Crazy 8s - 8K Race Report

While trying to come up with a race plan, I briefly glanced at the epic fail what was my last 8K.  Since I have plenty of negativity without assistance, I decided to put that race out of my mind.  I'd already made the adjustments from that race (primarily fitting in a couple of training runs outside in the humidity).

Instead I tried to focus on doing my best and not giving up on myself.  Carpooling with the standard crew, we got to the hotel early (it was an out-of-town race) then had plenty of time at the expo.  Although it wasn't very big, I found my shoe (1/2 size bigger - perfect for marathon training this winter) for $25!  I snatched those suckers up before we headed back to the hotel to get ready.

Once the sun went down, the weather felt incredible.  The temps were in the 70s and the air didn't feel humid.  Until, of course, we warmed up.  Thankfully it didn't seem to be a huge factor in the race.  For sure warmer than I'd like, but nothing crazy hot like last race.

As we lined up, we positioned ourselves just in front of the 9 m/m pacer.  My (seemingly ambitious) goal was a 45 minute time.  I didn't expect to reach it, but it was the number in my head and I wanted to go for it. 

The first mile was crowded but I tried to keep a fast/even pace. 

Mile 1 -  8:50

The course was pleasant.  Some of it was in the town, other parts went through neighborhoods.  On the roads with no street lights, they had placed candle luminaries to light our paths.  The crowds also were a big help, with their porch lights on, and water hoses going to help us cool down.

Mile 2 -  9:04

The course profile showed 2 hills, but relatively speaking I wasn't sure what they would be like.  The first proved nothing too intimidating.  I ran up it and was on my way.

Passing the half way point, we had finished the first "8" loop, and were headed up the big hill of the race.  More slow and gradual than the elevation profile made it seem, I really felt myself slowing. 

Mile 3 - 9:06

After the hill, I'd counted on the good downhill to follow, only it seemingly never came.  My lungs were hurting and I wanted a break.  Thankfully it at least flattened out and the breathing problems went away. 

Mile 4 - 9:10

"Pick it up" I told my running buddy because he was lagging a bit.  Once we hit the 1/2 mile to go point, he really picked it up - passing me and the 9:00 m/m pacer in front of us.  My energy was really lagging but made myself keep pushing.

Mile 5 - 8:42

There was a bit of an uphill into the stadium, then it was a flat turf finish.  I managed an 8:14 final kick, finishing just shy of my goal.

Chip time: 45:10

Age group: 32/181

Overall: 986/2779

Difficult Thanks

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts & your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:7

Thank you for your prayers for my family.  I also feel blessed to have the opportunity to take the concerns you mentioned to the Lord.  Thank you for sharing your heart with me.

With the loss of a family member comes the reminder to savor every moment.  Say I love you more.  Hug like you mean it.  Here are a few things for which I have thanked God this past week.
 {1432-1477}

1432) Spilled coffee didn't ruin Thankful Journal

1445) Tossing a football with Jay

1453) Visit with (my great aunt) Caroline, in good spirits/joking

1460) Family support

1467) Memories/pictures of family dinners (including those with Caroline)

1471) Kelly making/delivering an iced coffee

1472) Kristal helping me clean up iced coffee spill

1473) Not getting iced coffee on my clothing

1474) Good conversation with (my great uncle) Dwayne

1475) Courage to care

As believers, we are called to give thanks even for the challenges in our lives.  What's something hard for which you are able to give thanks?

Vacation Recap - Bryce Canyon edition

By this point of our vacation the travelers were growing tired of riding in the car.  As much as my Mother liked to blame it on the kids, but the Princess and Little Man were excellent travelers.  The 9 year old kept busy writing in her field journal or playing Temple Run on the iPad.   The 5 year old...well to be honest, the Princess never wanted to share me with the LM, but the few times I did ride in his car he was easily entertained.

At the hotel in Utah, we spent a lot of time by the pool.  Both nights we got take out and ate at the tables in the pool area.  The water was warmer than it had been in Vegas, but still not warm enough to warrant me staying in it for more than 15 minutes or so.  Unfortunately this "hot" tub, wasn't even warm.



Earlier in the day, we have visited Bryce Canyon.  The kids were excited to go on their 2nd ever hike, which was steep, although short.  I preferred Bryce to the Grand Canyon because of the ease of getting close to the sites, as well as the sporadic trees to help with color variation.


My parents took the kids back up for their junior ranger class, while Jay, my sister, BIL, and I continued on around for a longer hike.

Once again, we could have hiked longer/further, but with the whole crew along we kept it short.  We got our passports stamped, had a picnic lunch then headed back to the hotel.

Earlier in the week, my sister had mentioned a dude walking across the Grand Canyon on a tight rope.  The ranger's wife we met up with (who my mother use to know from work), said the National Park wouldn't issue permits for stunts like this, but the Navajo nation allowed it.  Leaving the Grand Canyon, my sister saw a trailer in the middle of nowhere and speculated it belonged to the Skywire dude.

Then we passed this set up.  Instead of proving her to be mistaken, my sister was right on.  The lady working the information booth informed my sister and mother this was the viewing area - complete with big screen TV and bleachers.  The other site was where the walk itself would occur.

By the day of the actual walk, we were too far away to watch it in person.  Like much of America, we watched on TV from our hotel room.  Well, some of us watched.  My parents and the kids stayed at the pool.  My sister paced outside, seemingly more fearful that Mr. Skywire's family.

Weary

I'm sorry to keep peppering serious blog posts in the middle of my vacation recaps, but its a representation of my life right now.  My life is amazing, my life is hard.  I'm weary.

Last week one of my mother's best friends passed away expectantly.  Yesterday, a member of my extended family passed away.  Its going to be a rough next few days/weeks for us.  While I mourn the loss of both women, I'm also far enough removed for responsibility to fall on my shoulders.

Please pray for us as we walk through this valley.  Also, I would love it if you shared in the comments how I could pray for you right now. 

Vacation - the Grand Canyon Edition

When the family finished up in Vegas (after spending a whopping $1 each in the slot machines) we headed toward the real destination - the Grand Canyon.  Like the Griswold's before us, we stopped at Hoover Dam along the way. 

 

 

We had gotten a late start, so we arrive after the last dam tour had started.  Parking in the dam garage, we walked on top to get some dam pictures.  In the photo above, you'll see the dam bypass.  We opted out of the dam visitor's center - figuring it wasn't worth the dam $8 per person...wait - that didn't work did it?

After all the picture taking, stopping for an authentic A&W root beer, and letting the old people kids have potty breaks, we didn't check into our hotel until late that evening.  The next morning, we visited one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. 

 

Its hard to take in the vastness of the canyon in person, even more so in pictures.  Since neither my mother nor my father are back to 100% after their knee surgeries, we toured most of the park by car.  We hit a couple of small walks, giving our butt bones a break from all that sitting. 

OHSA (as we lovingly refer to my dad) was a bit nervous about how close to the edge Jay & I got, but we kept safety in mind as we took all of our pictures.  Most were only made to look like we were too close to the edge.

 

Day 2 in the canyon, Jay and I got up early to hike to Skeleton Point.  A 6 mile hike round trip certainly wasn't the most difficult trail we've ever done, but in the time we had allowed for the maximum view.

 

 

While the rest of the crew slept in and packed up to move on, Jay and I enjoyed the view of the Colorado River below.  Its a wide river, who's powerful currently is thought to have made the canyon, but looks tiny in the picture below.  That's how far away it still is, after hiking down for an elevation loss of almost 3,000 feet.

 

Jay and I would have loved to hike all the way down to the river, but our schedule just didn't allow for it.  We are definitely planning on going back, just the 2 of us, so we can take in more of the canyon on foot.

Sneak Peak of What's to Come: Skywire, Utah, & more red rocks

Seeking Gratitude in the Midst of Uncertainty

Things are a little uncertain in my world right now.  Maybe my Jabez style provision was God laying the ground work for this, letting me know "Chill - I got this."  Even still I have to pause to remember to breathe on occasion.

 

Life without gratitude is life without breath.  Returning thanks to God, acknowledging His ultimate authority, is both necessary and frightening for a control freak like me.   

 

Stop

 

Breathe

 

Thank

 

In the past month, I've recorded numbers 1221-1431 in my journal.  Here is a sampling.

 

1226) Noticing my flat tire - saving getting stuck at destination

1235) Wii Just Dance party on my birthday

1242) Vacation planning

1252) Looking thru old family photos

 

 

 

1263) Getting out of bed to start a new day

1279) Monthiversary!

1282) Movie night

1294) Sleeping in on a Saturday morning

1300) Father's day @ church w/Daddy

 

1310) Airplane seat buddy (The Princess)

1322) Walking the Vegas strip @ night

1331) Hoover Damn

1332) Dam water fountain

1333) Dam pictures

1335) Dam bridge

1336) Dam panorama

1342) National Park passport stamps

1350) more stamps

1360) Skywire dude

1365) Playground fun

1370) Mama & Daddy - together 40 years

 

 

 

1376) A week without allergy pills

1384) Planning a hike

1390) Church TV

 

 

1392) Sermon = Pit - > Prison - > Palace

1393) Sermon = Hannah keeping it real

1400) Every {sad} thought captive

1409) Money to pay for Sam's club shopping trip

1414) Jay putting away groceries

1419) Ragnar relay planning

1422) 4 mile run in my 'hood

1430) Whoopie pies (made by my MIL)

1431) Assurance - > God is in control

 

 

For what have you been thankful this past month?

Vacation Recap - Vegas Style

Jay and I vacationed with my parents, sister + BIL + princess + little man in celebration of my parents 40th wedding anniversary.  We flew into Las Vegas (by way of Minnesota, don't think I'll ever understand how that's cheaper than direct) then went to the Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon (the day after we left the #Skywirelive happened), Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Park.  We returned to Vegas to stay the night before we boarded a plan and headed back to good ole east Tennessee (by way of Atlanta).

My niece insisted she and I were travel buddies, even going so far as sharing her precious blankie.  She gave us each field journals so we could record our thoughts and findings on the trip (still need to do that...)

Our first 2 nights, we stayed at the Mirage hotel and casino.  Unfortunately, the Beatles show in the hotel wasn't playing while we were there.  The whole family gambled a total of $6 (my mother winning $7.75), but we kept busy walking the strip, drinking playing at the pool, and visiting the dolphin habitat.

 

 

My parents kept the kids so we could go out on the town, but being the old farts we are, we mostly just wanted an early bedtime.  My sister wanted to see the Belagio water show, so we walked down to see it, but we only caught the last song.

 



We're not a wild-and-crazy type family, so we were more than ready to get the vacation on the road when our 2 days were up.  We returned for another night's stay at the Trump Tower (dubbed Drunk Tower by the 5 year old) and were very out-of-place overwhelmed impressed with how fancy it was.

I'm gonna break the posts up so they aren't so picture heavy.  Don't worry - I'm not completely skipping over the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Park pictures!

To be continued...