Morning Ride

This morning was a beautiful morning for a ride. I really love where we live. It was quiet, hardly any traffic, the birds were chirping, and other runners and bikers were out and about. 

While riding on the bike path this morning, I watched the beautiful sun rise. The Jordan River was full of ducks and their babies, and I spotted an antelope getting a drink from the river as well.  

On the way home, my attention was caught by paragliders circling above my head. They crossed right over the bike path at times and swooped pretty low. It was fun to watch. I stopped to take a picture or two but I wasn't quick enough to get a great shot. 

Beautiful morning!

AF Canyon Half Marathon

The day of the big race was almost here.

 My three friends and I went and picked up our packets the day before.  We snapped shots at the finish line and the back-drop before just for fun.

Our goodie bags were filled with fun things.  I loved that I could put that I was running the race in honor of G who fought and won a battle with testicular cancer 5 years ago.

 We woke up early the morning of the race and headed to catch the bus at 3:45 in the morning. 

 

 Here we are right before the race started.  The butterflies were crazy in my stomach.  I had never run a half marathon before.  Good thing I was surrounded by these awesome friends.

 

There were SO many people there.  I think I heard there were around 3000 total runners...2500 running the half marathon and 500 running the 5K.  We were all packed tightly at the start line.  For some odd reason, I thought I'd be able to stay with my friends, but within seconds after crossing the start line, we got separated.  I looked back, but was urged by one of my friends to just start picking my path and get to the finish line.  I followed her suggestion.

 

They took some fun pics of us along the way:

 

 

 

I felt pretty good going down the canyon.  I started out behind the 2:10 pacer.  Within a few minutes, I passed the 2:10, 2:05, and 2:00 pacers.  I was excited when the 1:55 pacer came into view and I passed him as well.  I kept looking for the 1:50 pacer, but never spotted him/her. 

 

I loved seeing all the inspirational signs about beating cancer.  Some made me tear up along the way because I know first-hand how hard it is to deal with these tough battles.  There were awesome shirts, tributes, pictures, and stories.  The support along the way was unbelievable as well.  I loved the corners filled with bright, smiling faces, and people clapping and encouraging.  I loved a strip of the trail where there was a band playing beautiful music.  It gave me the chills. 

 

Once I hit the bottom of the canyon and started working my way up the golf course, I was starting to wonder what I had gotten myself into.  It was hot, there were hills up and down through the golf course, and I still had well over 5 miles to run.  I just kept telling myself that I could do it...over and over again. 

 

By the time I hit mile 10, it was really tough.  I was fighting an internal battle.  On one side, I kept telling myself that I could slow down or walk and still make it...I didn't have to make the under 2 hour goal that I had set for myself.  The other side of me kept saying that I could do it, I had told my husband, brothers, and family that I really wanted to make that goal, and I didn't want to disappoint them.  So, I pushed it. 

 

At mile 12, the 1:55 pacer came back into view as he passed me.  I felt a little disappointed in myself, but knew if I held strong enough, the 2:00 pacer wouldn't pass me. 

 

I'm not quite sure how I even ran the last mile.  I had absolutely nothing left in me.  I wish I would've had splits for the run, but I know that last mile was pretty slow. (I usually use a running app on my phone to record my runs, but there was no cell service at the top of AF canyon, so I didn't get to record any of the run with the app.)  Luckily, I crossed the finish line before the 2:00 pacer passed me.  And, since I had started a little after the 1:55 pacer, I technically beat him too.   

 

 

This was my time:  1:53:40...8:41 pace over 13 miles.  I totally beat my goal.  I was so excited. 

 

 

They had water, fruit, chocolate milk, gogurts, and slushy things along with Kneaders French Toast for us at the finish line.  I thought I would love the French Toast, but I didn't have much of an appetite for it, so I totally wasted it. I did eat the fruit and drink the water though. 

 

Such a fun accomplishment with some great friends.

 

The Big Picture

A few days ago, I decided to go for a bike ride.  I went by myself.  My friend who usually comes with me had to work.  I chose a route I had never been on before.  I hadn't even driven those roads.  But, I did know that, according to my map, those roads lead to the bike path that I wanted to ride on.  There were a few familiar intersections along the way and I figured things would be just fine.

 

My first road block came less than two miles into the trip.  The road that I had chosen to take was under construction.  I figured that if I just went a couple of blocks south and headed in the same direction, I would be just fine and be able to connect back to the same roads I was planning on. 

 

Somewhere between going under the freeway and taking the small detour, my mind slipped 45 degrees.  Instead of heading east, I was headed north.  I headed that way for only about a half mile when I decided to check my mental calculations and see where I was headed.  I was shocked to see the little red line on the map told me I had been heading straight north when I thought I had been going east.  I didn't want to head back all the way that I had come, so I decided to just turn east at that point.  According to my little map, it looked like I could still connect to the bike trail on the road that I had taken. 

 

Along the way, I hit another pocket of road construction.  This time, I smiled when I looked at the sign directing me where to go:

 

At first glance, this sign seemed terribly deceptive or just a complete mistake.  The words say keep right, the picture says keep left.  Why?  Well, the right side of the road had been torn out.  Orange barrels and cones were completely blocking it off.  The sign was actually telling me to go to the left side of the road, but I still needed to ride on the right side of the remaining road.  Not at all conflicting counsel, no mistakes in the printing of the sign, when the big picture is understood.  If I would have just followed the words, I could've ended up plowing through orange barrels into the rough surface of a construction project.  If I would've followed the picture, I could have been a hazard to oncoming traffic.  Yet, the counsel together led me to safety.

 

I rode another few miles and found myself nearing the bike path.  I could tell it was just up ahead, but the road was coming to an end in a cul-de-sac.  I was hoping that there was a small entrance at the end of the cul-de-sac, but was frustrated to find that I couldn't get on.  That road would not lead me there, even though it was really close.  I turned south at the nearest intersection and figured that if I just kept looking up the roads that headed east, I could find a connection. 

 

After only a few blocks, the end of another cul-de-sac had what appeared to be a little dirt trail in tall weeds and I could see bikers and runners going by on the bike path above.  I excitedly turned and headed that way. 

 

About five feet into the trail, I realized that I had taken a really rough road.  It tightly switched back and forth, the weeds were everywhere and I worried that my tires might catch on something that could pop them.  So, I hopped off my bike and carried it the rest of the way up the rocky, steep, weed-covered dirt hill.

 

Relief and happiness poured over me as I FINALLY stepped onto the paved trail.  Runners and bikers zipped past me and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.  The solid, familiar ground under my feet felt like such an anchor.  I had been on this path before.  I knew that this path would lead me where I wanted to go and I knew that it would lead me back home. 

 

I couldn't shake the thought going through my mind over and over again that this ride was so much like life.  Sometimes, we make choices that lead us to tough roads.  Sometimes, tough roads are placed in front of us.  Sometimes, we get confused.  We are blessed with counsel along the way from our prophets, the scriptures, our leaders, and the Holy Ghost.  There are times, that if we get too absorbed or look too close at a particular piece of doctrine, it can look wrong, like my road sign.  But if we take a step back and look at the whole picture, things make sense.  Once we step back onto the familiar, solid path of the gospel, there is peace there.  I know that is the path that will lead us all back to our heavenly home. 

Lehi Round-up Rodeo

Gotta love being able to go to the rodeo with family and friends.  We were sad that Ki was gone, but she was having a great time with grandparents and a cousin in Branson, MO.

 

 

I think this is the first year we have gone that I haven't had someone sit on my lap the whole time...and I kinda missed it.  Luckily I got to borrow one of our friend's kids for a few minutes.

 

Here's a shot of our rowdy group:

 

 

G and me.

 

I'm not even quite sure what to say here. :)

 

 

They got me back by snapping this shot after I ate my blue snow cone. 

 

 

 

 

Good times.  They ended with a favorite from all:  motorcycle tricks.