Run For Clean Water 5K Results

All the 5K participants

I registered for the Run For Clean Water 5K at Wheeler Farm about three weeks prior to the event. Come race week, the website showed about 100 folks signed up. But come Friday before the race, the snow began to fall. On Saturday morning, we had two feet (TWO FEET!) of fresh snow on the ground. A little snow never deters my plans so I still showed up for the run. Apparently 16 other runners and I were the only ones up to the task of breaking trail for the three miler. It was a really slow run for me; I ended up finishing in 33:00.

Snow Canyon Half Marathon Results

My 15th and final half marathon was the Snow Canyon Half in St. George. Again, my team was pacing the event so I snagged the 2:00 spot for this run. The course is a phenomenal, all downhill run--very similar in drop to the Timpanogos Half. Our group came in right on time with a 1:59:36 finish!

**Stayed tuned for upcoming posts on my latest 5Ks, and our Thanksgiving trip to Costa Rica!**

Cedar Breaks National Monument

After I finished yet another 13.1 miler, Troy met me in Provo for a weekend getaway. In May I began teaching private Pilates clients at the Waldorf in Park City so Troy thought it was about time we took advantage of my ridiculously low hotel rates. The week of my Provo race, Troy surprised me with a weekend at Brianhead Ski Resort. So enjoy some pics of our time in Brianhead and hiking at the nearby Cedar Breaks National Monument.

**Costa Rica in one week!**

Provo Halloween Half Marathon Results

My awesome pacing team was asked to pace the Provo Halloween Half for the second year in a row. I ran the inaugural Provo Halloween three years ago, but for some unknown reason I hadn't gone back for another beautiful run down Provo Canyon. But thanks to my fabulous team, I was able to bust out my Princess Leia costume, and enjoy a free race. I opted to lead the 2:20 group for this event, and I'm sure it goes without saying that I got them in right on time. :)

The Other Half Marathon Results

After the Haunted Half, I drove down to Moab to pace The Other Half on Sunday. I was originally lined up to lead the 2:10 group, but when our team was in need of a last-minute 3:00 pacer, I switched groups. I've personally never run a 3:00 half, but I got my crew in right on time!

Haunted Half Marathon Results

October 20th I ran the Haunted Half. This half marathon started in Emigration Canyon, climbed through Research Park, and finished in Memory Grove. I didn't push hard in this race since I had to pace a half the very next day. There were some kinks in the race, but that can be expected with inaugural events. I ended with a time of 2:16.

Utah Open Taekwondo Championships

First off, I apologize for the quality of the above photo--I snapped it from my phone. I competed in the second annual Utah Open earlier this month. I usually compete in forms and sparring, but since I had tickets to the afternoon BYU game, I opted to compete in the morning events. A gal has to have priorities, right? :)  Sparring is always last in the competition, and can easily run well into the evening. So this year I signed up for board breaking and forms.

The competition went really well, and I walked away with two first place wins! Yay! So far in my Taekwondo training, I've competed in three tournaments (seven events total). To date I've earned five first place wins, and two second place wins. I'm on a roll!

Stampede 5K Results

The Hogle Zoo's fundraiser 5K was the week after Big Cottonwood. I could feel some lingering inflammation in my knee from the marathon, but that didn't deter me from racing the 5K. This 3.1 miler was pretty hilly, but I ended up snagging a 23:28 finish. Not a PR for me, but honestly I wouldn't expect a 5K PR after running two marathons within the same month.

Big Cottonwood Marathon Results

I ran the inaugural Big Cottonwood Marathon on September 21st. This run ended up being a mere 14 days after I ran the Little Grand Canyon Marathon. This is the closest I've ever scheduled my marathons--usually I have at least a month in between.

I've realized my biggest issue with marathon running is my caloric intake. I definitely don't take in enough calories, which ends up leaving me totally depleted around mile 20. I've been mindful of this during my training runs, and have been tinkering with my nutrition. I feel the changes really worked well for me during Big Cottonwood, and I completely avoided the bonk during the last 6 miles! I ended up finishing the marathon in 4:38.

I've been scouting out an ideal marathon for a big goal I'm working on in 2013, and I've decided Big Cottonwood is going to be it. So stayed tuned, my friends. Come September 2013, I hope to have a big announcement!

Little Grand Canyon Marathon Results

2011 Little Grand Canyon Course

I first ran the Little Grand Canyon Marathon in 2011. It was my favorite race last year so for me there was no question that I wanted to run it again this year. But after Desi got sick on Tuesday, and eventually passed away the Friday morning before the race, I thought I would have to take a pass on LGC. I was mentally and physically exhausted from staying up all night with Desi, and dealing with her passing. Compound that with working a 60+ hour work week, and I was in no mood to pound out 26.2 miles. It wasn't until late Friday evening that Troy and I both agreed a change of scenery would do me good. I threw my stuff in the car, and at 6:00 PM, drove down to Price.

LGC starts in Huntington, Utah, and runs deep into the heart of the San Rafael Swell. The course is open to traffic so this year my amazing parents decided they wanted to come see how a marathon works. They pulled up along side me at mile 20 with a nice, cold drink and snacks. I wasn't running for time so I took my time chatting with my folks, and enjoying my beverage at each mile marker. At mile 24 we took a little detour from the course to check out the Buckhorn Wash Panel. I ended up completing the course in 5:18.

This really is a stunning course so I'm glad I didn't end up skipping it. I do have plenty of pics from the race, but of course they're being held hostage on my parents' camera. :) I'm sure I'll have to wait until I make my way to Price again to retrieve them. So check out this post again after Thanksgiving for some pics of my time in San Rafael.

Desi

This is a hard post to write so I'll keep it brief. During the first week of September my sweet Desi passed away. It came without much warning. That Tuesday she began to have seizures -- the same condition that affected her sister, Lucy, at the end of her life. I knew then Desi's time with us would be brief, but I didn't realize how quickly she would slip away. When Lucy began to have seizures, they were infrequent, and she ended up passing away about three months after her first episode. Desi didn't even make it 48 hours. The seizures hit her hard, and come Thursday we knew she wouldn't make it through the day. Troy and I stayed up all night with her as her breathing became irregular. Come morning, she had the look like she knew it was time to go. She walked over to my side of the bed, the place where she slept every night, and laid down. Within a few minutes she was gone.

We adopted our Corgis from Friends Of Animals when they were 12 years old. Their previous owner, Jean, had passed away, leaving the two sisters without a home. Troy and I received them through our fostering program, but after a week of having those two at our house, we were hooked. We promptly filled out the paperwork, and made them official residents of the Madsen home.

The Corgis instantly became my little shadows. Wherever I went, there were eight stubby, quick-moving legs close behind. I couldn't even shower without two black noses pressed against the shower door. :)  It didn't take them long to realize the love went both ways. Whenever they passed through the garage they would plop down next to my car knowing I'd load them up, and take them for a ride to get a treat. This eventually became a move they would pull three to four times a day, and the routine carried on for two years.

And now, a month since Desi passed away and eight months since Lucy left, I still miss them every day. But as hard as it is to let go of the best dogs I've ever known, I know they're happy to see each other again.

Funky 5K Results

My weeks of speed work paid off at the Funky 5K this Labor Day. I set a new PR of 23:06 (7:27 min/mile). Wowzers! I can scratch the sub-25:00 5K off my 2012 goal list. Now I can set my sights on breaking that 20 minute mark. :)

Top Of Utah Half Marathon Results

Molly and I enjoying the TOU finish line

My super, duper amazing pacing team landed the gig for the Top Of Utah Half Marathon. I signed up to pace a leisurely 2:20. This is a ridiculously easy course--a great run if any of you are looking for a PR. I crossed the finish line at 2:19:40--just 20 seconds away from my goal time. Woohoo!

**Next Taekwondo tournament in 30 days!**

Porter's Half Marathon Results

Porter's Half Marathon Route

August 18th was the inaugural Porter's Half Marathon. I finished the 13.1 in 1:57 (8:55 min/mile). Not my fastest run, but not too shabby either. This is an absolutely gorgeous and well organized event. I will definitely put in on my schedule to run again in 2013.

Provo River Trail Half Marathon Results

My gym regiment has been less than stellar this past week. I've been busy getting things ready for a new job, and we're currently in the middle of a remodel (more on both of these later). Instead of my usual daily gym sessions, I've only managed to squeeze in about three workouts this past week. Once Saturday rolled around, I could tell my slacking had caught up with me!

Provo River Trail Elevation Profile

The Provo River Trail Half is a pretty easy course. It contains just over 1,100 feet ascent, and more than 2,200 feet descent. It is beautiful run from South Fork in Provo Canyon to the Shops @ Riverwoods on University Parkway.

Beautiful scenery aside, this race has a few logistical issues. First there was the lack of transportation. The website and emails received prior to the event state the last bus will leave at 5:30. So I arrived in Provo around 5:10 only to have to wait in line until 6:30 for a bus to arrive. Now I've experienced this same issue twice before with inaugural races, but this shouldn't be an issue with a race that has run as long as Provo River (15+ years).

Secondly, there should ample port-a-potties provided at the start line. Thank goodness I did not have to use the restroom because those poor saps were stuck in insanely long lines. There were six port-a-potties provided, and moments before the gun fired, there were still 37 people standing in line. If any of you were curious, yes I was nerdy enough to count. :)

The last thing I'll touch on is aid station placement. All half marathon will have water/Gatorade provided every two miles usually after the three mile mark, the exception to this being if it's not physically possible to provide an aid station, e.g. trail races. During the Provo River Trail, we hit a water station at about mile 2.5. When the runner next to me asked about Gatorade, which I too was interested in, we were told "just ahead". Little did I know "just ahead" means mile 4.7. Once we exited the canyon after mile 7, the aid stations did begin to offer both drinks together, but the spacing was still off.

And to wrap it all up, I didn't even receive an official time! I won't dock the race organizers for this as timing companies are a separate entity, but still, not cool. I'm relying on my Garmin to tell me how I did, and it read 2:06 (9:37 min/mile).

**Next half in 7 days**
**Next paced half in 14 days**

Timpanogos Half Marathon Results

The Timpanogos Half Marathon marks the half way point of my racing season. Yesterday was my 15th race completed in 2012, and if everything goes as planned in the upcoming months, I should log approximately 15 more events between my own personal racing and pacing.

When I turned off my alarm at 2:05 Saturday morning, it hit me -- I was burnt out. It's my own fault, really. I wasn't able to take my Friday afternoon nap -- a pre-race ritual for any run that requires me to roll out of bed before 5 AM. To compound my lack of sleep, I stayed out way too late Friday night to go to dinner and a concert with friends. So by the time I arrived at Timpanogos, I was running on less than two hours of sleep.

The first eight miles of Timpanogos run down American Fork Canyon -- the same canyon I ran down for the American Fork Half. My game plan to beat my American Fork PR was to tackle these eight miles faster since the last part of Timpanogos is slightly hiller than AF. By the time I arrived at mile three, I realized I just wasn't able to beat my AF pace. I was becoming discouraged that my pace was about 20 seconds per mile slower than AF, and I just didn't have it in me to push harder. At this point I let go of aiming for the PR, stopped glancing at my watch, and just ran by how I felt.

Timpanogos Half Course Map

I was approaching the last mile before I looked at my watch again. I was right on track for a PR! I kept mile 13 at a comfortable 8:23 pace, then sprinted the last .1 at a 5:30 pace. I finished in 1:51:21 -- over a minute faster than American Fork.

My Timpanogos splits:
8:50
8:47
8:25
8:13
8:10
7:48
8:03
8:33
9:08
8:37
8:41
9:23
8:23
5:30

After reviewing my Garmin stats, I realized I did keep an overall pretty steady pace. Aid station stops accounted for 17 seconds of walking, but besides that, I did not take a single walking break.

I had thought about attending a free 5K this weekend, but it's probably best to skip a race, and spend my Saturday boxing or at Taekwondo instead. I need to reenergize for the Provo River Trail Half in two weeks!

Deseret News 10K Results

My third year running the Deseret News 10K went really well. I didn't push too hard during yesterday's race since I'm aiming to PR at the Timpanogos Half Marathon in three days (fingers crossed!).

My splits for the 10K were as followed:
8:29
8:08
8:43
8:51
8:24
8:36
8:00

I had a total of 7 seconds walked during the entire race (one aid station stop), and I crossed that finish line in 53:10! That is 5 minutes and 32 seconds faster than last year's time!

**Taekwondo belt promotion in three days**
**South America in three months**

Friends Of Animals 5K Results

Me and our FOA adoptee, Desi.

I PR'ed at the Friends of Animals 5K yesterday. 25:19! My year's goal is close!

**Post script: I just learned I placed second in my age group!**

Hobbler Half Marathon Results

I tackled the Hobbler Half Marathon last week for the first time. The course looked like a pretty easy, downhill run so my goal going into this race was to try and match my half marathon PR of 1:52. Since this route is not nearly as steep as American Fork (where I set my PR), I knew I'd have to push harder to hit that mark. 

When we finally started the run, I realized the course was not nearly as downhill as the map led me to believe. Yes, we were continually losing elevation, but the course rolls...a lot! Below is the map from my Garmin.

About two miles in I realized a 1:52 finish was going to be a bit lofty, so I reevaluated, and decided a sub 2:00 hour finish would be more obtainable.

My splits were as followed:
8:59
8:27
8:39
8:59
8:59
8:56
8:51
9:25
9:48
9:17
9:44
9:03
10:20
7:21

I came across the finish line at 2:00:47. Blast! I was 47 seconds over. Overall, this was a pretty fun race. Yes, I had gone into Hobbler thinking it was going to be easier, but now that I know the course, I would definitely try it again. Next year it's on, Hobbler!

Foster Care: Year 3, Months 4-6

With all our travel earlier this year, our fostering became a little hit or miss. We've been getting back on track, though, and in the last three months, we've taken in the following three dogs:

Dude (Corgi/Heeler)

Murphy (Bichon mix)

Rex (Pit Bull/Pointer puppy)

We're proud to say these three have all been placed in a forever home, and we'll be picking up our next foster this weekend!

American Fork Half Marathon Results...Plus A New Toy!

Rocking the AF finish line with Kristen

The American Fork Half Marathon was the race I was most looking forward to this year. It is a downhill course with about 1,900 feet lost. Last year I completed this course in 2:05 (9:32 min/mile) so this year I set the goal to break the two hour mark.

My awesome pacing team was running AF so even though I opted to race instead of pace, I snagged an extra 1:55 pace bracelet from our director. This bracelet takes into account the course elevation, and gives me a breakdown of what time I should arrive at each mile. Having run this race before, I knew the bulk of the downhill is in the first eight miles. My strategy was to build up a nice cushion in those eight miles so I'd have extra time for aid stations and hills at the end of the course. By the time I had hit mile eight, I was five minutes ahead of schedule. I used the bulk of my cushion to walk the few little climbs. Even with three minutes of walking, I'm proud to say I met my goal, and finished the race in 1:52 (8:32 min/mile)! I didn't doubt I could beat the 2 hour mark, but I wasn't positive I could beat it by 8 minutes. Since I still have oodles of half marathons left, I've adjusted my 2012 goal. I now plan to have a half marathon finish in the 1:40 range by the end of the year.

And now time to introduce my new toy!

I've been wanting a road bike for years, but I just couldn't bring myself to take the financial plunge. A few weeks ago, though, my uber triathlete friend let me know she was in the market for a new bike, and would be getting rid of her Diamondback Podium 1. I was thrilled! So this bad boy is now part of my bike collection. I don't have to do duathlons on my mountain bike anymore! :) So in 2013 part of my fitness goals will be tackling another duathlon, and completing a century race!

Wasatch Back Ragnar Results

A bunch of my pacing buddies and I got together to run the Wasatch Back Ragnar. I'll admit I've always wanted to run Ragnar, but trying to find 11 friends who are crazy enough to commit two full days to running 200 miles can be tough. Luckily, now that I'm part of a pacing team, crazy runners are easy to come by. :)

Each runner has to run three legs. The lengths vary, but the total milage of the relay is just shy of 200 miles. Here are the breakdowns of my runs:

Leg #1: Leg one was early afternoon on Friday. The temperatures were in the triple digits so I went a tad slower than usual. I finished my 3.4 mile run in 30 minutes (8:49 min/mile).

Leg #2: I started leg two around 10 PM on Friday. This was my longest leg, but also the one I was most looking forward to because it was primarily downhill. I finished the 7.8 miles in 59 minutes (7.3 min/mile).

Leg #3: My final leg started just after 9 AM on Saturday. I was able to snag about three hours of sleep, which is about 2.5 hours more than my van mates. :) I thought I was feeling good, but about three miles in the fatigue set in. At that point I couldn't deny I was tired, my legs were heavy, and I needed more to nosh on than the protein bar I choked down for breakfast. I finished my 5.5 mile run in 56 minutes (10.1 min/mile).

Overall I had an absolute blast at Ragnar. It was so fun to get to know my pacing buddies better, and make some new friends. If I have the chance to do it again next year, I will do it in a heartbeat. This race combines all my favorite things: running, friends, and sleeping under the stars. :)

My team was estimated to finish the 200 miles in 32 hours. I'm proud to say Inadvertent Voodoo came in at 31 hours and 37 minutes!

Fourth Year Anniversary

Troy and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary last week with a wonderful dinner at The Riverhorse. I don't like to share too much personal info on this blog, but I will say I am extremely thankful for my husband. He is wonderful man whom I love very much, and I look forward to sharing many more anniversaries with him.

Range Creek, Utah

Vacation #4 was a camping trip in Range Creek. Two years ago, Troy got the gig as the medical director for the University of Utah's archaeology team. Last year we spent a whopping ten days in Range Creek learning how to document pictographs, excavate pit houses, and screen dirt for fragments. This year we unfortunately only had three days to spare in Range Creek, but we able to take part in a bunch of new training. We attended archeology and geology lectures, nature walks with a botanist, GPS training, and cartography workshops. It was so much fun! We are trying to line up a few more days in July to go back. Honestly I can't get enough of Range Creek!

Memorial Day Half Marathon Results

It was just two days after the Timpanogos Half Marathon that I tackled the Memorial Day Half. My legs were still pretty shot after the rugged Timpanogos race so I approached this flat out and back course as a leisurely run.

I kept a pretty steady pace for the first 10 miles or so. It was at that point I noticed the runner in front of me was starting to struggle. She'd sprint ahead then double over to catch her breath. I think any runner out there can empathize with this. There are races that are great, and ones that ... well, stink. Mile 11 of the Memorial Half brings you right up to the finish line, but then you have to take a sharp left to loop around the park to the back side of the finish line. I remember this mentally destroyed me the first time I ran this race (this year was my third year) because it's so hard to run away from the finish line when it's so close!

And it obviously defeated the runner in front of me. As soon as we turned left away from the finish, she grabbed her hips, dropped her head, and looked like she was about to cry. I felt for her -- I'll admit there's been a time or two I've had to choke back a few tears. I approached her, introduced myself, and said let's finish off these last few miles together. I kept her updated about our current pace and distance remaining as we pounded out those last two miles. Even with slowing down on those last two miles, I finished in 2:12. Not as fast as usual, but I got to do a little pacing and made a new friend. ;)

Timpanogos Trail Half Marathon Results

Timpanogos Trail was my first all-trail race. This course was pretty challenging with a total of 2,400 feet elevation gain. I knew I was going to be quite a bit slower on this run than my usual half marathons -- the organizer's website says to expect this course will take you at least 50% longer to complete than a normal half. With this recommendation in mind, I planned to spend over three hours on the course. I was quite pleased it only took me 3:15 to finish. As far as the race goes, this run was absolutely stunning. If any of you are in the market for a trail race, I'd highly recommend this one. I am planning on running my first ultra marathon this fall, and after Timpanogos, I'm leaning towards doing the 50K in October that follows this path. Yes, I really did love this run enough that I'd be willing to tack another 20 miles on to it. :)

27th Birthday

I celebrated my 27th birthday last month. My amazing hubby decorated the house with balloons, banners, streamers and flowers. He hooked me up with some awesome running gear (he knows me too well :), and took me out to a nice dinner at Butcher's Chophouse followed by The Ventures concert at the Egyptian Theater. I know I say it every single year, but it was the best birthday yet. :)

Thanks to everyone for all the phone calls, texts, and more! It was a great day.

Girls On The Run 5K Results

This May was my second time volunteering as a running buddy for Girls On The Run. Like last year, I volunteered with my former students at Whittier Elementary. I was lucky enough to be paired up with Hannah, the same 4th grader I ran with last fall. Hannah is awesome. She's a girl who doesn't like to lose. During one of our practice runs she told me, "I was in the school spelling bee, and I took first. I realize I really like winning trophies."

She's my kind of gal. :)

Our 5Ks are always held in Sugarhouse Park, which is a pretty hilly park. My buddy was so determined to win that she didn't take a single walking break, and we finished off those three miles in 34 minutes! Not too shabby for a fourth grader. Heck, that's not too shabby for most adults. :)

Chicago, Illinois

View from the Field Museum

We were home for less than a week, just enough time to see my little brother graduate from the University of Utah, before Troy and I boarded a plane again. Our third vacation was a quick three-day adventure in Chicago. Troy had a conference to attend our first day in Chicago, but we were able to get some fun in. By the time we returned to Utah, Troy and I had spent 14 of the last 17 days on the road. We are ready to stay put for awhile! 

**Range Creek in two weeks**

**South America in five months**

Provo City Half Marathon Results

I had originally planned to do the full marathon for Provo City, but the Salt Lake Marathon caused some tendonitis to flare up in my knee. I must say I consider myself pretty lucky that tendonitis is the only injury I've ever faced, but I made the mistake last year of pushing through a race when my knee was nagging me. This year I'm trying to do better at listening to my body, and frankly I don't want to spent another few months babying my knee, especially this early in the running season. So when Provo City finally rolled around, a mere 14 days after Salt Lake, I chose to switch categories to the half marathon. The course is easy -- a nice run down Provo Canyon to the south side of University Avenue. I didn't push too hard on this run, but still finished in 2:03.

**Next full marathon in two week**
**Ragnar in one month**

Florida Keys

A few days after the SLC Marathon, Troy and I jetted off to the Florida Keys for our second vacation this year. We chose to stay at Island Bay Resort in Tavernier because it was a pretty central location for the activities we wanted to do. We absolutely loved the Island Bay Resort as it provides a cottage rather than just a hotel room. Our biggest gripe about traveling is having to eat out so a place with a kitchen is always a major perk. There is also a private beach with kayaks provided for guests. We made great use of those. :)

Everglades National Park

We entered the Everglades via the Miami side of the park. It was drizzling the day we drove up so the man at the entrance gate was kind enough to waive the park fee. The funny thing about the Everglades is there's not much to do inside the park; maybe that's just the Utahn in me speaking. :) It only took us about three hours to hit up all the recommended sites on the east side of the park.

A gator along the Anhinga Trail

Key West

One of the things I wanted to do was drive the Overseas Highway to Key West. This was actually a really fun drive, but Key West was -- how do I put this nicely? -- ghetto. Yes, that would probably be the best term. While in Key West we visited the beaches, drove around the town, and snagged some lunch. I'm glad we went so I can scratch it off my travel list, but honestly it's not a place I'd ever have a desire to visit again. 

On our way home from Key West, we visited the Bahia Honda State Park to walk the original seven-mile bridge.  Blogger is being silly, and won't let me add a caption to my picture. The above photo is Troy walking up to the bridge. 

My absolutely favorite spot we visited was the Turtle Hospital on the key of Marathon. This place, about an hour south of Tavernier, is a rehabilitative center for turtles injured in the wilderness. Troy and I signed up for a tour that included a lecture about different species of turtles, the history of the hospital, and current cases they're working on. After touring the facilities, we were able to see all the turtles, and feed them. :) If you're ever in the Keys, this would be my top recommendation. 

Troy kayaking in Tavernier

Tavernier, Florida

Besides these activities, we spent a little time in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. 

More blog posts to come!

Salt Lake City Marathon Results

Well, well, well.. who's been a slacker when it comes to blogging? This gal! These past few weeks have been a whirlwind, and I'm now playing a serious game of catch up.

Salt Lake was my first of roughly five marathons this year. The race started out well-- I hit the half at 2:10 and mile 17 just past the 3 hour mark. But it started to get hot. Really hot. The week of Salt Lake, a doozy of a heat wave swept across the nation affecting races such as Boston. And Salt Lake was no exception. Utah hit an unseasonably hot temperature of 85 degrees on race day so I added in plenty of walking breaks when those temps started creeping up. I finished the 26.2 miles in 5 hours and 25 minutes. This was quite a bit slower than my previous marathon finishes, but hey, I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I still have plenty of races to go this year.

Running For Relief 5K Results

This is the third year I've ran the Relief 5K. The course is slower given that runners must stick to the shoulder of the road. Also, at the beginning of the race the course takes a quick lap around the block. Trying to pass the walkers/strollers/etc. while confined to the shoulder killed my splits, and I ended up averaging slightly faster than a 10 min/mile on mile one. I couldn't recover all my lost time from my slow first mile, but I was quite pleased with my pace for miles two and three. According to the stats from my Garmin, I ran the second mile just over an 8 min/mile, and the bulk of my third mile was sub-8 minutes! I ended up finishing in 27:20 (8:40 min/mile average).

**SLC Marathon tomorrow**
**Florida in 5 days**

Day 100

Our backyard has a new name

I can finally scratch "ski 100 days in one season" off my goal list.

Last Friday I finished my winter challenge, and honestly, I'm more than ready to hang up the boots for a few months. As much as I love to ski, this has easily been the mildest winter I've experienced in my 26 years as a Utah resident. I spent a bulk of the season skiing groomers (boo!), and there were some days I was skiing more dirt than snow. But hey, it's nice just to be outside every day, right?

On my last day, I came home to find the pictured sign hanging above our back door. Our house sits against the mountain, and after this season, Troy saw it fitting to give me my own run. He even wrote me an "official" congratulatory note from Canyons. :)

Troy didn't do too shabby either. He originally aimed for 100 days too, but around 40, when the snow just wasn't falling, he called it quits. He did log an impressive 75 days though!

Well now that the winter challenge is in the books, it's time to set my sights on my summer challenge: racing. My first marathon of the year is in four days!

Utah State Taekwondo Championships

After finishing my 13 mile run, I scurried over to Saratoga Springs for the Utah State Taekwondo Championships. Last year, at the Utah Open, I competed in individual forms and sparring, and ended up walking away with a first and second place finish. I was quite pleased I placed in both categories, but I knew that was nothing compared to the championships. Utah State had competitors from all over Utah, Idaho, and California, and it is a national qualifying event. Just to give you an idea of the magnitude of this event -- for sparring there were three matching running at all times. Each match is two minutes long, and sparring still took over four hours to complete!

To add to my stress, I wasn't even positive I was going to make my first two divisions. The half marathon started at 9:00, and since I was pacing the 2:30, I had to ensure a finish with two minutes of 11:30. My first Taekwondo division started at 11:00. Eek! But it all worked out in the end. Even though I came hustling through the doors close to noon, I still made it in time to compete in all three of my divisions.

So now that you've heard more than enough back story, time for the results! In individual forms I missed the first place position by a fraction of a point (boo!), and placed second. In group forms, two of my fellow U of U teammates and I took home a first place win, and in sparring I took first! Woohoo! All around it was a successful event. I feel silly admitting I was bummed about my one second place finish, but I'm sure it's safe to say none of the other competitors ran a half marathon beforehand. I don't plan on attending nationals this year, but it's fun to know I could if I wanted to. :)

**SLC Marathon in two weeks**
**Florida in three weeks**
**Chicago in five weeks**

Riverton Half Marathon Results

The Riverton Half was my second pacing experience for 2012. I've done a handful of races in the Riverton area (Saratoga Springs half, SoJo Marathon, etc.), and there's one thing they all have in common: wind. This area of Utah is always windy, but the day of Riverton took it to a whole new level. The day was beautiful -- record-breaking temperatures in the 80s, but the wind was clocking speeds of 60 miles an hour! It was one of those runs where no matter which direction you were facing, you had a head wind.

Course wise, Riverton is pretty similar to St. George. The bulk of the 13 miles is flat with a few good climbs. I chose to pace one of the last groups for this race, and we ended up getting everyone in with six seconds to spare! But this was just the start to my Saturday. Come back later for the details of the Utah State Taekwondo Championships.

Day 90

Logging day 87 at Deer Valley

The end is so close! Yesterday I finished my 90th day of skiing this year. At the pace I'm going, I should hit day 100 by next Thursday. Woohoo!

Foster Care: Year 3, Months 1-3

I can't believe Troy and I are now in our third year as foster parents for Friends Of Animals! We just wrapped up our third month for this year so I figured this was as good a time as any to start my updates. 

Otis (Pug/Beagle)

Albert (Australian Shepherd)

Trigger (Border Collie)

Watson (Havanese mix)

All these pups have been the sweetest little angels, and we're thrilled they have all been placed in forever homes. One of my goals for the year was not only to continue fostering, but to spend one day every week volunteering in house for Friends Of Animals. I'm proud to say I've been right on track with this goal. I've lined it up that every Sunday after church, I spend a few hours walking dogs, cleaning kennels/cat houses, and doing laundry for Friends Of Animals. This has been such an enjoyable and rewarding experience. And the best news of all: after four years of marriage, Troy finally has a regular schedule (YAY!) so now he too is volunteering. 

Las Vegas, Nevada

Hoover Dam

Our first trip of the year was a five-day stint in Las Vegas. While there, we took a day trip out to Hoover Dam, caught a showing of "Love" performed by Cirque Du Soleil, and of course I spent too much time shopping. :) It was a great to start to what's sure to be an amazing year for travel. 

**First marathon of the year in two weeks**

**Florida in 3 weeks**

**Chicago in 5 weeks**

Run For Recess 5K Results

Second 5K is done! We really couldn't have asked for a more beautiful morning for a run. Spring has come early here in Utah, and the Salt Lake temps have already been creeping into the 60s. This 5K was held at Liberty Park, a favorite running spot of mine. I ended up finishing in 26:31 (8.3 min/mile), and set a new 5K record. I'm definitely not a speedy runner by any means, but it's nice to see improvement with each race. One of my goals is to get my 5K time under 25 minutes by year's end so I feel that goal is easily attainable. Next race is in two weeks!

**Vegas next week**

**Florida in 6 weeks**

Weekly Exercise Plan

Monday

7:00 AM boxing (1 hour)

hill run (time varies)

Tuesday

7:30 AM Crossfit (1 hour)

5:00 PM Taekwondo (2 hours)

Wednesday

7:00 AM boxing (1 hour)

tempo run (time varies)

Thursday

7:30 AM Crossfit (1 hour)

5:00 PM Taekwondo (2 hours)

Friday

12:00 Spinning (1 hour)

speed run (time varies)

Saturday

Varies weekly:

Racing, Muay Thai (1 hour) or Taekwondo (3 hours)

Sunday

7:00 AM Power Yoga

distance run (depending on Saturday's activity)

My new weekly schedule went into effect today. Honestly, besides the addition of Crossfit and an extra running day, this is the plan I've been following for about a month. My boxing attendance has been so sporadic these past few months that after my last punch pass was used up, I switched over to a twice-a-week pass. I'm much better about remaining consistence when I know my days are already locked in. One of my yearly goals was to train in martial arts five days a week, and besides the Saturdays I have to race, I'm good about getting all five days in. So I'll keep y'all updated how things progress. I'm excited to see some more results!

**Next Taekwondo tournament in 30 days!**

Running Goals 2012

Details of what I'm working towards in 2012:

*A sub 25-minute 5K

*A sub 2 hour half. My last official half was 2:01 so this shouldn't be problem. ;)

*A 4:30 full marathon

*Run four days a week. I currently am running three days so adding in a fourth day won't be much of change. With this aspect of my goal I want to focus more on dedicating each run to either a tempo, speed, distance, or hill workout.

*Be able to pace a 2 hour by year's end.

*Run at least 20 races this year. Last year I completed 19 races; this year I want to beat that number.

*Complete my first ultra marathon. 

60 Percent

Yesterday I logged my 60th day of skiing this year! The winter conditions have not improved since my last ski post (we've still had only two real storms), but that won't stop me from finishing my goal. Just over six weeks left to get my last 40 days!

**Vegas in 3 weeks**
**Florida in 8 weeks**
**Chicago in 10 weeks**
**South America in 8 months**

Lucy

Lucy (right) with her sister, Desi.

Lucy

I try not to delve into personal matters too much on this blog, but I wanted to do a quick post about Lucy passing away a few weeks ago. Some may recall that in December our two Corgis sisters turned 14, and around that time Lucy's health began to deteriorate. She had been having seizures off and on for the past two months, and Sunday, January 29th, she had a massive attack that she never quite recovered from. Her quality of life plummeted after that Sunday--her energy level was low, and she didn't show interest in her daily activities anymore. Tuesday, January 31st, Lucy fell unconscious, and passed away that afternoon.

While I love all our dogs, Lucy's death was particularly hard. The Corgis were my little shadows. Almost every day I'd take them for a ride in the car to our nearby gas station where I'd get a jerky stick to split between them. On warm days, we'd then head over to the dog pond where they would run through the shallow water, and chase after the Border Collies and Labs. Lucy always loved to keep the big dogs in line--just ask Abby. :) It only took about half an hour for Lucy to tucker out. At that point she'd finally wander back over to me. As I sat on a rock still gazing out towards Desi, Lucy would crawl under my bent legs, and fall asleep on the cool dirt.

We all miss our little Lucy, especially Desi, but life is getting back to normal. We're sure her previous owner, who passed away when the Corgis were 12, is glad to see her again. :)