Color Vibe Ogden 2012

Sometimes you just gotta let loose, get together with some good friends, and have fun!  That was the whole point of this run for me.  I really wasn't sure what to expect going into a The Color Vibe Run.  When I was describing it to people I felt a little stupid by saying that you dress in white and then people throw colored cornstarch at you.  Doesn't that sound like fun?  We decided to make some tutus to make it even more fun.  Last minute Heather texted me and said that she had a blond wig she was thinking about wearing.  It sounded like a riot to me so I ran to Shop Ko about 8 the night before and picked one up.  Good thing it's Halloween time.  I texted the other girls and it was set.  

Cyn, Heather, me, Mel, Jodi, and Audrey

It was chilly Saturday morning, but not too bad.  The autumn leaves were gorgeous on the mountainside behind us.  We got our sunglasses that were included with our t-shirt and readied ourselves for the start.  We went in waves to space out the runners a bit.  We were in the first wave and although we said we were running for fun, it still felt like we were moving along at a good pace. Especially considering the hills.  Man were there some hills.  We came upon the color stations one at a time, spread throughout the 3.1 miles and got blasted with color at each one.

The real fun began after the race was over.  There was a DJ and some great music for the big dance party that was happening.  We were covered with color but because it was layered it didn't have a well balanced look anymore.  Not to worry. At the end each person got a small packet of color and gathered into the crowd and on the count of 3 everyone released their color packet.  There were also big boxes of color that you could grab a handful or two of and let go into the air.  

my wig started having wardrobe malfunctions at this point.  My roots were really showing.  Side note:  I do not look good as a blond.  But I see how they really do have more fun!

I am pretty sure that I burned just as many calories dancing around at the after party as I did during the run.  My kids would have died from embarrassment at the way their mother was acting.  Which was exactly what I needed.

We hung around dancing for about an hour afterwards and had a blast!

My favorite picture of the whole day!

I would do this again in a heart beat!  One great thing about the Color Vibe series is that they give you free photo downloads that they take at the race.  Of course we needed to have more pictures than just that, but still, I think it's a nice touch.  Also, all kids under 7 were allowed to run for free.  It also benefits a local charity.  In this case they were giving money to an elementary school for their physical education program!

So what are you waiting for?!!  Click on that link and find one near you!  Check out their Facebook page too for more photos!

My tips for doing a color run would be:

1.  As you go through the color stations get as close to the people throwing as possible.  It was surprising how much color blew off just by running.  A direct hit produced the best color.

2.  Hold your breath or at least close your mouth when they throw it at you.  I didn't do this once and had a colorful mouth for a bit.  It's just cornstarch so it won't hurt you, but it doesn't taste really good.

3.  The sunglasses that were included were a great idea.  Protected the eyes and just looked cool.

4.  I noticed that the parts of my shirt that were sweaty kept the color on longer.  So if it was warm and not October, I'd consider spraying down parts of my shirt right before the run so that it would stick better.

5.  Bring a towel to put on your seats for on the way home.

Not knowing what to expect, I would have to say that it was so much more fun than I thought it would be.  I had been looking forward to it, but I had no idea what a great time I would have.  I'm sure it had something to do with the company I was with, but the music and the vibrant colors and acting like a kid again had to be the best part!

Anyone else done a color run? 

TWhat tips would you add to mine?

Fall running

Fall is such a great time to get outside and run.  The mornings and evenings are cool and crisp and the days still sunny and warm.  Autumn is my favorite season for so many reasons.

I love the sound of crunching leaves underfoot.  I love kicking through them while running.  I love the smells of dirt and rotting leaves.  I know it doesn't sound good but it really is!

The colors of fall are simply amazing.  I have trouble staying away from the trails this time of year.

 I took my husband out for a run last week in the evening and we both had a great time.  It got really chilly towards the end but it was just a good excuse to get hot chocolate afterwards.

Saturday was another 5K race to benefit the local women and children's shelter.  It's where I got my PR last year.  It's a good course and I was hopeful to maybe match it.

It was also the first hat and gloves run of the year. 

me, Jodi, and Heather 

me and Jodi after the race

They changed the route slightly from last year and I'd like to say that's why I didn't get a PR again.  But I'm sure that's not it.  I just wasn't feeling it last last week.  I didn't feel like dry heaving again and didn't push it until the last mile.  25:38 was my time.  Ten seconds longer than the week before. Still good enough for 1st in my age division.  It's funny that it wasn't really satisfying. 

One of the things I love about going to races is the vastly different people that are there.  I like to people watch.  Shoes are one of my favorite things to look at and it just happened that two very different shoes were right next to each other.  I don't judge.  I say, go with what works for you.  It's just interesting.  

Coming up:  A color run for me this Saturday.  Tutu is made and ready!

A review and giveaway next week of a great new product!  You're gonna want to come back for this one!

Time for some fun on the trails, winning a 5K, and an upcoming color run

After all the long trail runs this summer, which I have LOVED, I have been feeling a little burned out on running long.  So my runs lately have been shorter.  The intensity is still there, but I just don't feel like going on a long run.  And I have felt the pressure, that only I put on myself, come off.  As such I've really been enjoying myself.  I've still spent time on the trails and the fall beauty that is there for a few short weeks is spectacular.  In fact, I'm going to be sad when the color has faded because it is so gorgeous right now.  There are still trails I want to go on and I hope to get there before the color is all gone.

I also had a really fun time this weekend doing a local 5K for charity.  One of the really fun parts was that I won.  Yep, you read that right.  I took 1st place in the women's division and 6th place overall.  Mostly it was fun waiting for my kids to ask me if I won (because they always do...) and then answering to the affirmative.  That was great seeing the looks on their faces.  I am fully aware that this will never happen again and that it's only because the real racers were not there, but it was still kind of fun.  25:28.  Not even my best time, but it was kind of a tough course and I felt like I was pushing it pretty much the whole time.  There may have even been some dry heaving during the last 1/2 mile.  But I thought I might be the first woman and didn't want to lose my spot.  So I pushed it and just about puked.  Like I said, fun.

before the race

my goodies.  score! Best one...1lb. of Mrs. Cavenaugh's chocolate. 

Jodi took first in her age division.  

I also really cleaned up in the raffle winning a bunch of stuff worth around $90 not including my case of toilet paper that I won for 1st place.  Totally practical and even my favorite brand.

So what's next?  There's another 5K this weekend and then the next weekend a bunch of friends and I are going to do a color run.  So...we're making white tutus and wearing some funky knee socks and I'd like to find some 80's style sunglasses.  Plus, with a great group of friends, I know that we'll have a blast and come away very colorful!  Come join me if you can!

What's on your race calendar?
Any big races coming up?
Ever done a color run before?
Any tips for me?

The most important life lessons- Embracing the Suck yet again

Sometimes life gets in the way of regular posting and reading.  And I realize that it's o.k.  But every time I have sat down to write something it just seems trivial and unimportant.  While I try to separate my real life and my running lives into two different blogs, sometimes they mesh together.  Really, isn't that the whole point though, to take lessons I learn while running and apply them to real life?  That's what I'm trying to do everyday.  Few things teach me more life lessons than running.  So bear with me while I share some really personal experiences that have happened the last weeks and then maybe I'll be able to write again about the trivial things in life.

It takes a tragedy sometimes, to make you realize what's really important in life.  It's not that we don't really already know what's important.  It's just that it gets hidden and disguised by the busyness of everyday life.  My sister in law Mandi and her husband Jon had a beautiful baby girl 2 months ago.  It was a normal pregnancy.  We were all thrilled for her.  I remember just days before she had her that we talked about names and decor of the baby room.  It was also fun because another sister in law JaNae was also pregnant due about a month after.  I love all my nieces and nephews and love getting to hold them as newborns and watch them grow up.  

They knew right away that things were not right when little Scarlet was born.  She had trouble breathing on her own and couldn't swallow by herself.  But as the weeks went by and test after test was done, other things were discovered that were wrong and she wasn't getting better.  They transferred her to Primary Children's Hospital and almost immediately they had a diagnosis.  It wasn't good.  It was extremely rare and degenerative.  She was never coming home.  While we were sad, Mandi and Jon continued to amaze us and inspire us with their strength and faith.  And little Scarlet had a presence.  Boy, did her spirit radiate goodness, purity, and love.

Last week we got the news that the doctors had told them it was time.  Time to take their little baby off of everything keeping her alive.  I was shocked.  I didn't think it would come so soon.  And while little Scarlet was fading, things were not going to get better.  Only worse.  I could not imagine what they must be going through.  How do you make the decision to basically end your child's life?  How do you sit and hold your baby waiting for her to die?  I cried.  A lot.  Mostly for Mandi and Jon and what they were going through.  And not being able to do anything to relieve their suffering.  I've known Mandi since she was 12 years old.  I watched her grow up.  I watched her go through high school.  I watched her date losers.  And I watched her absolutely blossom when she married Jon.  She is one of the most beautiful people I know.  Both inside and out.  It hurt to see her look so tired; physically, mentally, and emotionally.  But spiritually, she was strong.  I knew they were going to be o.k.  No matter what they faced, they were going to be o.k. together.

Last Wednesday little Scarlet passed away.  It was heartbreaking.  Everything in my thoughts revolved around them.  Running became a time to cry alone behind my sunglasses.  Then and in the shower.  The tears were always there just under the surface.  Someone asked me about her when I was picking up the kids from ballet the day after she died and to my surprise I started sobbing.  It was unexpected that it was so close.  I was just so heartbroken.  I hugged my children a little tighter.  I savored each touch, each whisper, each "I love you".  Mandi never got to hear her little girl even cry.  She never heard her laugh.  Her arms were never wrapped around her neck.  And while all of this is beyond sad, I have great faith that the time will come when Mandi will hold her baby in her arms again.  I know that she will raise her and she will be her daughter forever.  I believe that her little body will be made perfect in the resurrection.  I believe that God is fair and just and all things will be made right in the eternities.  All experiences here will work together for our good.  It's hard to see now because we don't have the whole picture laid out in front of us.  But He knows.  He knows what challenges we need to grow.  Without this knowledge, I don't know if I would ever be able to be truly happy again.  

For a while now I've adopted Mike's mantra of Embrace the Suck.  It simply means that instead of looking for the easy way, I'm going to look for hard things in my life and then embrace them.  I quoted Jeffrey R. Holland a while ago where he said, "A life without problems or limitations or challenges - "life without opposition in all things" as Lehi phrased it - would paradoxically but in very fact be less rewarding and less ennobling than one which confronts - even frequently confronts - difficulty and disappointment and sorrow."  So instead of avoiding hills, I seek them out and run them.  When I had my stress fracture, I tried to embrace that experience and learn from it.  And I know that when I do, I grow.  It's never easy or fun to go through hard times, but it seems that during those hard times, that is when we grow the most, re evaluate what is really important in our lives, and when we can feel the love of God the most.  But only if we open our hearts enough to let Him in.  It's easy to see how someone could become bitter and close everyone out. And you could say, rightfully so.  It would be easy to never run again because it's too hard.  But in both running and in life, if we can learn from the hard times and open our hearts, we will be better for it.  We will grow and in turn be able to help others through their hard times.  

Kristen Armstrong has a quote that goes along perfectly with this. “I'm glad to be here right now, poking at my threshold. I want to get more comfortable being uncomfortable. I want to get more confident being uncertain. I don't want to shrink back just because something isn't easy. I want to push back, and make more room in the area between I can't and I can. Maybe that spot is called I will.” And I know that when I get to the place where I have done all I can, that the Lord is there and He will take over.  Running for me has been a divinely physical, mental, and spiritual journey.  More than any other lesson taught, I have learned that I can do more than I thought I could.  And when I feel like I can't take another step, somehow I'm able to.  It might be slower than the first but it's still a step.  I have felt divine help more than once during a run and it translates into the rest of my life.  When times are tough, and I want them to be tough, I can keep going.  And when I feel like I've taken my last step and I've done all that I can do, He will lift my heavy load and He will carry me.  

While I would never wish for a challenge like my Mandi has behind her and in front of her, I am envious of the love that she feels and the spiritual events that she's witnessed.  It's rare that heaven feels so close.  And it's only because she has allowed it in.  She has embraced the suck in a truly magnificent way.  I admire her and Jon so much.  They are pillars of strength.  They are great examples to me.  I hope that when more hard times come my way that I will have learned enough to be like them.  

It got me thinking about hills and doing things that make me uncomfortable while running.  You don't have to have an injury or have things happen during a race that are out of your control, to embrace the suck.  So how does that apply in real life?  I don't think we have to wait for a tragedy or something hard to come along to embrace the suck in life.  We all have challenges in life, big and small.  I think that by working through those challenges with a smile and with gratitude we are embracing the suck and in turn it makes us stronger and more prepared to handle the big things in life.  And like the hills I seek out now, I can sacrifice more of my time to studying, prayer, and service to others.  Sacrifice.  With a smile.  That's embracing the suck in real life.   

A 14 mile trail run in Millcreek canyon

For a couple of months now my brother has been trying to get me to run down in Salt Lake with him up Millcreek canyon.  It has been such a busy summer that I couldn't do it until last weekend.  And I'm so glad that I did.  It was beautiful.  

We saw 3 lakes while on our run.  The weather was perfect, cool and sunny.

 The autumn leaves are starting to come out and we had great views of them.

This was the wake up call that my body has not completely recovered from the 50K.  My calves were tight the whole way up and my body just felt tired.  I don't know what I was expecting.  I plan on keeping my runs short until everything feels good again. 

My brother and me

I was so excited that Heather got to join us for the run as well.  It seems like it's been a while since we've run together and I've missed our time together!

Hollie, Fast Cory's sister also joined us for the run.  She's training for her first marathon in a couple of weeks.  You can tell she's Cory's sister by her great sense of humor.  I enjoyed listening to her tales of pacing Cory during his 100 miler last year.  I hope to get to run with her again soon and look forward to hearing all about her first marathon!  There's nothing like your first!

We had run on some pretty technical stuff.  Lots of rocks and roots.  It felt like an obstacle course a lot of the time.  But I was pretty proud of myself for not falling.  I'm kind of infamous for tripping and catching myself several times during trail runs and even going down a few times.  So after we got on the nice soft dirt covered in pine needles, I must have let down my guard a little.  I tripped on a tree root and went down.  In my mind it was really graceful.  More like a somersault.  But in reality, it probably looked like a face plant.  I wiped myself off and went on our way.

About 5 minutes later Heather went down.  And being the good friend I am I took her picture before helping her up.  :)

It looked like an enchanted forest much of the time. It was really really beautiful.  It was busy though.  Especially towards the end.  I am used to not seeing a single soul on the trails and we were passing people and their dogs the entire time.  Crazy busy.

As we were on the way home, we stopped for some lunch and it was here that I realized that I still had quite a bit of dirt on my face.  No wonder people were asking me if I had fallen.  What a day...