Running on the Beach, Bucket List Check!

I have always thought it would be so cool to run along the beach with Bryant.  Man was I wrong, the humidity sucks!  You are drenched before you even start running and pretty much it's hard both ways you go because it's flat along the beach, no hills to go down or up to give you a break!  So basically all those people that say it's the bomb, I think they are lying!  

 It's totally beautiful, but man, so HARD!

I love the extra side chin I got going! Check out how wet I am!  This was just a 5 mile run!

 Start time for the Myrtle Beach 1/2 Marathon!

 So beautiful!  

 I took 2nd place overall!  All those other runners didn't stand a chance, they might have tried harder if they would have known a race was going on.  Bryant took 1st!  

 It was Jake's 13th birthday as well!  How cool is that?  I ran 13 on his 13th b-day!

After I finished the 13 I stayed on the beach for a while, Bryant was actually worried about me because he hadn't heard from me and he was in classes.  The ocean water felt great on my feet after running FOREVER in the humidity!  We had gone to Myrtle Beach for a work training for him.  Talk about a lucky deal for me!  I totally got to go to my 'warm beach somewhere' and I got to have a break from the every day stuff. 

Long runs 14 & 15 miles

I'm not going to lie I was scrared to run 14 miles I have never ran that far ever..... When we started at the Sandunes it wasn't that great with all the hills, but the scenery was pretty and the company made up for it.  When we finally got through the hills miles 6,7&8 were not to bad. I was thankful to get to mile 10 because that meant just 4 left !!!  I was so glad when this run was over it really was a milestone for me and makes the marathon seem a little more do-able.


15 miler
This was defently my best run to date knowing that I survived 14 the week before I knew I could get through 15. On my 14 mile run I was excited to see I actually had one mile under a 10 min mile it was 9:59 but it was under 10. I haven't seen anything under a 10 min mile in years so I was super excited. My goal was to have just one mile under 10 again........ I didn't expect that to happen on my first mile that's usually one of my slowest but it did and continued for at least the next 7 !!! I was pretty pumped about that. I also ran my first 10k under an hour since 2010 !!! This was a great run I felt great and was able to just keep going. I'm crazy but I kinda liked running on the highway because I would see where I was and it didn't seem so long, when we moved to the old highway it all kinda looked the same - even though they are side by side !!! Weird I know !!!

-Candi

Top 13... or however many you want.. favorite running songs

When I was running my last long run and listening to my tunes,  I realized some songs I just love when I'm running.  They perk me up and keep me moving...  So came SURVEY SUNDAY...  I"m not sure what our next one will be, but this week it is music.  I'm excited to see everyone elses because maybe I'll have some new songs to download and add to my running play list!! 

Becka's top 13...  in no particular order
1.  Free and Easy down the road I go       Dierky Bentley
2.  Dirt road anthem (Remix)      Jason Aldean
3.  Knee Deeeep (feat Jimmy Buffett)   Zac Brown band
4.  That Song In My Head   Julianne Hough
5.  Cruise    Florida Georgia Line
6.  Beat this Summer    Brad Paisley
7.  Stay Stay Stay   Taylor Swift
8.  Highway Dont Care  Tim Mcgraw and Taylor Swift
9.  What makes You Beautiful    One Direction (Ya...  I"m 12, no but really it reminds me of Easton and makes me happy)
10.  Lost Highway   Bon Jovi
11. Huckleberry      Toby Keith
12.  I'm Yours     Jason Mraz
13.  Everything  Michael Buble

This list is cracking me up...  I really need to update my tunes.  =)


My top 13
1. Evacuate The Dance Floor.  Cascade
2.  Girl On Fire.    Alicia Keys
3.  Sail     Awolnation
4.  The Final Countdown     Europe
5.  Pumped Up Kicks     Foster the people
6.   Be oK.    Ingrid michaelson
7.  Fire     Ingrid michaelson
8.  Stronger     Kelly clarkson
9.  Pontoon     Little big town
10.  Party Rock Anthem     LMFAO
11.  She's So Mean     Matchbox Twenty
12.  1983     Neon Trees
13.1.  Try    P!nk
13.2. 22     Talor Swift
13.3 Pour Some Sugar on Me     Def Leppard
13.4. Radioactive     Imagine Dragons
] Just to name a few. I LOVE music on my runs. 


I am addicted to my music! My lists are ALWAYS changing though. In fact, up until two weeks ago I had a playlist for every race I have done! Always depends on what mood I am in I guess. But here is what I am liking as of today! Haha. Normally I just listen to fast stuff but I've noticed during that I am leaning toward slower songs for all of these long long long long long long long runs! It's like we are driving to St. George just listening to music but really we are running the entire time! Wow. If that makes sense to anyone what I just said. 

1. I Lived- One Republic
2. I Need Your Love- Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding
3. Breakeven- The Script (I prefer a different version)
4. Highway Don't Care- Tim McGraw & Tay Tay
5. Let Me Love You- Ne Yo
6. Mirrors- Justin Timberlake
7. Alone Together- Fall Out Boy
8. Oasis- Wonderwall
9. Crash my Party- Luke Bryan
10. Crazy In Love- Kid Koala Version
11. Broken Arrow- The Script
12. Run- Kid Cudi
13. Monkey Wrench- Foo Fighters.

I Like Music! I could not run very far with out it, especially if I didn't have anyone to talk to.  My play lists are pretty basic though I don't put a lot of energy into my music... I just ask Lexi what she listens to and I go from there hahaha so that being said here is my Top 13..in no particular order....

1. Power- Kanye West( I like the beat, it kinda gets me in a good   groove 
2. My Songs Know What you did in the dark - Fall out Boy (Light Em Up) 
3. Cant Hold Us-The Heist
4. RUN- The Knux It makes me want to run, especially when Im not running
5. Raise Your Glass- Pink! I Love Pink, she pumps me up lol
6. Call Me Maybe- Carly Rae Jepsen..Reminds me of Maya and Ava
7. What Doesnt Kill you... Makes you Stronger- Kelly Clarkson I would listen to the song when Josue would make me sprint around the track a few years ago....
8. How Far We've Come- Match Box Twenty Reminds me of Tyler and when we went to their concert
9. Girl on Fire-Alcia Keys I think of Drew when i hear this because it was his pump up song for baseball
10. Stay Stay Stay-Taylor Swift Most all of her songs remind me of Ella because she loves her and we All love to Jam out to her in our car
11. Dynamite-Tayo Cruz I listened to this on my first half marathon in Beaver. I remember where I was running when it came on
12. State of Grace- Taylor Swift Love the beat
13. Blurred Lines-Robin Thicke

Well there ya have it.. These are a few of my jams for the moment. As I am typing these, Drew has told me he has a bunch more that will really pump me up. Stay tuned....

Always an Adventure!

 

Well! Where to begin?! Ebbi and I set out for our long run Saturday morning all by our lonesomes. Can I just say how on the ball we were though? We followed Becka's lead and made us three aid stations for our long run the day before. Yes folks. The day before! We made a plan for Ebbi to meet at my house at 5:00 am and she pulled up at exactly 5:00 am! Maybe for some this isn't that cool but for me and Eb this is monumental. We parked my car at seven eleven and we drove to Johnson. We started dropping our aid stations off on the way when we saw this big lighted Red Cross in front of a house out in the middle of nowhere! It was freaky! Of course we stopped and took a picture and freaked ourselves out more. Below is the pic but you can't really tell! We got to our starting point and realized we were out in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone service and got scared! Haha so we sat in the car and talked until it got light. We also looked at the weather and saw there was a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms during our run! Just our luck! (Luckily it didn't storm) 

The run for me was perfect out of Johnson. Ebbi and I chatted for awhile about life, love and liberty and then we split up for awhile. I had a hard time on the main road. Didn't really love all the cars passing by me. The aid stations were awesome though. Great idea Becka! I can't believe I ran 17 miles. Pretty awesome we are getting to such high mileage. At mile 12 I was pretty sure I could run forever. Then I had a dose of reality hit at mile 15. It was all I could

Do to make it back but I did! My legs seriously felt about two hundred pounds each at that point and I'm not

Sure why! I did feel accomplished and proud though. It is always a good time

With Ebbi! Just love her! 

Weirdest thing is on the way back to get Ebbi's car and to pick up our aid stations we realized we had been robbed! Someone stole our aid station bag and dumped out all our food! Who

Does that? We were so mad and shocked! We did see the "kick bike" lady again though! Remember her Becka? Haha she's funny. Good times!!!

Our longest run EVER to date! Wow! I will

Say after this run I did feel accomplished! I can't believe I have ran 15 miles! I will also say while I was running I kept thinking that I really don't care to run much more hahaha! I loved every part of Johnson canyon and a mile or so up the highway, after that I thought it was hard! It seemed like a never ending long straight incline. I wish we would have decided to cross over onto the old road because there was a few times I felt my life was in danger!... I have also been having a potty issue the last two weeks. I thought I was well prepared by taking some anti poopy meds, but I still had a few too many issues along the side of the highway! Ugh! I'm also guessing I need to lay off the carbs the day before!! Anyway over all I feel good about my progress... If I could start losing some pounds I would feel amazing!!! 

It says 14.6, but I am sticking to 15! My car tracked 15 so that's enough for me ... Also if Lexi hasn't already ran two more miles than me and if she wasnt waiting 20 more minutes for me to finish I would have ran around to make 15! I pause my Nike and garmin when I walk so ya that's my story and I'm sticking to it! 

The sign said stop! So I stopped... And had some Oranges!

Nice lady on her kick bike.

This is all that was left of our third aid station! Frozen water, banana peel, orange slices and peanut butter m&ms. Stupid people who stole our bag!

Powell five

I was on an anniversary get away with DO and got up early Saturday morning to go on a run with Lexie who was on a trip with her family.  Ya, It makes me feel kind of Hard core to go on a run while at the lake, but I guess training for a marathon is hard core right?  We drove and started at the lookout and then ran down and around waweap and state line.
  I was shopping in Page the night before and there on the counter sat some little turtles.  It made me laugh because awhile back I compared myself to a turtle and just the other day Lexie showed us something about being as fast as a turtle running through peanut butter.  So I got us each one.  =).  They also said they were lucky.  Who doesn't need some luck. 
-Becka

My Long Run (or lovers run, like y'all keep calling it)

This morning Bryant and I set out to get our run done, but had to deliver some beehives in the same canyon we were going to run.  Needless to say we started a little later then I would have liked to, but I survived didn't even have too bad of a time even with the heat.  

and because pictures can describe things so much better then me...

 (just getting the last of the bees placed and had to get a picture of the beauty)

 (us to a T I am a dork and he is not)

 (This is my favorite part of this run! I LOVE this part!)

(about a mile down the road from this point, was when I hit my What in the H am I doing. It was getting hot and there wasn't any pretty flowers to look at and there sure as heck wasn't any shade.  Mile 11-15 was a little rough on me today.)

(Just 22 miles this week... kind of slacked)

AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Holy Moly Donut Shop! It's official, I am registered for the marathon. Sorry ladies your stuck with me. Nothing like tagging along. I am terrified, but I have to honestly admit I am also excited. A marathon is honestly on my bucket list. I know I'm not dying anytime soon, but I am currently in the best shape I've been in a long long time so I feel like it's now or never. This mornining on my 15 mile run I had a lot of time to think and I realized that I only started running 3 months ago. I have accomplished a lot in these last few months and I want to keep the momentum going. It will feel like such an accomplishment when I cross that finish line, even if I'm the last runner in our group. That just means I will have all of you kick butt ladies cheering me on. I can and can't wait at the same time. For my fellow TZR van mates I just want to remind you I am one BA Mo FO!!! LOL!!! LETS DO THIS!!!!

deciding run for our 6th fishie

 

Well, another long run down for half of us...  yes half of us.  This run was Lexie Lou's deciding run. 

She found a way in and will put her papers in today after this run if she's in and she decided YES!!!  That is a lot of pressure on a single run.  We did 15 (notice we are holding up 5 each)..  ha ha.  The first 5 for me were AMAZING..  Flat, great weather, we were going a faster pace than normal and we still felt good.   We were giving High fives and thinking we were awesome.  After our last Aide station (yes, we made aide stations and they are great)  I was determined to run it in (3 miles)..  I kept thinking to myself..  "How can I learn endurance if I can't endure?"  I thought this over and over...  Endure!  Well,  I stopped  after a little over 2.  BUT...  we stopped a lot less than last week.  I really think we are getting better.  Just keep swimming. (I think that a lot too). 

 

 

It was a beautiful Morning!!   

Aide stations, but Candi and I totally missed one..  ha ha.  I know right?  It was even in a bright red bag.  Lexie Saw us run right by it and called us.  There were only 4 turns on this run and we missed one of them. Ya, I'm directionally challenged.  We got our 15 in thought so...  yay!!!   

18 things no one ever told you about running

This is taken from Fitbottomedgirls.com, HERE
I sat laughing and reading this and thinking, "oh my gosh....  that is so true".  On every single one.  Love it.  Reprinting it here so we can have it in our blog book we are totally going to make..  =)
But you should go to this link because the comments are pretty great too. 

18 Things Nobody Told Me About Running

1. It’s hard…like, really hard. But just like relationships, parenting and figuring out your new iPhone, it gets easier with time. You may even–gasp—start to like it!
2. Clipping your toenails will take precedence over plucking your eyebrows some days.
3. In spite of your childhood hatred of “weird food,” your pantry will be filled with running superfoods you’re not really sure how to pronounce, like quinoa, chia, spirulina and acai.
We JUST all ordered chia this week!!!
4. At some point, you will see other runners peeing in public. You will wrinkle your nose at them: EWWW, GROSS!
5. At some point, you, too, will pee in public. You will never judge again.
No seriously!!
6. Ditto for snot rockets. I can't blow snot rockets and I can't spit either... 
7. When you first start, four miles seems like a lot. One day, you’ll catch yourself telling someone “I only ran four miles today.” Try not to smile smugly when that happens.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE when this happens...  not gonna lie!!
8. You’ll wince at a pair of high heels with a $100 price tag, but declare it a bargain if that same tag is on your favorite running shoes.
ANd running clothes!
9. Your laundry basket will smell like a boys’ locker room. You won’t really notice (or care). It does make me mad that after a while you can't get the stink out of some of your favorite running clothes
10. You’ll geek out at the opportunity to run in the rain, because it’s just that awesome. or snow! I love running in fresh crunchy snow!
11. There will be stretches of days when you don’t feel like running at all. It’s perfectly normal, it’s not a failure, and a few days off does a body good.
12. Like Christmas, you will be wide awake at 2 a.m. on race morning, giggling. Also like Christmas, you will not be allowed to wake anyone in the house up until 5 a.m.
13. Without any prompting on your part, family members, friends and coworkers will take up running, too. They’ll ask all the same questions you had when you started—and this time, you’ll be the one with the answers.
Well ya....  we are trend setters..  ja ja ja
14. The first thing you’ll do when you book a vacation or work travel is look for races and/or cool running routes in the area.
This weekend at lake powell!!!  yay!! or South Carolina this next week... Myrtle Beach running!
15. “Runger” is real, and it is marvelous. Only pregnant women and runners can truly understand strange cravings at strange times.
16. While running with your friends, you will talk about food, children, current events—everything but running. During cocktail hour with that same group, when you’re showered and wearing “real-world” clothes, all you will talk about, ever, is running.
17. The friends you make through running will become like family.
Love you guys!!! Love ya all too! 
18. Anyone can do it. (Yes, you!) Yes, If I can do it ANYONE can!!

and because we need a picture:

Get your MO JO back Lex!!!  you re a rock star!!!

One of my favorite rock stars!

This is why we "RUN"

I don't think you girls even knew that I snapped this picture... But I did!! For me This is why "I" run! Social hour!

This is totally why I run!!  That's why you  (Ebbi) with your headphones listening to "Born to Run" the other day, totally threw me off.  =) 

Who Wouldn't be Motivated!??

Today I got a new calendar from Becka!  Wahoo!  I love it.  It was just what I needed.  I also fixed my 'trophy/medal' shelf.  If you can believe it, it actually fell down the other day, I guess it was too heavy for the little nails I had used to hang it up with.  Don't worry that baby is reinforced now!  I also had a pretty good 5 mile run today, even though it was really humid, it felt pretty good!  Please oh please help me to love running again!

 

(I am going to record all my miles on it along with the date, What are the rest of you writing on yours?)

 

I put mine by my bathroom sink so I'll see it every morning when I first wake up.  I think I'm just going to write my runs is as I do them too.  Or maybe write at the first of the week my plan for the week..  Haven't decided yet.  I also haven't decided if it looks like a lot or not very many days..  I guess it's what mood I'm in.  Right this second it doesn't look like very much time left.  AHHHH.

THOU SHALT KEEP THE LAWS OF RUNNING!

This seemed fitting today! I mean it is the sabbath! Let us all be better runners and strive to live the commandments! I loved it!

Strenous Sixteen & Ferocious Fourteen! (Challenging okay!)

I'm starting the blog post this time! Becka will be so proud of me. I just can't wait to see the tears well up in her eyes. Saturday's run started out pretty scary for me! I have never done 16 miles let alone 15. I reached two milestones in one run!  I have to say though... this might have been one of the tougher runs I have done in the beginning! I tried to stay positive thinking of all the muscles I was building climbing those hills. Haha. The ending was perfect though. I loved the rolling hills.

I'm not sure about 16 miles! At mile 10 I felt like I could go forever! But my body was in pain at 14. My IT band started to stress me out and then it became a little mental from there. But I finished it and stayed with the time I wanted. It kinda sucks that all us fishies are on different schedules. I love running with my friends.  I pretty much just have to entertain myself for two hours. My head starts to play math games on me! I started thinking about exactly how long we are actually running at one time and it started becoming a little freaky to me. I was thinking how it takes an hour and a half to get to St. George but we were still running 2+ hours! Crazy what we are able to do though. I'm super proud of us all.


I am so proud Lex!!!  whoot whoo..  I'm proud of you blogging and of our running.   We really can do hard things. The first 6 (8 for you 16 milers) of this run were hard, but we did it.  We rocked it!!  We were really happy to see this sign though, because after the intersection, we knew what to expect. 

We were even happier to see this sign because we knew it was downhill from there and we were home free!!

A really great thing about this run is it was our first long run that all of us fishies got to do together.  so of course we needed a picture.  =)..  We are spent right here..  We gave it all we had and we are ready for this:  (ice bath)

An Ice bath is all I could even think about the last few miles.  I just wanted to get done so I could get to my ice bath.  I took one the week before and really hated it, but realized that it really helps not be so sore and it feels good on those aching legs!  This running thing is really making me do lots of crazy things!  I never in a million years would have thought I would be looking forward or even taking ice bathes!!  It's just going to get better.  It's exciting to push yourself to new limits....  15 miles here I come!  

Well I guess I will throw in my two bits about my First 14 miles Ever!!  I started reading (well listening to) Born to run  a few days before we set out to do our 14 miles. I was all motivated and excited to be "one with the road." This book really is motivational and makes you want to run everywhere you go. I had a really good attitude about about running 14 miles until I realized where we were going to be running. Who am I to step up and say anything so I just kept quiet and let my fellow fishes take the lead :) as soon as we set out my nerves started playing games with me and behind the bushes I went! The first I don't know six miles were rolling hills with a gradual incline the entire way, once we hit the intersection, turned and climbed that nice Big hill we were setting pretty for some down hill time. It was nice! I was feeling good.... Until mile 10 and then the last four miles seemed like an eternity! I turned off my book and chatted with my girls and that my friends got me through it! Four miles became three then two then one then DONE! I can't say I loved it or even that I felt accomplished, I can just say I DID IT!!  

freaking out fourteen

I was trying to think of a name for our run tomorrow...  cuz I'm really excited about it, and by excited I mean FREAKING out... 
Fourteen has never been ran at one time by these legs.  I guess that is going to be happening a lot in the next few months..  new distances or Trophy runs as I like to call them.  But this is the first one and it has me freaked out.  So freaked out I hope I can sleep.  I am really tired though, so as soon as I'm done cooking these Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies for a reunion tomorrow, (Marathon training food)  I'm hitting the hay.  We've got this!!! 

Just keep running ........

I have not been a very consistent runner the last 2 years, therefor it hasn't been very enjoyable, but knowing I am going to be running 26.2 that's has to change.  I have actually ran at least 3 times a week the last 3 weeks, and last week I did 4x and am on track to go 4x again this week. I just can't quit I have to keep running.  I do have to say that I am already feeling a lot better about running than just a few weeks ago, and every now and then there's brief moments were running actually feels good ...... I just have to keep it up keep running and running and running !!!!

"Ya'all don't get lost now ya here"

On July 13th 2013 I happen to be in Georgia. It also happened to be my moms 64th birthday. My schedule said I needed to run seven miles so at 5:20 (Utah time) 7:20 Georgia time my mom and I set out to run seven miles. As we were leaving the lady at the front desk said "ya'all don't get lost now ya hear!" We were running on the golf cart paths so I giggled as she said that because how hard is it to follow a path already paved for you? Well in Georgia it is Not hard at all!! We ran under a blanket of trees. You could not see five feet beyond the path on each side and you could not see the sky because of all the tall trees! We ended up getting LOST! We did manage to run through some of the neighborhoods and enjoy looking at their homes, but by the time we realized we were really lost we were already passed our seven miles. Not to mention dripping In sweat from the humidity. We came up on a super nice lady who walked us back to our hotel. We were so great full for her!! It's always nice to run in different places and I can honestly say I am so great full for my home town and the wide open spaces I get to run in! 

I'm really sad I didn't get a picture of my mom and I together! Under the beautiful green blanket of trees! :( 

Tip of the Week!

I love my running journal for lots of reasons, one of them is for the tips that are along the sides of the pages. I learn something new and love to be inspired by them as well.  Above this picture it says: 
"Whether running on flat terrain or up hills, keep your eyes directly ahead of you, not down at your feet.  You're less likely to slouch and tip and you'll move up the hill more easily"

So next time I am running up the dips, or Cedar Heights, or any of the dang hills in Kanab I am going to say I got my speedwork in!

Just keep swimming

If I can just make myself get out of bed and keep on training....  I will know this is true in two weeks...  I already know it's true.  It seems like a slow progress, but it's a progress and that's what counts. 

Bryce Canyon Half Marathon

I was highly considering not running this race this year.  I wasn't feeling too well, but decided that since all the kiddos wanted to run the 5k and the fact that I had already paid for all of us to run that we better do it!  

The back of the finisher medals said "Helluva place to loose a cow, or run a race!"  It was for me this year.  I had the hardest time getting my stomach to feel good.  I ended up finishing it with a time of 2 hours and 1 minute.  I think it might be my slowest I have ever ran that race, but oh well.  There were SO many runners this year!  I haven't ran this race in quite some time and was amazed at how many more runners there were this year.  I was never running by myself.  

 I saw Crystal at the start line and really wanted to pace with her, but couldn't do it!

 selfie of me running down the dump, saying take that and shove it dump! (since it wasn't too long ago I was running up it for Top of Zion Relay)

 Clay took 3rd in his age group! That boy can run!

 Cora told me after I finished, "Mom, don't ever make me run that far again!"

This photo tells it all!  I felt every mile of this race! (this photo makes me laugh out loud every time!)