Super Dale 10K

I now know what it feels like to not hit a goal that you set for a race. Maybe it's because I'm getting to the point that it's going to be very difficult to shave those seconds off? Either way, it was a first for me and I had to not let it get me down while I was on the road.

The wind was awful. So you know I'm not exaggerating, there were broken trees at the high school where the start was because of the wind. I was excited, but I told my friends walking in that for some reason I just wasn't feeling very fast today. I was also fighting a stomach ache (Note to self: A gigantic dinner of delicious crepes and sausage links is NOT a good idea the night before a race!) so I was nervous about that.

We started, and within the first two tenths of a mile I knew that I wasn't going to hit my time goal- the wind was so strong that it felt like someone was pushing me backwards. I'm not every strong, or very big, so I was literally getting blown all over the road. The only plus about it was that the other runners were fighting against the same obstacle.

The first 3 miles were the hardest, then we turned and I was able to sail along with a tail wind or a side wind for a couple of miles, and then the last mile was absolutely killer. I knew when I looked down after running for 4 miles and saw that my average was 8:11/mile that I just had to forget about the time and focus on the fact that there were only 3 men in front of me.

I kept steady and pushed through! I was passed by 2 guys at a half mile to go- I just didn't have the strength to push through the wind like they could. I sprinted at the end to try to beat one of them, but I just didn't catch him. However, I was able to achieve my first goal of placing 1st overall in women! There were only 5 men that finished in front of me- I was very excited about that. I finished the race in 50:03.88 (my Garmin said I ran 6.35 miles) and my average pace was 7:53/mile. I was so glad I could finish with an average under 8!

I've been home for a couple of hours now, and I feel completely wiped out- like I ran a half marathon instead of a 10K. It was tough! At least I can say I have a first place under my belt.

Me, Sariah, and Darcy taking shelter in the car after the race. It was so bad people didn't even stick around at the finish- they just bailed. Do we look windblown?

Super Dale Race Goals

Race Tomorrow!

If you've looked at my races, then you have probably noticed that I've been stuck in a second place rut. Boo! I'm determined to break this tomorrow! I am running in a race for Super Dale- a Wasatch High School senior that was paralyzed while wrestling this year. The proceeds for the race go directly to him for his care. It's local, and it's small (under 200 runners), so I think I have a shot at actually bringing home a 1st place ribbon. I also hope to run the 10K in under a 7:30 pace, which will be a new PR for me. Plus, first place gets a FREE TEAM for the Dirty Dash 5K at Soldier Hollow in June.

It's okay for you to start praying for me now :).

For me, a recipe for a successful (read- WINNING) race is a good playlist. Since Darcy injured her ankle she won't be right by my side this time, so I will actually have to rely on myself. Scary!

Here's what is going to take me to victory tomorrow:

"Forget You" by Cee Lo Green
"Love Like Woe" by The Ready Set
"Disturbia" by Rheanna
"Talk You Down" by The Script
"All The Right Moves" by One Republic
"Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine
"Sing" by The Glee Cast
"Ain't No Rest For the Wicked" by Caged the Elephant
"One, Two Step" by Ciara
"Back to the Earth" by Rusted Root
**"Hey, Soul Sister" by Train

What do you listen to to get your heart pumping and muscles moving? I'm always on the search for a new song!

**For some reason at every race I've run, this song has been the one that has carried me across the finish line. It will forever be on my running playlist.

Run With Each Other

Running is supposed to be for introverts. You spend hours alone with nothing but your thoughts and the sound of your footprints on the pavement to speak back to you. As an extrovert, this is not the reason I run. Although I like the alone time on occasion, I much prefer to run alongside someone. I'm lucky enough to have multiple running partners; we all have different strengths and are able to push and encourage each other through our various road blocks.

As I was reading Born to Run I came across a quote in the book that summed my thoughts up perfectly. McDougall was talking about Scott Jurek- one of the greatest ultra runners of our day. When Scott began running he was the slowest of his friends and always the last to cross the finish line on his track team. After years of perseverance, he has transformed into an animal- winning the Western States 100 for 7 years in a row. He holds multiple titles and continues to blast the competition in races, but that is not the best thing about him, it's his understanding of the sport:

Scott Jurek and Arnulfo Quimare

"The reason we race isn't so much to beat each other, he understood, but to run with each other. Scott learned that before he had a choice, back when he was trailing Dusty and the boys through the Minnesota woods. He was no good and had no reason to believe he ever would be, but the joy he got from running was the joy of adding his power to the pack. Other runners try to disassociate from fatigue by blasting iPods or imagining the roar of the crowd in Olympic Stadium, but Scott had a simpler method: it's easy to get outside yourself when you're thinking about someone else." (Christopher McDougall, Born to Run, page 253)

I had a great run with Darcy yesterday morning and it had nothing to do with pace or distance or difficulty- it was because we were able to lose ourselves in conversation. Acting as each others therapist caused us to forget about our run, and before we knew it, our 5 miles was over before it even felt like it was getting started.

I love the power of the pack and the strength that comes from making yourself a part of a greater whole. The quote above is true in running, and in life, that "it's easy to get outside yourself when you're thinking about someone else."

Gazelle Day

I just finished reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall last night. This book was incredible and super informative. (If you are into running, you should for sure check it out). One of my favorite quotes in the book was by Roger Bannister- the first man to ever break the 4 minute mile. He said:

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. it doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle- when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."

This morning I got up at 5:25AM to run. (Let me be clear- I am not a morning person. I'm especially not a morning person the following Monday after Daylight Savings Time begins). As I ran to meet my partner, Darcy, I was thinking about this quote and how I felt more like a gazelle that was going to get eaten than anything else. We did it though, and we slapped some hills around before I came home and crashed on my living room floor for a couple of hours before my kids woke up. It didn't matter that I was lagging a little, all that mattered was that I did it. I ran my best. (5.54 miles with an 8:44 average).

And now I can watch The Bachelor tonight and snack all I want without a run hanging over my head!

When is your favorite time to run? Do you feel like a lion or a gazelle? Any good running books that you couldn't put down? Chantal or Emily?

Ragnar Del Sol 2011

Each time I step foot on the asphalt (or pavement, or river bottom, or trail) I learn something. This race was no exception. I learned that:

• If you don't let yourself think that something is impossible, it won't be, and you will achieve results greater than you would have ever imagined or even hoped to expect.
• Celebrating the triumphs of a sister, brother, or friend is even better than celebrating your own.
• Although, demolishing your own goals is pretty awesome, too.
• Ragnar Relay's are like pregnancies- you never remember how difficult and challenging and miserable it is until you are in the midst of it all over again. You also don't remember quite how amazing it is to be doing it, either.
• Geology and geography are NOT the same thing.
• Minivans were engineered for my biology.
• 4 AM is NOT a good time to wake up in the morning for 4 days in a row.
• Michael Jackson is awesome, but not when "Thriller" is stuck on repeat during your night run of the relay.
• Triumphs are even better when I can celebrate them with Dallas and my kids.
• Attitude is everything! A race like this (and life) will always be what you make of it. Your attitude can make it, or break it.
  

I was able to blow my goals out of the water while running just over 26 total miles. Here are the results:

Leg 1: 7.05 miles at a 7:32/mile pace. I ran the first 2 miles at a 6:50! This is my fastest race pace to date.

Leg 2: 6.44 miles at a 7:56/mile pace. This was my only uphill leg. Running on a river bottom at the beginning in the dark slowed me down, but it was awesome.

Leg 3: 7.92 miles at an 7:59/mile pace. This was a good downhill leg, but I swear it felt like it was uphill! After sleeping only 1.5 hours over the space of the day, I was exhausted and my body was hard to keep going. I hit my goal and was satisfied and relieved that it was over!

LEG 4: 4.63 miles at a 7:50/pace. One of our runners, my cousin Nate Henrie on Dallas' side, injured his knee and was unable to finish his last leg. I ran it for him to come into the finish line. I felt better on this leg than I did on my third. It was incredible that I could run it- I was amazed at my strong body and my ability. I was so thankful that I had been training religiously since October and that I could complete the race strong for my team.

Van 1- Mindy Kohler, Clayton Wilson, Amylee Nicoll, Shawn Hansen, LaDawn Thorbe, Debbi Hilton

Mindy, runner #1 at the start line.

What happens in the van, stays in the van. Shawn, LaDawn, and Debbi.

Warming up for Leg 1. It was awesome to run outside in shorts and a tank!

Clayton running a 6:56/mile pace. He's a gazelle.

I loved that Clay handed off to me. We decided to do this race because we wanted to run a race together.

Make like a cactus...

And the injuries begin. Coach Clay was the KT Tape master.

Sisters! The other reason I wanted to run was because of Cami! She was totally amazing and worked so hard for this. I was so proud and so happy that I got to watch her finish her last leg; I couldn't help but get emotional as she rounded her last corner towards the exchange. This picture was taken right before van 2 began their journey.

Sleep? Yeah, right. I got a total of 1.5 hours during the race.

Getting ready to head out for our second run as the sun was starting to set. Mindy, Debbi and LaDawn.

Meeting up at the major exchange. Leslee rocked her 9.2 mile first leg and was feeling awesome. Angemarie came down with the flu the night before and was just praying she would make it through. Thanks to a blessing from Clay and Nate Henrie and a lot of prayers, she did it.

The only thing better than an Arizona sunset is....

...an Arizona sunrise. This picture is unaltered and was taken by my point and shoot camera, so you can imagine how stunning it was. I watched the sunrise for my entire 3rd leg of 7.9 miles. I was in awe. It helped me keep my mind off the exhaustion.

Clayton after he was finished. His last leg would have kicked his butt even if he didn't have to do it with stomach issues and a bad knee. I was so worried about him. I don't know why because he still managed to get 9 kills up the 8.8 mile hill and was only passed by 1 person. Half of the time he was even skipping. That kid is an animal!

Austin before his last leg- which he tore through at a 7:08/mile pace. This guy is an athlete without even having to try.

So you think you're done? Or not. This is me at exchange 35 right before I ran Nate Henrie's final leg- 4.7 miles to the finish line. If I didn't get lost, it would have been shorter! Watch for those signs, people...

Finished! Nate Henrie and me. I slapped the bracelet on Nate a few yards before the finish so that he could be the one to take it in. He hobbled as fast as he could and the announcer said, "Here comes team 114, Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, showing their battle wounds!"

Our team- "Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote"- finished the race in 30:51:39 with an average pace of 9:22.8/mile. We placed 174th out of 306 teams- 70th in our division out of 141 teams.

Nate Henrie, Amylee Nicoll, Mindy Kohler, Clayton Wilson, Debbi Hilton, Leslee Wilson, LaDawn Thorpe, Cami Hansen, Shawn Hansen, Austin Nicoll, and Nate Hansen hiding in the back ground.We tried to leave AZ early the next day to avoid a snow storm, but instead we ran straight into it. We left at 4AM only to get stopped because they closed I-17. We waited at a rest stop for 5 hours before we could get on our way again. It took us a total of 18 hours to get home, we almost slid off the road one time, so did the boys in the other van, and a semi jack knifed right behind us. It was possibly the longest day ever!