Three white dresses

Written 8/19/12

When I was a little girl there was a poem I heard in church called my three white dresses.  I loved that poem and since then it has always been one of my favorites.  There was a girl named Sarah and we were inseperable.  Born just four days apart, we are destined to be best friends.  As a baby we had our baby blessing on the same day, solely because of our age.  As an eight year old we chose to have our baptism together.  At this point we understood the poem read to us and always joked we would wear all three white dresses together.  No we were not that gullible but we thought wouldn't that be cool!  Yesterday she received that third white dress.  On a temple meaning more to me than all but one other.  A temple my ancestors helped build and a temple that my family got to do my grandmothers work in.  Oddly enough we were here in manti, on the day of her wedding.  To see your childhood best friend the one you dreamed with about this day and time on life, wear her final white dress, is such a great experience.  Today is a day that will always be important to me.   I'm so proud of her, I'm grateful to have spent my childhood together with her.  I'm so happy for her, but at the same time a little bittersweet.  Those childhood memories are just that... Memories.  But they built me.  Thank you for being such a wonderful best friend!


Now onto the not so little but after the above very little of importance in comparison.  My sister ran a half marathon!  Congrats big sis!  I ran the last three with her the we both did two after that.  So I ran five miles and it was so easy!!! Whew.   good thing since my
Marathon is in like 5 weeks and I havnt ran since march.  Eek!!  Maybe Saturday if I have time I'll do my big run and just see how far I can go so I can get this whole thing going.  Also I should be a carpenter.  Ha!!! (sarcasm). although I can now use all the vital power tools.  Saws, nail guns, drills, etc.  I only broke one blade.  (im impressed with myself)  Seriously my parents and I have been on what they call vacation visiting my sisters.  I call it work.  We built a fence, framed a basement, and loaded 200 bales of hay.  On two of the days that we didn't work from sun up till 9 at night we had 3am and 4am wake up calls.  A few years ago I would have called this torture.  Lol.  Our only actual vacation part was we went white water rafting.  So much fun.  My sister and I wanted to be adventurist and when in a two person conoe by ourselves.  Our tour guide definitely got some comedy out of us.  We couldn't get together and kept going in circles but we finally figured it out just in time for the rapids.  We didn't even tip it thought we came very close.  After lunch my mom wanted to test it out so me and her went and we hit a giant rock I was about half out of the boat, but we came out on top.  Lol.   It was a great trip!  I just love getting to see my sisters.  I only get to see them once or twice a year for just a few days each so it means more and more each year.  I think I have a procrastination problem but I've only sorta packed up my room so I still gotta finish packing then put it in the car move unpack and buy books errands, etc., all tomorrow cuz school starts Thursday.  I'm going to be so tired but I'm ready to be at home and not live out of my suitcase like I have all summer.  It's a little bittersweet this time cuz I'm leaving more than just home. I'll miss him but on the bright side I get to see my friends again.  My parents always said college is where you make your life long friends I never really thought that, I thought high school friend would be my forever friends, but I have learned my parents were right.  I should know to just believe everything they say, they are always right.  Can't wait to see them Thursday and the rest of them Saturday!!

Prayer to be my humble solace

In my profession its inevitable that death is ever apart of it. I've only witnessed the actual passing from this world to the next of one person. However, I did not know that person or have any affiliation with the family. It was also an adrenaline rush where we were trying to save him/her but to watch someone who is out of it and their respirations are heavy and labored and knowing all you can do is wait. Tonight I am witnessing the death of a good family friend. Someone, my grandparents love deeply and what makes this worse is she is my patient and I can't do a thing about it. I don't even think that this would be affecting me the way it is, but under the circumstances it's falling a little to close to home. I've never had to comprehend the way a parent feels when they lose a child or the child is very sick, and I hope I never have to. I've heard my mom talk about losing her babies and could feel the pain it gave her, but still it was in the past. Of course I understand that pain never fully goes away but it is definitely different. As I wait each day to hear the news a somber joy when things get better, or a cracked voice like today when things took a turn for the worst. Prayer to be my humble solace as I pray for one to pass with ease and yet another to live.

Injured???

So, if you have been reading my blog it is no secret that i don't actually listen to training programs or gradually increase miles or speed.  I do not have the patience for that.  Unfortunately, it causes a lot of injuries.  The positive of having had so many injuries is I know exactly what i have and ways to test it without even going to the doc.  

For instance, if you can walk on your leg but it hurts, try to jump on it if you cant its a stress fracture.  A stress fractures pain will also be more horizontal while shin splints wont be as local and will go vertically up your leg. If your achilles tendon is bothering you, to test if you have a tear squeeze your calf while lying down (though being on all fours works too) and if your foot points there is no tear.  Most likely you have achilles tendonitis (they don't call it that anymore but its the same thing.)  Now obviously i am no dr. and there is more stuff that i don't know about than what i do, but when it happens to me again i can remember what it was like in the past and can practically diagnose myself (Even though technically only a doctor can diagnose you).  

Well I think on saturday i pushed past what my body could actually handle.  Remember how i told you my calves were extremely tight at the beginning and i almost quit but pushed through and then my left achilles tendon really hurt.  Well as my nursing friends already know, your achilles tendon is connected to your calf so if your calf is tight your achilles tendon has to stretch more and do more work. Therefore hence my achilles tendon hurting so much.  However no tear according to the calf squeeze and the fact that i can still point and flex my toes.  Also i now have a shin splint in my right leg.  Before training for my first marathon i had never gotten one, but since then i get them quite often like multiple times a year.  I wonder if all this running and not enough cross training is making some muscles really strong which creates like an imbalance in the muscles??  I know they say if your prone to get them you need to wear minimalist shoes but if i wear those i would sprain my ankle all the time.  Which if possible would make my ankle even more unstable.  I might have to gradually decrease from my stability to neutral to minimalist.

Unless injuries really interest you like they do me, this was probably a very boring post.  So here is to laughing to release some endorphins.

Curtesy of BomBay pinterest

The rest are all ellen.

True Love!!! March 18

So apparently it saved some of it as a draft so ill just post what it saved, since i don't recall a ton of what i had before.  This is supposed to be posted March 18.

No sillies, not my true love!  My friend finally tied the knot yesterday.  After seven years, they are now Mr. and Mrs.  Cute story, they first noticed each other in the sixth grade, and she told her friend at the age of eleven she was going to marry him someday.  And that day finally came.

So lets get to details, the wedding was absolutely gorgeous.  I believe her colors were purple, yellow, and gray.  It was super simple and intimate which i absolutely adored.  I am really bad with numbers of people, but i would have guessed 50 to 60 people.  Her bouquet was baby breath and it was absolutely gorgeous.  On it she had pictures of her family that had passed on, which i thought was so unique and such a great idea.  During her walk, his sisters sang a special song unique to her.  (unfortunately a train came at the beginning)  It will be funny one day.  The food was buffet style, with sandwiches and an olive salad.  Apparently the sandwiches was on the show the best thing i ever ate.  Can you say yummy!! And the most important part "The Dress!"  Oh my goodness i could not stop talking about it.  It was mermaid style but not real tight.  It had beautiful lacework, and the train (however its supposed to be spelled) was long but came from underneath which i loved.  It had a flower on the right hip which she matched in her hair.  First of all she has to die for beautiful curly hair which she left down with just one side tied back with bobby pins.  It had a large flower with two small ones so the bobby pins were not seen.  Her make up was simple and natural.  It really was picture perfect.

So onto boring stuff, i started out st. Patty's day running 10 miles.  Heck yes!  I ran around the lake which typical for me.  Sometimes as a runner you have those days that your run was just great.  Well today was one of those days.  The weather was overcast and a couple of times i felt like a mist, just perfect running weather.  Plus since it was overcast nobody was on tempe town lake so i practically had the thing to myself which I love.  Especially because on weekends all the people who run in the morning are crazy in shape people who pass me like I am standing still.  At least i can make fun of the guys who run in ladies underwear or I'm sorry i meant there completely normal shorts.

Since today is my brothers birthday i figured i'd give him a shout out even though he wont read this.  So Happy Birthday big brother!!

Ice bath?

Ok, so let me explain, no i have not stopped running or blogging.  I actually had a extremely long blog a few weeks ago about my beautiful friend who got married but the internet went down and it didn't save.  It had deets about her wedding and my runs and everything, but ill have to save that for another time.  Because i am sure you are wondering why i would ever want to take an ice bath!!

Sometimes i think my brain literally leaves my body.  For instance, yesterday i had the brilliant idea of running 16 miles. (my math was wrong and i did 15.4)  oops.  (I told you my brain literally left my body) (ignore the widget my runs got separated because i hit the end a few times instead of play and when i uploaded it i uploaded that one last so it says 3.99.) Well after running 15 miles i feel as if i was literally beat with a bat.  Every bone, tendon, and muscle in my body hurt.  I'm not exaggerating, you know when you see that cute little old lady who walks by shuffling because she can only move her foot about 6 inches forward.  Well, I'm that little old lady.  The first four miles my calf's were so tight and painful that i almost quit, but i sucked it up and it got better.  Now, I'm pretty sure my left achilles tendon took a beating though.  oops!  I've been contemplating if i should take this week off and see if it gets better or just suck it up and try too keep going that way if it doesn't then i can get the dr. to check it out in a few weeks.

I promise there really are joys of running.  Yesterday when I ran the sun was setting on tempe town lake and the bridge's lights against the blackened water was just beautiful.  And in the distance the city lights and mountains.  It was so pretty.  One of the reasons i love to run so much is because i feel as if I am in my own little world.  Often i get so wrapped up in living life surrounded by everyone its nice to have a couple hours where its almost as if this is your world your living in rather than just sharing a space with so many other people.  It is so relaxing to me to get into my own mindset.

So another exciting note, I got to see something from ... for the first time in 22 months.  Yes i know its kinda crazy, but it made me so happy.  I was literally freaking out on BONSTER!  No the note was not to me it was just a general thing he had posted but it had a lot of meaning to me because it dealt with the death of his brother.  I still remember him getting called out of class to find out his brother had passed away.  I remember the moment of silence, seeing him cry for the first time, going over to his house later that day.  Watching him come back to school with the stares and sympathetic faces people would give him.  I remember watching him play in his first basketball game after that.  But most of all what i remember is how strong he tried to be for his family.  I don't know if its normal for me to remember all of this, but I do and it has left a major impact in my life.  In fact i have rarely i mean rarely written in a journal but i have probably 100 pages just on this subject in my journal.

It was also great yesterday because i ran for about 3 hours i had plenty of time to think and with today being Easter it was so great to reflect upon the Savior.  A couple years ago we were challenged to memorize the living christ.  I am so grateful for that, because it now means more to me than it ever has before.  Plus i am able to recall it (at least most of it) at anytime, like yesterday during my run I just kept thinking about it and what it meant to me.  I know it is long but it is worth the read.  I have changed font of some of my favorite lines.

The Living Christ:


As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.

He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.

He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.

We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.

He rose from the grave to “become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20). As Risen Lord, He visited among those He had loved in life. He also ministered among His “other sheep” (John 10:16) in ancient America. In the modern world, He and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, ushering in the long-promised “dispensation of the fulness of times” (Ephesians 1:10).

Of the Living Christ, the Prophet Joseph wrote: “His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:

“I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father” (D&C 110:3–4).

Of Him the Prophet also declared: “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

“For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—

“That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (D&C 76:22–24).

We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth—“built upon the foundation of … apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20).

We testify that He will someday return to earth. “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5). He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him. Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts.

We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.

The First Presidency

January 1, 2000

The Quorum Of The Twelve

Getting Back into the Swing of Things??

So first of all, I am in nursing school and in it i just switched from adult health to psych nursing.  Once adult health ended we had about a week off and it was amazing.  Maybe a little too amazing, as I am having a very hard time getting motivated to do anything, including running.  

While i may make the excuse that i was trying to get my blisters to heal, or that my family was in town, i really just didn't have enough self determination to run in the last two weeks.  Honestly i think a big part of it was that the last two times i ran i could only do 3 miles and was dying, and felt like i had just run a marathon and could not move.

Well i decided today is the day i finally get over being lazy and get back to running.  Between school and my errands i didn't get home till after 3.  Ok i know that is early but later than my normal fridays.  So i decided to take a nap, and slept until 6.  oops!!  Oh well.  To spruce up my workout, I woke up and ran to "A" mountain about 2.5 miles away.  Hiked up it, then turned around and ran back.  Unfortunately, I took a little too long of break at A mountain/I left to late, so it was dark by the time i got home, which is a definite no-no at least for a smaller 5'4'' girl. 

All in all i ran 5 miles yes split in half, but oh well!  Tomorrow is my big run, not sure how much to run since i have not ran it two weeks and that always throws off my mileage but ill try for 8 again. Lets hope i can do it without dying.  Not promising much!

On some more excited news, I am getting a new car!  Ok, in like 2 months i am getting a new car.  But i am still so stoked.

This exact make model etc, except I think I am getting it in white!

The best part though is the interior.  It has where you can plug you phone into it on a screen it will show you your playlist or basically what your phone shows you but on the car.  It also has GPS, which is like whatever but will be handy, but even cooler than that I can talk to it.  Ok sorta, it has bluetooth which i will probably never use but i still have always wanted to talk to my car.  haha  basically i can say call xxx and it will call xxx for me.  It just does all those fancy little things that i will probably never use.  

So this is like it but they have it set to radio but it also does ipod, which you can say like songs or playlists or whatever.  Its a touch screen and is just unnecessarily nice.  And this is totally something i wouldn't care about but my sister thinks its pretty sweet, unlike most cars it has 8 different speakers in it.  Apparently it makes it really clear, but whatever.

Basically I am spoiled and have no right to drive a car like this.  I personally didn't mind my ghetto old lady car, but whatever.  We are taught to accept gifts with grace right???

On a more sad note, my horse stepped on wire.  To explain this, horses hooves are like peoples nails, so its ok if we cut off the nail that is not connect to the skin but if we go to far it hurts.  Horses are little bit the same but the problem is his a puncture, so like if i dug a knife into the middle of your nail, but kept going past the skin and into the tissue.  The positive is, it doesn't seem to be bothering him, the negative is its pretty serious because of the risk of infection.  Unlike humans who can put a bandaid on it and block out dirt and germs we can't do that with horses so we just have to spray it every night with disinfectant stuff and hope his natural immune defenses are stronger than the bacteria.  This happened tuesday and so far so good, so lets hope it stays that way.  Unfortunately unless its healed in a week i probably wont be able to ride him.  I guess i'll just have to ride sixer.  Good thing i have plenty of gauze (from nursing) to cover my saddle sores.  The last couple times i rode him i got blood on my saddle.  So on the stirrups theres a big blood spot and dripped down it.  Then i tried to wash it off, which just made a smear and darkened the leather.  If only i could ride every day so my legs would toughen up but i ride just enough that i still get the saddle sores but not enough for my skin to adjust.  Lame!

So since this is a running blog, (though i think I talk more about horses) i should probably end it on a running note.

I have run 125 miles, i wanna say only about 50 since i started in in feb or end of jan, (whenever i started)  Yes i keep disappointing myself. but on a more positive note.

Blisters, Blisters, and more blisters!

I have been running about a month, and i am still getting blisters.  I think part of it is i am not letting them completely heal, but most of it is because my feet are not used to being treated like this.  So basically what is happening is I will run, it will heal in about a week by my next run, but a new blister will just develop right underneath it after that run.  Can you say annoying!!!  

(Its hard to tell in this picture but where its read in the middle a new blister is forming under the dried skin, Part of the white on top is the old skin, an part is a new blister.  And then its hard to see but a new one is forming at the very bottom where its a red color under the white.)

Ok so i totally know you wanted to see a picture of my very veiny foot!!! haha

With that said today i kept my run to 3 miles.  My feet were really sore because i ran 3 miles yesterday so they just couldn't do a long run.  Even only doing 3 miles i was exhausted i had been outside all day and was a little dehydrated and then ran around 2 in the afternoon, in a 75 degree sunny day.  

While this may not have been great weather to run in, it couldn't have been any better to ride in.  

It was just such a nice perfect day.  I rode for a good 2 hours, in a freshly graded arena.  Ok, to make it even better, my dad did not just grade it he also smoothed it out so the arena was even.  Let me explain that, so especially with barrel racing, the arena develops what we call "holes" basically in certain spots dirt goes down a little bit from so much use.  So he got rid of all the holes and its was so nice to ride in.  It's good for horses to go a while without shoes to let their feet grow out, since I'm gone its a good time for that, so the horses don't have shoes which made it even nicer that the arena was soft.  Not to mention the fact that if i get bucked off it wont hurt near as bad.  haha.  

Before the ride started i thought today was going to be my day to get bucked off.  My dad likes to run the horses around when they havn't been ridden but i don't like that so he took Sixer "his horse" and I left my horse (Classy) in the pen.  The way the barn is set up, you cant see what is going on in the arena if they are in the pin, and man did Classy not like that.  I have never seen him so crazy before.  He was pawing at the fence, running into it, practically nocking me out with his head, rearing up a little.  I had to let his halter go so he didn't get himself all tangled up.  I just knew i was in for a real treat today.  So to get out some of his energy i lunged him.  Lunging is just tying a long rope to there halter and making them run in circles around you while your on the ground.  It is also a pretty good indicator of how they are going to act for the day, without you getting hurt.  He was perfect on the lunge line and rode perfectly.  Classy was very receptive, didn't even throw a fit when Sixer got to be put up and he didn't.  I was in shock.  

(my favorite place to be)

Can you tell nobody has roped in a long time.  Look at all the weeds.

To make the day even better, my parents are taking to my favorite restaurant tonight.  While some may think ok thats nice, it actually is really nice when your favorite restaurant is in a town 45 minutes away.  I don't think i could be anymore spoiled.  

All in all, today was and is the best day i have had in a very long time!!

7 miles... no i think ill do 8.

When training typically I am supposed to add a mile each week.  Since last week was six miles today I should have done 7.  Actually it is supposed to be my relaxing week, and I am only supposed to run 4 miles, but i just couldn't make myself stop.  What really happened was at mile 5.25 i stopped to get a drink of water and accidentally ended my workout.  So, since i was past an even number i decided ok i have to do 2 more miles to make it the seven but if i did that then i would be above seven so i said hey do 8 and end on a solid number.  So that is what I did.  I had to stop and get water twice and go to the rest room.  So it wasn't completely done without stopping, but at 8 miles I have to start hydrating myself and the rest room, well out of my control.  haha!! So really i did 8 miles without stopping.  

My run was extremely hard.  Probably because of my food consumption yesterday.  Yesterday i ate cookies and had frozen yogurt and even 2 pieces of bacon, and all in the afternoon to night.  Yes, I know great diet right???  Since i ate so much yesterday I didn't eat breakfast because i was still stuffed.  Typically i think that would not be such a big deal but my blood sugar must have been low because i was a little dizzy at the end.  Also my right knee was killing me.  It started to hurt a little at mile 3, but it was pretty normal, not even pain just annoyance.  By mile 5 it was killing me.  I had to stop at the light, (did i mention i hate stoplights) and tried to walk it out.  I found it hurt so much worse when walking than running.  I couldn't even walk on it.  I ended up having to stop again at the next stoplight and could not walk at all.  It was excruciating.  However, since it did hurt more walking i made myself do the last mile instead of stopping at 7, convincing myself that it needed to be walked out and this would make me walk at least 1/2 a mile back to my house.  Also, telling myself that if it could run 7 it would have no problem running 8.

As you can see, i just have to trick my mind all the time to make myself go farther, or faster.  I don't have the endurance yet that these runs are easy and just a fun little stroll they are still hard for me, but at the end i feel great.

When i came back home, my roommate and her friend (an attractive guy) were on the couch.  Apparently they saw me leave to start my run like an hour and a half earlier and he goes, "have you been running this entire time."  When i replied yes, he then asked "How many miles did you do." He seemed very impressed.  Also around tempe town lake there are stables with horses and cattle.  Today there were lots a cowboys working and saddling the the horses.  Real cowboys too.  Maybe there is still hope for tempe after all.

No more taco bell for me!

So i love to read about celebs running.  Maybe it makes them feel more real or maybe that me running is somehow cool.  I don't know.  I had heard about Alison Sweeney doing a 10k a little while ago so I decided to look up her time.  6.2 miles in 53 minutes and 23 seconds.  Thats like an 8:30 - 8:40 pace.  I was so upset by this.  I have watched her on the biggest loser for forever, and always thought i am in better shape than her.  As long as i can outrun the host on the biggest loser then i am good.  Man did I just got told.  I guess that means its time for diet, and extreme training.  Since my marathon is not till October and it shouldn't take me that long to train i am going to spend some extra time trying to get my speed up.

Now that i just explained my embarrassment i went for a run today.  However, I didn't really work on my speed.  I made sure i wasn't going to slow but nothing too crazy.  Therefore I ran a 5k at a 10:26 pace.  I have a long way to go.  My goal is to beat my run time each time.  So saturday my goal for this weekend of 7 miles is to beat my six mile pace of 11:50.  Yes, I am embarrassed to say my pace was almost 12 minutes a mile.  I know long runs are supposed to be really slow even 1 to 2 minutes slower than your shorter runs, and so i didn't even think about my pace and often forget that I'm running on longer runs, so my pace definitely suffers.  I just need to get back to my normal 9 minute pace.  So basically i have to run everyday that I can, eat extremely healthy, and push myself.  

On a more positive note, i have not drank a soda or sports drink since saturday, that is four days.  Go me!  Ok that really is not a big deal, and not even a big deal to me, its just a conscious effort that I have to make happen, now more than ever!  Also My Nike GPS hit 101 miles today.  I hardly used the nike plus before now because I had to use the sensor which i was always worried about falling off, so on long runs it was just too stressful and short runs i always felt that there was no need for it because i pretty well knew how far everything was and basically stuck to the same route. Since i have started January 14 i have ran 29.89 miles.  So basically my running has stunk, i have ran a little more than a marathon in an entire month.  Dang school is getting in my way.

So this was not the most positive post, but now i just have more drive.

Saturdays goal 7 miles in 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Marathon goal under 4:20.

Virtual Run for Sherry Arnold

As most people in the running community know, today was the virtual run for Sherry Arnold. Sherry Arnold was a avid runner, a school math teacher, a wife, and a well respected individual.  One morning about a month ago in a small town, Sherry was abducted and believed to be murdered.  Sherry went for her typical saturday morning run.  She was believed to be abducted about ten minutes after six, about a mile from her home.  Coming from a small town, being active, and running in town i always thought i was safe, but this proves otherwise.  We need to be careful.  For those of you who did not know about this, today in this beautiful running community a virtual run was set in place by her cousin.  People all over the world ran virtually in honor of Sherry.

I ran 6 miles today for Sherry and definitely had my own scare.  So I like to run around tempe town lake because there is not a lot of stop lights that make you stop running (or when driving make you push the brakes)  So annoying right!  Its also a beautiful view.  However, because i run a lot further than the actual "lake" at tempe town lake, I run west to priest road to get an extra mile in.  Seeing as people would rather run with the view of the lake not many people run that far west, therefore it was pretty much just me and a strange guy.   (the road is like a T so you can run and turn left or right so he is on the right which is where i was going to be running)  So this guy looks at me and stops and stands still leaning against a pole (to the right of the T) staring at me.  So i stop to see what he does acting like i'm stretching but keeping my eye on him the entire time  He just stays there and stares, eventually he gets tired of waiting and starts walking towards me (so he walks left) so I practically sprint the other way so going south which you can take left to get towards all the people, in which he turns completely around and follows me.  Luckily nothing happened and i never saw him again. Obviously he was a creep.  So running buddies, run where there are lots of people around and at close distance. (Now if your not confused about directions then i am impressed, if you are then ill be more than happy to explain it to you!)

Ok and now onto a more positive note, i ran 6 miles today.  Go me!  It was such a nice run, not difficult at all, my breath was not labored and my legs are not sore.  Definitely a good run.  But i really need to wake up earlier because by the end of my run its like 11:30 and extremely hot.  I think the weather got confused on what month it is, but i am definitely not complaining because I HATE THE COLD!!!  Its just so hard for me to wake up early on saturday because its my only day to sleep in.  :(

So instead of doing homework I went and watched and old friend play in the ASU softball tournament.  Ash plays for BYU so I spent the entire day watching her as well as other teams play.  I got a nice little tan!
Oh and i watched texas tech kick U of A's butt!  I had to hold in my excitement because i was with Ashlee's family and she used to play for them, but inside i was loving every minute of it.  I found myself cheering a few times for texas without even realizing.  Oops!

Running through bugs in Arizona???

First long run of the training program.  Ok i am too cheap to pay for training programs so i look up examples of ones and make my own that fit into my schedule.  I am also a college student and don't have a set schedule ever, so my main focus is the long runs.  As i mentioned today was my first, and my hammy's are feeling it.  i had planned on running in the evening so it would be cooler and i could get some homework in.  What was i thinking i'd rather run then do homework so in my own way of procrastinating i ran instead.  However this put my run in pheonix arizona an noon, not my brightest idea.  Can you say hot!!!  Well since I am sure you are wondering, my "long run" isn't really a long run it was only 5 miles, but it sure felt longer than that.  Curious does my nike plus GPS work right??  Actually that is a serious question because i ran at it told me i was at 2.5 miles and i kept running in the same direction for another at least quarter to half a mile and then turned around and i still finished my five miles at the exact same place i started.  Should i have finished at least half a mile early???  Definitely not correct, but it was so hott i didn't know if i was delirious from dehydration, plus i would rather run too much than not enough and realize on race day.  So let me explain the title of this blog.  I was running along great about a mile and a half in and a bug fly's into my eye.  Well, me being my typical don't stop till your finished attitude i just kept running and rubbing my eye to get it out.  (my nose was also running and there was a lot of staring going on.)  No people i was not crying.  It finally stopped hurting so i assumed i got it out.  It was a little irritated but i figured that was normal.  I finally finish my run, treat myself to cafe rio - best restaurant ever!!  A little contradicting to the exercise but oh well.  Eventually i come home a good hour after my run finished and realize my eye is still irritated so i look in the mirror and low and behold the bug is still in my eye.  It was deep on the side so it took some effort to get it out, but almost immediately my eye felt better.  Note to self wear sun glasses on runs around lakes.  All in all 7 miles complete for week 1.  Lets hope week 2 has more miles in it.  I am not promising much since next week is pretty busy. Silly teachers don't they know i have better things to do. :)

So I am your not so typical college girl.  I am 19 years old from a smaller town than most people know.  I really am from that town that a traffic jam in considered 3 cars behind a tractor.  I played every sport you can think of and miss them all dearly.  But there are two things that i will never have to give up.  The first is running, and the second is rodeo.  Yes, you heard right i love to run.

I was that girl in high school who decided i think i want to run a marathon.  (Ok most high schools don't have that girl, but you can pretend.)  I was 15 years old and everyone around me seemed to be training for something.  Ok maybe not everyone, but my gymnastics coach was training for one with my volleyball coach (yes i did mention it was a small town.)  My sister had the brilliant idea of doing a half.  So i started training right after volleyball season.  My coach was like Jillian Michaels on the biggest loser, but on steroids.  Lets just say I wanted to be in shape for the next year so i decided ill run a half with my sister.  Well a few months later, i completed my first marathon.  My sister her first half, and since then i have not had quite the same desire to do another.  For me, i think it was more of the title.  I have since come to the conclusion that what you do in high once your out of high school does not matter anymore, and if i wanted to call myself a marathoner i have to have done a few.  It also does not hurt that running this much allows me to eat whatever i want and still look like i watch my food consumption.

Now I am 19 years old and finally getting myself back into that same shape of running a marathon.  Best advice i can give someone. Don't stop running after you've completed your goal just make another.  So here i go training for the Chicago marathon.  I started running last week and between nursing school and midterms i havn't done a ton, but i have a solid start.  My starting runs 5 miles at 11 minute pace. (I better be below 10 minutes before marathon day.)  Since this is my first blog, I'm going to say today was my first run and i ran 2 miles at 11 minute pace.