This Is The Greatest Thing I Have Ever Seen!!!

More 1/2 Marathon Photos!

The Start!

I was so happy to see the finish line!!

Me crossing the finish line! My actual time was 2:20:58. The timer above my head shows the time when the gun went off. It took me about 15 minutes to just get to the start line after the gun went off!

Whoo Hoo! Bling!

Marathon Training- Week 15

Well recovering from my first half marathon went better than expected. I was ready and motivated to get back to my normal training. I went to physical therapy for my knee on Wednesday and everything went well, so I started upping my weekly mileage again.

It's funny, since I finished the 1/2, the 10 mile run we did on Saturday felt easy (I think a big part of that was my knee was feeling better). We are doing a 16 mile run at Emigration Canyon next week (the first 6 miles is up hill). Let's see how I feel after that!

This Photo Says It All!

My 1st 1/2 Marathon!!!

On January 18th 35,000 runners were in Phoenix, AZ to run in the 6th Annual Rock & Roll Marathon and 1/2 Marathon and I was one of them! I ran my first 1/2 Marathon and what a blast I had! I was worried about my knee holding up, but with a little warming up and a lot of praying, I ran 13 miles fairly pain free!

This was the start from where I was. I couldn't see where the people stopped and there were thousands of people in front of me!

This photo was taken a few miles into the race.

You can't have a Rock & Roll Marathon without the King (or two)!

There were over 40 cheer squads along the course to keep us motivated!

The crowd support was GREAT! I loved this guy's sign! Notice the band rocking out in the background. There was a live band every mile! I didn't even bother taking my ipod.

My goal was to finish in 2:30. I finished in 2:20.58! I was so happy!

This is the awesome bling I got! this thing is 1/4 thick!

I am hooked! I pray I stay healthy enough to do this again next year! Next up, the Salt Lake City Marathon!

Obama Is the Prez!!!

What a great day. It was great to watch Obama sworn in as President of the United States!

If You Run, You Will Love This!!

This was posted today in one of the Runner's World forums by someone called Soccer Fan. I found it to inspiring not to share!

For days, weeks, months and years, we ran. We ran to feel good. To stay healthy. To getaway from our problems. To accomplish something. To dare. To test ourselves. To deal with cravings. To think. Not to think. To meet people. To be alone.
We ran on hills and on flats. At 4 in the morning. In a dress shirt and slacks after work. We ran errands. We ran for fun. We ran on business trips. On vacations. We ran for the high. For the low. Because we can. Because they said we shouldn’t. Because the time is right. Just ‘cause.
We ran through the blood-red forests. On breathtaking trails. Through canyons of steel, glass and concrete. Through endless fields. In knee-deep snow and desert sand. On red clay dirt. Along the riverbanks.
We ran when it poured. When it was nice out. In blizzards. In heat waves. We ran to music. To the rhythm of our footfalls. To the symphonies of nature. The concertos of city sounds. To some of the greatest books ever written.
We laughed. We cried. We gritted our teeth. Just couldn’t help ourselves. We glided. Crawled. Chugged along. Had the trots. Nearly puked. Puked. We couldn’t wait to run. Dreaded it. Felt like we could go forever. Wanted it over with. Showed off. Paid for it. Took it easy. Ran hard. Chaffed and blistered. Got sunburn. Windburn. Frostbite. We lost toenails. We hid stashes and hijacked the neighbor’s water hose. Bruised kneecaps and egos. Dug deep. Pumped our fists. Shook our heads. Had doubts. Questioned our sanity. Realized we’re mental. And then we ran some more.
We are as different as can be. But we have one common denominator– running and all it comes with.
So here’s to all of us. To those just starting out. To the experienced. To the masters. To the elites. To those who win hardware. To those who never will. To the healthy ones. To the injured. To the trotters. The joggers. The runners. The speedsters. To everyone who laces up and gets out there, good health and many happy miles!

PUNK ROCK- OLD SCHOOL!!!

My sister dug up this old photo of us circa 1984!

Classic! This was taken outside the GBH and 7 Seconds show in Palo Alto, CA. I am the one with the black & yellow hair (which used to be bright yellow, but looks faded in the photo). My sister's dress had a big fishbone on it. The eye was a dangling pom pom! She paid .50 cents for it! Ha Ha!

Marathon Training- Week 13

As I reported last week, I was having some knee trouble and decided to scale back my training by doing bike work instead of running last week. Instead I got on the elliptical one day and ran an easy 4 miles on the treadmill on another. I went to my long run (10 miles) on Saturday a little nervous. I made a plan that if the trail we run on was not free of snow and ice, I would do my miles at the Olympic Oval (they have a huge running track around the ice rink), that way if my knee started hurting I wouldn't be 6 or 7 miles from my car.

The sun was out and there was very little to no snow and a little ice on the trail. We decided to run the trail anyway. Then about a mile into our run, Jen (one of the girls in our group) slipped on the ice, scrapped her knee up pretty good and had to turn back. Teresa and I decided to get off the trail and run on the street. That was a good decision. There was no ice and we got a change of scenery.

Things were going great until about mile 7 when I started feeling a twinge of pain in my knee. I was able to run through it. By mile 8, I saw we were coming up on the parking lot where we started, so at mile 8.5 I decided to stop. I didn't want to risk further injury before next weekend when I am to do my first 1/2 marathon! I am going to take it easy this week ans try to get in to a physical therapist for some pointers on what to do if the pain creeps up during the 1/2. I MUST FINISH!!!

Marathon Training Week 12!

Well, this week has been rough! As I have mentioned in earlier posts, my left hip has really been bothering me since I ran on the stupid treadmill a couple of weeks ago. I scaled back my weekday runs to give my hip a chance to rest. I went to the doctor last week and he said it could be bursitis, but he didn't think it was anything to serious. That was great news! I would take a few Advil and be on my way!

Saturday was our 12 miler. We ran 10 miles in snow last week and my knee really started feeling it, so I was hoping for clear skies (and a clear trail) this week. Unfortunately, overnight Friday it snowed. It was very cold but the sun was shining. I got to the park where we meet and it was covered with snow. The trail had been cleared, but the new snow put about 2-3 inches down on it. We headed out and about 8 miles in, my knee started to hurt. Darn it!! I slowed down an tried to take it easy, but around mile 11 I was really hurting doing more a shuffle/speed walk than a run. By the last 1/2 mile, it really hurt so I sucked it up an walked the last 1/2 mile.

Yesterday my knee was still pretty sore, but it feels a lot better today. I think I will do bike training this week. I have to be ready for the Phoenix 1/2 in 2 weeks! No more snow running for me!!!

Jasper's New Quilt

As tradition goes, I make a baby quilt for all my nephews and nieces. This is for our new nephew Jasper!

Happy New Year!

David, Toby, Zoe and I ring in the New Year at home. We could see a great fireworks display from our balcony!