Thus ends Chapter #2 of summer adventures...

This adventure took place in Logan, the night before I ran in my race. 

We went bowling, had pizza, and played with the new baby puppies...oh so cute!

(if you would like one, just let me know I can hook you up :)

Our shoes all matched...pretty rare.

Dad helping Kam bowl.

Austin was soooo good, he got 2 strikes in a row!!

Shawntell had some unique bowling style :)

Paige bowls kind of like I do. I think her score was 38.

And if you have to bowl...at least match your ball to your outfit, haha.

And you should always eat pizza while bowling, I'm pretty sure it is a law somewhere.

Summer is over...for us anyways. No more adventures til next year. Maybe :)

The things they never tell you...

So today I am going to reveal all the great and horrible things about running a 1/2 marathon...some of these things might have been good to know before I started training :) Enjoy!

1- You quickly learn NOT to spit into the wind while running (or ever for that fact).
2- Sweat is an acquired taste (but you get use to it).
3- Sun block hurts when it gets in your eyes.
4-You will gain a love/hate relationship with the wind.
5- You learn to enjoy the sunrise, because that is the best time of day to run.
6-Your family will be your biggest support.
7-Talk to any friends that might be runners, pick their brains for advice and words of wisdom.
8-You need a good running program to follow...and follow it.
9- You need a chart to write your times and distances on. When you see the days get closer to your race you can also see how much stronger you are.
10-You will sweat so much...you might actually get stuck in your clothes...it's a strange feeling.
11-Your stop watch will become invaluable to you as you run, you might even become obsessed with it.
12-You might be a solo runner...I like challenging my self and not feel like I need to keep pace with someone else.
13- A good play list is a MUST!.
14-You gain a heightened sense of where cars are, when to slow down and let them pass you, and when cars start to follow you.
15-And if creepers do start following you...be prepared to practice some self defense moves...and then change your running route.
16-If you lose one ear bud...you might freak out...cuz you need them both to run.
17- In time, 4 miles feels so relaxing.
18-Body glide will be your best friend...honestly.
19- You need good "official" running clothes. I use to run in a t-shirt and sweats. But when you look the part you feel the part. That includes a good sports bra, good shoes, and socks.
20- Runners tans (not quite a farmer tan, but almost) are totally cool.
21-Your toes will look horrible...I have even heard of people that lose a few toenails, I didn't, but mine are not so pretty anymore...so sad.
22-The scale may not move. I thought for sure I would lose weight from running so much, but I didn't lose one ounce. I am more toned though. Those parts that were sort of jiggly aren't so jiggly any more :)
23-Ten minutes before your alarm is scheduled to go off...your toes will start to twitch, they are ready for a good run.
24- Lastly...after you have run 13.1 miles..go get a "sports" massage...they are amazing!!!!!

Hope I didn't give away too many secrets, haha. If anyone wants to start training for one, let me know...I'd love to run another race with friends again :)

This is my "really, you want to take my picture NOW" look :)

Top of Utah 1/2 marathon!!!! Oh yes :)

This story has had a long road...literally. So for complete details...read my journal, after I am dead, thanks :)

We went up to Logan the night before to pick up our packets. Two of my friends end up not being able to run, so I got theirs for them.

We arrived at the park at 5:00 a.m. to catch the bus up the canyon to the start of the race. But my body decided to be awake at 4:00 a.m! My nerves were really getting to me, I was pretty sick...and freaking out a little (a story to ask Shawn about another day, haha).

This is my cousin and his sister-in-law, they ran the race with me.

This is my Stake Pres. from our old neighborhood.

And this is the Bishop from out old neighborhood.

They were both amazing support, along with my cousin, and my sister Shelley. They all have ran a half marathon before. My cousin does triathalons,and a half Ironman! The guys from my old ward have ran FULL marathons. All of them are full of amazing advice, knowledge, training tips, and tricks on how to do well and enjoy the race. Could not have done it without them all!!

I have no pics. of me crossing the finish line...because that is when the camera decide it needed new batteries, blah!

This is my amazing cheering squad...they made posters for me and screamed really loud! It made all the difference in the world to have them at mile 10...because that is when you think you might die!!

SIDE NOTE: Yes I am doing a runners stretching lung and sorta look like I might puke...I was fine :)

More after race stretching...and yet I still look like I might puke...but I didn't :)

 I had to prove to my kids that I could stick a 1/4 of an orange in my mouth...yes I have a big mouth.

And now the recovery food of all champions...chocolate milk.

p.s. I love my DI visor...it says "So not a princess" and it has tinker bell on it. Totally worth the $0.50 I paid for it.

I know you all wanted to see the amazing shoes and socks that got me through 13.1 miles with no blisters...they are Brooks shoes and some random running socks I found at Target.

And a few pictures of the cool medal I got for running.

This is my knee all wrapped up...stinking IT band always hurts AFTER I stop running. While I run it is just fine. But give me 10 minutes of no running and it starts to KILL! I had an amazing "sports" massage later that night. It really helped.

Review: It was a life changing experience! I loved it, I hated it, it almost made me bi-polar :) So the big question is....will I run another one? Maybe :)

Summer Adventure Chapter #2...10th adventure

I think we have one adventure left after this one...and then the summer will be over, how sad is that.

We went to our Ward Camp out. It was up East Canyon. We went to the reservoir and caught crawdads. The kids had a blast! 

We just took a piece of string and attached a chunk of raw chicken to it and threw it in the water. A minute later you pulled it in and there would be a crawdad clamped on to it. 

 And this is how you eat them. You take all this STUFF and boil it together with the live crawdads. Then poor it out on the table and dig in. 

Yum, Yum.

OK...here is my honest opinion of the whole thing...they are a lot of work to eat. You have to twist and rip parts off of them, and scrape out other things. The tail tastes like lobster, and the claw tastes like crab. But it is such a small amount of meat for a whole lot of work. Review: glad we did it, but I probably wouldn't do it again. Shawntell got stung by a bee and while we were catching the crawdads I slid on the rocks and totally hit my tailbone. It kills like nothing else! I can still walk/run but if I don't sit just right...I want to die!!!!

12 miles baby

So this morning I ran 12 miles (the farthest I have EVER ran)...in preparation for my half marathon, which is August 25th, in Logan, in case you all wanted to come and cheer me on :)
 These are the things I learned today (cuz I know you wanted to know):

*I love Red gummie bears the best
*Running shorts really do help you run faster
*I love what ice can do for sore muscles
*It is COOL to smell like Ben Gay...right?
*Chocolate Milk is my favorite "After run" drink
*I love my running playlist
*I am stronger than I thought I was!!!!

Summer Adventure Chapter #2...9th adventure

Willard Bay

We had the great opportunity to hang out with some very dear friends of ours at Willard Bay. We all had a great time, good food, fun games, water and friends. Afterwards they even took us to an amazing fruit stand, they had the best peaches! The sad thing...I didn't take nearly enough pictures :( Maybe Michelle will post some on her blog that I can later steal, haha.

Austin found shells that he just HAD to bring home.

Shawntell and Josh hanging out with the tubes.

Rachel paddling the canoe.

Kambree getting ready to go play in the water, and the men getting ready to BBQ.

Josh is suppose to be 9 years old...not 16 and more than a foot taller than me...

and gigantic feet!!!

We had so much fun. It costs $10 to get into Willard Bay, but our friends had a pass, so we got in for half price. So we paid $5, not a bad price for a full day in the sun.

Summer Adventure Chapter #2...8th adventure.

Going to the Bees baseball game as a family...

Right as we got to the ball park we saw the Bees mascot, so we had to get a picture.

We had great seats...but didn't catch any fly balls :(

We are a family of posers, haha.

Paige's face is so funny in this one...but it was the only one I had of Shawntell...got to love sisters.

It was a perfect night, the weather was great and the Bees even won, woohoo!!