Long Beach City Marathon

As you may know, I have been running a ton since moving to Utah. It is fun for me to push myself to new limits and discover just how much my exertion body can perform. I have done quite a few racing events in the past year including two relays and two half marathons but I decided it was time to up-the-ante and commit to a Full Marathon! Unfortunately I missed the registration for the one here in town but quickly found a replacement, a WAY better replacement because it would be in my home state where I could run with my Dad, and that meant a lot to me.

I was pumped and prepared for this distance and so proud that my Pop trained for the half marathon so that we could embark on this adventure together. Vaughn and Mallory both woke up super early with us so that we could make it out to Long Beach on time. Dad and I had matching shirts and were eager to start the race. When the gun went off to signal the start, I kissed him on the cheek and we crossed the line together and I didn't seem him again until I crossed the finish line.

My pace was going great until I felt a blister forming on my right foot and took a small spill on the road (so embarrassing, go ahead and laugh). Anyways I was not about to quit, not after months of running and building my endurance. I ran the next 12 miles much slower but I was able to keep going.

Crossing the finish line felt amazing! It was great to see my Dad, my sister, my boyfriend, and even my friend Jentz off to the side.

Overall outcome : great feeling of accomplishment and some ugly, beat up feet.

I cannot wait to run another marathon and beat my time!

Saturday Adventures

Oh my goodness, I love rocks! I have this really great boyfriend that loves to take me rock climbing and luckily, we have all of these great spots so close to town. I had Saturday off so of course we had to take advantage of that freedom and find some new climb to conquer. We packed up all of our gear, filled up the gas tank, and hit the road. The two of us drove just about a half hour away to Prophecy Wall for a multi-pitch sport climb (my first ever). When I reached the very top of the route, I felt such a rush from being so high up. It was exhilarating and I look forward to many more similar experiences.

New Home

Wow it has been a while since I updated this thing so here goes:

I moved recently out of my dingy student housing apartment and into a newer, beautiful, clean townhouse that is just in the most perfect location. I am so glad to be living here because the three other girls I live with are awesome, and like I briefly mentioned, the house is always tidy! I love that! The environment here finally feels like I have a home here. I have lived in St. George for a year now and finally fell like my house is HOME.

I have been having so much fun bonding with my new roommate Nikki. We met last year and have been on some pretty fun adventures together (mostly involving our roller-blades) and now I am lucky enough to live with her! Both of us have boyfriends that recently have moved away, sad right. At least we have each other to occupy our empty time so that we don't have time to mope. Our latest outing involved suspenders, pig-tails, and hot pink lipstick. There was this dance event and we just HAD to get out of the house and the theme totally had us sold! The Nerds and Jocks dance was definitely a perfect escape for us.

We tore through just about everything in our closet and came up with some really great get-ups. Since we went the nerd route, we went all out! I think we laughed more than we danced because getting ready was so entertaining and of course we had a little photo session. Hope these pictures entertain you :)

Well, officially my best gal pal Hills is moving back to Orem. We try not to talk about it but the end is here :'( We have been hanging out every night this week because she moves this friday and I have no idea what I am going to do without her here in town. We have random moments where we will look over at each other with tears in our eyes and then of course we burst out laughing because we are just so ridiculous. We have had some great times and made so many memories together, the other night we were up to no good, as usual, at the grocery store and spotted a helium tank....enough said. Then tonight we pigged out together and watched a fun movie while we ate ice cream straight from the carton. I love my little, fake, British Scouser Bottom!

Happy Mother's Day

I am so lucky to have so many strong female examples in my life. My family really is fantastic, I'm a major fan. My grandmothers, aunts, friends, co-workers, sisters, and of course my own mother. She is just nutty and I am so glad that she is mine, and that I am hers. We just kind of belong together like that, forever. I have missed her a lot this week, living away is great until I get homesick and emotional. I just thought that I would share my Mama-La's list of basics, she wrote this to me in an e-mail just the other day: 

Say your prayers, go to church, go to the library, read something uplifting, funny and serious everyday, do 2 nice things everyday for someone...( 1 you tell and 1 only you and Heavenly Father know) write in you journal, be polite, be honest and pay your tithing. See, it's so easy.

I would add that laughing at yourself is a daily must. I love my Mother so much, she is just great. I can always hear her reminding me these little basic musts in my head. "Don't forget to say your prayers". The 2 nice things rule has really stuck with me and I think about it almost everyday. I hope that when I have a family I can teach my children the same things she has taught me. I am so glad that she will always be my mother! Hope you have a really great day Mama! 

Happy Birthday To Vaughn:

Sunday was Vaughn's birthday and it was such a gorgeous day! I tagged along with him and our friend Ty to visit the Harwards for dinner and dessert. His mom made a Hawaiian feast that was so delicious! There was Kalua pork, teriyaki chicken, rice and salad. Vaughn and his brothers and sister did tricks on the trampoline, they are all so acrobatic, and then we ate ice cream cake! We met some friends afterwards at a school just down the street and flew a gigantic kite in the grass field. I watched the boys struggle with it because there wasn't enough wind and Vaughn was taking pictures of course, he took this one of me. It was a very fun day!

Saturday was the half marathon in Gunnison. Carolyn, her husband Ray, and I all were very anxious. It was freezing that morning and there were only about twenty or thirty people running. There really was no official starting line, the caravan just pulled over on the side of the road and everyone jumped out. Like I said, it was freezing so all of the runners were trying to stay warm and keep their muscles loose. Then suddenly, we were all rounded up and a man on a phone said, "Go" and just like that we were off! I was making good time but by mile 10 I just absolutely had to pee so I stopped and was passed by Carolyn, I knew I wouldn't be able to catch her after that. We all finished with our best times and Ray did so well, this was his first half and he had never ran more than 10 miles before the race. Carolyn finished in 1:49 and I came in at 1:50.53 and Ray crossed the finish line at 2:08. It was so much fun and we are all looking forward another race.

So April is going by so quickly. Easter was fun, was able to visit with relatives at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Hillary had so much fun meeting everyone! Also there were tons of birthdays this month: Mal, Annie Laurie, my new sister-in-law, Uncle Paul, both of my grandmas, and two of my good friends Michael and Vaughn. And of course there was my big brother's WEDDING! Tons of fun and a great excuse to eat, eat, eat!