Marathon madness re-cap

Saturday I ran my 2nd full marathon: Utah Valley. *it's a great one, if you're looking for one!*

 Nothing will ever compare to your first marathon. I trained so diligently & had a great time. But, this 2nd round I ran into a little bit of a difficulty. About 6 weeks out from the marathon, I got an injury & was devastated. I had to quit my training.  I wrote off the marathon all together. But about 2 weeks ago, I was feeling good & decided I was going to try to finish this marathon. I wasn't going to go for a PR, but wanted to take it easy & enjoy the process. So.....

on Saturday, I woke up early, got to the busses around 4 am & rode up to the starting line.

One reason i REEEAAALLYYYY wanted to run this marathon was because it's in my backyard. The whole course is down 'my' canyon....the one I love. trained in. is one of the happiest places on earth for me...so, I ramped up & started along my journey. 
canon goes off: I run the first few miles down the country roads just soaking it all in & loving it! 

Seriously, the first few miles were sooo amazing. I mean look at those mountains & barn? How lovely is that? *wink*

We turned down the canyon & ran past this lake...mountains, sunshine & a lot of angry drivers! 

LOL...poor drivers...there was a total back up of the cars. I felt bad! But, hey...some were really nice & cheering us on! This was our first uphill. 

I ran it the whole time, but then started feeling a little 'twinge' in my calf *my injury* so, I started to walk. I had to keep telling myself: I'm doing this to enjoy the process, NOT to make a good time & hurt myself. 

Mile 10: As we rounded the lake, we hit mile 10 & the pain began. Not the typical aches & pains I have during my running OR the calf pain from my injury...but, a NEW pain. A pain that wrapped around my knee & started to burn, ache.

Mile 13: The pain forced me to walk. Slow. reeeaaaaaallly slow. Like...hobble. 

I didn't think I'd be able to finish. I got my phone out & called Jeff to pick me up. But, we were smack dab in the middle of the canyon & I couldn't get service. So...I kept walking....sloooowwwwly. I was worried. But, I just kept looking at the amazing scenery, listening to my music & enjoying the process.

Mile 14: Something miraculous happened....my prayers were answered & the pain was gone. I was fine. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.  IN fact,  I felt great!  There was another runner next to me & I looked at her & said, "We can do this!" & I got chills...I got so excited. I felt fab & ran all the way to the finish line!

Not too long after this, we ran under this sign...I loved it. Had to get a picture of it...cuz, we CAN conquer any wall we come up against. I was feeling GREAT!

Mile 15-26...honestly, I was just enjoying this race by this time. I had my 'Run Keeper' app going & she was telling me each mile how I was doing. At this point I was not able to make a very good time, but I was just happy I was feeling good & able to run. I got a little teary eyed somewhere in there at around the 20 mile mark cuz I just felt soooo grateful that I could run. I've had quite a journey with my health & I was soo thankful to my Heavenly Father for His help on this run. Attitude of Gratitude.

Finish Line: My cute cute family was there cheering me on...I ran across the finish line & felt amazing. They gave me my medal, took my pic & I was looking for my family. We had TONS of things going on that day, so we high tailed it out of there, & I'm one happy finisher!

"Finishing a marathon is a state of mind that says anything is possible."  A.men. 

I may or may not be doing this marathon next. *wink*

maRathon Recap...

4 days later...

& I'm alive & kicking after running my first marathon! 

It has been quite a journey....

& it went great! 

I'm not even sore today! 

Can you believe it?

Pin It

It was raining the morning of the marathon.  We woke up super early, got all of our stuff & kissed the kiddos goodbye....& took off. I was a bundle of nerves. 

excited. skeered. nauseous.

I'd been super sick the 2 days before & when I talked to my mom the night before the marathon, I asked her to pray for me...I was worried I'd still be sick in the morning...but, prayer works! I felt great!

rain. dark. busses. lines.

it was fun.

Jeff & I got on the bus....& headed up the canyon with all of the other runners. crazy to think that the whole time we were driving (it was about a 45 min. bus ride) we would be RUNNING that! oy vey!

I tweeted & instagrammed as long as I could...but, once we got up the canyon....I didn't have any service.

for a while.

hence, no touting. tweeting. or instagrams. sad, but hey....ya gotta roll with the punches.

so...it was still rainy & COLD at the starting line. I kissed Jeff goodbye & he took off.

I ran slowly, pacing myself the whole time...careful to NOT give in to my adrenaline that was egging me on to sprint! It was so exciting!

Pretty soon, it started to rain harder.

mile 6. raining. i'm wet. still have my jacket on & had been planning on leaving it at one of the aid stations early on in the race. 

no. go.

pouring.

 mile 10. still feeling great, even though I was getting wetter & wetter.

each aid station I took some gatorade. I ended up stopping 3xs to use the bathrooms. oy!

mile 13. felt amazing. sooo excited. loved the scenery...loved my music. happy.

hail. yup...it hailed so hard that it was actually HURTING me! LOL! but... i went on.

sometime around 10AM, my dear friend Sande picked up my kids at the hotel. (her hubby was running, too) So, they could be at the finish line to see us. Thanks, sweet friend...you'll never know how much I appreciate that! 

mile 16. I got the text that Jeff had finished 21 miles. I was giddy for him! giddy. i think i giggled out loud!

still rained. 

mile 19. I felt great, but could NOT believe how hard it was raining. It was going sideways & I was drenched...still left my jacket on cuz it was COLD rain! LOVED the great volunteers at the aid stations...they were troopers in that weather!

mile 20. got the text that Jeff had finished. I'm not gonna lie. I cried a little bit. I was so sooo proud of him! 3:25!!!! He is amazing.

raining.

mile 24. I lost it. I mentally had a break down & started bawling. miles 20-24 were tough for me. I seriously was wiping the tears off my face, & started panicking cuz I couldn't breathe....my lungs started closing cuz of the emotions....

I had to calm down.

I started to talk myself down...pumping myself up...& then this song came on my playlist: 

Press to Play's Let's Dance.

all I heard was: Let's RUN.

it.

was.

just.

what.

i.

needed.

I pulled it together & kept my eye up on the Logan Temple...seriously.....it's what I kept looking at to keep my focus. 

the sun started shining.

I blew through the mile 25 aid station cuz I could feel that if I even slowed down, my legs would freeze up....

so. I ran.

strong & hard til I hit the finish line.


26.2 miles.

the sun shone bright.

I was soo excited, I ran through fist pumping & hollerin'....

some guy was there & held out both hands...I slapped them & jumped up & down.

it felt.

a.mazing.

sadly....my chip didn't warn my family with a text at mile 21, so they weren't prepared & only got the text that I'd finished...& they were at the car.

It was OK. I cheered for myself & frankly....it was celebration with them later. so no worries.

We brought a huge cooler full of ice in the back of our car so we could ice immediately after.  and...the sun felt amazing! 

Stretched out...& was in heaven.

felt sooo great.

amazing, really.

I learned so much from this entire journey... Here goes:

if I worked hard enough & was consistent with my training...i got stronger.

when I had ANY negative thoughts come in like:

i'm too tired.

i don't feel like it.

i'm fat.

i don't like this.

i'm not fast.

i hurt.

i'm sick.

i can't do this.

then, i was right.  

But, if I didn't give in to any of those feelings, I came out stronger. happier.

training for a marathon does NOT help you lose weight! LOL! 

music put a spring in my step.

it was a mental game as well as a physical game. no joke.

i had to fuel up & sleep well & drink up. or my body no likey.

I have to talk to myself whilst I run. really. it's part of my mental game.

running quotes REALLY inspire me.

Support means *everything* to me. I'm so thankful. for family. friends. bloggers.

a heartfelt thank you to everyone!

my body is a miracle. seriously. it amazed me. grateful to have been ABLE to run.

Jeff is my hero. 

Nature is so beautiful, it makes me want to run!

Hail, buckets of rain & temporary melt downs only make the journey more interesting!

I really & truly CAN do anything I put my mind to....it's true.

I believe.

I do.

and...4 days later..I'm already planning on my next half marathon & trying to decide on my next full marathon.

yea.

i got the bug.

2 days....

Pin It

 In 2 days I'll be on the course, running my first marathon.

 It's the home stretch...I'm getting ready. All thoughts are consumed by my marathon prep. I have so many thoughts. fears. self doubts....it's hard not to.

Have I trained enough?

Will I be fueled & hydrated enough to perform?

What if I bonk? hit the wall?

Will the weather cooperate?

What if I forget something?

What if I get injured?

What if..

what if...

oy. vey.

Needless to say. I've got butterflies.

And...when it comes down to it...18 weeks ago, there is no way I could have done this. But, I trained & enjoyed every minute of it. Seriously. 

Those runs have become one of my favorite things.

And the support I've gotten from YOU! Wow...

I'm so thankful for all of your emails, texts, messages...

tons of support from you! 

thank you! 

You've been uplifting and inspiring me with your personal stories..how you've started running, or walking, or exercising, or doing something else that was difficult for you. 

YOU GO!

I'm really looking forward to it...and will set aside those self doubts...because, from what I've heard from other marathoners...you have got to be as mentally prepared as physically prepared.

I'll keep you posted on how I'm doing...

follow me on Twitter 

or Instagram 

& you can run right along with me! 

And, if it works..

I'll be TOUTing, too! 

(short video clips to document life's moments)

...my sister & I were joking that I'd be TOUTing during the race...showing my feet, my progress, etc...& at the end...all you'd see are my feet on a stretcher being taken away...Yes. this might get too raw & real...but, I want this to document my journey...

I have LOVED the visual journey I've got with my Instagrams...& am making a book with all of them printed out by PostalPix...

but, think it would be cool to have video clips during the marathon, too.  So, no promises...we'll see how I'm feeling as I'm running. I might not be able to..LOL.

So...tomorrow I've got another "How Do You Do That?" feature on digital brushes...& then Saturday is IT! I might be MIA for a while after that...hee hee.

Until then...

cReativity and maRathons

Pin It

With this marathon training...I've been running. 

a lot.

exercising my muscles.

and when I run I have a lot of time to think. 

Each morning, before I leave to hit the trail...I grab one of my 100 Creativity Exercises out of my cute jar.

I look at it.

I put it in my other jar.

and then I take off....

I let the cReativity percolate.

and...ideas generate as I run.

I exercise my cReative muscles, too.

I see things differently with the exercises in my mind.

The other morning, the exercises I took out of the jar challenged me to look at things differently...change my perspective.

Pin It

I run over this bridge every. day.

And...this particular morning, I looked down at that row of washers....* & I saw it differently*.

I was so excited to take a picture of it....

I bent down, *almost got hit by a biker*...& I saw the bridge differently.

I love this photo.

Pin It

So, as I'm exercising my leg muscles...they get stronger as I run. 

26.2 miles is a long way!

But, when I exercise my creative muscles along the way...my creativity gets stronger, too!

It's called muscle memory.

Our muscles start to get used to what we do. It becomes second nature.

It is an unconscious process....we just know how to do it.

That's why the 21 Challenge is so great, too...when it becomes a habit...it becomes a part of us.

Pin It

I was just in the new Somerset Digital Studios magazine this month....& my article is called:  

Uplift and Inspire.  

Here's a quote from it:

"People ask me all the time if I ever get into a creative rut.  The answer is No.  Because I work my creative muscle every day through my 100 Creativity Exercises...It's become a habit for me...everyday...this is how I begin any of my creative projects.  I am never in creative ruts...in fact, I've got so many creative ideas swimming in my brain that it's hard to turn it off."

Pin It

Truly...exercising my muscles makes me feel so free. like a bird.

So happy.

So content.

No, it's not easy...in fact. It's SUPER difficult!

but each day I get stronger....

& being able to run a marathon in a week & a half...& being creative on a constant basis...

is because my exercises work!

Today's challenge: do something that is difficult. maybe even scares you....you will get stronger.

& it feels good!

monday makeoveR>>>enjoy the jouRney.

Pin It

 today: enjoy the jouRney

This week's Monday Makeover is a little focus on 'my' makeover...with my running/training journey.  I've had lots of emails & messages with questions & comments.... And I wanted to blog about this huuuuge part of my life right now...so, if you are not interested in hearing it...by all means. don't read on. :)

I have had a major makeover in my 

mind. 

heart. 

body. 

& 

spirit.  

And I owe it all to running.  

As many of you know...I have been sick for a while.....& it is still tough going. Some days are better than others. And while I am still looking for the answers & wanting to be healed...it's a long process.

So, I had 2 choices. I could either 

1. wallow in my pain, sickness & self pity. 

or 

2. try to find something to take my mind off of the pain & sickness.  

Yes, I *was* feeling a bit better.. so, I decided I wanted to turn to running to get my mind off of my pain. I know...It sounds crazy.  But, whatever I've got...I feel WORSE if I don't exercise.  

So. I must. even if I have to grit my teeth through the pain for the first few miles....by mile 3 or so, I'm used to the pain & I start to enjoy it.  crazy...huh?

"How can you run when you are feeling sick?" This is one of the most asked questions I've been getting.  

Well. 

1 word. 

motivation.

I have to look for motivation all around me....

to get my shoes on. 

to get me out the door. 

to ignore the pain & realize I WILL feel better after my run.

So....in answer to the 2nd most asked question: "Where do you find your motivation & determination?"...I've forced myself to LOOK for the positive parts of running.

one. iLOVE motivational quotes.  Hence, I share a lot of the quotes I see on Twitter by Running Quotes & such...love them. they motivate me.  

But, one of the things that has totally helped me through this is the

Soul Restoration 2 class by Melody Ross. 

When I started the class, I had already made the goal of running a marathon, but the training (physical, mental & emotional) was going to be difficult...I knew this. So, SR2 helped me make a plan & with my art...really get through to what I really wanted. 

...Helped me ask some really important questions...

-WHAT did I really want to learn through this journey...

& 

-HOW can I get through this without giving up?

...making a plan, & STICKING WITH IT!!!!  

Thanks, Mel! Loved the course! it taught me so much!

Pin It

two. iLOVE motivational products. like Dailyologie. See that cute package up there? It's a pillow case...isn't that fab? It says: get up, put your smile on and run like the wind. 

adore. this.

Pin It

three. iLOVE motivational & inspirational views on my run...I have to drive about 10 minutes to a trail, but it's soooo worth it to me.  The natural beauty that surrounds me takes my mind off of my pain....& I sooo enjoy taking pictures of my runs & documenting my jouRney.

Pin It

four. iLOVE motivational tools like my iPhone.I really couldn't do it w/o it...love technology!

I love how I can use it for so many things during my run. 

Instagram= to take pix.

Pandora Radio= to listen to my running playlists.

RunKeeper= to track my time, mileage & pace.  and...of course, 

my iFitness belt to house my lil phone...i lovey!

Pin It

so....I have 18 more days until my marathon. 

I've completed the most difficult week in training...my training program had me ramping up the mileage to 20 miles...which I did on Saturday...& now for the next 3 weeks I taper down...gradually so that by the marathon...

I'm READY TO GO!  

I have to say...i felt better after my 20 miles than the 18 miler we did...I am now really excited about the marathon.

I've run 20 miles...& have trained hard...& now I have to trust my body & just 

enjoy my journey....

and...it's been quite a jouRney....one of THE hardest things I've ever done...every day is a struggle...but, I do try to stay positive & keep on going.  instead of wallowing in self pity..hee hee.

and...the thing I've loved the best is the POWER I've felt as I've pushed through this difficult training.  I heard these 4 simple words yesterday at church & it has stuck with me....really got my heart:

The Power of Becoming.

We all have it in us to become what we want to become....we just have to want it. do it. & become it.

so...here's to the power within US...to become better. become what & who we want to become. Today's the day...live it!