunny trail in St. George this morning before getting back to the painting. Bunny count was only one. And it was just the cute little cotton tail end of the bunny as it hopped behind a bush.
The sunshine was fabulous to run in! I think I could get use to that! Today was perfect down there. I'm sure you southern Utah guys and gals wish it could stay like that for awhile and not get up into those hundreds!
But here I am back in good ole Spanish Fork...hopefully I won't be being pelted with hail tomorrow morning!
My mom, dad and I got a lot done at our condo the past few days! They are awesome! Their prices are good too....they just work for food! Thanks mom and dad! Love you!
Spanish Fork is different than St. George. Had to wear warmer gear here this morning than I did yesterday morning down south. Started off a bit sluggish but started feeling it toward the end of the run. Missed my speed work this week. Maybe I'll add it into part of my long run on Saturday.
6.75 on my own this morning since Tom wanted to sleep in a bit longer than I could. It was actually quite perfect while I was out. It had been raining but had quit and the wind was not bad at all.
Then I met up with my Iwannarunners. Today was their first 25 minute run with no walking! I am so proud of them! The ones who have made it this far are doing very well! Almost every single one of them use to think they could not even run for 5 minutes! They went about 2ish miles. Since I run back and forth between the lead group and the final group to help cheer them all on I am taking one of those two miles to add into mine.
And now it is snowing and sticking to the ground! Grrrr! I don't want to run in snow anymore!
Waking up at four forty AM on a wintery April 30th to run in snow is just wrong! Wrong, but still fun. We had to go early today because we had to be in Ephraim by 9:00 to get a seat for Snow College graduation. Congrats Cam and Rurika! Camron graduated in arts and his darling girlfriend, Rurika, graduated in science. Such a nice day for them!
Even though it was winter again, I must say, winter sure can make things beautiful! Running up the trail with the snow covered trees around us was just as pretty as it could be. There was a hawk sleeping in a tree about 4 feet above our heads. We stopped to take a closer look at him. He let us look for a moment but then swooped down and over the field to a new tree where no one was staring at him. He gave us quite a little startle!
