My Blog

Moving time

2011-08-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

I have imported all my postings from this site to my new Wordpress blog. Some of the formatting is a little off but I was just glad I could import it instead of copying and pasting each blog (which would have meant not moving these posts there). I have my fitness business blog there and it's just easier to use and has some additional features I like.

Starting the next time I blog, this will be my new blog home:

http://runxiaolongrun.wordpress.com/

Wedding Part Two: Russian Style

2011-08-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

In Russia they celebrate weddings for more like a week rather than just one day. Tony & Veronika decided to at least have two days of wedding celebrations, so Saturday we got some close friends and family together for a Russian party.

It's traditional for the groom to go through trials before he can pick up his bride for the wedding. The Russian guy (can't remember his name) was telling us about one wedding he went to where they put footsteps all over the stairs up to the apartment and he had to step on all of them to get there but they were on walls and ceilings and everywhere. His friends had to hold him as he stepped on the crazy ones.

Also they say there's never a Russian wedding without a fight. Our fight was previously arranged, but absolutely brilliant. Jake and Pete were the stars of this little drama. During dinner they started an argument about Veronika's hair color. Pete eventually threw his drink in Jake's face and the physical fight ensued. Jake, Veronika's defender, won the fight of course.

It's common for the groom to show up with a group of his friends and there will be a group of family or friends of the bride there as well to push them back. We didn't have that but they did "steal" Veronika at one point and have a series of tasks for Tony.

Task 1: Important Dates

There was a paper with important dates written on it. Tony had to tell why each date was important. He only struggled with a couple of the dates but got them all.

Task 2: Lips

Everyone kissed a paper before the party got going with lipstick on. Tony had to figure out which ones were Veronika's. He got it on the 2nd guess I think. They were the giant, weird ones in the middle. Very funny.

Task 3: Sing a song

Tony and/or his friends had to sing a song. No one could think of a song we all knew so somehow we ended up singing Jingle Bells. We were no MoTab, but they let it pass.

Task 4: Dance

Tony had to do a dance. He did this Irish jig thing that he had learned at a fireside or the institute or something. He mentioned how humiliating it was a couple of times.

Task 5: Payment

In a Russian wedding people may steal the bride away multiple times and the asks for money from his friends to buy her back. Tony had asked all of us to bring lots of ones before the party. We gave him a bunch of cash and it was approved. Then they gave the couple the money back anyhow later.

Task 6: Hands

They brought Veroinka back but blind folded Tony. All the girls stood in a line and he had to touch our hands and figure out which one was Veronika. A couple of the guys got in line too. Tony gave them very definitive "no's".

They also had a couple of other games tasks but Veronika was there for them. They tied a string to a broom, a bottle, and a baby doll. There was a blanket hiding the objects with the strings coming out the other side. Tony had to pick one and pull it out to tell what kind of husband he would be (broom/hard worker, doll/good father, bottle/drinker). Tony picked the doll so he's going to be a good father.

They also sat the couple in chairs with their backs to each other. They each got one of their own shoes and one of the other's. Everyone would ask them questions like who is going to do the dishes, or who is going to make the most money. Then they would raise the shoe of the person for their answer.

It was actually really fun and a good opportunity to not only learn more about the culture Veronika grew up with but hopefully integrate some of that into our family. She's coming from a small family that is in Europe into a big family with strong personalities. It would be easy to just ignore her past and suck her into the family, but it is much more fun to learn and change our "family culture" to accept some of what she brings to us.

Wedding!

2011-08-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I can't say the wedding went off without a hitch, but I'd guess most people had no idea that there were "hitches" cause we covered pretty good. The main thing is Tony & Veronika both showed up and they did get married.

The wedding breakfast (why is it even called that?) was fabulous. Lots of family and friends around. Too much food. One of the best parts was just laying in the shade on blankets in the grass being lazy after eating too much.

The reception was really lovely. I got to see a lot of people I haven't seen in many years. It made me very happy.

The best part of course was getting a new family member-Veronika. Her mother and step-father came from Paris for the wedding and are absolutely delightful people. Even my dog loves them and she's usually afraid of people.

However, a close second for my favorite part of the wedding is my new dress. I love it. It is possibly my new favorite article of clothing (formerly my Zoot running shoes). I want to wear it all the time. It twirls really well, looks great on me, and is made out of this soft, shimmery, light material. Love. It.

Ragnar Northwest Passage Relay

2011-07-25T14:25:00.000-07:00

I better get this down before the hazy memories start fading. It's funny how lack of sleep can affect the memory. Since this was a race I had to travel to, it was really an epic 4 day weekend.

First off, the temperature was pretty close to perfect the whole time. It varied a bit and sometimes you needed a jacket, but I loved the temperature. Second, Washington state is beautiful. Someone mentioned it about every 30 minutes the whole trip. It's so green and it's just beautiful.

We didn't have a lot of time on Thursday, but the single girls from Utah mostly walked around downtown Seattle for a few hours. Pikes Place Market was cool. I had a really, really good sandwich from an Italian shop. Possibly the best thing I ate the whole weekend. Saw a glimpse of the Pioneer Square district. I was sad we didn't have enough time to go on the Underground Tour. I love underground city tours. I'm over it though. Another trip.

It took a long time to get to Whidbey Island. We wanted to take the ferry cause that seemed the touristy thing to do. The line was pretty long so that took about an hour wait and it was only a 15 min ride. I enjoyed all 15 mins. Love boats.

The island is gorgeous. I want a summer house here. Most of our local runners were from the Oak Harbor area. We all met up at a local eatery, Flyers. Excellent burgers, and the sweet potato fries were pretty good too.

It's funny because I hadn't actually met any of the other runners in Van 1 before. We've just talked on the phone or emailed, but I have facebook blurked. As soon as I saw them it felt like I knew them though. I can't say enough about how fun and awesome and generous they all are. They totally opened their homes up to a bunch of strangers and took really good care of us. Did I mention how fun they were too?

Another highlight of the trip was spending time with a long time friend of mine back from my San Diego days. He's a big deal doctor in WA now so I invited him to join the team and he was able to get the time off. Miracle.

I was feeling pretty trashed when I got up Friday morning. I was on the tail end of a sinus infection from allergies and it kind of came back a bit. Plus I had not had enough sleep the past couple of days. The rest of the team was so excited it was contagious and I was just happy.

One of the first teams I saw when we got to the start was the Lord of the Ragnar. They were on my list of teams to look for. They were hard to miss. Full Lord of the Ring costumes (which they totally ran in). They had a bullhorn and used it. Best entrance to a start ever. I think they were a family team. Good for them.

These races are insane. Not only are 12 people going to run 190 total, but most people do it in the most ridiculous get ups. We were team #90, RagStars. Think 80's rock stars. I guess I was more of a groupie. I made my own t-shirt but I never fully got costumed out. I had pink hair and some other stuff, but by the time we finished the race, I was too tired to get into it all. So unlike me.
My first leg was awesome. It was only 2.8 miles up a hill then back down. I was flying on the down side. I glanced down at my Garmin and it said I was doing 7 min miles. I tried to slow down a bit but it was such a small distance that it was too tempting to push on.

We rested at a park thing along a river at Exchange 12 just as the sun was setting. So pretty. My second leg was at night. I also felt pretty good for that one. 7.8 miles total. It was through some city so nothing too exciting but you can't see much anyhow. I was at a pretty good speed still (thank you elevation advantage). There is a stretch for about a mile that is a boardwalk/trail thing right across the bay. You couldn't see much but it was just really cool. I passed a guy right as I got to the trail. Apparently he didn't like getting passed by a girl cause he stayed right on my tail. I'd speed up a little but couldn't shake him so we started up a conversation instead. I dropped my mp3 player about 1/4 mile from the finish so after making sure I was ok, he took off and finally broke away.

At the next major exchange I left everyone in the van and went down to find our last runner. It is really, really dark out there when you get away from the lights. When I tried to find the van I got lost which seems ridiculous now, but was very frustrating at the time. This was at about 2 AM and I hadn't had any sleep yet. The road went down but I remembered parking on a hill so I kept going in circles. My stomach was cramping up too so I was not in a good place physically or emotionally. Also I had forgotten my charger and my phone was about to die. And they people I texted didn't have coverage where they were at. I almost sat down on the side of the parking lot and cried I was so frustrated. And then I walked a little bit farther the next loop and realized the road went down and back up. Teehee. If you don't have at least one break down during the race, you didn't race hard enough.

I think I got 2 hours of sleep before we were up and going again. Sigh. I forced myself to eat a piece of bread and a gogurt. I was going to try eating ginger to settle my stomach this time, but I forgot to pack it. These things can really mess up your digestive system. Fortunately I only get stomach cramps, but still not fun. I didn't fuel really well before or during the race. It's harder when you're away from home. Once you are in deficit, there's no getting back to even. I never got a headache so I was glad for that. I think I hydrated really well at least.

Once I got running on my last leg, the stomach felt better though. My last leg was 4.8 miles but it was harder than I expected. The uphill felt harder than I thought it would be and the downhill didn't matter. I felt stiff and full of cement. I think I was close to my target pace, but it didn't feel as good as the previous 2 legs.

We finished in 28:08:25. I think that may be the fastest I've done any of the relays. It's hard to compare though because they're all different lengths, but with a 9:01 ave pace, I think it was the fastest. We placed 143rd out of 302 registered teams. We were 10th in our division (submasters, mixed). There were only 22 of those teams, but 10th sounds awesome. One advantage to aging is the competition starts dwindling.

People sometimes ask me why I do these races. Especially after hearing about some of the discomforts. Or I get strange looks like they just outright think I'm crazy. To each his own, I guess but long-distance relays have become one of my favorite races. If you are on a fun team anyhow. Here's why I like them so much:
1. The challenge of training and performing something difficult
2. I get to wear costumes and/or act ridiculous and it's ok
3. They are always along beautiful though hilly/mountainy terrain

4. Runners are some of the nicest, coolest, funnest people in the whole world
5. I've met some of my dearest friends and continue to expand my circle of running friends every time I participate (running or volunteering) (it's always fun to run into people I know at every race even when I'm out of state, it's a small world when you are a Ragnarian)

Cache Valley Super Sprint Tri

2011-07-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

My first triathlon ever was the CVSST. I think that was in 2005? I can't even remember now. I usually do one or two a year now. A couple of weeks ago my friend Candice was like, let's do it, and I was all like, ok. I start sounding like a valley girl when I get spontaneous.

Friday night we all stayed at my parent's in BC. Didn't really get a whole lot of sleep. Whenever the dog has an interuption in her schedule she has to pee at random times of the day and night. Like 2 AM. Wasn't super pleased. Wasn't super pleased at 5:42 when she started licking my face again to go out because the alarm was set for 5:45. Three minutes that early matter. But then at 5:46 when I realized the alarm didn't go off (it was set but not turned on, brils Amy), I was thinking what a good doggy.
I didn't take the address to the start with me cause I knew how to get there. Except there was road construction which took us on a detour. So after a short "lost" period, we finally found the start, get signed in, and set up our stuff.

My final time was 1:33:11. I can't remember exactly what my sprint record was before, but I know that is a PR. The swim was not so good. It was just over 17 min for 500 meters. I realized I haven't been swimming since I broke my shoulder last August, so I can't really have expected to do well, just saying I would have liked to.

My first transition was about 2 min which is pretty good. I swam in my clothes (compression shorts & tri top) so it went faster. I was able to keep my balance and put my socks and bike shoes on. A trick I learned was to fold the socks over half way. Then you just have to put your toes in and pull them on.

The bike was fun. It was only 12.5 miles. Once I adjusted to the transition to the pedaling motion, I started to pick up a little more speed. I averaged about 16.5 mph, which is ok. It was a flat course. I kind of wanted to push a little more but my plantar fascitiis started flaring up. I have suspected I developed it doing spin for 3-4 hours a week in the winter. I believe my suspicions are confirmed. It actually got quite painful at one point. I focused on activating the msucles that support the arch in the foot and it helped.

Also during the bike ride whenever I was about to pass someone I would pretend they were Alberto Contrador and I was one of my favorite cyclists like Mark Cavendash or Thor whats-his-name. It totally helped me push harder. Then if someone passed me I just pretended it was Andy or Frank Schleck and I was ok with it.

Next transition was 1 minute. It went almost perfectly. I was able to do the trick where you take your feet out of your bike shoes (must be attached to clips on the pedals of course) and then you put your feet on the shoes and finish pedaling in on them. The only hick up was when I started running after changing into my totally awesome favorite Zoot tri shoes. One of the volunteers asked me if I was planning to run with my bike helmet on. My bike was next to the fence so I just tossed it over and got running.

Of the 99 women, I finished 35th for the run portion. Not bad. It was just over 27 mins at a 8:41 min/mile pace. Very nice. I was actually surprised I was running that fast. I had stomach cramps for about the first 3/4 mile. There's always a weird transition in the legs between the bike and run. It went away just before the stomach cramps. I think it was the last shot blok I ate just before the end of the bike. I don't think I drank enough water with it. Regardless, I had a good run. I was defintely faster the 2nd lap.

Did I mention I had run about 12 miles the day before? It was my last 3x in 24 hours before I run the Ragnar Northwest Passage relay. I ran 4.5 mile Fri morning, 7.6 miles Friday evening. I needed to run 3 more miles and I did. And swam and biked. :) Well, at least I know I can run my three legs while tired (thank you Milly) and then some.

BC Temple fever

2011-06-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

I've been following the construction of the BC Temple pretty closely. It's been insteresting to see all the buzz due to all the social networking sites and blogs out there. For instance the day they put the East steeple up word got around and it was so packed downtown Brigham City that it cause traffice disruptions on Main Street. It's a town of about 20,000, that's about as exciting as it gets. I can only imagine the masses that will be there when they raise the Angel Moroni up (rumored to be July 15th?).

I usually walk to the site every time I'm in town to see the progress (it's 2 blocks from my mom's house). I've taken some pics.

It's located across the street from the Tabernacle. It makes for a dramatic scene with the two buildings facing each other.

The design reminds me of a cross between the Salt Lake (minus 4 spires) and the Nauvoo. I heard the granite was quarried in the same canyon as the Salt Lake's but it is white instead of gray.

I don't know about other days, but it is a very popular spot for families on Sunday evenings. We've walked the neices and nephews in the family there a couple of times. They are very excited about the progress.

I have a few ancestors that pretty much took part in the building of most of the major buildings back in the day in Brigham City. My great granpa Pett was an archetect and designed a lot of buildings and bridges and stuff around the area. I have ancestors on both sides of the family that helped build the Tabernacle. Back in the day everyone pitched in time and labor to build churches and tabernacles and stuff. Even though I've left BC, I have always felt part of the town because of that. All the building and moving stuff is hired out now, I'm hoping I can volunteer to do some last minute cleaning or maybe some planting around the grounds when it comes time for that stuff. I'd really like to carry the family tradition on and take part some how. If nothing else I'd like to volunteer during the open house.

2011-06-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Another excellent Tour de Cure. The weather this year was fantastic. At least for the 25 miler. I was originally going to make this my first full century ride, but I'm a fair weather biker. All the rain this spring kept me indoors when I should have been ramping up my miles. It was sunny but cool.

I don't understand why I can never find a single person to ride with though. Maybe because most of my friends don't really ride bikes often. I always kind of wish I had someone to ride with though. The nice thing about the Tour de Cure is that it's a fun ride and not a race. You can go as fast or slow as you like. Since I was alone I just took off as soon as I could get around the crowd and went for speed. I can't lie, it's really fun to pass lots of people going much faster than them.

To the handsome gentleman who took my picture for me, took the time to learn my name, then cheered for me by name through the ride--thank you. Call me.....

Oh, another reason I'd like to ride with some people is so I don't act like a baby right before the race start. Seriously, every year I get all teared up and almost start crying in public. So dumb. Diabetes just really sucks and has done bad things to people I care about, so I just get all internal and think about that before the start and blubber up. So embarrassing. Showing emotions. What's that all about?

As I said I went for speed. A few miles out from the 1/2 point rest/turn around spot, I could count all the bikers ahead of me. 9, then 7, then 6, 5 for a while, then 3. Most people take their time at the rest spots cause they have food and stuff and it is a fun ride so no hurries. I put down my pb&j and some dried fruit, drank lots of water, then got back on my bike. I guess I could have fratanized with the other riders, but I decided to just get 'er done.

There were 3 riders ahead of me. Then 1. Then none. For like 15 glorious moments, I was the lead rider in the 25 mile bike ride (that started at the regular start time, some people start early and I did see some of them headed back on my way to the turnaround ahead of me). Mind you all the more serious riders who could have left me in their dust were probably riding the 65, 80, or 100 mile rides. And it's not a race so there's no first place, but for a short time I was totally first place. Then my bike chain jammed up when I shifted. Boo. Probably a dozen riders passed me while I got the chain back on. I did end up passing most of them.

For a non-competitive fun ride, I think I was about the 4th or 5th person back. There was actualy a crowd at the finish line that were cheering pretty good as we came through. I can't lie. I like me some cheering crowds.

The Tour de Cure is an excellent ride for beginners or serious riders who are looking for a nice flat course. The century has a good "hill" (Golden Pass) to go over, but it's basically flat, farm countryside. It's got some good sponsors, it's a good cause, lots of volunteers help out, and the directors of the event do a great job.

Note to self--next time I ride or run and start with a long sleeve on, remember to put the sunblock on first. Burned my back pretty good after I took my shrug off.

Dirty Dash 2011

2011-06-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

Last September was the first ever Dirty Dash race. I was so excited for it and put 2 teams together. I did the Camp Pendelton Mud Run when I lived in CA and it has been one of my favorites for years. It was actually the race that probably started my addiction. I'd run occasionally for a couple of miles but I remember thinking I could never do a 10k. But I did and so much more since then.

From way back in the day, 2002 Camp Pendleton Mud Run (those are kilts)

So a few weeks before the race last year, I broke my shoulder. No Dirty Dash for Amy. Everyone I know ran it of course and said how it was the funnest race ever. Since it was so popular they put on a 5k this spring. Actually they now have races in Boise, Seattle, and I think even Spokane. I wanted to do it but it sold out the day before I planned to register.

I got on the waiting list but didn't really want to start after 3:00 PM because no one I knew was going to be there then. However, my friend Suzie asked if I was doing it last minute and we went over and got 2 spots. I'm so glad we did too. It was pretty fun. I'm sure it would only be more fun with more people I know, but Suzie and I had a lot of fun regardless.

It wasn't really a 5k though--more like 4 miles or more. I didn't mind. Some of the obstacles were hay bales, pipes, walls, tires, mud pits, a giant water slide, and the final pig pen mud pit. I didn't have to crawl through the pipes because I'm so petite, I was able to crouch and walk through very fast. There were spots where spectators could throw water balloons at you. Fortunately I was able to get over the walls on my own. Any taller and I would have been in trouble though.

Actually one of the craziest parts is the start. It's straight up a hill that they keep nice and wet so it's totally muddy. Everyone starts running and mud starts sploshing everywhere. Keep my mouth closed is all I'm saying. Because of the vast number of people who want to participate, they start in waves every 20 mins. We were one of the last ones, but it really didn't make a difference to me. I rather enjoyed not getting up at the crack of dawn to get up there.

Temperatures were just about perfect for the race. The free showers were a tad on the chilly side. More like a tad on the hyperthermic side. I had to go in and out because I couldn't stand it long enough to get clean. Not that you really get clean. There were huge piles of shoes and socks people threw away after the race.

In hindsight, it would have been smart to bring towels. We did not. Cause you have to ditch your clothes before returning home. When we arrived there was a lady changing in the parking lot. Her exposed backside is burned into my memory. I'm ok getting down to my base layer in public at events like this, but I'm personally not in favor of showing off my birthday suit. I wore a skirt (somehow I always wear skirts in mud runs...) and it was fairly clean so I used that for cover up as I changed clothes. If we get a group this fall I am taking my shower tent and a bunch of old milk containers with warm water. Warm showers and somewhere to change.

Dannon drinking yogurts, and yes, I did drink one (after I cleaned the rim off), yummy

I've never been to Midway before but it's a really cute little town up in the mountains past Park City. I could definitely go back and explore. When I'm not filthy. If this sounds fun, hit me up so we can all sign up together. Join forces with me and we'll take a grill and tail gate, have warm showers, a place to change, and more fun than your heart could imagine. They also have a piglet plunge so it's a family friendly event.

Tour de Cure 2011

2011-05-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

I am currently in the mad rush to raise money for the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure. 16 days left! Curse my procrastinating ways!

Last I checked, I have $30 in donations so I need $120 left to raise. If 24 people each donated $5 that would do it. Or 12 to donate $10. In my mind $5 is the cost of a combo meal which will probably only take you closer to diabetes. So, give up the burger and fries this week and donate to a good cause.

Here's some scary diabetes facts from the ADA (they have solid sources for all their stats, I checked before reposting).

25.8 million (8.3%) of the US have diabetes

79 million are pre-diabetes

215,000 people younger than 20 years old have diabetes (type 1 or 2)

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, non-traumatic lower limb amputations, blindness, heart disease, and stroke.

It is the 7th leading cause of death in the US

That stats that really scare me are the 79 million people on the verge of full blown type II diabetes. Wondering if you are at risk? Are you overweight (they specify BMI above 25) and not active? Are you thirsty often and have a hard time sleeping? The best thing you can do to prevent diabetes is get active. Start today but just going out for a 30 min walk. You can get away with being a little overweight if you active.

Also, type II used to be called "adult onset diabetes" but that term has been losing popularity because so many kids are getting type II now. There are almost as many cases as type II in kids as type I. In some race groups there are more cases of type II than type I.

Here's a link to my personal Tour de Cure page. You can donate online or get me cash/checks (written to the American Diabetes Association).

http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/UtahArea?px=3304181&pg=personal&fr_id=7612

Yellowstone adventure

2011-05-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

May has been a very good month to me. I went on yet another adventure this past weekend. This trip was to Yellowstone. It struck me how opposite it was to the Zion's trip. By opposite, I mostly mean temperture. The landscape was starkly different as well. It was good and cold though. I brought lots of layers and wore most of them all at the same time.

Jake, Tony, & Veronika went up earlier on Friday. Kelly & I took off after work. It’s about a 6 hour drive. It was pretty dark by the time we got close to the park. About 20 miles from the inn, we saw a lumbering shadow. I think we both realized it was a bear about the same time. We squealed like little girls and held hands for about a mile. The bear was just walking on the side of the road but it couldn’t have been more than 5 to 10 feet from the car. That’s the closest I’ve been to a bear in the wild for sure. I said a prayer, talked Kelly through some breathing exercises, and then we sang primary songs for most of the rest of the drive.

We stayed at the Old Faithful Inn. Normally I prefer to tent camp, however this trip was different than other trips. Also the cold and the bear sighting had me very happy to be indoors. Plus the inn was really cool. It’s been around for a really long time. It’s a legitimate log built building. The main part of the building/lobby is open all the way to the ceiling which is really high up. I was fascinated by the architecture and original hardware of the building.

Our room was about the size of my bedroom and had 2 queen beds and a sink. Our room was a great deal because it didn’t have its own bathroom. There was a community bathroom with showers down the hall. The tiling in the bathroom was very cool. The real gem for me was one an employee showed us a room with two big, old soaking tubs. Each had its separate room off the main hall.

Saturday I took a peak out the window and saw a geyser going off and assumed it was Old Fiathful. It turns out it was actually Beehive which is rare cause it goes off when it wants to and only once or twice a day.

We got up and went exploring around the upper geyser basin. That’s were Old Faithful is located (hence Old Faithful Inn). Jake made exploring that area even better by sharing his vast knowledge about not just each geyser or pool, but the processes that create them.

I realized how amazing that whole area really is. Also, I realized what a dynamic and living environment it is. Part aesthetics, part science, all awesome.

We brought our own breakfast and lunch stuff, but ate dinner Saturday night in the dining room at the inn. The food was pretty good. I tried everyone’s meals of course. I liked everything. We took our time and had a great meal and conversation. Right after we ordered a couple of desserts, the fire alarm went off and the inn was completely evacuated into the chilly night. I think some other guests were irritated but our group and some others had fun with it. Several of the dinner groups took the opportunity to dine and dash apparently. We went back, got our dessert, and even paid for our meal.

We played a little “durak “ on the balcony to the lobby on our floor. This is a Russian card game Veronika taught us. It was fun. I was beat and went to bed around 11:30.

Sunday I was first up at about 8:00 am. I went and used one of the soaking tubs. It was fabulous. It was so nice. Some day I will have a deep tub. In my dream home, I don’t need a big bathroom; I just need a deep tub. I was still the only one up so I went around the inn and outside and took some pictures, made friends with a little family from Bombai, and learned about the skeletal structure of bison (very interesting, don’t irritate them, they will mess you up).

I'll share with you a little something I picked up about the naming of geysers and hot pools. If it's named after you, you're either really rich or you died in it. I think I'll play it safe and just hope I never have one named after me.

We packed up and headed out first to Upper Geyser Basin. It think that is where Celestine Pool is which was our first tale of death took place. The pools may look clear and cozy, but they are so hot they will kill you, so don't jump in them.

I like my brother.

We then headed to the Grand Canyon (of Yellowstone). The upper and lower falls there were amazing and beautiful, but as I mentioned the trails we wanted to go on were closed. Jake and Tony were there last year and able to access all the trails. So our plan for Sunday constitutionals turned into more of a car tour of the park. I’ve been to Yellowstone in the summers so it was kind of fun to see the spring (late winter) landscape.

We went home by way of the Tetons. My favorite stop was Jenny Lake. I think we camped there when I was a kid. The Tetons are amazing mountains. They are so steep. The snow on them made them even more majestic.

Just like the previous weekend, what made this trip really amazing was the people I was with. It was fun to get to know Veronika even better. If I could monopolize all of Kelly’s time, I totally would. I love to learn from Jake, joke around, and share “feelings”. Tony is not just my brother but one of my best friends. He is happy, positive, and just a good man.

It was really a quick trip, but it has me hungry to go back to Yellowstone and the Tetons. The next camping trip planned is in Ogden Valley. The crew is going to try and climb all the way to Ben Lomond Peak. I actually have a bike ride that morning, so I don’t know if I’ll make the whole trip with them. I’m planning to get to the trail after the ride and at least catch them on their way back down. We’ll see what happens. Last year they didn’t make it to the peak because of the snow. This year we’ve had even more snow, so it will be interesting.

Animals we saw: Bears, Elk, Bison, Marmot, Squirrel, Chipmunk, Giant Crows (one we named Candik), and Moose.

Quest for the Barracks: Day 3

2011-05-18T08:41:00.001-07:00

The last day of any camping trip is sort of sad. You are secretly dreaming of flush toilets and showers, but part of you would like to stay in the wilderness forever.

I slept in much later than the previous day. The sun was up already, civil sunrise I believe. I went for a little morning walk-about. I did some sun salutations on my flat spot from the day before. It felt glorious to stretch my body out. Then I wondered what was just a little further up. And kept wondering until I reach the cliff face of the mesa we were camped below. I sang hi-ho and some other stuff into the rounded curve of the canyon and went back to camp.

Breakfast consisted of apples and oatmeal. Passable but appropriate for the last day. The hike back out was so much harder than the hike in. We followed nearly the same line but each step in the sand was labor. I was still enjoying the challenge. I knew I had lived and hiked for two glorious days and I was going to enjoy the last march out of Checkboard. We paused at the saddle and gazed fondly at the land behind us and the final short canyon ahead that would take us back to civilization. Beautiful views.

Ever since I was a little girl I’ve been reading books & magazines and watching documentaries on explorers—Shakelton, Sir Francis Drake, Edmund Hillary/Tenzing Norgay, Marco Polo, Harriet Chalmers Adams, Indiana Jones (ok, not factual or realistic, but it still piqued my desire for adventure), etc. Even though I’m not exploring any new frontiers, I love it when I can live my dreams.

I can’t over emphasize the beauty of the land, the excitement of the physical challenge, or the elation in completing the quest. However, in the end probably the best part of the trip I haven’t even gone into in detail. The best part was spending 2 ½ days with Casey, Pete, and Jake. Three people I love dearly and all the more dearly now. Even despite group consensus if we were stranded, we’d eat me first, and how I would be prepared (roasted, maybe with a little rosemary). All the more for it really.

We sang, and laughed, and joked, and philosophized, and witnessed each other's calamities, and laughed all the time. I have the best friends. They put up with my silly musings and dropsy’s and incessant chatting and even seemed to enjoy it most of the time. All of my friends are amazing, but I’m glad I can take a moment to spotlight these three.

I will hike the Barracks some day. There are many lessons learned this trip but my final words will be this. Don’t hold on to plans or goals to the point that you miss out on the wonderful detours life has for us. If we had attached ourselves to only hiking the Barracks, we would have been bitterly disappointed. But also never let go of your dreams. I’ve been dreaming of this kind of adventure for 20+ years. It was better than I ever imagined thanks to 3 wonderful people. So dream, surround yourself with wonderful people, and gratefully take whatever life actually gives you. And I continue to dream and plot my next trip. Epic Adventure II: Return to the Barracks.

Quest for the Barracks: Day 2

2011-05-16T22:17:00.000-07:00

I am not a morning person, but when I’m camping I tend to wake up around the crack of dawn-ish. Once I’m awake I’m usually uncomfortable enough to just get up. That is not a bad thing because mornings are beautiful. Camping is one of the rare opportunities I get to admire their beauty.

Base camp was in a sandy spot, so found some fairly flat sandstone nearby that I could do some sun salutations. I love doing yoga when I’m camping. It totally warms up the muscles, increases energy levels, and helps stretch and work kinks out of tight muscles. Also, there is something more energizing in nature than on a sticky mat in a studio. Love both, but maybe I just get the synergy from my love of nature and yoga at the same time.

Breakfast consisted of formerly frozen toaster strudels. Delightful when warmed by pan frying in the wild. We made a bunch of bagel sandwiches. Joked about rolling them (inside joke that will go on forever probably). Then we set off to find the barracks.

You may recall that I originally said I had been dreaming about hiking the barracks for 2 years and thought this trip was all about the barracks. Like all good plans, sometimes you have to make changes. Due to the generous amounts of precipitation Utah has received this year, the river levels were higher than usual. That’s why we hiked into Checkerboard Mesa from Zion’s. So, the adventure changed from exploring the barracks to reaching them.

The first big challenge was finding our way across the first slot canyon on our way there. We had a topo map and an expert guide, but it can still be tricking finding the right spot to get in and out. We were only interested in non-technical canyoneering (that means without ropes, if you need ropes and stuff it’s technical). We thought we had found a spot and I went ahead and threw my backpack over the side at about a 20 foot drop. Then we inched further down the sandstone slope and realized one or two of us were not “comfortable” with the steepness of the rest of the route. We backed it on up and headed further up the canyon.

We found a better spot and got down in the canyon. During this interlude was when I remembered I had left my camera in the belt of my backpack. I had time to imagine the various states it might be in before we got to the spot where my pack and Jake’s poles were. Camera had bounced out onto the one small patch of sand in a pile of rocks my pack rested on and continued working like a charm until the batteries died about an hour later (note to self: check batteries in camera before beginning epic adventures).

We went up and down a couple other more friendly canyons until we came to Poverty Flats. From our approach it looked fairly flat. Then you get to the first rise in Poverty not-so-Flats and it is much more rolling that it seems from afar. Not complaining, just setting expectations for anyone who goes there after me.

In Poverty Flats we entered Poverty Wash. We ate our then amazingly sticky PB & J bagel sandwiches that were slightly smashed when “somebody” dropped them. “Somebody” dropped a lot of stuff. So, anyhow, sticky sandwiches. Delish. The first part of the wash was a long sandy riverbed like terrain. It’s never all that easy though. We would occasionally come upon drop offs that we would have to get out and find a way down to.

Then we came to the slot canyon part of the wash. Laaaaaaa (choirs of angels). Slot canyons are magical. I’ve been through a couple of small-ish slot canyons before. This was so much more amazing though. It was remoter and taller and just incredibly beautiful. Jake and I had a discussion about how it’s really just like walking through a hallway, so what’s the big deal. Ok, it’s not really like a hallway at all. The shapes of the canyon walls and the way the sun shines in through them is art. There’s also the adrenaline rush of jumping over and down off of boulders. Shimmying over dank, dirty pools of water. One cess pool had some kind of tapeworm thing in it. So disturbing.

Where we left the love birds with the last of the chips and water

At a certain point in the day we realized we were running out of time and just about to run out of water. 3:00 was our cut off time for when we needed to turn back to base camp to beat the twilight (didn’t bring headlamps, so there were no other options). Our first time backpackers were really doing super well, however Jake knew the final ascent was going to be tricky. We climbed out of the slot canyon and left the couple under a shady V-shaped tree with the last of our water and took off with increased determination to reach at least the portion of Poverty Wash with flowing water. We could have filtered the cesspools if we had to, but only if we had to. A discussion about that was when the word a-money was born. Basically you can filter nasty water and it will be safe to drink but it will still taste bad.

We got out of the canyon because of a major drop off. Below this drop off is where the fresh flowing water was. We could see it and hear it, but we were having a hard time finding a spot to get to it. This was probably the most challenging part of the whole hike. The walls of the slot canyon were just so much higher here. Jake eventually found a possible descent and we went for it. Ask me sometime about the difference between possible and passable.

When we got to the bottom it was like choirs of angles from the first slot canyon times 10. The water was bubbly and clean and I’ve never been so aware of how life giving water is. I want to point out that we were not in danger of dehydration at this point, but the risk of it in the desert is so high. Mostly I was just really happy we didn’t have to drink water the rest of the trip that tasted like a-money (if you’re not sure what a-money stands for, put a couple of money signs after the a). We filtered enough for all the containers we had and drank our fill. It was so clean, crisp, and cool.

At this point, we were about a half mile, as the crow flies, from where the wash enters the Barracks. We had told the happy couple we’d be back in 60-90 mins but decided to risk making them nervous by finishing the quest. My camera battery was dead at this point so I have not pictures of this part of the journey. It was just incredible. The vegetation was incredible. We even past the biggest patch of poison ivy I’ve ever seen. Gotta keep your wits about you at all times in the wilderness.

We finally made it to the Barracks. If you’ve seen pictures of the Narrows in Zion’s you can imagine the Barracks. What makes it a little more awesome than the Narrows is it’s remoteness. Just getting to it is so difficult that that accomplishment alone makes it feel more amazing. Usually the water in that canyon is more like a creek. We came upon a river. The entire canyon was full of rapidly flowing water. Based on some pole poking, it was probably about 3 feet deep.

The last real noteworthy adventure was on the final descent before ascending to camp. Right near the bottom Casey sat on a cactus. She says she slid into it. I say she did it on purpose. Just kidding. I already told them the advice from the Zion’s guide, “Cacti. Don’t sit on them.” Eh, that’s what it said more or less. So, within sight of camp we were all gathered around Casey’s bottom trying various methods of getting most of the tiny but annoying spines out of her jean's. We got enough of them to finish the final ascent. Lovely bottom.

We made creamy cheese and broccoli soup and instant potatoes for dinner. Everything got a sprinkling of bacon. Just after dinner at about 9:30 PM our tuckered out first-timers went straight to bed. I played a little game called Satisfaction for a bit before I headed to bed. Satisfaction is a lovely game. You take dried out branches of juniper tree and break off pieces and then burn them in the fire. It may not sound like much, but it is soooo satisfying. We ended the night listening to Pumped Up Kicks on Jake’s iPod and visualizing someone we know as the protagonist of the song. Fabulous day.

I think we all slept like the dead that night. Until you have pushed yourself like that, you will never know the sweet, deep sleep of the bone-weary hiker.

Quest for the Barracks: Day 1

2011-05-16T22:06:00.001-07:00

I first heard about the Barracks 2 years ago and I’ve been dreaming about going there ever since. So, the venerable guru of bushwhack hiking himself and I planned a trip. Our hiking team also included first-time backpackers Pete & Casey. I’m so glad they came because they only fed my already ridiculous excitement with their eagerness for a new adventure.

Friday we drove down to Zion’s, registered or checked in (you have to get permits for back country hiking), then ditched the car on a pull off next to your entry canyon. That was at about 6:30 pm. This was a nice little narrow canyon. We heard and even saw some bullfrogs in the water pools embedded in the sandstone. The temperature was just about perfect for hiking. The end of this canyon is a steep sandy ascent to the “saddle”. I called it the gateway because it was kind of the gateway between the more populated Zion’s Canyon area and the more desolate back country. You look ahead and it’s just vast, rolling desert.

Bark on a Ponderosa Pine, looks almost like lace

Side note here. Zion’s Canyon is incredible. Love it. Its beauty is nearly unmatched. On the other hand the back country has its own awesomeness in being so desolate and feeling so untouched. We heard a couple of hikers pass by our camp below, but the only people we actually saw the whole hike was right at the end when we were coming out of the final canyon. Two friendly, portly gentlemen asked if we made it to the saddle. Ha! Yes, and about a million steps beyond. There is a deep sense of adventuring that is not equaled in a highly populated trail. If you know how much I love adventuring, you may understand me when I say I was saturated with bliss the whole weekend.

Bobcat and a squirrel were playing tag

We came into a stretch of land called Checkerboard Mesa. Our first adventure was getting to a location to make camp before the daylight hours were spent. When night hits in the wilderness the darkness is much more intense than in the city. We wanted to get past the border of Zion’s park. I think the only time Jake came close to even ruffling his calm patient demeanor was when he announced we had 7 minutes left of civil twilight and needed to pick up the pace a bit.

Twilight has levels. Twilight is when the sun is even with the horizon (0 degrees). Civil twilight last from 0 degrees to 6 below horizon, approx 50 mins. Nautical twilight is 6 to 12 degrees, about 50 mins. Astronomical twilight is from 12-18 degrees, another 50 mins.

Seed pod of a yucca, I love all the textures and designs in nature

We had to put our headlamps on but the guru found a perfect spot to make camp and we were able to set up and cook a feast of sweet and sour and orange chicken worthy of PF Chang’s. Packing tip—take frozen food for the first night. It will defrost by the time you make camp for dinner and is infinitely better tasting than the dried out (and expensive) pre-packed backpacking foods.

The white speck in the middle is our base camp

Weight update

2011-05-06T13:01:00.000-07:00

About when I got my RMR results I changed my mind about trying to lose more weight right now. Not really related to the RMR test, but it had been on my mind that it would be ok to just celebrate the weight loss I had and maintain it for a short period. This actually seemed prudent and healthy, but my Type A personality wanted to push on.

It's been about a month from the end of the weight loss challenge I did and I'm basically the same weight give or take a few ounces. Hurrah! That is a victory in my mind.

I actually feel good and healthy right now. I had begun to feel a bit run down and burnt out but I was trying to push through it. Why do we do this to ourselves. At least I am better at listening to my body than I used to be. That is one of the greatest benefits I've gotten from practicing yoga--mindfullness in body, thought, and actions. It seems the more I'm in touch with my body and listen to it, the healthier I end up. Hmmm. Wish I had realized that like 10 years ago. Or 30.

So, I'm feeling good and refreshed and restored and ready to really move forward again. Seriously, why was I forcing it before. Patience grasshopper. I'm back on my plan with the whole meditation/visualization thing, tracking calories (and knowing the right amount to be tracking now), and increasing my strength training. I'm in a bootcamp and a TRX class this summer so that will help me be consistent with the strength training.

So the moral of the story is, listen to your body and know how to tell the difference between "laziness" and burn out. How will you be able to tell the difference? Well, if you are avoiding burn out, you'll probably feel healthier and as long as you keep the eating and moderate amounts of activity, you'll maintain weight. If it's burn out, you'll probably get sick and/or tired all the time and gain weight back because you finally break down and eat lots of Easter candy (see previous post).

The good and the bad and the Easter candy

2011-04-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

I'm having a good week for exercise and a very bad week for eating. So I'm publicly calling myself out. I've actually been getting up in the morning to work out. That's huge for me.

However, when I was at the store Monday I bought some cheap post-easter chocolate candies. I thought to myself that I would only have a couple of pieces at a time. Usually that would be the case. I'll eat sweets and I can have small portions, but I like to savor each little bite. Except it's finals week and "that" time for me. I've wolfed down almost the whole bag of candy in two days. Boo! I feel fat and bloated and ashamed right now.

And then I feel guilty for how I feel, because even though I am trying to lose some weight, I am at a healthy weight and am satisfied with how I look almost 100%. At least 95%. So I shouldn't have these negative feelings. But I still shouldn't have eaten all that chocolate. I have a 2nd bag. I'm going to to take it to work tomorrow and share the love.

This is why I don't buy treats or keep it in the house. I can be good almost every day, but it only takes one or two bad days to derail my goals.

In the true meaning of Easter, I'm going to forgive myself and let it go. Tomorrow is a new day.

Resting Metabolic Rate Test

2011-04-20T12:17:00.001-07:00

I went to Peak Fitness up at the U and did a Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) test. In a nutshell that is the energy expenditure produced by your body when at rest. If I laid in bed or just sat in a chair all day long, it would take me 1253 calories to exist.

How it works

3 hours before the test you have to stop eating and can't exercise until after the test. If your body is digesting it will change the results. Also if you have exercised recently it throws it off. I'm not sure if it's the increased breathing or what, but it will increase your metabolic rate short term. You're testing your resting metabolic rate so these are important. I took a snack in the car so I could as soon as it's over.

Once you check in and fill out some paperwork (general health questionnaire, consent form), you sit for 5 mins and let your body come back to a resting state. Then you put these nose clamps on the nose to plug that up and breath through this tube thing that is hooked up to a machine that tracks your oxygen levels. It's a little bit like scuba breathing. That lasts for 10 mins.

You will probably drool a bit, and it's a bit awkward breathing into the tube, but I read a magazine and got used to it pretty quick. You do need to make sure you have a good seal on the tube while you are doing the test for accurate results. The whole process including instruction and questions takes about 30 mins.

What I learned

So what does that tell me? Well for one thing it is a lower number than the calculation I had come up with when I was planning my calories in/out. I had come up with a figure of 1394. That means I was off by 141 calories a day, 987 calories a week. That adds up. I figured since I started trying to lose some weight that is a difference of about 4 lbs. So when I felt like I was working my butt off and not seeing a lot of results, that would explain it. Would have been nice to know that 3 months ago.

If you have every found yourself in a similar situation, you have to take a really honest look at your eating habits. I feel like I was doing a really good job tracking even those sneaky calories. A couple of tortilla chips here, a handful of peanuts there. When I was tracking my calories I accounted for every little bite I was taking. So, before you run out and have your RMR checked, make sure you're both honest and aware of all the calories in.

I say that because the majority of people who think they have a slow metabolism actually don't. Based on periodicals I've read and feedback from trained professionals, most people are close to normal. Well, congratulations to me. I'm actually 12% below normal. Or in other words, 12 % more efficient. That is most likely attributable to my under active thyroid. Low thyroid levels lead to lower metabolic rates. For me, this makes sense.

What I need to do about it

Moving forward there are 2 things I need to do. First I need to recalculate my calories in/out. I like food. I like to eat food. So that means either increasing my activity level, or lowering my caloric intake by cutting some discretionary calories or just substituting some lower energy dense delicious foods for some of the higher dense items I've been eating.

Also, the way to increase the metabolism is to increase lean body weight. In other words, build muscle. I have increasing strength training as one of my tactics, but I have yet to implement. I'm feeling a little more motivated to get on that now.

If I can find a scanner, I'll post a pic of the report. While, most people are going to be normal or close to that, if you are interested in getting tested, it was $30 for non-U student/staff and $25 for U students/staff. It takes about 30 min. You can find Peak on FB or here:

http://www.health.utah.edu/peak

They offer other services such as body fat testing, nutritional counseling, and fitness assessments.

Weight plateaus and setpoint theory

2011-04-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've hit a plateau in my weight loss adventure. I am serious about losing about another 8 lbs (of fat, not lean body weight). This is realistic and healthy. It will put my % of body fat at approximately 24% which is perfectly healthy and I believe will help me be a little more competitive in my running/racing.

So here we are. 140 is about where I've gotten to more times than I can count. I may dip a little lower, but I get here and then I either stay here or put 5-8 lbs back on. Even when I'm actively trying to lose weight--tracking calories, exercising, etc. There are so many variables that can be at play when you stop losing weight--burn out from overtraining, lack of sleep, stress levels, body adaptation and increased efficiency at current activities and levels of exertion, mental/emotional sabotage.

Another factor I have recently done some research on is the setpoint theory. The premise is that the body has a particular weight or body fat % it likes to be at. The problem is the body interprets going below your setpoint as starvation (even if you have love handles to prove otherwise). When you go below that level, it does lots of complex things with hormone levels, how it processes glucose, and a bunch of other internal functions we don't even realize are going on moment by moment.

http://medweb.mit.edu/pdf/set_point_theory.pdf Blah, blah, blah. All this research is good and fine, but I'm a woman of action. What am I going to do about it. I've come up with a couple of different tactics I'm going to try that target both the physical side and the mental. I'm going to try them all so it will be difficult to figure out which tactic was more/less successful if additional weight lose occurs and is maintained. This feels so sciencey. My Investigative side is getting all excited.

Here's my plan:

1. Increase lean muscle mass by increased strength training, as that is the best way to increase your metabolic rate long term.

currently about 1x/week for 20-40 min

increase to 2x/week for 20-40 min/session

2. Use positive affirmations, visualization, pranayama (yoga breathing techniques) and meditation to focus on and get my mind to believe it is possible and do-able. This has been very successful for treating chronic pain and other disorders and diseases. Mind over matter. 3. Research and practice a yoga routine that promotes brain (specifically hypothalamus) health, hormone regulation, and releasing and removing toxins. The hypothalamus is supposedly where the "setpoint" is located and regulated. It is responsible for regulating hormones related to hunger and satiety. Yoga also decreases stress levels which can affect the hypothalamus and the release of other hormones (hmmm, could that have any link to emotional eating?).

4. Continue tracking my caloric intake and ensuring it is sufficient for my basal metabolic rate (calorie deficit will come from additional physical exercise, not by cutting calories). I am actually even going to try and increase my daily average caloric intake to see if that helps. A caloric deficit of 500/day should result in 1 lb weight loss/week.

I really feel like I'm on the edge of something big here. I am positive and determined to find success. And if my first attempts do not work, I'll try something new (see video in the previous post). So here I go, ready to take the plunge.

These are my scientific experiment goggles, I'm ready to go

Is anyone really interested in the results of my experimentation? I think I'm going to journal what I do, how I feel before/after I do it, and whether or not I feel it is working. I could post summaries of my journals here if you want. Or I can just follow up in 4-6 weeks with one short summary of the results.

Follow up

2011-04-01T07:37:00.000-07:00

Weighed myself this morning (the lady time is all over now). 139.8! That's right. Under 140. Victorious! I don't like the BMI system for people with more than average muscle mass, however, that does make me officially no longer over weight according to the BMI. I didn't really think of myself as overweight before because I understand lean vs fat mass and what real health is, and how to listen to my body, however...it feels good to make it official.

I saw this video today and it seemed appropriate. This is for any of you how have "fallen down" in any endeavors in your life--weight, jobs, romance, family, whatever. And yes, I did tear up.

One week only...

2011-03-29T20:32:00.000-07:00

For your viewing pleasure. I decided since I lost my own deal, I would use this as a positive exercise in accepting my body and not criticising. I have a few criticisms on my brain, but I'm keeping it positive. This is a real woman's body. I am at a healthy weight and that is what healthy looks like. Sure I'd like a little more of a buffer between that and overweight, but this is the real deal.

I am going to say 3 nice things about myself. 1-I really like my calves in poser picture. 2-I also like the way my arms have slimmed down and have a little definition. Welcome to the gun show. 3-I am pleased with the curve caused by a nearly perfect hip to waist ratio (studies of art have come up with the perfect ratio of .70, I have .71). While I am very happy with the way my body looks fully covered in cloths that fit well, I'm still slightly uncomfortable with a little more show and tell. The weight loss challenge is over but I'm still going to lose my last 8 lbs by the end of the year. Maybe I'll repost then.....

What I've learned from my dog in 6 months

2011-03-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

I've heard dogs mirror your energy. I believe it. When I first got Milly I would worry about her being anxious a lot. And guess what, she was anxious a lot--when I'd leave, when we saw new things, being around other dogs, etc.

I have to admit, amongst other things, I watched some episodes of the Dog Whisperer. I realized that we transfer our energy to our dogs. If you've ever watched the show or if you do, most of the dogs issues are just mirrors of the owner's issues. In one episode he had a woman visualize/channel her inner queen (Cleopatra specifically) when she would walk the dog to exert dominance over the dog and to promote the right energy for the dog.

Confidence

I started using that type of energy when I walked Milly. I may or may not have channelled my inner Cleo. I may or may not have gotten more cat calls than usual on 700 East. It felt good and Milly started showing more confidence herself. We even started walking at the Cottonwood dog park off leash. Sometimes I still get a little nervous if I see some big dogs coming (because I assume Milly will be nervous, which she will if she senses it from me), but I check those feelings and channel my confidence and calmness to Milly. Maybe that sounds weird but it makes sense once you've done it.

I think I've actually felt a change in my own confidence and energy even when I'm not with Milly. Because I've been checking my energy when I go out with Milly, now when I go into a social situation or just anywhere and I feel some anxiety, I check myself and pull that calm, confident energy out. Confidence is all in your head. So, it's been good for me.

Self control

Dogs like consistency and routine. Milly doesn't have any idea what a weekend is. When it's time to potty or eat, she let's me know even if I'm still trying to sleep (she's learned a good, cold nose to the armpit, gets me up quick). Consistency is not a strength for me, so I'm a work in progress for that one. Before Milly, I had a hard time keeping my plants alive cause I forget to water them.

Some days I don't feel like I have time to deal with her needs, but I have to set the time aside to take her for walks and take care of her needs first.

Actually the biggest self control issue I've had to conquer is giving her discipline before affection. I've been a bit of a pushover, but sometimes I need to assert my dominance as the pack leader. Part of it is I feel so bad that Milly had such a crappy life and was abused before I got her that I want to make up for that. But I have to remember that I need to give her what she needs, discipline, to make her "happy".

Sacrifice

Along with the self control to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, I've had to give up some of my wants to take care of Milly. Before I got her and was thinking about getting a dog, I decided I would be totally committed to it emotionally and financially. She's cost me a little more in medical bills than I would have liked, but what would I have done with that money? Spent it on stuff for me. Eh.

Sometimes I would have rather just gone running somewhere on my own or biking, but if I don't have time for both, I take Milly for a walk or slow jog. Sometimes I even have to give up my "training" time to give her the walk. (According to Cesar and many dog experts, the most important thing to dogs is exercise, discipline, and then affection.) It's not that much a of a sacrifice. Walking Milly is one of my new favorite activities. It makes me so happy to see her run and show her new found confidence. She has come so far from that scared, sad little rescue dog when I first got her.

Other stuff

I learned how to tell if a dog is dehydrated--tacky gums and lack of elasticity in the skin. I learned that if you have to get saline shots to rehydrate your dog, it's very expensive. I've learned what a seizure in a dog looks like--dilated eyes, disoriented, they paw the air, and may start running into things. I also learned that it's common in dogs and not to panic unless it lasts longer than 5 mins, happens multiple times in 24 hours, or is accompanied by a fever.

I've also been reminded of the joy of running. I "train" a lot so I go for a specific distance at a specific pace and forget that joy and freedom I feel when I run. The first time I saw Milly run, it was a thrill to see the grace and joy in her little body. Her whole energy is different when she runs. It's good. When I walk or jog with her, it makes me smile sometimes to see her running. It's a good emotional release for me.

I don't know who has benefited more from our new pack, me or Milly. Well, from what I know of Milly's past, probably Milly, but the past 6 months has been a grand adventure with my little companion.

Week 12/Final weight

2011-03-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

Bah. Spoiler alert, if you're a guy and don't want to hear about lady issues, stop now. My final weigh out was 142.5. That is 1.5 lbs up from the previous week. I believe that is all water weight because I am at "that time of the month" and I feel disgusting and bloated and cranky. Timing couldn't be any worse.

I weighed myself mid-week to see where I was and 2 days last week I was at 140.5. So I was really surprised to see the increase Sunday morning. But then I wasn't either. However, that unfortunate timing did throw me off for the contest. It took me from 2nd place to 3rd.

I also took measurements. All of them were the same or smaller (good job thighs) except in general abdomen, bloaty area of the body.

I guarantee, later this week that scale will drop again. Well, unless the 1/2 a pan of brownies I ate yesterday didn't sabotage everything..... Yes, I ate 1/2 a pan of brownies. But it wasn't a full size pan, it was a loaf pan sized jiffy mix. I went back after the fact, and it was about 500 calories worth of brownies. Not really necessary, but I had cramps so bad all day I finally broke down and binged on chocolate and sugar. And it was awesome. If I did it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing.

As soon as I can get my pics loaded I'll post them. Amy keeps her word. But sometimes Amy is not very happy about being a girl.

Week 11 Weight Loss Challenge

2011-03-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

I'm down to 141 lbs. I wasn't sure if I'd pull off the full pound this week because I traveled over the weekend. But there it is. I only need to lose 1.1 lbs this week to not have to post pics of me in a swimming suit. Don't remember if I mentioned it but as a final motivator for the last couple of weeks I decided I'd threaten myself with having to post them if I don't get under 140 by the end.

For the most part, I don't advocate negative motivators, but sometimes they may be what's called for. Like this weekend I traveled and my conference was next to the Cheesecake Factory. Normally I would probably have gotten a piece of cheesecake and maybe even shared it. Every time it crossed my mind, I imagined myself in a swimming suit.

The biggest challenge this week was the traveling. I was up too late Thursday night packing and getting ready so I didn't get enough sleep to get up early and exercise. I did walk to work and back, but that's all. Then I immediately drove to Vegas after work. I spent 2 days sitting in a running coach conference (kind of ironic that it was running that was keeping me sedentary). I was too tired to work out after the session on Sat and I didnt' have time before it started. Sunday I drove straight home right after it got over. I had a combined steps total of about 800 steps for both days according to my pedometer.

They feed us bagels, pizza, granola bars, nuts, sandwiches, etc. throughout the sessions. I feel bloated, yucky still today. I did take some vegitables myself but I think I still got too much sodium. I'm not sure right now how I could have done that better. I did have plenty of healthy snacks in the car coming and going. I really should have just taken today off and slowed down. I could have at least gone for a walk last night. Got up this morning and gone for a run, then leisurly driven back taking breaks to stretch and walk along the way. Oh, well. Done is done. Live and learn.

So, here's to 1.1 lbs this week! I have specific workouts and meals planned. I think if I can get the right amount of sleep and stick to the plan, I'm going to be golden. Stay tuned until next week to see if I post pics or not. :)

Week 9 WL challenge

2011-03-07T07:52:00.000-08:00

No budge in the scale this week. I do feel like I lowered my intensity just a smidgen this week. I'm ok with it though. I took measurements and that made me happy. My waist is under 30" now and my arms, hips, and thighs are all smaller too. Hurrah!

So currently, I'm at 142.5 lbs. That gives me 3 weeks to get under 140. I can do that.

Weight Loss Challenge end of week 8

2011-03-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

So I wrote my last update all discouraged, but then when I actually did my weigh out for week 8 I lost 1.5 pounds and was the group winner for the week. Hurrah! I'm not going to lie. It feels good to see results.

I'm starting to wonder if weighing in weekly is too much though. If I did it again, I think I'd alternate weigh-ins one week and measurements the next. Seeing my measurements shrink is actually more motivating to me than weight. There are so many variables that can change weight. What I really want to do is lose body fat and girth is a much better measurement of that.

This project ends March 26th, but I'll still be looking to lose another 5-7 lbs, so maybe I can test that out on a 6 week challenge.

FYI, my gimp shoulder is aching today. I think a storm or some kind of pressure change is coming.

Bacon, the gateway meat....

2011-03-01T07:22:00.000-08:00

Went to a tapas party this weekend. I decided I wanted to make something a little more edgy and sexy than some of my standards. So I stuffed dried fruit with goat cheese and wrapped it in bacon. Mmmmmm.

So first I took some dried dates, figs, & apricots, sliced them in the middle but not all the way through and let them soak in some freshly squeezed orange juice. I let them soak for a couple of hours just because I got started a long time before the party. When i came back to them the juice was all soaked up. I did toss them a couple times as I passed by.

Then I just took some goat cheese and stuffed the fruit. It wasn't quite a tsp. Next, I wrapped them in bacon. I cut the bacon in half and removed some of the excessive fat. I did put toothpicks through them for ease of serving and to make sure the bacon stayed on.

I baked them on a cooling rack on a pan so the fat would drip down. I think these would be fantastic grilled as well. I don't remember how long they cooked for. Until they're done. Probably about 15 min? They were delicious. I think the fig and apricots were my favorites. I've never been a huge date fan, but if you are going to eat dates, this is the way to eat them.

Weight Loss Challenge Week 8

2011-02-24T21:06:00.000-08:00

Clearly, I haven't written about the weight loss challenge for a couple of weeks which shows my attention span. Some of the momentum and excitement has worn off. Week 6 was bad. I was sick and we had faculty meetings at work. So no working out and too much food. I gained 1 pound. :(

Week 7 I was feeling better and totally charged up. I worked out really hard and consistently. I only lost a half a pound which was a little disappointing. Weight is really not the best thing to go off of though. Since I'm being totally open, it was that time of the month last week and I know I was probably retaining water.

For the whole time, I would say my biggest challenge that I failed miserably was the sweets at faculty meeting. It was part hormonal craving and part I don't know why complete lack of self control. Every day I made a game plan to only have one dessert for the day and then they'd bring out these amazing pastries and I'd have one and then another, and then another. I even had a plan to call one of my fellow challengers and have them talk me down, but I knew it would probably work so I didn't do it. And then I'd eat dessert at dinner.

In my defense these were not Walmart grade ding dongs. These were the real deal. Real cream, real chocolate, real sugar, real fat. Mmmmmmm..... So I've come up with some ideas for the next faculty meetings. I only attend half the meetings so I'm not even going to show up for lunch. I do like a free meal, but I will eat my own healthy lunch sans dessert before I go. I can't remember the 2nd thing, but it was good and I wrote it down.

I wrote down all my challenges and 2 possible action items to counter them. I need to find it. I'll post it if I do. When I do.

Officially a business

2011-02-04T13:14:00.000-08:00

Active Life Fitness Training is now a licensed business. I hope to be able to work as an independent fitness trainer. If it doesn't work out, I'll change plans.

I don't have a website yet. I think I've finalized my logo though. I made it myself. I like it though. I plan to specialize in personal & group training, yoga instruction, and running coaching. It kind of shows all that. I think the sunburst design feels active and powerful. And I like green. I might change the color though.

I'm not charging anything for my services until I am fully certified though. I'm actually going to take a Personal Trainer certification test this weekend. But I'm basically not charging while I work on my internship hours. However, I am accepting donations for my Tour de Cure ride. Awesome workout, tax deduction, and loads of good karma. You can't go wrong.

Ragnar Relay Biggest Loser entry

2011-01-30T19:36:00.000-08:00

Ragnar Relay is going to have 2 team of former Biggest Loser contestants at the So Cal race in April. They are having a contest for 4 spots on those teams. You could either do a written essay or make a video. I thought a video would be more interesting. Here is my entry video:

Week 3

2011-01-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

I'm kicking myself today. I worked out and ate really well all week then blew it on the weekend. Fortunately my weight just stayed the same. I would have been more upset if' I'd gained. Pizza did me in on Saturday and I ate a bunch of treats I had sitting around the house. I don't normally have treats in the house.

Picking up and moving on. Hopefully I can channel that disappointment into working harder this week. Next time I make treats for someone else, I need to give all of them away or throw the leftovers away. Oh, they were so good though. Sigh.

Starting weight: 146
Current weight: 143.5
Goal: 131

Goals for this week
1. Limit special sugary/fatty treats to 2 for the week.
2. Work out 5x for 50 min
3. Make a list of challenges/weaknesses and come up with 2 possible solutions/action plans for each one

Me on a diet

2011-01-21T08:45:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me knows I love food. I love good, delicious food. I've found since I've been doing the weight lose challenge group, I've been eating better food. I slip into ruts where I stop thinking about what I'm eating and just stuff whatever in my mouth as I go, go, go.

There's a lot of negative baggage with the word "dieting." I would bet more people associate "hungry" with diet than "delicious." Actually I don't like the term dieting because it's too temporary. To lose or maintain a healthy weight it takes lifestyle changes. I'm adopting a term I heard recently--clean eating. To me, that means eating nutrient, delicious foods that are good for my body.

I took some pics of a couple of meals this week. I had grilled salmon with quinoa, sauteed mixed peppers, and a little homemade tartar sauce. I think the whole meal took me 20-30 minutes to cook. It actually looked better than this pic. So hard to get the lighting right in my house. I added some turmeric, salt, & pepper to the quinoa. Used almost no oil with the peppers. The salmon was cooked on my Foreman Grill (<3>

Yesterday I made a recipe I found from a FB group, Raw Recipe a Day. It's a Thai salad. Yikes, will I be making this again? Yes, yes I will. I'm salivating right now thinking about the leftovers I 'm going to eat later. It's basically napa cabbage with some julienned vegis (zucchini, cucumber, red peppers), herbs (cilantro, basil, & green onions), Thai peppers (couldn't find any so I used a serrano), and a fabulous dressing. It's fresh, delicious, cool, and spicy all at the same time. I love contrasting flavors/textures so I loved it.

Technically I cheated the raw concept cause I added some baked chicken on the side for added protein. Gossip has a Vietnamese dish similar to this but it also has rice noodles and bean sprouts. Next time I'm going to add the noodles (also not raw, but I'm not all into a completely raw diet, but that's a whole different blog post. Moderation in all things.).

The dressing is rice vinegar, agave nectar, olive oil, & chili paste. Sweet, sour, and spicy--sigh. Next time I'm actually going to decrease the oil a bit and I think it will be just fine.

I'm trying not to get on my soap box, but I believe a part of the weight problem in the U.S. is that we don't have a healthy relationship with food. We fight food. If you're dieting food is the enemy. I read once that you shouldn't take a bite of anything unless you are enjoying it. Can you imagine how your eating habits would differ if you enjoyed every bite. To me that's not a free pass to eat all the rich foods I can, it's a challenge to find foods I enjoy that are delicious to me.

That also doesn't mean you can't ever eat anything high in sugar or fat. Moderation, moderation, moderation. I generally avoid fries if I eat at fast food 80% of the time. Do I miss fries? A little. But that 20% when I eat fries (and I only get them somewhere they are really, really good, I'm not wasting those calories on junk) I enjoy them even more. Distance does make the heart grow fonder. Psychologically, I'm not telling myself I can't have them so I don't crave them. And knowing that I'm going to enjoy them more than if I eat them all the time makes it easier to avoid as well.

Same with rich, creamy desserts. I don't waste my luxury calories on crap like packaged cookies or whatever (although sometimes I do indulge but only if I will really enjoy it), I like to save it for something that will knock my socks off. Going to Gourmandie's Bakery is like a taste of heaven. I believe Homer summed up my feelings about pasteries, "teacher, mother, secret lover."

Week 2

2011-01-18T09:29:00.000-08:00

Week 2 went pretty good. I started school so I didn't have as much time for working out or I was just tired at the end of the day so my work outs didn't all happen. I didn't sit down and list all my reasons for losing weight. I thought about it but I never wrote them down. The eating part went well. I had meals planned and lots of vegis in the fridge for snacking on.

I lost 1 pound and at first I was a little disappointed but my goal is 1 pound a week so I'm right on target. None of my clothes are tight and more, so that's great too.

Starting weight: 146
Current weight: 143.5
Goal weight: 131

This week my goals are:
1. exercise: working out 5 days for 50 mins
2. nutrition: taking my thyroid medicine every day this week
3. motivation: write the reasons and benefits for losing weight and making a collage that I can hand somewhere I'll see every day

Week one complete

2011-01-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

Starting weight: 146
Current weight: 144.5
Goal weight: 131

I guess it was a good week. M-Th I ate well and got at least 30 minutes of exercise in. I actually was feeling really run down by Friday and didn't work out Friday or Saturday.

The hardest part was actually getting in enough calories. The nice part about eating lots of nutrient dense foods is they are lower in calories. I really ate delicious meals even though it was "healthy". We need a new word for healthy diet that doesn't have baggage. We should just call it standard or average. Hmm.

Anyhow, with all that "standard" eating I even had room for some ice cream for evening snacks. Not a bowl full, just a serving, but it was a enough to make me happy. I also had a jr burger and small fry once last week. Eating a healthy diet doesn't mean not ever having anything fun, it means keeping it in moderation and just making sure you're active enough for whatever you're shoving down your crawhole.

I bet if I had worked out friday & saturday I could have been down another half pound. Oh well, the goal is 1 per week so I still exceeded the weekly requirement. It's only been one week so my motivation is still feeling good.

I went to costco Friday and bought a vegi tray, mini peppers, dried cranberries, prunes, and granola bars. I'm stocked on treats for the duration of this thing almost. The vegis should last 2 weeks if they don't go bad first. I made a pasta thing last night with the broccoli and peppers and some whole wheat penne and chicken. Instead of adding a sauce I just used some herbs, a tiny little bit of sour cream to moisten it up, and some lime juice. It was really good actually.

Week 2 goals

Goal 1--track all foods eaten for 5 of 7 days for the week (this is a stretch for me, I usually do 3 or 4)
Goal 2--exercise 5 of 7 days this week for a minum of 50 min/day
Goal 3--I'm going to write down all my reasons & benefits for losing weight and make a collage of pics representing those things

Weight Loss Game Plan

2011-01-03T10:56:00.001-08:00

Sometimes it seems like it's the last 10-15 lbs that are the hardest to get rid of. Here's my game plan. It's not absolute but I think the closer I can stick to it, the better my results are going to get. I used calculations that came from my college nutrition classes that comes from nutritionists and and pro athletic trainers. If you are interested I can run some numbers for you specifically.

Starting weight: 146
Goal: 131
Time frame: 12 weeks
Total daily calorie intake: 2000
% of cal by meal
breakfast snack 1 lunch snack 2 Dinner Snack 3
20% 10% 30% 10% 25% 5%
400 200 600 200 500 100

That seems like a lot once I mapped it out but that is based on 60 min of exercise/day. Less intense days I may drop that down a little bit. I know if the past I have restricted my calories much lower and I think it totally messed my metabolism up.

Cardio workouts: 4x/week 45-60 min each (mainly from spinning,running, & step aerobics)
Strength workouts: 2x/wk 60-90 min each (1 weights/1 yoga)

That's the basic plan for the 12 weeks. Each week I will have different goals as well.

This weeks goals are:
1. Tracking everything I eat for 4 of 7 days.
2. Eating at least 3 vegitables & fruits (each) 4 of 7 days
3. 4 cardio workouts of at least 45 min total/day & 2 strength training of at least 30 min each
4. Walking to work at least 80%

2011: Return of the Viking Woman

2011-01-03T10:36:00.000-08:00

I don't really do New Year's resolutions but there is something about the changing of one little digit in the date that drives me to make some goals or challenges for the year.

1-Viking Man Part II
I watched the Kona Ironman and got all pumped up again to do an ironman. However, I'm just barely smart enough to know I won't have time to train for it and work and go to school so it's not in the picture for 2011. I do want to take another try at the Vikingman 1/2 ironman though. Due to weather conditions I added about 30% to my predicted time. It took something like 9 hours 50 mins. Crazy. So I want to go back and get closer to a predicted time of 6:30:00. I really need to get my time down to around the 6 hour zone if I'm going to be able to finish an ironman in time. Sadly, they changed the race to the same day as Peach Day's. I've run that 10k 7 years in a row.

2-Century ride
Instead of a marathon, I'm going to focus a little more on the bike and go for a century ride--100 miles. I'm doing the Tour de Cure again so that will probably be it.

3--International travel
We didn't get our trip in 2010 so it must happen in 2011. Italy is still on the short list. So is New Zealand, Prague, Vietnam, and Peru/Manchu Pichu.

4-Perform with jazz band
I put a little jazz group together and we have been practicing on and off throughout 2010, but school really, really sucked up my free time and will and energy. It's going to happen though. I should probably set a date and send out invites so I'm held to it.

5-Learn to play the Yukalele

6-Hike the Narrows

7-Finish my AAS

That's really all I have planned. I'm sure many exciting adventures will come up along the way.

A little less of this...

2010-12-30T09:12:00.000-08:00

How many times have I said I'm going to lose my last 10-15 pounds? Many times. I'm really going to do it now. I'm starting a weight loss challenge group which I hope will help my motivation stick through to the end. I'm also going to try and document my progress. Competition, group support, and public shame. They motivate me.

I will not be filming myself in too tight spandex shorts and a sports bra weighing in, but I am trying to add a ticker to my blog that will show my progress. The challenge starts next week, Jan 2nd through March 26th. 12 weeks. That's a smidgen more than a pound a week. Aggressive.

Here is my strategy for now. I'm cutting back on the sweets. I've always had success when I've cut out most processed sugars. I've also got very scientific about my meal planning thanks to my recent nutrition and sports nutrition classes. I've calculated the amount of calories per day and per meal (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, little snack). I've also calculated my protein intake required.

I'm adding more strength training into my workout routines as well. I've usually lost weight when I've done more strength training. I've actually had a number of teachers at SLCC who have said the number one way to rev your metabolism is building muscles. You can take all the supplements and products and chuck em. Strength training is not the easiest but it's the best.

Basically what I'm doing for myself is based on a lot of study and research. I'd like to use this approach with clients in the future when I get my personal trainer cert. This is the dress rehearsal so to speak.

If anyone wants to join the weight loss challenge, just let me know. I have a group event set up in Facebook that has more details. You don't have to be local to participate either. Basically, it will be based on % of weight lost. Everyone pays in $20. 2nd place gets their money back. 1st place wins the pooled cash. We're up to $120 right now.

I should mention if anyone says to me, "you don't need to lose weight", I may smack you. While flattering, it's not motivating and I'm serious. I'm not overweight and I know that, but I'm doing this to be a better athlete and to give myself a little more buffer from slipping back into overweight status.

Band Name Contest

2010-12-27T09:56:00.000-08:00

I have a jazz band I put together and have practiced with. I am making it a goal/ultimatium to put a small concert together early 2011. I don't have a band name though. It's a jazz band. I'm the lead singer and I have a piano/bass player. We may or may not have a percussionist and possibly a cellist for one number.

I used the bandnamemaker.com and came up with some possible names. Post in the comments your favorite/vote. It's kind of fun. You can leave it blank or add words and it comes up with some really bizarre random stuff. Ok some of these I don't really want but were just funny/bizzarre and had to share.

Bootleg Jazz Pett Daddies
Random Metro
Blue Lotus
Jazz Misfits
Jazz Chihuahua and the Malicious Joy
Enigmatic Mango
Silky Divine
Divine Wisdom and the Sinner
Bohemian Amy Trio

Feel free to come up with a better suggestions as well. Please.

Adieu 2010

2010-12-27T08:31:00.000-08:00

Here is an attempt at a brief list of accomplishments, major events, or dumb stuff I enjoyed doing in 2010.

Ran my 2nd marathon, took 39 mins off my previous time
Was runner 10 in the Wasatch Back Relay which means I ran "the Ragnar" leg--4 miles almost straight up
Rode the Tour de Cure 65 miler--longest ride to date
No pants ride (see my blog posting for details, good times)
Survived cousins slumber party at my house (4 kids one adult)
Formed a jazz band (will be performing in 2011)
Saw Muse in concert and lived to tell the tell
Finished 1/2 of an Associates degree program in Fitness Tech at SLCC while continuing to work full time
Got a dog (possibly my favorite thing I did this year, my little Milly makes me smile everyday) (however, if I had known how much work it would be beforehand (because I had to go back to the office to work and I expected some hardship but you don't "get" the separation anxiety problems until you see it, etc) I may not have got a dog, but I'm really glad I did because she's worth all the trouble. I really like taking care of her even when it is a less fun task like cleaning up dog vomit at 4 in the morning)(Plus when I think of the conditions she lived through before being rescued it makes me so sad. Rescued dogs are probably more work because of the psychological condition of the animals but is also so satisfying to see them start to trust again and improve. Besides, when have I ever picked the "normal" way of things?)

That's about all I can think of right now. After I started school that took over my life pretty good. I was not able to take an international trip with Misti due to that and a major work project she had so that will be moved to 2011.

Even better than my "accomplishments", I think I enjoyed just spending time with my awesome friends and family this year.

Mille Crepe cake

2010-12-20T10:37:00.000-08:00

I've had this idea rolling around in my head for a while now. I recently found out the name of it which is mille crepe. Mille is french for thousand--implying many layers not literally a thousand. Crepe is french for crepe. :)

Technically I used my swedish pancake recipe because I have it memorized and it makes a nice "pancake". I used the Pot de Creme recipe from The Pioneer Woman for the filling. I used rum flavoring instead of vanilla though. It was delicious. If I could have fit my head in the blender I would have licked it clean. Curse this giant skull.

So I whipped up and cooked 21 crepes, made the pot de creme, then just layered. One crepe, spread the pot de creme evening, next crepe. 21 layers made a nice and heavy little pastry.

I wanted to take it to the next level so I piped out butterfly wings in white chocolate. This was a learning experience. I thought I would be able to just assembly the wings into butterflies on the cake slices. I ended up using toothpicks to hold them up. I have since done some research on this. Next time after I make the wings, I will place come wax paper in between tongs lean the wings on either side, then pipe the "body" on. That should enable the butter fly to stand on it's own. Live and learn. I was pleased with the results. I can't wait to make another cake for someone. Anyone having a birthday that likes butterflies?

Doggy meatloaf

2010-12-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

I've seen some recipes for homemade dog food. I decided to give it a go. I made a "meatloaf" for the dog. Maybe I should call the recipe Milly Meatloaf. Or Millyloaf.

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
1 grated carrot
1/2 cup peas
1 1/2 cup cooked rice (or 3/4 cup uncooked, but you need to cook it)
1/2 cup oats

It mixes best by hand. Mash it all together. Spread it out in a cake pan. Bake it until it's cooked all the way. I don't remember how long that was.

I was able to cut it into 16 servings. The size would depend on how big your dog is. I gave it to Milly for dinner, so the rest of the day she gets her kibble. She seemed pleased with her dinner.

Milly likey.

Pumpkin fest recipe #1

2010-11-17T22:02:00.000-08:00

Butternut squash, pumpkin, coconut soup

1 cup water

1/2 butternut squash cubed

1 1/2 cups coconut milk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

salt & pepper to taste

a pinch cayenne pepper to the spiciness level you like

1 tsp thai curry paste of choice (I used masaman)

1 tsp oyster sauce

3/4 cup chopped mushrooms

4 oz sausage

Cook the squash in the water and coconut milk until it starts to get tender. Cook the sausage in a pan and add that to the pot. Add a little water to that pan and deglaze it and add the liquid to the soup. Add all the other ingredients.

So, basically I just used up some stuff I had in the fridge that I didn't want to go bad and I need to do something with all that pumpkin puree. Once I thought of adding the coconut milk it made it magical though. It was pretty good. I don't think I would have added sausage to it except that I had a half a package left and I thought, why not. If you don't use sausage, use broth instead of water.

Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin

2010-11-16T20:08:00.000-08:00

I just roasted and pureed 2 pumpkins. I am going to have to start cooking with pumpkin every week. My current pumpkin recipe collection includes pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin bread, and a Julia Child's pumpkin soup recipe.

In celebration of the vegetable I'm going to find some new recipes and I'll update my blog if I find some winners. If you have a good recipe let me know.

If you want to make your own puree, you just cut it in half, scoop out the insides, put each half cut side down on a pan, and cook at 350 degrees until it's soft. You can poke it with a fork or do a push test. Let it cool down. Cut it into chunks and puree it in a food processor or blender. I put about 1 1/2 to 2 cups in a freezer bag and freeze it in stacks so it stays flat.

Also I'd like to update my quinoa and beans experience. Made another batch but used 50/50 mix of black eyed peas (a bean fyi) and black beans. I used dried beans and cooked them in the crock pot (low setting 6 hours). I cooked the quinoa separate and added it to the beans when they were done. Instead of roma tomatoes, I made a little salsa of tomatillas, cucumber and the cilantro and added that instead. Loved it.

What's better for you? Fresh/frozen/canned

2010-11-10T08:10:00.001-08:00

I watched a little nutrition video thing in my sports nutrition class this week. The guy was very practical and grounded in his philosophies. I've been asked recently a lot about what kind of vegetable is better for you, frozen or canned. This guy's response was, it's not the canned vegetables that are bad for us, it's the canned twinkies. Meaning, most Americans just need to get more vegetables in their diet however they will take them.

I agree with that absolutely. If you prefer canned vegies, go for it and leave the guilt behind you. Personally, I like fresh the best because I think they taste better. My preference. However, once you cook those fresh vegetables they lose some of their nutrients. It puts them about even with canned vegis. Frozen is the same deal. Once defrosted and cooked, you lose some nutrients. So, overall fresh, raw vegis are the best, but do you like raw vegis? I do, but I'm weird.

Most studies show, we aren't getting our recommended 3-4 servings of vegis every day. If you are getting 3-4 a day, then let's start splitting hairs over where they're farmed or shipped from, how they're preserved, and how you prepare them. Until then, just find some vegis you like and eat more of them.

Here's a little recipe to inspire you.

I ate this in China and managed to replicate it pretty closely by trial and error.

Szechaunese Green Beans

1 lb green beans (I hate to say it but get them fresh, the texture is better when stir-fried)
1 tbl chopped ginger
1/2 tsp chilli paste
1 Tbl dark soy (if at all possible use the dark soy, your standard table soy will not give you the same results)
1/2 tsp sugar
About 2-3 tsp peanut oil for cooking
Optional
2-3 oz ground pork (you can use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter meat)

Wash and snap off the ends of the beans. If they are really thick you may want to cut them length-wise, but I'm too lazy too, so I usually just toss them in whole.

Combine all the ingredients except the beans and meat if you use it.

Put the oil in a wok and heat it up. Add the meat (is using) and stir fry for about a minute. Then add the beans and continue stir frying for about another 2 mins. The meat should be cooked all the way through and the beans should be starting to brown on the outside. Brown, not burn.

Add all other ingredients and cook until most of the liquid is cooked off. About a minute.

This is a really quick dish. The longest part is snapping the bean ends. Since I'm single, I'll make this and eat most of it in one sitting. You can put it over rice too if you like rice. Another option is to toss in some peanuts instead of the meat. Peanut + rice = complete protein, good option for vegetarians.

Las Vegas Ragnar 2010

2010-10-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

Team 87, the Frenchies

Every long distance relay I've done has had it's own little hiccups and group chemistry, but like every one I've done, it this one tons of fun and plenty challenging.

The starting line at The Valley of Fire was really amazing. While I still wish I had just slept in and not gone to the start line to see the team off, I did enjoy the views through first section of the course.

We actually got started an hour later than our start time. The first van got a little lost and we missed our time. We did get to all get in costume and apply moustaches. Moustaches for everyone!

Because we were at the start line and the first van had a long section it felt like we waited at exchange 6 forever. Forrrreeeeverrrr. I've never been so happy to get started as when Roger can running through in all his shirtless glory.

I don't have a terribly lot of day time pictures. I kid you not, van 2 did more night time running than day time. Here's a tip--whenever, wherever you can get some shut eye in a long distance relay, do it. And make sure you are eating regularly. We had two regular meals at exchange 6 before we even started. I am a big fan of bagels, pringles, grapes, and string cheese.

Exchange 12 was pretty posh. It was at a resort or something. Unfortunately we did not stick around. They had some guy playing guitar Jack Johnson style. He was pretty good. There were probably 20 people dangling their feet in the hot tub which I called "foot soup". I didn't get in. We did eat there. Since we were so late coming in they had knocked all the food down to $5. It was good.

Here's another tip--move on to the next exchange you are starting at. It's easier to settle down and rest then get up shortly before the next van exchange then to rest and get up and drive to the next exchange. That's how people are late and runners stand around for 30 min waiting for the next van.

The second set of legs for my van was dead of night to sunrise. There was some wind that wasn't fun, but the temperature was still pretty good for running. It never really got warm. Maybe 62 tops Saturday. Very good for running.

Because of the after 5:00 rule that you have to wear all your reflective gear, Tiff & I got to run all 3 legs in full gear. I was pretty thrilled. Our van wore our costumes the 3rd leg. It was fun. We also passed on a schlacked baguette. Very fun. It was sticky from all the previous man handling before it got to me but it was worth it. We got a lot of cheering and comments in costume and with the baguette. "Go Frenchies" or "Go Baguette" was heard a lot. One person coming in was thrilled that they passed the "guy with the baguette".

It was actually the 3rd set that we started catching up to the back pack. I think I passed 5 or 6 people in my last leg.

It was nice to finish. I can't say enough about how awesome the team was. I loved everyone in my van. As I recall now, we spent most of the time laughing. I learned some new terminology as well. Thank you dirty Ragnar runners. The women are the worst. I had a lot of help organizing the team as well which is awesome. It's not easy to put these things together, but I think overall it was a success.

And most important I got my finishers medal and the Saints & Sinners medal. That was some serious bling I was wearing through the casino. Like Flavor Flav style.

I am super greatful to all the race directors, SWAT team, and numerous volunteers that put this event on. I help with it last year, and it is insane the amount of organzation, man/womanpower, and dedication that it takes. Bravo!

Quinoa & black beans

2010-10-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

I keep hearing how quinoa is so amazing. It has the most protein of any grain, has as complete a protein as milk, more iron than other grains, has lots of other vitamins and minerals, and saves orphaned kittens from burning trees.

Technically it's not actually a grain but it looks like a grain and acts like a grain. It's really a seed so doesn't that make it a fruit? Anyhow it's really good for you and I've discovered it's pretty tasty.

I made a quinoa and black beans recipe. Delicious. I ate it straight up out of a bowl. It would work well as a meal in itself or as a side. I also thought it would be tasty wrapped in a tortilla with some cheese. I didn't have any tortillas though.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

2 tbl lime juice

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cheyenne pepper

1/4 tsp turmeric

1-2 roma tomatoes, chopped

You bowl the quinoa in a pot of water for about 10 mins. I believe I used about 2 cups of water. If it starts to get too dry add a little more water.

Add the lime juice cumin, cheyenne pepper, & turmeric. You can add a pinch more or less of any of those per your preference for flavor and spiciness. I only like a hint of cumin so I kept it on the down low. Cook that on a very low temperature just so the flavors can settle in.

The quinoa should be light and fluffy. That's what all the recipes say. I wouldn't describe it as fluffy but I don't have a better word for it. Add the black beans and stir them in. Let them just sort of warm up, then don't need to cook. So, after a couple of minutes take it off the heat.

The cilantro and tomatoes are better fresh in my opinion so add them right before serving.Once again, add as much or as little to taste. I like a lot of cilantro.

I had this as leftovers 2 or 3 days and never got sick of it. It has a nice nutty flavor to it. Next in my quinoa adventures will be Martha Stewart's breakfast quinoa recipe.

Fruit Days

2010-09-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

I had a double header this weekend. It was Peach Days up in Brigham. We also got to celebrate the 2nd annual Raspberry Days at a private residence in Kaysville. Basically, I ate well this weekend. Probably a little too much, but I have a very happy and expanding tummy.

I made grilled baby bok choy & peaches with peanut satay sauce and Indonesian turkey burgers. The tb basically had a lime/green onion dressed slaw & the peanut satay sauce. Yummy.

I ended up running the Peach Day's 10k after all. Hehe. I took my running clothes in case I decided to go for a jog or something but really my subconscious wanted to run it. I kept my bad shoulder pinned to my side the whole time and just took it at a pace that was enjoyable and not strenuous. I finished in 59 mins and some change. Not bad for being broken. It was my 7th year in a row to run it. I had to.

The coolest thing I saw at the parade has to be the tank. Sorry, a tank driving down main street was just cool. Don't know why.

Raspberry Days. Oh the joy. It involves a lot of eating and drinking stuff that is made of raspberries or has raspberries in it somehow. Except the fettuccine alfredo. No raspberries but so delicious, there were no complaints. We also had pork tenderloin with a savory raspberry sauce, rolls with raspberry honey butter, raspberry Italian sodas, an amazing salad with raspberries and coconut and cashews and all kind of yummy stuff.

The setting was equally delightful. There were little tea lights all over in the grass. Magical little bonfires twinkling in the dusk.

It was the perfect way to end the summer/welcome the fall.

We laid on blankets after dinner to let the food digest before raspberry trifle and watched the stars and talked about why we like Jake--he's tall, American, feeds us, does dishes, and some other "blue" stuff. I then taunted the Blue's. You know I love you all.

Busted shoulder & Millie the Italian Greyhound

2010-08-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

Millie the Italian Greyhound did not bust my shoulder. I did that all by myself at Tony's birthday hockey party. I was shakin and bakin around Dave (successfully surprisingly) when I hit a tar strip and my skates stopped. The rest of me kept flying. Literally according to Tony. I took some air. My highly trained reaction skills from karate are to roll into a fall. I've done it successfully before. I think I had a little too much speed though. Another inch around and I would have rolled off my shoulder blades and been non-the-wiser to the miseries of broken bones (have never broken anything before this).

From what I've been told broken bones hurt less. I fractured my humerus and had a 3rd degree or complete tear in my AC joint. That means I tore the whole joint through. Ya, it hurts as bad as it sounds. It hurts bad enough to say all the swears I've ever heard in the church parking lot. I said things I don't say. I was as surprised as everyone else.

Anyhow, I didn't have to have surgery cause the bones stayed where they were supposed to. I'll be in a splint for 3-7 more weeks. I am finally getting some mobility back. I can lift my arm almost shoulder height. Very slowly. I'm trying to stop taking the pain killers too.

The day after the accident I was supposed to pick up my adopted dog. She came from a puppy mill that was shut down (a sort of mass producing breeder, generally dogs are not taken care of like they should be). I think she was quite neglected and lived most of her life in a kennel based on some behaviors I've noticed. Also, her teeth were so rotted that the rescue group had to have almost all of them pulled. She also had some tumors removed.

She is adjusting pretty good. We've got the "ladies don't eat poop" rule down pretty good. My mother is a saint. Not only did she take care of me over a week, but she let me pick up my dog and helped with her too. However, when we got home home, she has had a couple of accidents (#2) in the house. I think it might be in part from the stress of a 2nd move.

She spends most of the day sleeping while I work. I take her out for short walks and one long walk everyday to keep her active. She seems to enjoy that.

I feed her a corn cob probably for the first time. She looked at it very warily and finally licked it. She loved it. She gnawed and licked it forever.

Her tongue hangs out when she's relaxed. I don't know if it's because there are no teeth to stop it or what, but it cracks me up. I call her tonguey when I see it.

1/4 the way there

2010-08-05T08:55:00.000-07:00

I just finished my first semester back at school. I am 1/4 of the way through my fit tech degree and yoga instructor certification. I love school but it does take a lot of time. I would much do either school or work part time (preferably work) but that's not really an option.

The highlights of the term. I really liked my assessment class. I've been assessing friends and family the past couple of weeks. I also enjoyed coming up with program designs based on those assessments. I don't know how good I am at planning them but it's like a puzzle. I like it. I also felt a lot of validation for the time and money I'm spending when I taught my twists series in the yoga class. I really, really enjoyed doing it and I think I did a decent job. I got good feedback from my peers anyhow.

If you thought I was bad about constantly talking about health and fitness before, I warn you, it will be even worse now. There's nothing quite so dangerous as being armed with knowledge.

Wasatch Back Relay 2010

2010-06-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

Yet another great Wasatch Back Relay event. There is just no other experience like 28+ hours in a car with 5 other people, leapfrogging across the state with another van full of 6 sweaty, tired runners. You not only feel close to your team, but everyone in the race. We had three people in my van I didn't even know before the race. We're practically besties now.

This year seemed like a fast race. I believe our finish time was 28:55:56. We placed 98th out of 658 in our division. I'd guess we were at least top 20% overall. Over 2 hours faster than the first year. There was a bit less tomfoolery, but it was nice to get done.

I managed to get in at least 3 hours of sleep but I felt like hell. Pardon the language but I did. I was pretty trashed. I think I pushed myself pretty hard on my legs.

This year was a bit warmer. There was a team that dressed like superheroes (real superheroes), and they ran in the full body suits even in the heat. Hardcore. They said it was pretty hot.

We were the Sisterwife Superheroes: The Real Sisterwives of Salt Lake County. Longest name as far as we can tell. We made up superhero personas. I was Plunder Woman--part Wonder Woman, part pirate. Basically I took my Wonder Woman costume from the Provo Halloween 1/2 M race and added some hooks and guns.

I was runner 10. Anyone who has participated regularly knows what that means. Runner 10 runs the hardest leg in the race. I would say runner 9 has the hardest set of 3 legs overall, but leg 34 is named after Ragnar for a reason. It was tough. It took me 63 mins to go 4 miles. It's an average gradient of over 7 degrees. Try running that on your treadmill sometime. I wanted to run it under an hour, but I feel ok with my time. I gave it everything I had left. I ran more than I walked. What I did run was pretty slow apparently, but like I said, give that try before you judge.

I can't think of anything especially funny or awesome. It was just a great race overall though. We were supposed to keep quote books in each vans. We didn't have a lot of good one liners. Just a constant stream of "that's what she said". It got funnier and funnier the later it got. I was also in a van with 5 guys. I loved it.

Next relay is the Ragnar Las Vegas. I'm gonna get my Saints and Sinners medal this year. We're also going to try again for Hood to Coast for next year. This will be the 3rd try. We get in a pre-lottery lottery. Keep your fingers crossed for us in October.

Tour de Cure 2010

2010-06-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

Despite what I may have texted some people directly after the ride, I will ride my bike again. I may still want to do an Ironman (just not any time soon). It wasn't that bad overall. I enjoyed at least 80% of this ride very much. 10% was a bit uncomfortable (to be expected). 10% was brutal and soul crushing.

As a recap, the Tour de Cure is a "fun" ride (meaning no official timing, no winners, you just ride and hopefully finish). It was created to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. It takes place in Brigham City, my home town. This is my 3rd year participating. I had signed up for the 25 miler previously. Actually 65 miles is the longest I've ever biked. Previous to this it was 54 miles (Vikingman 1/2 iron distance triathlon, also a windy ride).

The start this year was at Pioneer Park. They arranged for camping at the park for participants but I think the torrid rainfall Friday discouraged most people. Good idea though. The course basically goes out west Box Elder County. The 65'er turns at Lampo Junction and the 100'er goes out past ATK. It's basically a flat course except for a nice challenging hill for the 65'er and a little bit bigger climb for the 100'er over Golden Pass.

If you like rural, dessert scenery it's the ride for you. With all the rain we've had this year, it was actually very green right now. I really did enjoy the sights, which is probably obvious from all the photos.

The race organizers do a great job. The volunteers are enthusiastic. The sponsors were very supportive and had great food at rest stops and the lunch break area. That's one difference in running races, there's no "lunch" stop. I didn't spend too much time at the break areas. Just refueled a bit, fill up my water bottle, and got on the road again. For one thing it was cold. 20 degs below normal. It only sprinkled rain for maybe 10-20 mins, but with the miracle of technical materials, I dried quickly.

This is basically the area I grew up in. Of course I'm from the big city in the county, Brigham City. The population has probably held steady, around 20,000, since I was born. There's been a lot of growth around Brigham, but it doesn't feel like much has changed over the years. Outside of Brigham, it's very rural. I had cousins that lived in West Box Elder County when I was a kid. We thought it was cool to go visit the "country" folk. LOL. It has a desolate sort of beauty about it though. There's a lot of flavor and character out there though. The lunch stop was in Garland which has a great old, small town main street.

So where does the drama start in? The hill was tough but do-able. Part of the added challenge for that and the end of the ride was the fact that I didn't get my cable for my front derailleur replaced before the ride. Basically I'm stuck in the big gear (is that high or low? I can never remember). That just makes it harder on hills and into the wind.

Sigh, the wind. That is what nearly killed me at the end. Brutal is the word that's been going around but it doesn't full capture the essence of it. I mean on the last stretch back it was howling. I mean that literally, you could hear it shrieking across the fields. It's very intimidating mentally, not to mention physically when you have to lean into the cross wind gusts to keep from being pushed over by it.

The worst were about the last 2 miles. I just wanted to quit. It was straight into the headwind. I felt like someone had my breaks on. I mean you had to fight to move forward. And of course I was totally in the wrong gear. At one point I "manually" shifted the gear and it stayed in place for awhile. That last bit took all the air and energy and soul right out of me. I thought my knees my blow too. Also, because I couldn't pedal as fast anymore the cold got to me.

I'm pretty sure I had the first symptoms of hypothermia. If I had been any further out, I probably would have called for a ride and not finished. Not cause I'm a quitter, but I knew I was going to be in trouble physically soon if I didn't finish. But I pushed on and finished. I still would have quit 4 blocks out if someone had been there to pick me up. Seriously, 4 blocks away and I start crying (I wanted to long before this but didn't have the energy too).

Gloriously, the last two blocks were tailwind and slightly downhill. I just coasted in. I went home and took a long, hot shower to get my core temperature back up and crashed for a 3 hour nap. The only time I've been more exhausted was after the Vikingman 1/2 Iron, but I had also swam and run a lot too.

The best parts of the race where knowing it was for a good cause, beautiful scenery, challenging course (wind aside), and meeting awesome people. I have to give a shout out to Wanda and Doug. The only thing I really would have changed about this ride (other than getting my cable fixed) was dragging some friends into it with me. My top 2 favorite things for long bike rides are aero bars and drafting. Several miles out from the last rest stop Wanda and Doug passed me and invited me to join their draft line. I spent half the race wishing I could draft and even sneaking up on the tail of a few riders. Hehe. Bless you both for adding me to your line. It was a godsend I needed near the end. As hard as the end was, I'm so grateful I got that chance to save a little energy before the last little bit.

Don't be scared away when I try and drag you out next year for this ride. The wind is not common. It really is a great ride and it's for a great cause. Overall, it gets the Amy seal of awesomeness approval.

Summer Marathon challenge

2010-06-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

I like to promote healthy living. I would like to pose a challenge. I challenge you to run or walk a marathon by the end of summer. Piece of cake. Not even the end of summer. By the end of July. Seriously, 26.2 miles in about 2 months. That's like a half a mile a day.

You choose whether you want to walk or run. Track all your miles. The decimals count too. You have to get the full 26.2 in. When you finish, post here and tell me how it went, did you enjoy it, where did you run/walk, did you drag anyone out with you, etc.

First person to finish gets a prize.

Cheers,

Little Adventuring

2010-06-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

I've starting itching for an adventure. I get this way periodically. I think it's the good weather and sunshine. But here I am at work. Sigh.

I've been brainstorming ideas for little adventures I can have so I don't go too stir crazy. Here's what I have so far. I started simple and practical, but I gave my imagination a little more tether as I got thinking.

1. Take a hike/walk
2. Pick a big word of the day. See how many times you can work it into conversation. Try probabilistic, incomprehensibilities, or hegemony.
3. Take a walk but don't step on any lines the whole time.
4. Take dares from coworkers.
5. Pretend you're a pirate queen/king and make up pirate names for all your coworkers.

6. Plan an extreme, fantasy vacation.
7. Check your list of goals/stuff you want to do for the year/lifetime and do some.
8. Go camping in the living room. Just put a tent out in the living room and sleep there for the night.
9. Pick an international cuisine/restaurant for lunch or dinner
10. Get a new haircut. There is something exhilirating about cutting off a lot of hair or going with a new style.

That's all I have for now. I was going to go for a trail run tonight but a handsome man offered to cook me dinner. Big check for today's adventure.

School

2010-06-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

I'm back in school. I have been talking about doing it for 2 years and I finally pulled the trigger. I made up my mind and got enrolled all in 3 weeks. Crazy. I'm enrolled in the Associates program for Fitness Technician. I'm also doing the Yoga Instructor Certification course. I have it mapped out for 4 terms and plan to go year round, obviously starting this summer.

I just finished my first summer class. I had a three week Anatomy & Physiology class. Four hours 4x a week. It was intense. I had a great, engaging instructor though and I actually retained quite a bit. I totally got an A. Wahoo! I like to start with some momentum. I actually have a kind of funny story about the day we learned about the endocrine system, but I'm not going to share it. lol.

It's been a while since I've been in school, but I remembered what nerd I am. I really like school. It's a bit much to work full-time and take a full-time load of classes, but fortunately I do like school and I love my courses. I was never this passionate about either of my previous degrees. Maybe I'll finally figure out what I want to be when I grow up.....

Ogden Marathon Highlights

2010-05-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

I would have to say, the marathon was a success. I had a good time, took about 37 minutes off my time, and made it basically injury free. I've been a lot more sore and stiff after other races.

I got up at 4:00am so I could eat and get to the shuttle pick up. I had chocolate flavored cream o wheat, some strawberries, and some gatorade. I took some of the strawberries with me so I didn't get hungry again before the 7:00am start time.

I didn't cry on the bus ride up this time thankfully. I did take some time to reflect on all the work and training it took to get me back up there again and I may have gotten goosebumps a little. I did get teared up a little every time I thanked volunteers at the different spots for helping. No more thanking people. Seriously, the race would not be as great if it didn't have dedicated, enthusiastic volunteers. It's a lot of work to put on a race.

It was fun seeing people I know at the start. I saw some people I was expecting to see and some I didn't know were running. I ran a mile or so with an old friend from elementary school. Kristine was not only one of the only kids I remember being nice to me in elementary school, but she was the nicest to me. That's something you don't forget. She looks awesome for a mom of two.

I ran the first mile with my favorite racing buddy Cameron. He was sick with fever and chills all week but was able to finish the race anyhow. That's amazing.

Another highlight was just the beautiful weather and scenery. The temperatures were near perfect the whole race. I stopped admiring the scenery around mile 19/20 probably but up til then it was fantastic.

I was worried about my knee but it never was really an issue. I felt some twinging occasionally but I would just take inventory on my running posture--straighten the back, tuck in the pelvis, shoulders back and relaxed, bend at the ankle--and it would go away.

It was around the 17 mile ish that I started feeling tired. I was ok, but starting to feel my pace struggle. I remember when I was just about at 19, that I thought to myself "just 19!". 19-23 were hard but I was able to dig in and keep the negativity down for the most part. It was enjoyable in a conquering a challenge sort of way.

As soon as I got out of the canyon I wanted to stop and walk for a little bit but Kelly was there and ran about a 1/2 mile with me. I had to keep running. It was actually a huge mental boost to have someone there were it was getting exponentially harder.

I wanted to stop and walk again about 3/4 mile left in the race where you get off the trail and are on the road. You know you're so close, but you don't care anymore. And it's the least fun part of the course. It's a long stretch of shadeless road. But just as I was thinking about stopping, I ran into Danielle. She had a sign with my name on it!!! I couldn't stop. That was also a huge mental boost. I ran the rest of the way.

The only times I stopped to walk was through the aid stations. That's actually recommended for most people. For one thing so you don't drown yourself as your drinking. There are also a lot of studies that have been done that show it's good for your body in a long distance event. It helps drop your heart rate and aids in refueling your muscles.

My family was about a block and a half from the finish line. The texting technology didn't work so they weren't sure when I was coming through. I'm just glad they were there anyhow. I put my nieces and nephew in the Kids K (actually one mile) so they were there to cheer for me and run. It meant a lot to me to have my dad there. He's never been to a race of mine before. He doesn't feel good after dialysis so that was cool that he came anyhow.

The kids had fun running the Kids K. I'm glad I can have at least a little positive influence on them (my bad influence: hey apple!, You're wearing a red shirt so you're an apple). Some of them may just end up crazy runners like me. :)

I did a lot of stretching and rolling on my foam roller after the race. I did not take an icy cold bath this time. The thought of sitting in freezing water was just too much. I think the stretching and massaging is more useful as witnessed by my semi-mobile state.

I am already dreaming about the next marathon. Probably not this year, but I'll be back for another try. Only 50 minutes to knock off my time to qualify for Boston....

Final prep days to marathon

2010-05-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

I'm humoring myself that anyone is interested in what goes into training for a marathon. But in case you are interested in the epic saga that is marathon training here's what the days before my marathon look like.

Hydration
I need to drink at least 70 oz of water every day this week. To be completely hydrated for the marathon you have to start days ahead. There are, I think, 3 or 4 different kinds of cells in our bodies that require hydration. The ones that make you think you are thirsty can be refilled immediately. The other cells take whatever is left after those cells hydrate and need 3-4 days to be full.

You don't want to flush all your electrolytes out though. Friday I will drink my water and take in a bottle of gatorade.

Sleep
The plan is to get 8-9 hours of sleep all week. Last night was a bust. I tossed and turned after going to bed late. I blame it on the piece of cake I had right before bed. Hehe.

I'm going to try and get as much sleep in this week as I can. I won't sleep much the night before the race. I'm going to try and get to bed by 9:00, but I'm going to be excited and scared and my brain won't want to shut off. Maybe I'll try some light, stress relieving yoga before bed. Nothing strenuous. Just the laying down and relaxing kind.

The shuttle buses leave at 4:30 AM. That's right, 4:30!!! Ridiculous. So I'll be up at least by 4:00. There's just no way I'll get a full night's sleep.

Fueling
I can't eat anything I want all week. Some think so, but I'm trying to be scientific about it. I'll be plugging my calories in a counter to be sure at a minimum I take in at least as many as I burn. The week before the marathon is not the time to diet. So, break even all week.

What I will also try and focus on is nutrient rich food all week. I'm about to be very hard on my body. I want it in top shape. Same for the week following. Lots of vitamins and minerals to help repair the wear and tear.

I like to take in the majority of my calories/food in the morning, snacks, and lunch the day before the race. I like to give the food time to digest. I learned that the hard way on my first 1/2 marathon. I loaded at dinner and had stomach cramps the first 3 miles.

I'm already planning my meals out. Here's the plan for Friday/Saturday

Breakfast
Oatmeal (with almonds, berries, & honey or agave nectar)

Snacks
Granola bars, fresh mango slices, sugar snap peas, edamame

Lunch
Cameron's peanut satay chicken pasta, baked sweet potato on the side

Dinner--Not sure yet, going to go out with some friends who are also running. I'm going to suggest a burger or sandwich place (many runners to not like to eat fatty foods the night before, but I've eaten a burger and fries before a race and done just fine).

Saturday breakfast
1 instant oatmeal packet, 1/2 cup watermelon slices, 1/2 cup berries

I think I will take the fruit with me and eat it while waiting at the starting line. Ideally, I like to eat 1-2 hours before the run. It starts at 7:00 AM, but there will be an almost 3 hour wait time.

Workouts
I will run 3 miles today, swim 30 min Tuesday, run 2-3 miles Wednesday, Yoga Thursday, and stay as sedentary as possible Friday. Maybe some light stretching to stay limber on Friday.

My knee has felt completely fine for a couple of days now. I'm still nervous that it will flare up int he middle of the marathon. If all goes well, I am predicting a 4:30:00 marathon time. The goal is under 5 hours. We'll see. My whole family is planning to show up. This will be the first race ever my dad will be at so I really want to just finish.

It's on like flan

2010-04-26T08:25:00.001-07:00

That may not look like it rhymes, but if you pronounce flan like my Puerto Rican friend, it does. Good news, my knee is going to be ok and I'm currently planning to run the full marathon in 3 weeks.

Insert big plug for the Salt Lake Running Company here. This is why you should go to specialty running stores and not the big chains. They are staffed by actual runners who know what they are talking about. I went in Friday. Looked at some inserts, talked over my knee issue.

The girl suspected it was tight muscles which were pulling the kneecap out of place and the tendon and bone were rubbing. She got me down on a foam roller and I rolled out the muscle. I was definitely very tight. I bought one on the spot. I started working on my quads as soon as I got home. Knee felt fine after that. (Note: She was reasonably careful not to claim to give medial advice and made suggestions only. I don't' want to get anyone in trouble for giving out medical advice. They give out reasonable tips and will even advise checking with doctors or whoever applicable.)

Saturday morning I went for an 18 miler. I had already decided if I couldn't do 18, I'd drop down to the 1/2 marathon. I rolled out before I went. I don't know if you should work you muscles right before a run, and I don't plan to in the future, but I wanted my muscles stretched out as much as possible.

I did pretty good. I met up with a friend at miles 10-16. I'm actually really thankful she met me cause at about mile 12 I got tight again and my knee was killing. It helped to have that extra motivation of having someone there. I did some stretches and massaged my quad and it helped. Every 2-3 miles after that I had to stretch and massage.

Actually I got some really strange looks from some solar astronomy group (they had posters up that's why I know it was solar astronomy). I used the park bench to dig in and stretch out my quad. I leaned forward on the edge and used it to pull the muscle out. I won't say what I think it probably looked like, but it was weird enough that people were staring. I didn't care cause it helped.

I ended up going 19.5 miles. I felt ok at 17 so I went just a smidgen further. I stretched and rolled out a lot throughout the day Saturday & Sunday. I'm a bit sore today, but I've been worse.

Two weeks of tapering and then the marathon!

Cupcakes!!!

2010-04-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

In an effort to raise some money without directly asking for money which I uncomfortable doing, I decided to have a bake sale. I picked cupcakes. Who doesn't like cupcakes? I made chocolate peanut butter and coconut lime cupcakes.

I was very happy with the results. I was a little sad I didn't get more people at the actual event cause I like to socialize, but I had a lot of "to go" orders. I ended up raising about 50% of my total needed to qualify to ride, so I was please in the end.

I'm still raising money for the Tour de Cure. My new tactic is to challenge everyone who knows someone with diabetes to donate $5. Feel free to visit my Tour de Cure page and donate or get more information. The money goes to the American Diabetes Association for research.

http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TDC530148030?px=3304181&pg=personal&fr_id=6894

There are cute pics of my dad as a kid on the website. Did I mention I'm doing the ride for my dad? Pretty much all of his health issues come from complications from diabetes. I'll have fun, but I'm taking the ride very seriously, needless to say.

Cameron was the dearest friend and helped me make some of the cupcakes. He made the chocolate with dark chocolate frosting and white beady things ones and the chocolate with vanilla icing and peanut butter with chocolate drizzles.

I made the chocolate with peanut butter frosting and mini chocolate chip sprinkles and the coconut vanilla with coconut lime icing ones. Mmmmm. They were all wonderful. I sampled them all as witnessed by my ever expanding waistline.

Our friend Brian dropped in and helped us wrap all the to go plates. What the two gentlemen didn't know is that I totally teared up on my way home because I was so touched by their support for my cause.

I continue to be touched and tear up with every donation and words of support that come in. You're not just helping me to qualify for a bike ride or supporting research for diabetes. You're giving me hope for a better future for my dad, everyone else I know with diabetes, and any future progeny I might have that are at risk.

XOXO --Amy

Speedbump on the road to glory

2010-04-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

I can vouch for the waterproof properties of the KT Tape. I've been taped up since Saturday and am limited to pool activities as I seem to have developed an acute case of chondromalacia, or Runner's Knee. 12 miles into my 20 mile run Saturday I felt enough discomfort that I stopped my run and limped 2 miles back to the car.

I am extremely nervous that I may not be able to even do the marathon. I've always said one race isn't worth not be able to run for the long term. But, now that I'm facing the possibility, I'm terribly disappointed. I've never quit a race (one time in high school cross country, I almost past out, I was so upset I nearly cried in public). My head tells me it is the prudent thing to do, but my heart tells my head to shut up and think positive.

One tip for anyone with this problem that has to sit for work all day (you would think sitting is good, but the position is bad for the knee), find a paper box, set it up tall side up, and prop your leg up under your desk. Feels so much better. I'm bringing a little pillow in tomorrow for comfort.

This week is a no run week. It's my rest week anyhow. I've been to the pool and it actually felt better after that. I've discovered sitting all day at my desk does not make it feel better.

Marathons and Munchies

2010-04-09T12:06:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share a little phenomenon I've noticed in my marathon training. It's funny because so many people comment about how I'll lose so much weight training for a marathon. This is not my experience. The opposite in fact. I always tell people who say they want to run a marathon to lose weight to train for a 1/2 marathon instead.

It seems like in my training when my long runs get over somewhere in the 15-16 mile mark (that puts my weekly running miles around 23-26+) I start to get the munchies. I want to constantly be eating. And the cravings are usually for sweets. I could drown in chocolate today and die happy. Sometimes I crave spinach too.

Oh crap. They just put cookies out in the break room. Yes, I'm eating them. That's right, more than one.

I don't know exactly what causes this. I know I am burning more calories than usual, but I toy dangerously with taking in many more calories than I am burning. Especially if there is any inconsistency in my training.

I suspect the trigger could be a nutritional deficiency. Do I need more protein, iron, fiber??? I'm going to experiment a little. I'm going to try and up my vegetable intake. Also, for some snacks, I'm going to try popcorn and cut vegis. I don't usually buy the vegi trays but maybe I should as a readily available food source to jam down my pie hole when I'm feeling like I want to chew my arm off. When I get like that I've very susceptible to all the crap that gets past around in the office.

Anyone have better solutions to curb insatiable munchies?

Muse part 2

2010-04-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

Muse was possibly the best concert I've ever been too. It was the perfect concert but it was pretty awesome. First, it was Muse playing all Muse music. How can that not be awesome? Second they had an incredible laser/video showing going on.

The lighted piano was pretty cool. I think I was expecting a little more from it from all the hype I'd heard.

The band wasn't very interactive with the audience. There was the token, we're so glad to be in _Utah_. The _Salt Lake City__ crowd is the best. I'm ok with it though. Better that than they shoot their mouths off and I find out they're a bunch of tools. What's the old saying I never heed, better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt. Kind of like that.

They opened with these 3 high rise building screen things. Cool video/light show, then the fabric part came down and the band was on raised platforms in the middle of the buildings. I was so excited I was waving my hands like a little girl. I may have squealed.

Apparently all the douchebags in General Admissions were two rows of bodies in front of us. A bunch of drunk guys started moshing (not even necessarily to music that was appropriate for moshing, so 90's). I was a little alarmed at being pushed around but the guys right in front of me were pretty solid. Some chick lost her beer all over her and the lady's hair in front of her.

I kept smelling smoke and was kind of surprised people were lighting up indoors. I am getting so old. I noticed the bass player was totally taking smoke breaks between sets too. So funny. I didn't really want to inhale 2nd hand smoke, but it was amusing. When you're a super rock band, nobody tells you where you can't smoke.

The one thing I would have changed about it was just have it in a smaller venue. I am sooooo kicking myself for missing the last show a couple of years ago at Saltair. I like smaller shows better. Just more intimate. People watching is fun and all, but i just want me and Muse.

This is embarrassing to say, but the craziest loud, frenzied crowd I've ever seen was David Archuleta in SLC. I thought the E-Center was going to crumble. It helps to have 10,000 12 year old girls screaming, but seriously, I've never seen a crowd like that. This crowd did ok. This group just had more stupid, drunk young guys. They do dum stuff.

Pics to be added as soon as I can figure out how to get them from my phone.

They played most of the Uprising songs. The others were just all great songs. Everyone in our group got their favorites played--Starlight, Uprising, Super Massive Black Hole. And the final song of the evening. Oh what is that. I can't tell where they're going with that intro. Is it, is it....It is!!!! Knights of Cydonia. Not their absolute best song ever, though arguable, but they made the best music video ever, for the whole planet, for any music, forever and always.

I just watched the making of the video video clip. Russ Bain is the name of the finely mustached future kungfu cowboy. Did you know he's British? Ya, so he has a British accent. So hot. I'm in love. And they used real horse poop for the scene where he's in the stocks. Yuck.

I can't end this blog entry with a sentence about horse poop. To summarize, the Muse concert was awesome. Beyond awesome. If I wasn't running 20 miles Saturday morning, I'd be heading down to Vegas to the Muse show there. Hmmm.......

Muse part 1

2010-04-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

I am going to Muse tonight! I can't tell you exactly why, but they are my favorite band. There's something in their music that just resonates with me. Well, maybe I know.

There are actually some definite classical influences to their music. Most people may not know this but I love classical music. Rarely does any other music move me emotionally like the best classical music. Some of their songs aren't just influenced but have whole themes or passages straight from a classical piece. United States of Eurasia borrow a little Chopin (one of my favorite pianist, how can you go wrong?).

They also appeal to my non-conformist side. I think it's safe to say a lot of their lyrics are fairly anarchist. I'm not an anarchist, but I can handle a little anti-establishitarianism from time to time.

They put a lot of drama into their music. I like that. I read somewhere something to the point that their albums are like a soundtrack to the Apocalypse. Awesome. Does it get any more hardcore than that?

Also, in my opinion, they have the best music video ever made--Knights of Cydonia. It's a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi, wester, kung fu. Enough said.

We've already had a little drama leading up to the concert. Somebody in the group lost their ticket. Not me! I know that sounds like me but it wasn't me. I was pretty sick about it until I found out they could re-issue our tickets.

I'm trying really hard to not get overly excited for how awesome the concert is going to be. I don't want to be disappointed at all. I'm just going to go and enjoy some live music. If I hear some of my favorite songs, it's all good.

Super Cando Birthday Cake

2010-04-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

For Candice's birthday I made a super cake. I was "off" sugar for March (one cheat a week allowed) so this weekend I went a little too crazy on the sugar. I had been itching to make something amazing all month.

I started with a chocolate pudding cake. You take a cake mix, make it according to directions then stir in a box of pudding. I used sugar free chocolate pudding. It makes a nice, rich, chocolately, moist cake.

Next I made a batch of vanilla fondant (not icing fondant, candy fondant--see my blog posting from after Thanksgiving for the recipe). I poke holes in the bottom layer with a toothpick so it would ooze in. This was tasty, but the fondant was gooey enough and the cakes were so moist that the layers moved around when I frosted and cut the cake. A difficulty worth dealing with though. Just warning you.

Next I made a frosting out of whipped cream, powdered sugar, and strawberry extract. I didn't measure. There was a pint of whipped cream but I just added the rest until I got the flavor and texture I wanted. I also added one drop of red food coloring to pink it up.

I did a search on youtube and found instructions for making strawberry roses. It's not as easy as it looks. I should have taken some pictures of the freak-show strawberries that didn't make the cut. Ugly but tasty.

My final touch was slicing strawberries into circles. I wold have liked to put them on the sides too but I was pretty sure they would slide off. They really didn't do much for the aesthetics but they were a tasty addition.

Yum. If I make this again, I'm going to do a coconut fondant filling and put coconut all over the cake. Strawberry, vanilla, chocolate was not bad. Not bad at all.

Product review: KT Tape

2010-03-29T08:23:00.000-07:00

The best new tech gear thingy find of the year may be KT Tape. (Cue choirs of angels now.) After my last long run, my left knee got progressively painful throughout the day. I iced it a lot (no better way to ice knees than with a bag of frozen peas), but that didn't help much.

I remembered this product from goodie bags from a number races--Wasatch Back, Moab 1/2. I went and found one of the samples and decided to give it a try. I went on the website to see the proper application. I'm pretty sure I was experiencing "runners knee". From the online Runner's World magazine: "It occurs when a mistracking kneecap irritates the femoral groove in which it rests on the thighbone."

I applied the tape (is waterproof so it can be worn in the shower or to the pool without coming off, and can be left on for up to 5 days) as directed. Stepped down, walked around and there was no more pain. Amazing.

I don't usually get a lot of aches or pains other than the general muscle soreness that goes away in a couple of days, so I haven't thought about this issue before. I'm a believer now. I'm going to run my next long run (20 miles) with the tape actually applied to the knee to support it and see how that feels after.

I love this product and I'm going to go out and buy a roll at the new Salt Lake Running Company store ASAP! Hopefully I won't have much use for it, but when I do it will be worth every penny.

FYI, I've priced it out around $12-14 a roll with 20 applications per roll.

18 miles: 7 weeks to marathon

2010-03-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

Overall the 18 mile run Saturday went well. I met a couple of runny buddies (well one new running buddy and a friend from last year's WBR), and we carpooled up and ran 18 miles of the course. 18.3 according to google maps.

This is a beautiful course. We started up at the corner for the turn off to go up to Causey Reservoir. You go down a little canyon into Ogden Valley. It's a pretty straight, flat few miles then you go around Pineview Reservoir on the Eden side. Then it's up the big hill at mile 14. That section along the west side of the reservoir, is a little be hilly. Not really bad, but after 13 miles you feel it a little more than if you are only running the 1/2 marathon.

I stopped just at the bottom of that first steep downhill running into Ogden Canyon. I haven't done a whole lot of downhill training so far so I wanted to give my body a little taste of it before the race.

My total time was 3:03:12. Almost 10 min miles dead on. It occurred to me that I have to maintain that pace for 8 more miles to finish at my goal time. Sigh.

I tried out Cliff Shot Bloks in this run. I had tried them at a race expo once and didn't like the flavor I tried. Too salty tasting. I got a free sample of Tropical something at the Moab 1/2 Marathon so I decided to give them a second chance. I had a lime Gu at about 4 miles, 1/2 the shot bloks at mile 7, Cliff Mocha gel at 12.5 miles (stomach protest a little), and the rest of the shot bloks at about mile 15 or 16. No more stomach issues.

I've had bad experiences with 4 or more gels before so I'm feeling good about staggering the gels and the shot bloks. They may become a permanent part of my long distance fueling regimen.

Gear review--Aero bars & Zoots

2010-03-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

If you are my friend on Facebook you may have noticed me making a big deal out of some shoes I won at a tri clinic last week. It was love at first sight. Plus they are just seriously sweet. I was a little nervous to try them out cause if they didn't wear on my well I was going to be so sad.

I did my speed work on Monday in them. I even tried them barefoot as they are constructed to be worn. It was a little strange to not be wearing socks, but I could get used to it. I really like these shoes.

First they are easy to put on. They have these tab/hole things that you just put your fingers in and pull them on. The "laces" are these stretch things and you don't even tie them. Pull them on and go. Obviously for a daily workout or straight running race this isn't an advantage. In a triathlon though that will be awesome. It will save some transition time.

Second they were comfy. Other than the weirdness that I wasn't wearing socks, they felt nice. They had great flex and I felt some good cushioning.

The Zoot Ultra Tempo+ 3.0 gets two thumbs up and a high five from me. How can you go wrong with anything "Born in Kona"?!

I bought some aero bars for my bike at the REI winter clearance sale. I don't have a pic. I don't even know the brand or name of the the thing. It's got the diamond shaped grip bar and padded, foldy things where you rest your arm.

It was sunny and nice yesterday after work and I was itching for a ride. I rode down 13th east a few miles and back. I didn't use the bars much. I found I was a little wobbly. I need to get used to them. And probably not on the road where I'll make the cars nervous even if I'm in the bike lane.

I did like the feel of them. It was a comfortable position and it took the pressure off my arms. I'm going to give them more practice on a long straight route like the frontage road out to the marina or on the legacy parkway. Somewhere long and flat and away from traffic. They're not convenient if you need to shift or brake often.

Not using them, they were a little awkward on the front of the bike, but on a long bike ride I'm going to like them I think.

Moab 2010

2010-03-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

I love how it looks like a refugee camp for spandex at the race start

I had a last minute offer to run the Moab 1/2 Marathon. I spent all of maybe 5 minutes thinking it over. Of course I did it. Technically Saturday was my rest week and I only needed to run 10 miles. I figured I would just run it for fun. Sadly I came down with a cold on Thursday and it's still lingering on a bit.

This guy is wishing he had bought the 13 gal garbage bags, tight fit

Here's a note for future reference for any aspiring new runners. Whenever you read "I probably shouldn't have..." in my blog, don't do whatever it is I did. Just because I didn't die doing it doesn't make it the smart thing to do.

So, I probably shouldn't have run with the cold, but I did. I've read if the cold is in your neck up (head cold only) it's ok to run, but if it's below the neck (in the chest/lungs) don't do it. It was basically only in my head. I did start coughing a tiny bit Friday night, but it felt primarily in my sinuses.

As this was a last minute I had no accommodations set up. I was thinking about camping, but that didn't seem the safest bet as a solo lady. So I threw a 2" foam mat in the back seat of the Dynasty and parked at the shuttle pick up at the city park. There were probably a dozen other people doing the same thing. With the foam mat, I was surprisingly comfy. It was retched cold in the morning though. I wanted to stay snug and warm in my down sleeping bag.

I decided to take it nice and easy. I started out at about a 11 min/mile pace just to see how that could go with the breathing. After a couple of miles I was feeling good and went up to about a 10 min/mile pace. Did I mention how cold it was at the start? Seriously, uncomfortably cold. My toes were numb until mile 2. It was nice for running, but for waiting, not so good.

I remember last year, I couldn't wait to get out of the sunny parts and back into the shade. This year it was the opposite. I loved the sunny sections. You just can't please everyone.

It was fun how many people I ran into that I knew. I saw lots of friends, people from my old WBR team, people from this year's WBR team, people from the Salt Lake Track Club. Good times.

The best part about doing this race this year was to see that my current training style has improved my time. Despite having a cold, I got a PR for this particular race. Not my best time ever, but I was happy with my time for just taking it easy. I am totally motivated to keep on strong with my current training plan. Theoretically, I am predicted to finish my marathon around 4:30:00, 39 mins faster than my first try. That's a big deal.

I placed 1895th out of 3282. With a chip time of 2:08:22. Moab is usually one of my slower races because it's the first of the year. My previous PR for Moab was 2:12:49.

After the race I went for a short hike (2.5 miles each way) up Negro Bills Canyon. It was a nice mostly flat hike up to Morning-something Arch. The trail follows a little stream pretty much the whole way. I'm guessing in about a month when the trees along it break out their leaves, it's going to be amazing.

I love Moab.

16 miler

2010-03-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

I had a great run this morning. The Salt Lake Running Company organizes Saturday morning teaser runs. There's not a group start time. You just show up between 6:30 & 7:00 and go your own pace. My only complaint is the time. I mean seriously? 6:30? I like to start at 8:00. That's early to me for a Saturday. It actually turned out for the best cause by the time I finished it actually got colder. I'm just not planning on making a habit of it.

The route was the Jordan River Parkway. The starting point was the park at 5400 South. They marked the trail every mile for 5 miles north and south. I went south first for the 5 miles, back, then 3 miles north.

The nice thing about this trail is that it's about 99% traffic free. I had to run across two roads, but there wasn't really any traffic.

It was kind of motivating to see all the other runners out too. We pretty much owned that trail. I like runners cause most of them smile or say hello or whatever as they pass. Two guys (very cute) actually talked to me for about a 1/2 mile as they were passing me. They said they noticed I have very steady pacing. If I had a dollar every time someone admired my pacing....

I think my new training style is working (see the previous post). My first 5 miles were actually the slowest--10ish/min/miles. The middle I had some 9:30-9:40 min/miles. The last three miles I had a slight headwind so they were a little bit challenging but I tried to push myself to keep up and I did.

I'm not supposed to push hard on the long run, but I did actually push myself on the last mile. It was for the psychological training. I like to push through the tiredness so when I'm on runs/races that are hard at the end I'm mentally ready.

I really felt good with the run today. I was actually under my pace time that I'm supposed to run at according to the chart. I felt like I could have run further or harder at the end. I tend to underestimate my capacity. I kind of feel like I could push harder on my speed training runs too, so I might up my intensity level anyhow.

In my past experience, 16 miles is the last distance I enjoyed the whole distance. After that the last two miles that get added seem a little more agonizing. That's were it's more mental than physical. I'm looking forward to the 18 miler in two weeks though, cause I'd like to see how that goes. Theoretically if I have raised my lactate threshold, I should be able to longer/farther with more efficiency. Check back in two weeks to see how that goes.

Marathon Training Week 6

2010-03-02T08:22:00.000-08:00

10 weeks to go! I can't believe how fast the time is going. I'm going to be honest. I have not been as consistent in my training as I should be. I've had things come up. I've thrown on some of the tshirt designs I've been playing with. I made shirts for people who supported me last time.

The truth is, you are either 100% committed or when things come up, you'll get sidetracked. I'm trying to decide if I'm 100% committed yet or not. It's not enough to just say to yourself, I'm committed. There's some inner something that just clicks, and you know you are. I think it comes down to motivation. So I've written down some of the factors I think should be motivating me to train more consistently.

1. Want to beat my previous time (5:09:00).

2. Don't want to hurt myself or have an excessively long recovery time.

3. I want to finish. Period.

4. Feel awesome about the event

5. Impress my friends and family cheering for me at the finish line

Let me eloborate a little on my training program. I have revolutionized my training strategies since I went to a workshop at the Salt Lake Running Company. It's based on some of the same principles from the Run Less, Run Faster book.

I have 3 run workouts per week. Quality Run 1 is basically speed training. I go one 400 m lap really fast (right now I do 8:00/mile speed), then a lap at a slow jog/walk. I've been doing 8 repeats (8 fast/8 slow).

Quality Run 2 is a tempo run. Basically a tempo run is a fast short run. I've been doing a little warm up jog, then 2 miles at a 9:15/mile pace, followed by a short cool down jog/run.

The Long Run is the only run I care about my miles really. It goes up incrementally by around 10% per week. Last Saturday I did 13.6 (supposed to be 13), so I'll go 14.5-15 miles this saturday.

Every 2-3 weeks I throw in a rest week. That means I don't run so hard on my quality runs and cut my long run by 50-60%.

I should also be doing some cross training 2-3 times a week on my off-run days. That's where I've been slipping. Bad Amy. I shouldn't because I've got a couple of tri's this year too and I need to keep my biking and swimming skills up.

Update to 2010 Adventures

2010-03-02T08:16:00.000-08:00

It looks like I will be going skydiving this year. One of my friends is going for his birthday in about a month.

As an update, I have kind of formed the jazz band. We have no name or schedule, but we do have a playlist and 4 members. :)

A Little Jog Around Denver

2010-02-12T22:19:00.000-08:00

I'm in Denver for the First Year Experience Conference. I had some down time and went for a little 10.6 mile run around the city. I was actually supposed to go for 11-12 miles today, so technically I slacked.

It was still a nice way to see a lot of the city. I wish I could have taken a camera with me. One of my favorite things to do when I'm traveling is just walking around and looking at houses and buildings. All the pictures here were from later when I went out for dinner.

I found a route on the Internet that I followed. I made a few detours around streets that looked like they had cool buildings but this is the route if I hadn't wandered. I went from my hotel on 15th & Glenmare over to Washington. Down to 6th. Up Josephine to the City Park. I ran through the park over to Colorado. Up to Martin Luther Blvd. Back down Josephine. Over 22nd. Back on Washington. Then 16th to Glenmare. I liked this route. I recommend it.

I don't know what the weather is like all the time in the winter but it was quite nice today. It was supposed to hit 45 deg. That's pretty good for running. It was a bit windy, and running into the wind was chilly. I wore running tights, shirt, long sleeve shirt, and gloves. I probably could have used a hat to take the edge off the wind. I was led to believe this is fairly typical weather here.

One of the highlights so far was finding the REI. It's huge. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I had to try really hard to not buy a bunch of clearance gear. Mostly cause I don't have space for it in my suitcase. It's in an old brick wear house. In front they have a dirt course where you can try out bikes. Very cool.

Princess Cupcakes

2010-02-07T20:42:00.000-08:00

Mom has this fun cupcake book and decided to make princess cupcakes for Misti & Livi's birthdays. Kelly & I were around Saturday so we helped. It was fun. I just made a box mix for the cupcakes. Make those first so they have time to cool.

The heads are made by frosting two vanilla wafers together with a pretzel stick in the middle.

The crowns are made by rolling out starburst candies. Then you cut them to look like crowns. We frosted little flower sprinkles on for jewels.

Mom did all the icing work. She's good at that. We used pre-made frosting. Personally, I think butter cream is tastier than the store bought stuff, but that's just my opinion.

The eyes were made with the frosting and for the lips we frosted on little heart sprinkles.

The dresses are spiced gum drops. The book said to combine 10 small ones, but we had jumbo sized ones so we used 2. They could have been a bit bigger probably, but rolling them out was tricky. You sprinkle the board with sugar crystal sprinkles and keep the gum drops coated so they roll easier.

We used valentine candy corns for the feet and hands. You frost the bottom of the cupcake and set it on a cookie. We used Pepperidge Farms chocolate chip cookies. Yum. The feet get frosted on between the cupcake and the cookie.

The "dresses" go over the top of the cupcake and the heads go through the center. The sleeves are also rolled out gum drops with the candy corns sticking out for hands.

The crowns are frosted into place and mom did more icing work in white for little collars.

Each on had it's own little personality. When Livi saw them, she burst out, "Oh, I love them." She is prone to drama. It was fun to see her reaction though.

And then quicker than it took to make them, they were eaten.

Secrets of the Temple revealed

2010-02-01T15:04:00.000-08:00

Racy title isn't it. Ok, I have not secrets. I did get to go into the basement of the Salt Lake Temple and some of the tunnels Saturday. I will tell you what I saw there later. I volunteered to help clean. It was the last day, so I got to do a lot of odds and ends type jobs--some cleaning, vacuuming, moving furniture, hanging curtains, putting stuff away, etc.

I have never done baptisms at the SL temple, so I've only seen the baptistery in pictures. It is beautiful. I'm a big fan of this temple. There are so many details on doorknobs and panelling and everything. It was kind of cool to take the time to look at some of it in detail instead of just walking past it on my way down a hall.

The hardest work was probably hanging curtains. Sadly I was not the shortest person in my work team, so I was one of two chosen to hang curtains. They got me a step box thing to stand on, but I was still on my tippy toes. Reaching above your head can be hard after a while.

The coolest thing I got to do was move random leftover stuff (air filters, boxes, etc.) to the basement. You've been waiting for this. What is in the basement under the temple. Furnaces, storage rooms, and vents & pipes. Not really exciting. It looks like the basement of any commercial building really--cinder block walls painted white, cement floors. Not the prettiest part, but it was cool cause who really gets to go down there? Janitors and engineers.

I have to say, I took more pains and attention to detail one stuff I cleaned there than at my own house. Every nook and cranny is cleaned. The white glove test is not a joke. The thing is everyone who was working--paid or volunteer--really put a lot of love into their work. You can tell. You can feel the love that went into building it, and it's neat to see that the love is still around.

Some other cool stuff I saw. They had painters in to touch up all the gold leafing. Oh, they also replaced some of the carpet. The main entrance is really nice. They put some dark marble on the sides around this carpet with beehives imprinted. Nice. I heard they redid the carpet in the Celestial room as well, but I never got to that area. Also I heard they redid all the chairs in the Garden & Terrestial rooms. They guy that did it is retired and did all the work for free. Nice guy.

I was also delighted to get to go down some halls that I haven't been down before. I found a Minerva Teichert in a little back hall that probably sees very little traffic. Teichert is one of my favorite LDS artists. Actually she's one of the only LDS artist I like. I know, I'm totally bad. I've never made it a secret I'm not the biggest fan of most LDS art (modern stuff mostly). Not trashing the content or the talent, the style just isn't my taste.

I'm serious though. You will not see a speck of dust if you go this week. I don't know how long it takes the dust to come back, but it is gone now.

The Jensen Family Pett

2010-01-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

I had a happy weekend in Rexburg. I got to visit my dearest friends the Jensen family. All I can say to illustrate my affection is I visited them in Winter. In Idaho. Even though I have declared on many occasions that I would never drive in Idaho in the Winter again. That's how much I like them. You can't blame me though. When I arrived and knocked on the door, I could hear them break into chanting my name. How can I resist?

The boys were bursting to tell me everything that has happened since I last saw them I think. I loved their enthusiasm. We played games. Our favorite is a German card game that I can't remember the name. Before I left, I was crowned Ultimate Winner of the Universe. At least until the next visit when they boys will have a chance to vie for the title. I must admit though, Dave beat me more times, I just happened to take the championship game.

Another highlight was the girls date night. There is a beauty school in Rexburg. I highly recommend the scalp treatment. Next time I go I'm going to try the facial or pedicure. Or both. I also got a haircut. I have been doing all kinds of wild crazy things lately, but a $5 haircut at a beauty school in Idaho was one of more reckless to be sure. It turned out ok though. I like the haircut. I figured if it turned out badly, hair always grows back and I can always get if fixed by my regular stylist.

Markers!

The hardest part of these visits is balancing my time with the boys and mom. I love the boys and love their attention. I think most of the time they think I'm there solely for their company. I was in fact friends with Sara first. I try and lavish regular, adult, female attention on Sara. She is the best mother (of 4 strapping boys), and I don't know anything of motherhood firsthand, but I think mom's need to keep a part of their individual identity. Mostly though, I just love Sara's friendship. I'm greedy.

I should also mention how crafty we were. Sweet Sara gave me a watch face and we picked out some beads and made a fabulous watch for me. Apparently these watches are all the rage in Rexburg. There was hardly a woman in church that didn't have one one. It was fun and I love my watch. It's practically a work of art. Sara also made me a lovely matching necklace from a leftover bead.

Definitely one of my favorite memories from the evening was something David (age 4) said. Sara was explaining to him that I wasn't actually a real family member, just a close family friend. David insisted I was family. He finally exclaimed, "She is our Pett!" He meant to say aunt, but realized how funny what he said was. He asked Sara if she knew what he meant by Pett, and said cause it's my name. I wasn't there but I could hear them rolling with laughter. Precious. Maybe you had to be there. It was very funny to me. I thought he was very clever to pick up on the humor so young.

Here are some drawings D & K did on my computer. Dave is quite the little graphic designer.

I shouldn't go on about how wonderful my friends are or everyone will want to be friends with them and I will have to share them. Best weekend of 2010 so far. :)

More Snowshoeing

2010-01-19T17:59:00.000-08:00

I went up Millcreek snowshoeing Monday. You don't really need snowshoes. They were handy on part of the way down on the steeper part of the trail. Love the claws on the way down. If you have a good sturdy shoe with a really good tread you may be ok.

I saw a bunch of these bugs crawling through the snow. I've never really noticed bugs during the winter before.

The road is closed off quite a ways from the top. We took a side trail at Elbow Fork, which was about 1/2 way up the road.

We were treated to a fantastic view of the clouds and sky and sunshine on our way back down.

Sweet, fresh air

2010-01-17T15:05:00.000-08:00

The air here in SLC has been terrible for at least 2 weeks. I went up Big Cottonwood with the Riding ladies and got out of the haze. It actually reminds me of the air in China.

It was fantastic. We saw blue skies, and the air was clear and fresh. It was nice to get some sunshine too.

The trail to donut falls is packed enough that you don't really need to wear snowshoes. We carried two pairs up just in case. Which turned out to be a good idea. It is really steep the last few feet to the waterfall.

I started sliding back down and just about took out the whole group. Then I tried to just use the snowshoes on my hands and pull myself up. No good. We shared the two pairs instead. We got some interesting looks on our way down.

It was such a beautiful day up there I didn't really want to come down. Plus I enjoyed the company too. Always a good time when a Riding is around.

Teddy Bear Journal 2

2010-01-13T19:43:00.000-08:00

Oct 10, 1987

Today was grandmas Walters funarly (funeral). I'm going to miss her alot. I love her very much. I wish she weren't dead. People at the funarly said she always talked about us. My mom got me a new jacket. It's nice. (Children are resilient.)

Oct 12, 1987

Today I went on a feld trip. It was fun. I wanted to sit by Kristine but I was too late. I had so sit by Jamie. She's borning. (Jamie, whoever you are and wherever you are, I'm so sorry. I was just a kid. Forgive me.)

No Pants Subway (Trax) Ride 2010

2010-01-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard of Improv Everywhere, immediately after reading this google them. They have done some amazing work. It's part performance art, part urban prank, part awesome. I heard about them on NPR a few weeks back and finally googled them last Friday. To my wonder and amazement the no pants train thing is everywhere, even here in little ole SLC. So I immediately sign up without a further thought in my head.

I actually did do some thinking about it. Not real deep thinking obviously, but thinking none the less. I've been thinking a lot the past several weeks about things I can do to make a difference in the lives of people around me. For the better. This is a whole other topic, but I think I found my dharma (not the same as kharma). I want to make people smile and feel happy and good. Besides being a great prank, the people behind this event really do want to make people smile. I am ok with looking silly if it makes someone laugh a bit. Also, I needed a good laugh myself.

A secondary reason I did it, was to prove to myself that I am comfortable with my body. I have not historically had a positive self image. Regardless of my actual weight or appearance, I always have an idea of myself in my head that is distorted and negative. I am finally developing some acceptance for my body. Probably my least favorite part of my body are my thighs, which were about the only part of me that was seen. I was bundled head to toe otherwise. It was a drastic way of declaring, here I am and I'm not ashamed, but whatever. I can accept my body and not show it off and that's ok too, cause no one else has to approve for my to like myself. But it was a reason that went through my head.

So what's this all about. A big group of us met at the Trax station at 3:00 Sunday afternoon. I saw a group of people standing around with backpacks and figured that is it. There isn't a lot of coordination. Just everyone board the train. At some point during the ride through the free zone, take off your pants. Then ride the trains around the free zone without pants on.

If you are wondering, it is not illegal to not wear pants in public or on Trax (the VP I think they said, rode along pantless the past two years). You have to have something on your bottom, and there are rules on what can be seen. In the meeting info they specifically told people to keep it tasteful, so there are no issues with future rides. This was the 3rd year they've done it in SLC and the 9th in New York.

Yes, I am kinda crazy, but I still have a set of personal standards I choose to adhere to. Modesty is one of them. I was sorely tempted by some cute ruffly undies, but unless you are like 3 or under, no one should be seeing your ruffles in public. 3 year old, so cute. 30 year old, trashy. I found some lovely candy cane striped boxers that brought the balance of humor and coverage.

I have to admit, I was a bit nervous after getting on the train. The group was probably 50-60% of the train at the time. We all kind of sat/stood around looking nervously at each other. Well, I was trying really hard to keep a straight face, so I didn't look at anyone much. I pulled out my Sudoku and pretended not to notice anything. After the first stop the girl across from me took off her pants. I tried to watch the non-participants out of the corner of my eye. Pricelesss. As more people start taking off their pants, there's this look of confusion. Like, am I seeing what I'm seeing? And then smiling, like I am seeing what I'm seeing!

I kind of looked around like, what's that, oh, ok, back to Sudoku. Mid-ride I took off my boots, pulled my pants off (focusing seriously on not pulling my boxers down too, wore a 2nd pair of undies underneath just in case.), put my boots back on, and sat down in all my candy cane striped glory.

I have to admit one of my first thoughts wasn't "oh my gosh, I'm not wearing pants," it was, "merciful heavens, my thighs are touching the seat, where's this seat been?, gah, I need a disinfectant wipe". I got over it. And stood most of the time.

I heard from the other side of the train that after everyone took their pants off, some guy got off the next stop and ran away. I hope he was just in a hurry and we didn't scare him. Dear sir, if we scared you, I am so sorry. It was all in fun. We just wanted to make people smile. (Which in many cases we did.) If you were offended or scared, please forgive us.

One of the biggest reactions I noticed was people trying to act like it was no big deal. A guy sat across from me at one point and was trying hard not to stare. When I went to the door and looked back he was looking up and down the car bug-eyed. You know he went home and was like, you will not believe what I saw on the train today. There were 4 or 5 photographers from different newspapers there too. Maybe some of the people will see a story about it and understand. Or not, nothing wrong with keeping the mystery.

One of the most common verbal responses was, "aren't you cold?" I would just say, "Ya, the wind really cuts right through you, doesn't it."

I broke off from the main group after a while. Which was fun, cause I caught another train that some other guys were on and there was a young guy there totally worked up about the ones already on the train. Then I come hopping on pantless and he really gets going about how hardcore everyone in Salt Lake is. There was a photographer in that car taking pictures. So the guy says to the photographer, "Dude, I'm gonna take my pants off. Will you take my picture if I take my pants off?" The photographer just says totally sober, "Don't do that." I just shrug at him, like what are you talking about.

At one stop I was alone waiting for the next train and a guy and his kid are working the stop. He said his daughter's bag was stolen that had their money and train tickets on. Is he telling the truth? I don't know, but I do know it's freezing!!! His kid was bundled up pretty good, but I gave him all the money I had which was only $2. He thanked me, all the time trying to not look at my legs. He tried. I noticed later he was further down talking to another guy and they were staring my way. I don't know if they were talking about the state of my pantlessness or how nice I was. I will never know. Either way, I made them happy.

It actually surprised me when I was the only one on the train, how many people didn't looked phased at all. Someone said something about my shorts. I think a lot of people thought I was wearing short shorts. I'm ok with that. I really liked the dudes, in boy short cut undies, knee high socks, and dress shoes. You knew they were not in short shorts.

Another favorite moment was when I hopped off the train at one stop where a group of 4-5 teenage boys (dressed like a little posse of thugs) where waiting to get on. And I quote, "Whoah!", "Wow! Don't mess with that!", and the youngest looking one, "Nice legs!" I just said "Thanks guys" and moved to the other side of the station. I liked the look of surprise on their faces and how they just said what came at the moment.

When I would walk pass people, I would look back a lot and catching them staring. To your face, they act like no biggie, but once you're past it's all WTH. If I made eye contact I did smile. I was there to for smiles, not to just expose myself.

Another fun reaction was this old (I think homeless), loud guy. As I got off and he got on, he yelled back (and everyone heard he was so loud, and slurred) "You got guts wearing them!" I said thanks back.

I really did keep a straight face the whole time. When I got to my car and drove up for family dinner, I couldn't stop giggling though. I would giggle like a silly kid, stop, then giggle some more. I hope we spread a little whimsy and humor today, but if nothing else, everyone who participated spread a little joy amongst ourselves.

Also, I just checked the Deseret News, and I am in one of the photos. Search for "pants", and the story should come up. It's only a little blurb, but there is a picture gallery, and you can see if you can find me. :)

Mom, don't be angry. You know me. You really shouldn't be surprised. It's art. And it was tastefully done. Hahahahahahaha. Ah. I like me.

Teddy Bear Era: Part One

2010-01-07T17:25:00.000-08:00

These are excerpts from my first journal, the red one with teddy bears on it. I laughed, I cried, I cringed. I tried to keep the spelling the same as in the journal.

Sep 28, 1987

Today is my dads birthday. I gave him three shavers. I only had English and Math. I got to watch Bevorly Hills Teens. It was about a a rich girl who went poor and her friends helped her get a job.

Sep 29, 1987

Today we had fish for lunch. Kristen didn't want hers so she gave some to me. On Beverly Hills Teens a prince came to see Blaze. Blaze likes horses, so he deciced (disguised) himself as a stableboy. He inventes (invites) them to a ball. We were supposto have a meating about the treeshouse but nobody came but me. (Oh my goodness. I had no idea my "project planning" roots went back so deep.)

Sep 30, 1987

Today I finished My Constitution essa. I had a little math homework. We had the treehouse meeting today and we decided all the rules and ways to earn money.

Oct 4, 1987

Today is moms brithday. She made 3 pumkin pies, 1 cherry, and a choclate. We had to watch confrence all day. Confrence is two hours we watched it twice.

How much do I love the internet. Not only did I find Beverly Hills Teens in wikipedia, but I got a youtube link to the intro.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_Hills_Teens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsWuVnFy3xm&feature=related

For those of you curious, some of the talks in conference those sessions were:

Our Divine Constitution

Never Give Up

Looking beyond the Mark

Ethics and Honesty

"The Great Imitator"

"They're Not Really Happy"

Take Not the Name of God in Vain (Gordon B. Hinkley, I miss him)

"The Light and Life of the Wolrd"

A Doorway Called Love (Monson, gauranteed some good stories there)

Follow the Brethren

Selfless Service

Lesss from Eve

Finding Joy in Life

2010!!!

2010-01-07T08:43:00.000-08:00

Hold on to your hats people. Expect big things in 2010 from this lady. As far as some things you may see soon on this blog, I'm going to start reviewing my journals from when I was a kid and posting some of the funny stuff. Some of the stuff I wrote has me rolling.

Another thing you will see soon are snippets from a "memoir" I started last year about last year. I have a working title right now, "How to Fail: A Guide for Type-A Personalities". I can't say I know everything about it, but it's my hope that maybe some of my experiences can offer support to anyone who ever experiences failure or disappointments. Hmmmm, like everyone. In a nutshell, you can't escape failure and disappointment. The best you can hope for is to deal with it and learn from it. One of my favorite chapters is on how to stay in bed all day. Trust me, there is a time and place for it.

I have a second blog that's sort of a trail guide. I think I'm going to combine it with this one. So you might see more outdoor pics and trail/race tips. Or I might not.

Hopefully there will also be some travel entries from Italy! If not Italy, somewhere else awesome.

Ironic

2010-01-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

I was just looking at my last blog post. I was feeling good at the time and was thinking about all the people around me who weren't and just wanted to spread some cheerfulness around.

I had one more thought I wanted to add to that. The last yoga session I did (I like to do the Yogatoday.com casts), the instructor, Adi, was in a pose for a long time that made my legs tremble and burn. She knew she had us all there too. She said not to fight it. Just listen to what your legs had to tell you. At first I thought my legs are telling my ouch, stop it. But I did listen and really they were saying, you are trying really hard and pushing us to our limits. It was still hard, but I felt better anyhow.

So, if you are feeling sad and your heart hurts, don't ignore it, or hide from it, or find things to drown out the pain. Just listen to what it has to tell you. It will still hurt, but you might learn something, like that you would only be hurting if you had the capacity to care. That's not a bad thing.

Love yoga. Going to go back to the Bikram studio soon.

Words of Encouragement

2010-01-02T23:25:00.000-08:00

I just thought I'd share some things I've heard/read recently that made me feel good. I threw on some pics of things that make me happy.

First though, just a quick anecdote from my run this morning. I like winter running when it's not super cold. It was so beautiful today, I did an extra 1.4 miles cause I was just enjoying being out. So, on the corner of 2700 S & 500 E, while I'm waiting for the light to change this guy says to me, "You must be a track star." After I stopped laughing I said, "No, just an amateur." and wished him a nice day. I should have told him how much I liked his jean jacket. Bringing the 80's back. Nice.

So here's a poem I read in an article in the Ensign:

Grow old along with me!

The best is yet to be,

The last of life, for which the first was made:

Our times are in his hand

Who saith, "A whole I planned,

Youth shows but half; trust God:

See all, nor be afraid!"

--Robert Browning

Got my dreams, got my life, got my love

Got my friends go the sunshine above

Whay am I making this hard on myself

When there's so many beautiful reasons I have to be happy

--Natasha Bedingfield, chorus to "Happy"

I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine

I got a love and I know that it's all mine

Do what you want but you're never gonna break me

Sticks and stones are never gonna shake me

--Natasha Bedingfield, "Pocketful of Sunshine"

The sun has left and forgotten me

It's dark, I cannot see

Why does this rain pour down

I'm gonna drown

In a sea

Of deep confusion

Somebody told me, I don't know who

Whenever you are sad and blue

And you're feelin' all alone and left behind

Just take a look insdie and you will find

You gotta hold on, hold no through the night

Hang on, things will be all right

Even when it's dark

And not a bit of sparkling

Sing-song sunshine from above

Spreading rays of sunny love

Just hang on, hang on to the vine

Stay on, soon you'll be divine

If you start to cry, look up to the sky

Something's coming up ahead

To turn your tears to dew instead

And so I hold on to his advice

When change is hard and not so nice

You listen to our hear the whole night through

Your sunny someday will come one day soon to you

--Pink Martini, "Hang on Little Tomato"

2010

2009-12-30T14:15:00.000-08:00

I have to admit I'm feeling a ridiculously high level of anxiety for the coming year. I have plenty of reasons both good and bad. It has the potential to have some major events. Or not. We'll just have to wait and see. Either way, I'm determined to make the most of whatever comes along. "Life is either a great adventure or nothing." --Helen Keller

I do have some goals/plans for 2010.

It's the on year for an international trip for me and Misti. Italy is on the short list. If tickets from SLC are still $600 when we get our tax returns back it's on. We've been toying with Prague or a tropical island as well.

Opened a bottle of bubbly and toasted with my parents New Year's Eve-afternoon

I am also going to run my second marathon. It will be the Ogden again. I love that race. Also, I plan to beat my PR for the marathon. It is currently 5:09. Sheesh. That is such a long time to run. I'm hoping to finish closer to 4:30. Based on my 1/2 marathon time from the Ogden, that is reasonable.

I've decided I'm going to skateboard to work. At least once. Hopefully I don't hurt myself. I just want to do it because I can.

I'm going to go on 13 dates. Last year I made my goal 12 and I exceeded it. I just like that number. It's a baker's dozen. Which reminds me of baked goods. Mmmmmm.

I'm also going to hike a location that will not be named because if everyone finds out how awesome it is, there will be people there. It's like the Narrows in Zions but more awesome.

I also want to sing with a jazz band. I've wanted to since college. I have some contacts. Even if it's just in my living room with nobody around. 2010 is the year.

I want to make it a year of service too. I am a lucky, lucky girl. I am educated, I have a job I like that pays the bills, I am healthy, I have the best family, I have the best friends, I am well-traveled, and I'm happy. I haven't figured out what I'll be doing, but when I find the opportunities I want to do things that help other people who may not be gifted with the opportunities I have. I want to make someones life a little happier, healthier, comfortable, or better in some way. Then maybe I will stop feeling so guilty for having such a great life. :P

My last meal for the year, roasted duck with sundried cherries. Devine.

2009 has been an awesome year. I can't even think of any compliants. It wasn't all smooth, but I look back on it fondly. No year can compare since 2001/2002 (ahhhh, San Diego days).

All my love to everyone who helped make 2009 awesome and may you all have the best 2010.

Best Christmas Ever

2009-12-24T21:30:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve

We ate a lot. Food is always plentiful at a Pett family dinner. Dinner actually seemed fairly unchaotic for having 19 people there. We had one stray this year. There's always at least one stray. Misti's co-worker just moved here so she invited her. She handled the family antics quite well. Well, we had Dave too. He's a permanent stray.

The kids (including Tony & David) played Lego's. I built the small castle for Livi. Spencer then destroyed all the the structures.

Another thing we do on the holidays, is play games. In true Pett style we added a little flare to Pit. The winner of each round had to wear Spencer's pirate hat, eye patch, and hook. It was awesome. The only thing that could have made it better is if we had made them talk pirate, but we didn't think of that until later.

We also had a rousing game of Apples to Apples. Mom won. How did that happen?

Favorite quote: Livi walks into the room, "Grandma, I don't know what I'm talking about."

Another highlight was when Grandpa let the kids play with the forbidden finger paints. Oh yes. Paint everywhere. Is it washable? We'll see. Is it non-toxic? We're keeping an eye on baby Savvy.

Not that gifts are important but some of the highlights this year were Spencer's pirate kit, Jason's "How to host a romantic Evening," David's can of corn, . The secret to a really good cheap cheesy gift--love. We still talk about the year we all got pictures from Tony--mostly Tony, but also Dave and the cat.

All and all, the family just had a great time being together and being ourselves.

Christmas Day:

Sweats--"When real clothes are just too much work" -Apples to Apples card

Now that I'm working again, sleeping in is special. We had a nice, quiet slow morning. Ate lots of leftovers. Opened the few presents we had left.

We all got food storage from mom this year. Handy. We also all got scarves mom crocheted while she was dialysis. Mom liked her addition to the Christmas village, a tent and some lumberjacks. Nothing wrong with a few more moustached men under the tree. Who doesn't want that? One of these years Santa is gonna come through for me.......

We finally pulled out a puzzle. We have one of the largest collections of Charles Wysoki puzzles. He passed away last year so there won't be any new ones. We'll have to make due with the other 200 we already have. Usually he comes out with 2 or 3 new ones and we put them all together after Christmas.

I don't want to see sugar again for a long time. Well maybe a little at New Year's but then no more sugar. Blah. And yet I keep eating it.

We also took naps this afternoon. Ah, sweet, sweet naptime. Another thing that is meaningful now that I'm working. Cause I needed the nap so much more than a good long run.

The kids all came back over. More Lego time with uncle Tony.

We had gongbao chicken and fried rice for dinner. That's my influence on the family. It's Christmas; we eat want we want. We were going to have jiaozi or eggrolls too but we couldn't find the ground meat.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-23T09:50:00.000-08:00

I am overwhelmed with the Christmas spirit. So overwhelmed that I am overflowing. Overflowing through my tear ducts during these stupid Christmas movies. Seriously, even the funny ones, they say one nice thing and I'm choking up. I can't help. I just feel so full of feelings right now.

I know a lot of people who are going through hard times right now and I feel way too blessed. I am so lucky to have a job I like. I'm lucky to have a job at all, but I happen to like my job and compensated much better then I had expected. I almost feel bad how well I have it.

Misti a few years ago

It's the time of year you think back over the year about stuff. Thinking about stuff always gets me in trouble. I have the best friends and the best family. I've been trying to find a way to make all those people feel what I feel for them, but I'm drawing a blank. I'm just going to try and pay attention for opportunities.

I sincerely wish everyone a Merry Christmas! All I want for Christmas is joy and comfort to everyone I know, and 6 sets of different marbles.

The Sound of Music

2009-12-22T22:31:00.000-08:00

A couple of weekends ago I went to the Sound of Music singalong. It was one of the most delightful experiences of the year. Delightful experiences are very rare. Fun is easy to find, but things that are delightful or rapturous, or blissful are not as easy to find.

Here I am in my homemade dirndl. You can't tell, but I have two braided buns on top.

I smiled the whole time. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. They gave us goodie bags too with stuff to use during the show. During Edelweiss, you had little white flowers to wave. There were bells to ring and feathers to throw in part of My Favorite Things. My personal favorite was the confetti poppers for after Maria & Von Trapp kiss for the first time. Mmmm, mmm, mmm.

Other fun little parts were whenever the Baroness showed up or even her name was seen everyone would hiss. Nazis or nazi flags got boos. Everyone cheered for Maria of course. And whenever little Gretel said stuff everyone would ahhhh.

And of course we could sing a long. The words to the song showed up on the screen with the movie. It was like when you're in your car alone and sing to your hearts content only you're in a theater full of people also singing. Very enjoyable.

Thanksgiving part two: Candyland

2009-11-28T17:17:00.000-08:00

Every year the day after Thanksgiving we make candy. Technically, the candy making begins a couple of months before when we start cracking and shelling the walnuts (from our tree). The big production is Friday though. Our signature candies are the nutballs (similar to Idle Isles' but we make them with walnuts cause those are free instead of almonds) and turtles. We make other candy too, but those are our signatures. I think I heard toffee mentioned. Other optional candy includes rocky road, fudge, chocolate dipped nuts, chocolate crispies, and chocolate dipped pretzels.

Here's a bit of a step by step for the nut balls.

First you make the fondant the night before and freeze it. This year we made vanilla, maple, almond, and (my favorite) rum spice. I'll post the recipe at the end of this entry.

It's important that the fondant is very frozen when you start rolling. You take about a tsp and roll it in your hands. You have to move fast cause the fondant warms up fast and is unrollable. Then you put the trays of fondant balls back in the freezer. You want them as cold as possible before they go into the chocolate.

We melt the chocolate in this awesome pot my mom has had forever and a heating pad. The pan maintains it's heat well and the heating pad melts the chocolate slowly. It does take longer than in a double broiler, but it's safer.

So you throw the fondant balls in the chocolate. Coat them completely. Then you toss them in the bowls of chopped walnuts.

You don't so much roll the candies into balls, as toss them back and forth in a rolling motion. Then you put them back on the trays and put them somewhere cold--fridge, freezer, outside if it's cold enough.

Look at all those yummy little balls of chocolatey, creamy goodness. Drool......mmmmm.

Here are my favorite rum balls posing for us.

The girls helped us out by cleaning the bowls. And spoons.

Mom got an awesome caramel recipe from someones mom at the dialysis clinic. She's from England. They know what they're doing with caramel in England apparently. We used it primarily for the turtles (3 pecans, a glob of caramel, covered in chocolate to look like a turtle). We decided to cover some hazelnuts with the leftovers an dip them in chocolate. Brilliant.

Chocolate Candy Bliss/Coma

Note: We didn't play in the chocolate or lick our fingers until all the candy was made. Just in case you were wondering. After the candy is done, there's no rules.

Fondant
1/2 pound butter (room temp)
1 can sweet condensed milk
1/2 pound powdered sugar
1 tsp flavoring

Mix the butter and condensed milk. Gradually add the powdered sugar. Add the flavoring.

Thanksgiving Part one

2009-11-27T11:10:00.001-08:00

I started my Thanksgiving day out with a little run. I went down to my secret thinking spot. I can't tell you were it is. Well it looks like there may be some houses going up soon over part of it. There used to be llamas there, but now it's just horses.
On the dirt road stretch that takes me back to a main road, I came across two cows outside of the fence. Apparently they are not partial to runners. They freaked out a bit even though I was keeping my distance. So I ended up jogging with them for a bit. So I decided to try and walk past them. No, they still didn't want me anywhere near them.

Next strategy is to run really fast and pass them. Really bad idea. The one cow freaks out and tries to climb through the barbed wire fence and gets stuck. Now I feel horrible and figure I'm going to get trampled trying to help it out of the barbed wire. It manages to pull out though and starts running again.
Well that apparently scared the crap out of them, literally. Now I'm walking/jogging along side a trail of stinky, steamy, runny cow matter. The one cow makes another break for the fencing and gets through, but the other cow made it almost to the main road. I was very concerned about this happening and causing an accident, but there was a dirt road turn off just before the main road.

That was probably the most exciting part of the day. The rest just included eating, playing games, and wrangling the children. I actually did well for dinner. We eat at noonish. I walked away just satiated. I was going to wait 30 mins and have pie part one.

The traditonal brain jello, shows up at any holiday I remember to bring it to.

I volunteered to clean the turkey up and get all the meat off it. Bad idea. This turned into Turkey part 2, which then made me slightly uncomfortable. Shortly after they started cutting up the pies. So Turkey part 2 was followed to closely by Pie part one. Then I definitely ate too much. I'm pretty sure I didn't get any where near the national average of 4,500 calories though. I grazed on rolls, turkey, and crackers & cheese ball the rest of the day. I would estimate my caloric intake for the day to be under 2,500, but still way too much. I was never in any extreme discomfort, just the "oh, I didn't need that last bite" level of overeating.

Don't try this at home

2009-11-19T17:09:00.001-08:00

I was determined to get over to the old ruined building up Little Cottonwood. This time I parked at the trail head further up the canyon. It was probably a good idea since I did a lot of backtracking off trail. I don't want to promote stupid behavior, so I'm going to encourage you to only try this with a group or wait until warmer weather. If you do try this on your own, I recommend trekking poles, toe/hand warmers, good hiking shoes, and decent gloves.

This is the spot I crossed at. I mentioned before that I was serious about crossing over the creek. One of the only smart things I did was tell someone where I was before I started. I did not cross over the log. I just used it to grab if I lost my footing. I took off my shoes and socks, rolled up my pants, and crossed the old fashion way. I'm not going to lie. It was cold. However, that is not the most uncomfortable my feet have ever been. I knew from a previous experience that I could go at least 2 hours without any circulation in my feet and not have permanent damage. Once I put my socks (technical, moisture wicking) back on, I was fine. I didn't really feel any heat off the toe warmers, but my feet were numb for a while.

It might have been helpful to have a topo map too. Then I would have realized that downstream where I crossed turns into a hill or some rocky sort of cliffs over the river. I had to back track at the rock/cliffs and hike up the steep hill. Then I had to get down the big steep hill to the ruins.

As seen in this picture, I slid down the last 20 or so feet. This was not voluntary. Fortunately with the snow, I just slid somewhat ungracefully and got my bum all wet. I recommend pants that are not levis, like ski pants or good hiking pants.

I didn't go into the building because I had noticed there was a tunnel that goes from the creek to under the building. With the snow and rocks and everything I didn't want to accidentally fall into anything. I didn't find the GC. I'm blaming it on the snow.

That's a hole in the building. I was wondering where it went to. Not going to explore that on my own though.

Wandering around off trail (not smart, not encouraging it), I saw a lot of tracks. It was actually interesting to see the little tracks with bigger tracks following them. I saw a lot of different tracks. I'm not a huge tracker, but if I were it would have been really exciting. I know at least some were deer. I'm guess squirrels or rabbits might be the little ones. I think the ones following the little tracks were some kind of cat.

When I left, I went the rock/cliff way. I sort of rappelled down the 10 rocky cliff using some branches of a tree. I never could have climbed up it, but going down was ok. I found some other people tracks that went further down creek than were I crossed. I eventually found a log that they had crossed on. It was kind of icy and snow packed, but there was a second log I could grab. It wasn't so bad.

While I got a great sense of satisfaction getting over to the building, hiking around and finding my way there was just as fun. If anyone knows anyone hiring exporers or adventurers, I will work for cheap. Seriously, I can't think of anything better to be doing. The GC may feel safe for now, but I will be back. Oh, I will return.

The best day in November

2009-11-18T16:29:00.000-08:00

Ever have one of those days just seems perfect for no particular reason? I had one last Friday. I went for a hike up the Quarry Trail in Little Cottonwood. I was just hiking along and enjoying the scenery and I felt really, really happy. It occurred to me that maybe I shouldn't be so happy. I've been unemployed for a year, I have two broken cars, I'm very, very single, etc. But I didn't care. Still not to phased by any of that. It was a happy day.

I don't know what plant this leaf came from but they were amazing. They were like little opaque or white stained glass leaves. Way cooler in person than in the picture. Everything was dusted with a bit of snow or frost.

I thought the snow on the trees looked like lace.

It was kind of magical. I didn't see a lot of other people a couple of guys on bikes. But if a winter tree sprite or an ice fairy started ice skating down the river, I wouldn't have been surprised.

I like it when I am still warm in my coat or layers, but the cold air kisses my cheeks and nose. It doesn't sting, but still feels sharp. I always feel so alive when I breath in the crisp air. It's a fine line between comfortable cold and too cold though.

I came away with a quest though. I've always wanted to get over to the ruins on the other side of the creek. It's always been to high in the spring and summer. It's quite a bit lower, but I had a hard time finding a log or rocks to cross over on. I scrambled up the shore for a ways but didn't really find a good spot. I would best describe my mindset as hell-bent to cross. I thought about taking my shoes off and rolling up my pants even. I tried at one place, but I got halfway across and realized the rocks in the middle were covered with a thin film of ice. I put my hiking pole down and the water was deeper than it looked. It occurred to me that since I was past where the trail ended and there weren't really any people around this was a stupid idea.

I actually sort of slipped and got wet up to my ankle on one foot. I made the prudent decision to let it go for that day, but I already had a plan for getting over another time. Soon. Very soon. My plan involves survival hand warmers and rolling up my pants. Yes, oh yes. Did I mention there's a GC over there? Lovepirate2 will find you, GC1RK1F.

There was an old truck I found up in the rocks away from the trail. It was mostly all rusted away. Kind of cool though.

Geocaching

2009-11-10T18:02:00.000-08:00

Now that I'm done with racing for the year, I've turned to geocaching to keep active. I started geocaching this year. I'd heard of it before, but finally gave it a try this past spring.

Geocaching is kind of awesome. People hide things and post the coordinates on a website. Then people go out and find them. It could be anything from a small pill bottle with some scraps of paper for a log, to a ammo cases or tupperware container with tradeable items (pins, coins, small toys, etc.) and notebooks for logs.

I've found 12 caches so far. My first one was up in the mountains by Eden. I can't even describe the excitement of finding your first cache. That green camo box might have well been a pot of gold.

My first few caches I found by searching the latitude and longitude on google maps. Not the easiest way to find things. There has to be a major landmark nearby so I know within a few feet where to be looking. There were a bunch of caches that were in wooded areas that I just didn't stand a chance finding.

I figured out how to upload the locations onto my Garmin Forerunner 301. It's a running computer but it's got GPS. I tested it out yesterday and it worked pretty good. If I went under lots of trees it got confused. I found 3 of 4 caches. The 4th one I gave up on because it was under trees and it was getting too dark to see. I'm going to go back another day.

The Pioneer Woman

2009-11-05T00:11:00.000-08:00

The Pioneer Woman is a blog run by a woman named Ree Drummond. It's delightful. Not only is the food to die for (and probably will kill you if you don't exercise some of the calories away), she has a very for real and funny way of writing. Oh, and step-by-step pictures that keep you salivating.

Her blog has become so popular that she did a cookbook. She's doing a book signing tour and was in Salt Lake today. Misti knows everything going one with her and her family. Big fan. I'm not quite so up to speed with the Drummond family, but still like her. We figured we'd just show up, buy the books and get them signed. Maybe 2 hours.

We showed up 30 minutes early. Right at that moment a woman announced all the tickets for the signing had been given away. Its November, not too cold, but not warm. We figure we'll take off for a bit and come back later and see if the line dies down and we can get in anyhow. We go for cheesecake.

We get back to the King's English Bookstore (lovely place, I'd like to go back and peruse) a little after 8. It's still packed. Let me illustrate a bit. Almost the entire block is full of people. The entire front lawn of the store, local businesses, and even some people loitering in the street. Pretty cool that she's this popular. Who knew?

Mom & Misti know we're not going to get in any time soon if at all, so they take off. I stick around and make friendly with all the groupies for another 3 hours. I found a little group of runners and we all swap stories about different races we've done. We even inspired one lady to start running. Hurrah.

Rumor is Ree will stay and sign everyone's books even if they don't have a ticket. I figure I have nothing to lose. It's not like I have to get up in the morning for anything. Around 10, someone who decided they'd just take off gave me their ticket, so now I know I'm definitely in.

One of the highlights of the evening was when her mother-in-law came out to chit chat with people outside. She was pretty cool. She told us how she's trying to help the kids learn to swim. Apparently all of them are having a hard time with it. They can't even float after multiple lessons. Anyhow, it was really funny when she told it. A couple of the recipes in the book are hers.

So after 3 hours of hanging around I finally made it to the top of the line. I said some dumb things about some of the recipes I liked and giggled nervously. She was super sweet. Oh, and she's gorgeous. You wouldn't know she eats as much butter as goes into her cooking by looking at her.

I've never gone to a book signing before, but it was fun. I met a lot of nice people. Got to talk about running and food all evening. Good times.