3 reasons running makes you better than her.

I combine two of my passions in this article on Family Share ~ running and writing.  Don't let the title deceive you.  Let it inspire you.

Ragnar 2015

I have always wanted to try Ragnar, but with it being so expensive, and my priorities on other races, it just hadn't happened yet.  Ragnar is a 200 mile relay-race from Logan to Midway consisting of 12 runners.  Josh's company, Deseret First Credit Union, decided to put a team together.  I was an alternate in case any one dropped out.  Well, turned out several people dropped out, so I got picked to run.  Meet (half) the team: Spencer, Matt, Kaylee, Me, Abby, Steve.  Strangers here, BFF's at the end!

Originally I was supposed to be Runner 6, which consisted of 3 separate legs: 6.9 miles, 2.3 miles, and 2.6 miles.  But last minute, another runner wanted to switch from a harder leg to that one.  So I became Runner 7.  My first leg was a 5 miler.  It started around 4:30pm and it was 92 degrees.  I am not trained to run in the heat, so it was pretty hard.  Luckily, there was a guy who lived on the route who had a hose just spraying the runners.  He was my favorite person of the day.  I also saw some sprinklers and made my way through those.  I did it at a pretty average pace.

First leg, done!

Most Ragnar runners have to find a place to sleep like high school football fields, or school floors, etc.  We were lucky enough to have a runner in our van whose brother lived in Mountain Green.  He let us crash at his house.  I got my own bed and even my own bedroom!  It was a dream!  My next leg was a 4 miler and I started at about 6:30 in the morning.  My perfect running time!  I ran on a trail the entire time next to a highway.  It was actually really beautiful.  This next picture was right after my leg.  Rockport reservoir.

There is A LOT of waiting during this race.  We got to know each other VERY well, and spent our time cheering on other runners, sitting in the porta-potty's, or making cool rock formations...

On the way to my last leg, we got pulled over.  It was ridiculous and unnecessary, 

but luckily no ticket!

I was SUPER nervous for my last leg.  It is known as "Ragnar Hill" and is the hardest leg in all of Ragnar history.  2800 feet elevation gain over 10.3 miles.  I had a few motivational quotes on my phone, and wrote my kids names on my arm as well a boy (Hayden) who is about Ian's age.  He just woke up one day and couldn't walk.  After a lot of tests etc. they determined he had some kind of stroke.  Anyway, he is getting back to walking with a walker and he and his mom inspire me every day.  He had recently gone on a hike and made every step.  He said it was so hard for him but he did it.  It was (and continues to be) so inspirational and I thought about him a lot during that run.

After running a flat mile, the hills came and they came fast.  I came to a fork in the trail, and there were no signs telling us where to go.  A group of runners decided to follow the main trail, so I followed.  Unfortunately, about a mile in, we realized that we had made a wrong turn.  So we had to run another mile back to where the route was.  Who would have known that we were supposed to run up a STEEP grassy hill instead of following the main trail.  Apparently, we were.  This was at the top of the hill, and trust me- it was A LOT steeper than it looks!

This was almost to the top of the summit!  It was SO beautiful, but SO hard!  Below is a map of the elevation and mileage.

It was very anti-clamatic to finish that run!  I was so happy to be done and felt very accomplished.  I was excited to see my team and to receive my own special medal just for conquering the hill.  However, when I got to the finish line, my team wasn't there and they had run out of medals.  I waited for about 45 minutes (I had no cell service), and finally some volunteers drove me a couple exchanges down to where I met my team.  

But here am I with my team crossing the final finish line.  DONE!

 Most of our team:

The greatest support system and running coach there is:

Finally got BOTH my medals!

 Some of my swag:

Ragnar, I'm not sure if we'll meet again...maybe when my kids are all grown.  You are a beast, but I conquered you!  Until next time.

Ogden Half Marathon

I just wanted to share a little bit of my Ogden Half experience.  This was my 2nd half marathon, my first being the Ogden Half last year.  This year I was able to train and run with my friend, Whitney.  We spent the night before at my parents house in Ogden so we could drive just a few minutes to the race.

After a restless night, we woke up at 4 AM to get ready.  And here's my 4:15 AM face...

We loaded the bus at 5:00 and drove up the canyon to wait for about another hour+ for the race to start.  Luckily it didn't rain while we were waiting, but it was pretty cold.

As soon as the gun went off, it started raining.  Luckily, I enjoy running in the rain and I loved every single minute of those 13.1 miles.  Last year I took it really easy and slow, but this year I pushed myself just a little bit and finished 17 minutes faster than last year.  I was very happy with my time!  There was no time for socializing after the race though, as I quickly became aware of my frozen fingers which soon became my frozen body.  I couldn't wait to drive home and dive into a hot bath.

I took it pretty easy the rest of the day, and enjoyed a night out with the hubby where I enjoyed a big fat juicy burger and cheesecake.

Can't wait for next year...should I consider doing the full?

5 extra special gifts to give your mom this Mother's Day.

Mother's Day is coming up quick and I'm sharing some unique and thoughtful gift ideas over on FamilyShare!  Check it out if you need some inspiration!

Ultimate Pork Nachos

About time for another recipe!  Check out these loaded nachos over on Mother's Niche!

i AM a writer.

The other day as I was scrolling through the RSS feed of my favorite blogs, I came across two separate posts.  They were posted the exact same day, not even an hour apart.  They were written by two different women who are both professional writers.  I often enjoy their opinions and advice given on family, marriage, and motherhood - subjects I frequently write about as well.

The first woman wrote about how she loved writing, and started freelance and professional work to get her name out there - a way to be "more than just a mother."  She talked about how it became almost like a burden because it was now a job instead of just a hobby.  I'll admit that it scared me because I was very recently hired to write - making my hobby an actual job.  I didn't want to lose my passion.

The second woman wrote about how she had been writing for years professionally, but never considered herself a "writer."  Even though she gets paid, she said she feels like an impostor.  The best part of this post was her exclamation that, "I am a writer!"  I had to laugh as I read this because I can totally and completely relate to those feelings. 

As I read these posts, I felt like I had arrived at a fork in the road.  Yes, my hobby is now a job.  But it doesn't have to be a burden.  I have been reflecting on the reasons I write.  It's not to get my name out there.  And it most definitely is not to become "more than just a mother."  I realized that the reason I love to write is for the hope that I can inspire someone.  If my words help to brighten another's day or let them know that they're not alone, then I have certainly succeeded.

I decided to follow the second woman's path.  I am so incredibly happy to be getting paid to do something I love; to fulfill one of my greatest passions.  And I am here to joyfully admit that "I am a writer!"

10 ways to brighten your day.

These things are some of my favorite ways to brighten up a day that just hasn't turned out the way I wanted.  They are simple, but make a big difference.  Sometimes, that's all it takes.

Serve others.  

This one is my favorite and by far the most effective way to turn a bad day around.  You can do anything from making a treat for a friend to buying groceries for the frazzled mom behind you in line at the store.  Satisfaction guaranteed!

Go outside.
I don't care if you're not an outdoors person.  Just step outside of your home.  A little grass between your toes and some fresh air is good for the soul.


Treat yo'self.
Food fixes feelings, right?  No?  Well then, you haven't tried my cheesecake.  Seriously though, some foods do cause your brain to release dopamine which helps regulate movement and emotional responses.  So, as a temporary fix to turn that frown upside-down, I highly recommend it!

Pray.
Start your day by communicating with God!  It doesn't take much time, but makes a world of difference in your day.  Be still.  Use those quiet moments to feel of His love.  I can't think of better way to ensure your day is full of happiness.

Put your phone down.
Or tablet, or any type of technology.  Unplug!  Studies show that excessive use of your device can lead to sleep disorders, stress, and depression.  Leave the world wide web behind and be present in the real world.

Pick some flowers.
Or buy yourself a bouquet at the store.  I never pegged myself as a flower person.  When I was first married, I told my husband that I would rather have a slice of cheesecake or new shirt before I would ask him to "waste money on flowers."  He didn't listen, (good hubby). The first time a fresh bouquet was delivered, they donned the center of my table and cheered me up for days.

Listen.
What speaks to you?  Birds chirping outside?  The sound of rain?  How about your favorite song?  Turn off the buzz that normally fill those passing moments of each day and listen to what will make those moments count.

Grab your favorite drink.
Maybe all you need is some hydration.  One of the tricks I learned as a new mom to cheer up my ornery toddler was to give him a late afternoon bottle/sippy/drink.  Not just a few sips of water either - a big ol' drink of vitamin-rich milk.  Maybe milk isn't your nectar (I don't blame you, EW!), but I think adapting my "trick" will work on us big kids too.

Get inspired.  
I love inspiring quotes.  Take to pinterest or even google and search for a quote pertaining to something that may be worrying you or taking away your happiness.  Read your favorite book.  Certainly there has been someone or something that has lifted up your soul.  Pour over that message that speaks to you again, or find a new one!

Meditate. I like to think of this one as a mix between "Pray" and "Listen."  You don't need to master Lotus-pose while chanting "Homm" to be a master at meditation.  Find a quiet moment.  I like to focus on three things while meditating, which always help me calm down and have a more relaxing day.  First, focus on your breaths, breathing deeply.  Second, focus on your thoughts.  My thoughts have a tendency to be all over the place.  Scatter-brained equals me!  Think of something that makes you happy or calm.  Finally, focus on your current emotion.  How have you been feeling all day?  How are you going to feel the rest of the day?  You can change the course in that moment.

It's okay to take time to take care of yourself.  If you don't, you won't be much good to anyone!  I hope some of these will work for you and that you will find success in brightening your day!