16 miles turned to 20

On Friday Steph and I were planning our Saturday long run and we decided that since the weather wasn't looking too crazy and the air was clear we needed to run outside.  We've been doing all of our runs on the treadmill and while I'm grateful for the treadmill when its freezing, snowing and dark  it doesn't quite compare to running outside with running friends!  Josh said they (the Jo's) were running 20 miles in Provo Canyon in the morning so we decided to join them.  When I picked Steph up at 5:45 on Saturday morning we decided that we would run 16 since we'd done 20 last week and wanted to be smart and have a cut back week.  When we met up with Josh and Heather we told them of our plan and set off on our run.  The weather was perfect...40 degrees and just a slight wind.  We had to stop and take a layer off then we headed up the canyon.  We started hitting some icy spots and were reconsidering our route when 2 familiar fellas came around the corner, it happened to be Mike and Paul, a couple other running friends.  They said it was really icy so we decided to head to the Murdock Canal trail with them, and boy did we make the right choice!  Mike runs on that trail all the time and it is the perfect place to run!  

This is after we climbed a fence and got to run in the snow for a few minutes.

Our photo op when Lil Mama couldn't contain her giggles. Mike, Steph, Me, and Josh

Me running through this cool pipe.

We finally got Steph settled down and took this fine selfie of our group.  After this, Josh said we'll need to turn around in 3/4 a mile and at that point Steph and I realized we were in for the long haul and our 16 miles had just turned into 20, its a good thing we packed plenty of water and Skittles!  We ended up having an amazing run and I was so grateful for great friends to run with, having a lot of laughs and good chats, and that Steph was feeling her music and sang some good jams for me :)  At the end of our run Steph and I realized how sore and tired our legs were and we promised we'd each do a ten minute ice bath when we got home.  I'd have to say this was the coldest, most painful ice bath I've ever forced myself to do, but I think it really helped!  

I left my PRO Compression low socks on from my run to try to keep my feet from freezing and falling off.  If you need some amazing compression socks or sleeves go to their website and use the code FEB14 at checkout for 40% off and free shipping #keepittight 

New Years Fun Run and PRO Compression Valentines Socks!

This post is a little late but as I looked through my pictures I saw these and had to document this fun New Years Day run!  Steph and I decided that to properly celebrate the end of 2013 and the beginning of a new year we needed to run 13 miles for 2013 and 14 miles for 2014.  On New Years Eve eve we did the 13 miles at the gym on the treadmill, then on New Years Day we dragged our tired self's out of bed too early and joined the Jo's-Jorge+Heather for a lovely 14 miles run around the city.  It ended up being a poor choice because the air quality was horrendous but with the gym not opening until 8 we didn't have much of a choice.  We started up Hobble Creek Canyon and it was quite nice and about 30 degrees.  

This is where we came out of the canyon and the Jo's ended with 8 miles so we took some selfies and carried on.  When we hit this point the temperature dropped to 20 degrees and the air was so yucky we could taste it.  We were determined to get our 14 miles, which we did, but by the time we finished our bodies were not feeling good.  Our throats were burning and we just didn't feel right.  I guess that's what happens when you are basically smoking and running because the inversion is so bad!  I fought off a cold after this run but Steph ended up getting pretty sick so we've learned not to run and smoke ever again!!!!  I so love running outside with my little RBFF Steph and I've missed our fun runs this winter.  We've spent a good deal of the winter running on the tready at the gym trying to be smart and not get the black lung!  I am so looking forward to Spring, lighter mornings and clean air so we can run about the city and have fun once again!     

And just for your FYI these are the cutest stockings I've ever seen!  I NEED these new Valentines ProCompression Marathon socks in my life!

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Jingle Bell Run

Today was Rachelle's 2nd Annual Christmas Fun Run.  We ran it last year and it was my very favorite run of the whole year! When I opened my garage to leave home at 6:30 I was quite surprised to see it snowing!!!  At first I was nervous to slip and slide all over the place but we were brave and still went. With the cold and darkness in the mornings I have been banished to treadmill running and have been excitedly looking forward to a wonderful run about the city and what made it even better was dressing up and running in the SNOW with my RBFF!! We arrived a little early and ran a couple miles before we all met up in front of Kneaders.  This picture isn't great but its all I have of Steph and I before we started running.

  

This is most of the group before we started.  There were tons of runners at all different paces. Steph and I bought some fancy elf costumes at Target and wore our holiday socks from PRO Compression.  We were the jolliest little elves around and we jingled and jangled all over town! I was wondering why we were running alone....maybe our jingle bells were a little annoying!  We didn't care though, we decided we were the Holiday Cheermeisters and used our special elf powers to bring holiday cheer to everyone!

 I love the Provo River Trail but it got super hard running through the snow and ice, up hill.  Once we hit about 6 miles we decided to bring holiday cheer to all of Provo and Orem so we turned around and headed toward town. Cars were honking and waving and there were even a few people that pulled over just to take a picture of the two deranged elves that surely escaped the North Pole! We waved and yelled "Merry Christmas" to anyone that looked at us with a confused look on their face!  

One of my favorite things was when a car drove by and Santa was hanging out the window waving at us!  We really wanted him to stop and take a picture with us but I'm sure he was in a hurry to get back to the North Pole! We were pretty sure he was the same Santa we saw last year on our run! 

I love this picture of our Elfie feet and holiday stockings! These little shoe covers saved our feet from freezing and getting soaking wet.  Everyone else stopped at Kneaders for french toast but we decided to keep on going.  We ended up with 16.20 miles, we really wanted to keep going but decided to listen to our sore, tired legs and be responsible mama's and get back to our kidlets. I'm sure people thought we were being hazed or had lost a bet, two grown women  running around dressed as elves! Sometimes its fun to take life a little less seriously and make a fool out of yourself and just have fun and I'm so grateful I got to do that today, it made my whole Christmas!  I loved this run and can't wait for next year!  

Three Things Thursday

This is a very random post but I'm pretty random so here are three things I want to share today!

1. We had our good friends, The Anderson's, over for dinner and Gingerbread house making Sunday night.  We had so much fun creating, laughing and consuming way too much sugar!  I think the adults had more fun then the kids! 

  

2. If you want to do a KILLER leg workout go check out Steph's Blog, we made some little videos to show  how to do each workout properly, she's one tough lil Mama! I'll warn you though, you are going to be sore!  After that awesome leg workout we tried out a treadmill hill workout that nearly killed us off! I warmed up for 2 miles then set the treadmill to 7 mph and started the hill climb.  After each hill repeat I lowered the treadmill to recover for a minute. Towards the end I had to jump on the sides to catch my breath.  Once the hill workout was done I lowered the treadmill and ran at 7.5 mph for a couple of miles.

I got this workout on Instagram from @sweat4sweets

Then for a little recovery I did a quick little stretch and once I showered I put on my favorite compression gear, my Aspaeris Pivot Shorts and PRO Compression Marathon socks.  I received a couple of surprises in the mail from these companies and am so excited to try them out. 

If you go to their Facebook pages they both have 40% off sales and you can get your favorite runner a great gift for Christmas! 

3. I love this picture of Jackson and Jorge at our family Christmas party on Saturday.  Jorge is working in Canada and we had the privilege of having him home for the weekend and we couldn't get enough of him!  He is an amazing husband and dad and we are so lucky and grateful he's ours!  We miss him like crazy and can't wait for him to come home for Christmas!

  

2 Long Runs

Can I just say that I LOVE long runs, like a lot!  Ever since I started training for my first marathon long run Saturdays have always been my absolute favorite run of the week!  People always wonder what we're training for but we just love to run!  I love the preparation and planning the day before a long run.  I love running in a group or with my RBFF Steph. We run, talk, laugh, cry and share so much in those hours of running.  It is so much fun!  Whether I'm feeling great or having a hard run nothing quite beats the feeling of accomplishment after pushing your body beyond what you thought possible both physically and mentally!

 

 We did a big group run and ran the Thankful 13 course.  We got lost for a minute and the rest of the group turned around, but Steph, Josh and I stuck it out and had a great 14 mile run in the snow!

 

Last Saturday Jorge, Josh, Steph and I drove up the right hand fork of Hobble Creek Canyon and ran down the canyon, then into Mapleton and made our way home!  We dedicated that run as our virtual 5k x 5 for the Philippines, it was an awesome run!  Our long run will be this Thursday when we pace the Thankful 13 1/2 Marathon.  What better way to earn your turkey on Thanksgiving!

17.5 Beautiful Fall Miles

I so look forward to running in the fall all year long, it is my absolute favorite time of year to run.  Its chilly at the start and warms up at the end.  Since it gets light so late in the morning my week day runs have been on the treadmill for the last few weeks, I'm a wimp, I dislike running in the dark and cold!  Saturdays are extra exciting because that usually means a long run, later start and running OUTSIDE!!! Yesterday Stephanie and I headed out at 7 with no real plan in mind other then a long, slower run.  Both of us had very tired and sore legs so we just needed to take it easy.  On Friday I took a drive up Hobble Creek Canyon and was pleasantly surprised to see that they had fixed and repaved the running trail so we decided to head up that way.

 We just cruised along and enjoyed the beautiful morning and chatted away. I kept saying how much I loved it and how beautiful the morning was! Its so nice to have a close friend to run and talk with, the miles just flew by!

 Can you tell we've missed our beautiful canyon and running trail!? We took turns kissing the beloved trail that we have looked forward to running on for months!  A little strange, I know!

I don't quite know why this wrecking ball is painted like a jack o lantern but it sure made our day and if Steph had been a little taller she would have jumped right on that thing!!! We decided that whoever owns this wrecking ball needs to paint it for each holiday...turkey, Santa, cupid, you get the idea! 

I hate posing, I feel like a dork, but had to show off my fancy PRO Compression socks and arm sleeves! The arm sleeves are a new product and once it warmed up and I had to take off my jacket they kept my arms nice and warm!

We ended up running 17.5 miles which is the most we have ran on a long run, at our pace, in months. It felt good to push through what we thought was possible at the end to get those last miles in.  The last few months we trained our boys to run the Haunted Half Marathon, you can check out Steph's awesome race recap on her blog runlilmamarun of the adventure of the day and how our boys did!  We would go run 10-12 miles on our own then hurry home to get the boys to do their long run.  We both have LOVED running with our boys, they decided that their little bodies needed some time off for a little while. So yesterday it was so fun to set out without a plan and just run all over Springville and Mapleton until our legs said they were done!  It is amazing what our bodies can do and I'm so grateful to be able to run and to have Steph be such an amazing friend and running buddy to me!  I am feeling truly blessed today!  I know not everyone runs or has a desire to run but it is what I love to do and it has enriched my life so much!  I have met some of my closest friends through running that I wouldn't have met otherwise and I am so grateful for that!  I am looking forward to blogging more and sharing more fun adventures and some healthy recipes in the weeks to come!

Remebering Boston

Today I have been thinking a lot about what happened in Boston yesterday.  I am so saddened that someone would do such a horrible thing! I am so overwhelmed with gratitude for the experience I was able to have there last year.  We went on an amazing trip to New York and Boston with our great friends Jake and Steph, so Steph and I could run the marathon.  I had been thinking about that fun trip and wishing I was there all day yesterday and was shocked when I turned on the news to see what happened.  I was so grateful Steph and I were home safe and sound!  Last year it was almost 90 degrees when we finished.  We felt like death and had a very hard race but I'll take that experience any day  over what happened yesterday.  My heart goes out to those families that have been affected by the tragic events yesterday.

 

Steph and I before the race.  It was already hot at 8 am.

 

 After the race, we survived, just barely!

 

 

My favorite running jewelry that reminds me of Boston and the experiences we had there.

 

 Today I wore my Boston Marathon shirt in remembrance of all of the people in Boston.

I hope that everyone can come together and help those affected by the bombings and that nothing that horrible will happen to any more races.  It has me quite nervous for the Salt Lake 1/2 and full that Jorge, Steph, and I are all running this Saturday. I hope and pray we will all be safe and that we can all run in rememberance of the people who were killed and injured in Boston yesterday.