Ragnar Trail Experiment

About a week and a half ago I was invited to participate in the Ragnar Trail Experiment by a friend. I found out I would be running 3 legs, two almost 4 mile legs and one 7 mile leg, on trails. Trail running is not something I was experienced with but I figured what the heck it could be fun and one of the few Ragnar runs I might be able to afford. I was already training for a half marathon that I will be running next Saturday so I figured it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to do roughly 15 miles.

Friday morning I was up 4:30 AM to make sure I had everything and get to our meeting place. We had to be to Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort by 12 PM. We packed the suburbans full of camping supplies, our gear and our team of 7. Saying a prayer for safety we headed on our way. The rain started about 30 -40 minutes into our drive. I was in one Suburban with Logan and JaNae. At one moment, about 1. hours into the drive, I was looking down at my phone and I hear JaNae yell then BAM!! We hit something. The Burb starts hydroplaning and we are swerving down the highway, weaving in and out of the reflector posts along the highway. Next thing I know we are heading down the ditch or ravine between the two directions of traffic. At this point I hear JaNae's voice but I don't know what she is yelling. I'm thinking, "We're going to roll, oh my gosh we're going to roll and I'm not going to get to run. I've never been in a rolled vehicle, please don't roll!" Then the vehicle came to a halt about 20 feet away from a steel rod in the middle of the ravine. JaNae was about to freak out when Logan turns to her and says everything is okay. He got our recorded the damage with the video camera that we happen to have. I was like HOLY CRAP!!! I can't believe that just happened. What happened was a big, lifted truck lost its tire. Logan said he say the sparks, from the wheel hub hitting the ground, so he was slowing down, looking for the tire, when the tire hit us on the passenger side bumper. We were delayed getting information and talking to the highway patrol man that showed up after we drove out of the ravine. Yes, we were able to drive away. What a miracle! Logan says the only thing he remembered was the sparks and hitting the tire after that just that his hands were moving, with the steering wheel, and then being stopped in the ditch and telling JaNae it was going to be okay. There was a guy that stopped, as an observer, and he was so surprised that we were still upright. People say miracles don't happen anymore. I disagreed before yesterday but now I strongly disagree. It was a miracle we didn't roll, that we missed all the posts along the way, and that we didn't get any other vehicles involved while swerving! Miracle and I am grateful.

Once we got to Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort, on time in spite of death defying events, we were able to check-in and eventually able to set up camp (there was some confusion but it got figured out). We had the 2 suburbans in a V shape with the backs together. Then we set and Easy-Up and nestled as close as we could to the open backs of the burbs. Laying down a tarp for the floor and hang in tarps for walls with blankets for insulation. It was cold about 45 degrees when we got there and it was raining off an on. We also set up our propane heater so we got roasty toasty. It was the coolest little set up. We had the common area and the two "bedrooms" (as we called them) in the back of the suburbans.

We were suppose to have 8 people on our team but one of them wasn't able to make it so we had 3 legs we had to cover. We got things all set up and figured out our running order, I was runner #4. At 2 PM we sent JaNae off to run trail #1 (the green trail, 3.9 miles). When she came in we sent Jody off onto trail #2 (the yellow trail, 3.8 miles) then Calleen onto trail #3 (the red trail, 7.2 miles). Then it was my turn. We had a tracker and were able to tell where our runners were but on Calleen's run the phone she had on her for the tracker died so we didn't really know where she was. We estimated she would be back about 6:30. At 6:20 I got my stuff on and had my shoes on, one tied, when we heard the loudspeaker announcer say, "team 2 your runner is here." Oh CRAP that was us so as I'm running out the door I was tying my other shoe and sprinting down to the start, about 75 yards from our humble tarp abode. We switched the timer anklet and away I went. 

The trail was marked by green reflector tape, and glow sticks. It wasn't dark yet and I hoped to get back before it started getting dark enough that I would need my head lamp. The rain had stopped for a little while so the trail had dried just a little. I have never done trail running so I didn't really know any particular "best practices". There was horse poop all over at first I tried to avoid it but once I started getting mud caked to my shoes I figured mud, poop, who cares just as long as I don't face plant into poop. There were parts where the trail was covered by a puddle, they instructed us to just run through it, I went around. I figured the less mud caked to my shoes the better, I don't need 5 lb weights on my feet to make it harder. Some times there was no way to avoid squishing through mud. about 2.5 miles, maybe I started walking, the altitude (6,500 ish ft) and the mud caked on my shoes were wearing me out faster than normal. As I was walking I came upon a little, 2 story, white house with its windows smashed out. It made me think of a house on a movie called 'The Road' and in that movie the house belongs to cannibals. I stared at all the windows cautiously and miraculously found my second wind and took off again. There were some steep parts where I told myself it wasn't anymore difficult than Suncrest and to just keep going. I made it through those 3.9 miles in about 45 minutes. I was proud of myself. It is not my best time for 4 miles but for running with mud cake weights, in the rain and cold I will take it. 

After me Logan headed out on the yellow trail. Shortly after he got back they closed the yellow trail because it was getting to be too dangerous but they still left green and red open. Teena headed out on red for her 7.2 miles. She did not return until 3 hours later, covered in mud. She had fallen 4 times and couldn't really run because it was too muddy and there were some "rivers" running across the trail die to the rain. I think it hadn't stopped raining since the last mile or so of my run. To be honest after I heard the yellow trail had been closed I crawled into the back of the burb to get some sleep. I estimated my next run would be at 4:30 AM. I vaguely remember Teena coming back to camp and everyone there gasping at how covered in mud she was. When I eventually woke up all the way, around 11:30 PM, I saw the runner that was suppose to be out on the trail standing in our tarp abode. I asked her if she was back already and she said she wasn't going out, we were calling it a night.

I slept all night on a cot in the common area. At 7:30 I woke up, we had a focus group at 8:20 to give feedback about the Ragnar Trail Experiment. After that I said I would go out with Jill, who didn't get a chance to even run, if she wanted to run of the trails. She didn't want to. We watched some of the people come in some had mud up to about mid thigh, one guy had mud from his shoulders down. We decided to hangout for a bit to let stuff dry, since it finally stopped raining, then pack up and head home. 

I didn't get to do all my runs which was kind of disappointing but I didn't want to put myself in danger of getting hurt a week before my half marathon. I loved the Ragnar Trail Experiment though and would do it again if they make it an actual event. It was cool being a guinea pig... a muddy guinea pig for something that I think would be a great thing. Ragnar Relays aren't for everyone but I think this would be something more people would be able to do. I hope Ragnar does it. I think if we did end up running and I ran all my legs in the mud, like I ran my first leg, I would have not been recovered enough in a week to run my half marathon. If it would have been dry then it would be a different story, I think I would be fine since I would have had about 7 hours to recover before my next run. I had a great team and I am glad they invited me to be with them. I hope you enjoyed reading and next week tune in to see how my half marathon went...hopefully this commitment will actually make me write =)

A Quarter of a Century.

Today I turned 25. I was born at 3:56AM so I am already officially 25 years old plus some hours and minutes. Reflecting back on 25 years of life is interesting. I have learned many things but I think I will only share a few.

First. God is important. He is the one being that will always be there for you so stay close to Him. Pray often and He will bless you. Along with this be patient with His timeline. He is pretty smart and knows you better than you know you. He wants what is best you for and will not give you more than you can handle. He loves you and wants you to return to Him your time on this earth is complete.

Second. My mom was always right. I never wanted to believe it, especially when I was a teenager and "knew everything" but now I know she was always right and I should have just listened to her.

Third. School is probably one of the most important things you will accomplish in life. Don't screw it up even if your friends do (if your friends all jumped off a 100 foot cliff to their death would you do it too?). Being smart is cool, maybe not in high school (I don't really know anymore its been almost 10 years since I've been in it) but once you are past high school and all its drama there is college and you can impress your kids with your vast knowledge. I am still impressed by how much my dad knows. I think he could win Jeopardy.

Fourth. Goals! Have them, write them down and your plan to accomplish them. Nothing feels better than accomplishing goals. Sometimes you have to set goals you don't know if you can reach just to prove to yourself that you can. Don't be afraid to fail because you can always try again later.

Fifth. Exercise! I love it and it makes me feel good. The best times are when I get up early and just DO IT! There is never a workout you will regret. Find something physical to do and then find, or make, a friend to do it with. I have a few running buddies and I have a place I play waterpolo during the summer. I have several hiking trails to pick from and a hubby that will go with me. Get out and do something.

Sixth. Hard Work. It's kind of a pain but it is worth it. Nothing that comes easy is worth doing. I read a quote once, somewhere....by someone that went along the lines of the river becomes crooked because it always takes the path of least resistance. Men who do the same end up crooked just like the winding river. Push through what you have to in order to get to where you want to be. Laziness is wastefulness.

Seventh.Laugh at yourself. I do it all the time cause I'm freakin hilarious!!

Eighth. Friends are important. The people you surround yourself with will rub off on you. Choose wisely. I am grateful for the friends I have and have had. I strongly suggest staying in touch with people, which I am awful at and I know I need to do better because I have some cool people as friends and they need to know how much I appreciate them and think about them.

Ninth. Not every idea is a good idea. Jumping off the bed and walking down the stairs backwards seem like fun/interesting ideas. In my experience they lead to broken bones. Broken bones lead to casts or restraints that last for 6+ weeks. When you are in 2nd grade, 6 weeks feels like an eternity. Try not to break bones.

Tenth. Don't let your fear be what holds you back. Okay this may contradict number nine but it's what I would like to leave you with. Fear has kept me from doing several things. I've always been shy (which I link to a form of fear) and I feel my life has suffered a little from it. Now I try to utilize my fear...energy? (for lack of a better word) and use to concur my fears. Still have a long ways to go but as I learned from the movie 'What About Bob?' BABY STEPS!


Thanks for reading! I'm excited to start another year in my life, half way up the "Hill" of life.

And Runnin, Runnin....

I found this through Pinterest but it originally came from here

I found it amusing and some parts true. Please enjoy:

18 Things Nobody Told Me About Running

1. It’s hard…like, really hard. But just like relationships, parenting and figuring out your new iPhone, it gets easier with time. You may even–gasp—start to like it!

2. Clipping your toenails will take precedence over plucking your eyebrows some days.

3. In spite of your childhood hatred of “weird food,” your pantry will be filled with running superfoods you’re not really sure how to pronounce, like quinoa, chia, spirulina and acai.

4. At some point, you will see other runners peeing in public. You will wrinkle your nose at them: EWWW, GROSS!

5. At some point, you, too, will pee in public. You will never judge again.

6. Ditto for snot rockets.

7. When you first start, four miles seems like a lot. One day, you’ll catch yourself telling someone “I only ran four miles today.” Try not to smile smugly when that happens.

8. You’ll wince at a pair of high heels with a $100 price tag, but declare it a bargain if that same tag is on your favorite running shoes.

9. Your laundry basket will smell like a boys’ locker room. You won’t really notice (or care).

10. You’ll geek out at the opportunity to run in the rain, because it’s just that awesome.

11. There will be stretches of days when you don’t feel like running at all. It’s perfectly normal, it’s not a failure, and a few days off does a body good.

12. Like Christmas, you will be wide awake at 2 a.m. on race morning, giggling. Also like Christmas, you will not be allowed to wake anyone in the house up until 5 a.m.

13. Without any prompting on your part, family members, friends and coworkers will take up running, too. They’ll ask all the same questions you had when you started—and this time, you’ll be the one with the answers.

14. The first thing you’ll do when you book a vacation or work travel is look for races and/or cool running routes in the area.

15. “Runger” is real, and it is marvelous. Only pregnant women and runners can truly understand strange cravings at strange times.

16. While running with your friends, you will talk about food, children, current events—everything but running. During cocktail hour with that same group, when you’re showered and wearing “real-world” clothes, all you will talk about, ever, is running.

17. The friends you make through running will become like family.

18. Anyone can do it. (Yes, you!) 

I thought about number 16. It's true. My running buddy and I talk about work, anything and everything while running. When we are at work (cause we are co-workers) we mostly talk about running or exercising or food for running. Anyway I hope if you are a runner you got a good laugh and maybe if you aren't you found something interesting or funny.

For the record, I have not peed in public while running, nor have I blown a snot rocket because it would end up like the situation in Mulan when she tries to spit a lougey and it just sadly drips down... and I don't want snot dripping down my face while I am running without anything to wipe it on but my skin or tank.

Class of 2012

I realize I have lots of things I need to talk about that have been going on in my life. However, I feel like I have very little time to catch up on them all. The first thing since my marathon is graduation. YIPEE!

Four years of hard work and stress coming to an end. I honestly think I was in one of the most laborious programs at my college. One of my professors said that he once had a girl in one of his classes and her dad was a professor in the school of medicine. He mentioned to her that how shocked he was at the amount of homework that she had to do and that his students didn't have that much. This is where I rest my case about a tough program.

There were late nights filled with constructing projects, xacto knife injuries, miscuts, and waiting til morning to reprint. Blood, sweat and tears went into my projects. Okay, so there were usually more tears and sweat than blood because too much blood meant restarting a project, unless it enhanced the design of my project which it usually didn't.

Graduation day was the best. I thought I was going to be late because I didn't double check the commencement ceremony arrival times. I thought it was 8:20 it was 8 and I didn't realize that until we were in the car on our way there. I think my dad broke laws once I announced my err. When we made it to the parking lot there were several people in cap and gown wandering around so I felt a little more at ease. I found where I was suppose to go and walked down the winding line of bachelor graduates. I finally saw some familiar faces of my design peers. I think almost the whole program was standing in line together. It felt like we stood there for hours but that could have been because I decided to wear cute high heel sandals and it is a long walk from the parking lot to the Hunstman center. Finally the line started moving. The rails dividing the lines kept getting skinnier and it started feeling like a heard of black cattle being herded into single file lines. When I got close enough to the core of the Huntsman building and could here the graduate march (or whatever it is called) I started to get really excited. Seeing all the people there and all the graduates it was amazing. I couldn't believe I was finally there, in cap and gown getting ready to graduate en masse. Whoever picked the speakers did a great job. The student speaker did a great job and the co founder of Pixar was very interesting. I learned a lot from those 2 speeches and I am so happy to finally be done. Now I just need to find myself a "real" job.

Thanks for reading.

13.1

Preface: I just realized I never posted this and it has been sitting in my "drafts" bin. I added a little.


Saturday (April 21) I ran my half marathon, and survived to tell the tale. 13.1 seems like a lot of miles but when you look at all the miles that you put in just to get to those 13... wow. I have the Nike+GPS app that I have had since the end of February (Feb 29 was my first clocked run on it) and since then I have run 64.5 miles in prep for my half marathon. If I could cram it all into one day I could run to Evanston, WY. I would probably die before I made it there because that is too many miles to run in one day, by one person.

Running a half marathon was a decision made on a whim one December afternoon. One of my co-workers asked if I would be interested in running it with her. I thought, "Well I wanted to run a marathon at some point in my life this would give me a feel for what that would be like." I agreed. She showed me where to sign up, did that, paid my money, and printed my training schedule. The schedule I had started 20 weeks away from race day. Week 1 happened to be the very week I agreed to run this race.

I modified the schedule to so that my long runs would fall on Saturdays and I would rest on Sundays. Saturdays kind of sucked once I got into the high mileage runs because I had to wake up early (6 or 6:30) and go meet my friend to run our 8-11 miles then get to work by 10AM. At work I always prayed for a slow day so I could have a task that allowed me to sit down. Granted whenever I did get up I hobbled around like a 100 year old. All this running with pain in my foot and my friend's knee acting up but we survived.

Race day finally came, well to be honest the last few weeks before the race flew by. Here it was 4:30 in the morning and I'm gearing up, waiting for my friend to come pick me up. We arrived at the starting line with still plenty of time to spare but the crowd of runners was massive. We picked out a spot ate our banana with peanut butter, drank water and stretched a little. I was ecstatic but I tried to conserve my energy for the race so to distract myself I did some people watching. Some of the gear people were wearing seemed odd like a pink skirt with streamers and feathers but to each his (or her own).

Finally the announcement rang out that the runners needed to start lining up for the half and full marathon.  We were packed in like cattle. When a trax train needed to make its way up the tracks we were invading the personal space of many strangers. Finally the countdown began 10...9...8......3...2...1! And we were off, well sort of. With everyone packed in so tight it made it difficult to run/jog so we were just walking until we crossed the official start line then we could start picking up our pace. We found a pacer that was holding a sign saying he was going to be running the race at 9:55 per mile. That was a little faster than our miles during training but we decided to stick with him. Based on our training times we figured that we would finish the race in about 2 hours and 15-20 minutes but we were willing to challenge ourselves.

Miles 1 and 2 were kind of rough. For me they are the worst miles because they are my warm up miles and my muscles try to talk me out of running but I keep pressing on and they eventually just give in. At mile 3 our pacer yelled out," 10 more miles! Thats your average morning run come on lets do this people!" Miles 3-6 or 7 went pretty well nothing major to report they were pretty easy breezy. We busted open our shot blocks, which are little cubes that are like gummy bear consistency but they are suppose to help replenish sugar and stuff in your body from running or other forms of exercise. I had never had them or used them during my runs so far so I was a little nervous about it but my stomach handled them just fine. Mile 8 is when my hips started to get a weary and hurt. I just found other things to focus on. Really I think it was all the people that were out holding signs, ringing their cow bells, and old ladies waving from their pores that kept me going.

Miles 9 and 10 went by, my body started to get more and more tired. Half way through mile 11 is the farthest I had run in my training and I still had about 2.5 miles to go. Whoever decided to have a hill for the tail end of the race is horrible. Towards the end of mile 12 this hill starts. I looked up to the top to see the capitol and to realize that someone had relocated Mt Everest. I felt like I wasn't going to make it. Thanks to my friend and the pacer and the people around him that were yelling out encouragements I kept climbing. I focused on the ground in front of me because it didn't look like a hill it was just asphalt and I can conquer asphalt one step at a time. There were a few times I still looked up at the hill and then I thought, "At least I don't have to go all the way to the capitol," because after South Temple the hill gets steeper. Finally reaching the top of the hill and turning onto South Temple the finish line came into view, all the people there cheering and a downhill slope. My legs were felt like they might give out at any step and I was pretty certain there was a toenail that had fallen off and was now floating in my shoe but I carried on to the finish! It was the greatest feeling to cross that line (even though the look on my face that the cameras caught does not show it). Once across the line there was someone there to place a medal around my neck, another person to hand me water and still another to hand me a chocolate milk. I was feeling like the Queen of Awesomeness. I found Trev, my mom and my nephews that came to support me and when I saw them I about cried! I had just accomplished one of the coolest, most difficult things I have ever set out to do. I loved that feeling and I may do it again, even if I don't I am still going to keep on running =)

Things I can't wait for!

As I've stated in probably the last 3 or so blogs, my life is chaos right now. I am doing my best to balance it all out and get everything done... or mostly done. Clutter is stacking up on pretty much every horizontal surface there is probably a layer of dust on top of the clutter...ew. Anyway, amongst all the chaos, tangible and intangible, I have my countdowns and I have a lot to be excited for.

1. My half marathon. I've been training for it since December and there have been ups and downs, literally, but I am excited to run it. I've prayed real hard that my foot pain will stay away because I want to accomplish this SO BAD! It has worked and now I only have 11 more days until I run 13.1 miles

2. Bridal Showers. I am just excited to see everyone and have a party because who doesn't love parties?

3. School ending.... I think this one is pretty self explanatory. Schoooools out FOREVER!! Then I gotta get a "real" job. Which I have already applied for a few. Only 24 more days until graduation day

4. Getting married! Yay! I hope nothing has slipped through the cracks. I have the temple time set up which is the most important and I have my reception place reserved as well as my dress bought so I all the important things. Only 31 more days, I can't believe it and it will be here before I know it.

5. Sleeping again. Currently I am burning the candle at both ends, staying up late and getting up early to try and accomplish all that I need to. I hope my body and mind can hang in there a little longer but I can tell lack of sleep is already taking a toll on me.

6. Reading! I have missed reading whatever I want. If it doesn't pertain to homework or wedding then it doesn't fit in the schedule.  I have a stack of books piling up that I want to read. Some of them have been piled for a while. First on my list is Atlas Shrugged followed by 1776.

7. Cleaning and Dejunking. Ideally I would love to get this done before I move to my new place but I realize that it doesn't fall into the category of school or wedding and there will be plenty of time after all the celebration and stuff done. I have tried to do a little bit of it and I've tried to avoid bringing new junk into my room... key word being tried, I'm not always successful.

Whoo! I am so excited! Life is awesome even among all the craziness.

Oh Dear

I feel like I can't focus on a darn thing.

I have so much on my mind! Running has basically come to a hault as the cold that seems to be going around hit me last Friday night. I am still in recovery but might try a little running tomorrow. I played basketball tonight and it winded me quite a bit and my ring finger on my right hand had a head on collision with the basketball so typing without it is kind of interesting.

I only have 84 days until graduation!! So excited I can't stand it. However, there are certain students...correction just one student I think I may end up punching before those 84 days are up. I am sure I have mentioned him in previous blog posts so I will not go into detail. I am so excited about my new project even though I will basically be scrapping all the work I have done thise far and coming up with all new bottles, labels and "company" name. But I have the momentum I need to inorder to get it all done. If only I could get some of that momentum for my other class.

My wedding invites are designed....I think. I keep changing my mind =/ I guess that is the prob with designing your own. Once those are done I think I will be designing my own graduation announcements as well cause paying $65 for 25 just seems a little ridiculous to me. I dunno I haven't decided. I mean I have plenty of other things on my plate. One thing that I just cleared off my plate has been on there since September. Getting pictures I took of my future sis-in-law on a CD and to her. Oops kind of forgot. Sorry Cait! BUT it is done and now I don't have to worry about it. Course... now her hair color has changed so she may not like them I dunno.

Life is good. Only 91 days until I get married. 72 Days until I run a half marathon and 84 days until I graduate. Sigh I can do this. And thanks for reading.