Race #1 for 2012 season!

I have been itching to race!! I haven't completed a triathlon since last September. I have some good goals in mind for this upcoming year and have really wanted to see where I am at in regards to racing. But I hate racing when it is cold! The Icebreaker is held here locally and it has been really cold in years past. But, last weekend as I looked at the 7 day forecast it looked like it was going to be great weather! I decided to sign up and get all my race nerves out and remind myself that I know how to race!

I contemplated and stewed over what I was going to wear all week because it was going to be around 54 degrees...should I wear arm warmers? A vest? Socks? My poor triathlon coaches got two seperate emails from me analyzing what I was going to wear! I know it shouldn't have been that big of deal...but with a sprint I didn't want to waste very much time in transition putting stuff on. Heath was so awesome to let me borrow a swim skin...and it was the perfect thing to race in!! I left Heath and Mahogani's on Thursday feeling like I had a great plan for what to wear. I also spent some time talking to Mahogani about how I was going to race on Saturday...paces I should be hitting and such. I felt totally prepared mentally and physically for this race.

Icebreaker is so fun because it is like a big local triathlon reunion! It was such a great time setting up this morning and visiting with everyone. Race time approached quickly and we made our way into the pool. I have to be honest that I hate pool swim triathlons..I would much rather be in the open water..but in March you take what you can get! My swim was nothing spectacular...I thought I should have held a stronger pace, but that is just how it goes sometimes. I headed out to transition to get on my bike. I have to be honest...I was SO excited to race with my new Kestrel bike! The course was a 2 loop with an uphill going out and downhill coming back. I had a good mantra going in my head to keep me focused and just targeted whoever was in front of me. I quickly realized that my speedometer wasn't working on my bike..so discouraging as Coach had given me paces to meet!!! Second loop...my garmin died and I dropped by gu!! Seriously...no heartrate or pace to go by and now I only got half of my gu!! Crap!! It was time to mentally focus on you take what you get on races....no stressing out!! Just ride hard!

As I headed out on the run I wondered how in the heck I was going to hit my paces that Coach had set!! I decided if I felt like I was going to die then I was probably holding somewhere close to what I was supposed to. I quickly started to catch up to people on the course which always motivates me! Up the big hill again...I did give myself a 5 second walk...who the heck knows what my heartrate was..but it was bursting!! As I topped the hill I passed a guy and asked him what pace we were running...he said 7:25...crap...that isn't close!! I thought I probably had time to make up and I better just push myself...The last 1.5 miles I really, really wanted to walk...but I knew that I couldn't!! I came into the finish having no idea what my time was or how I did. It was so great to see my coaches at the finish line! I was told I had ran the course fast, but had no idea at what pace. So..then it was the waiting game for the results. I hated having no idea what my time was. When they were posted I was SO excited!! I won the race!! I finished the race in 1:01...and I hit the paces my coaches had set!!

I am still waiting to have the perfect race where nothing goes wrong...and am starting to think that it doesn't happen. We just have to roll with the punches that are thrown at us on races, keep smiling, and remember that this is FUN!! We do this sport because we love it...and sometimes we can even snag a win!

Tri Girls weekend!

This past fall I was invited to be on the TriEdge-Kestrel Womens Triathlon Team. I have been so excited to be on a triathlon team with other girls! The season hasn't even started yet and I feel so grateful for the opportunity. It is such an amazing group of ladies and I enjoy being around them. In February Jenn linked us up with a cabin on Tifie Ranch in East Canyon. This place is amazing! It is ran by GoalZero. We stayed in this small cottage where everything is run by solar panels and such....it was so cool! We stayed up visiting, listening to music, and chatting....and eating! We woke up the next morning as we were snowshoeing SIX miles! Can I just say the first 3 miles...literally...were uphill! We ended up climbing almost 1800 feet! It was so incredibly beautiful and it was so nice being outside. One mile into the hike we stopped at a yurt for a snack. A big thanks to the Workmans for letting us stay in their amazing cottage, and allowing us to snowshoe all over their property! I look forward to hanging and supporting these girls this upcoming season.

Dance competitions have started!

Cambrie is our little performer and has been so excited about dance competitions. Her team looks great this year and brought home blue ribbons!

Flying Kites

I love that Spring is here!! I love that today we had our windows open, our ceiling fan on, that we took two trips to the park, and I could hear little kids running around outside. All of these sounds remind me Spring is here! Yes..we took two trips to the park. One trip with grandma and grandpa and a second trip tonight! This evening after dinner Jon suggested we take the big kite down to the park. We had such a great time! The kids loved helping Jon fly the kite.

More Zion pictures

Zion and Training!

I have been itching to get outside and ride my bike! I have been training through the winter for the upcoming race season and have spent hours on my computrainer. I really needed to get out of the basement. Over Presidents weekend in February we decided to take the family down to Zion...we could hike and I could train...perfect combination! We invited my mom and Dave to go with us as Dave is training for a half ironman as well. Everything was booked in St. George so I looked in Zion. I have no idea how we lucked out, but we ended up staying at the most amazing place! We could have stayed on this ranch and not left the entire weekend and our kids would have been perfectly happy. We stayed in a ranch house at Two Feathers Ranch. It is an awesome ranch that sits on the Virgin River. The home had a loft with a play room and bunk beds for Cambrie and Ethan. The owner and ranch hand happened to be there that weekend and treated us so well! This is what the weekend looked like (I did not want to come back home!!)
We arrived on Friday afternoon and headed straight into Zion to the river walk. We thought we would let the kids run around on the river trail after the long drive down. Zion is one of my most favorite places and I love that it is practically in our backyard! It is so beautiful no matter what time of year!
Saturday I woke up really early and headed into St. George to meet up with some of HT Training athletes for a nice long ride on the Ironman course. I was really nervous because Heath and Mahogani told me I was riding 80 miles...I have never rode over 60!! I was nervous I wouldn't be able to keep up, that my legs wouldn't let me push through the miles...but, surprise...I did it! And I enjoyed every minute of being outside with such a great group of people! This group I went with were hard working, no nonsense, get it done people...my favorite! I felt a little bad leaving everyone back at the ranch, but when Jon picked me up I learned they had just as much fun as I did!! Jon and Dave biked 28 miles to into Zion and back. My mom had the perfect grandma morning with my kids feeding the animals on the ranch, skipping rocks at the river, collecting fresh eggs and cooking them and then eating them on the picnic table outside! I was so happy to hear everyone else had enjoyed themselves as much as I did! I hurried and showered off and we headed back into Zion to hike the Emerald Pools.
Sunday...we woke up to snow! Mother Nature has bipolar at this time of year! We had beautiful weather Saturday and snow on Sunday....crazy! We had breakfast at Oscars...a favorite stop in Springdale. We opted to drive to Mesquite to find more sun and let the kids splash around at the pool. We came back to the ranch and relaxed that evening.
Monday morning I woke up early again to get a run in outside! I ran for just over 7 miles with beautiful scenery around me. It was perfect!
The kids fed the animals one last time and collected eggs one more time. I cannot wait to go back to this amazing ranch!!

St. George Half Marathon 2012 Recap

Since training with HT Training they like all their athletes to run the St. George Half Marathon. I ended up riding down with Carlee Tulett and sharing a condo with her. It turned out to be such a great weekend!

I was really nervous about this race because my last half marathon at the end of last season felt horrible and I had an awful race! Mentally....I knew I really needed to have a good race. I also hadn't ran over 10 miles for the last three months and had already put in 21 miles previously this week. So...I wasn't running on fresh legs. I was so excited to come down to warm weather; unfortunately, the weather didn't want to cooperate! It ended up being rainy with a little bit of wind. I spent the morning of the race trying to plot out my plan for the race...where should I have my heartrate, what paces should I run...I decided I was just going to go on how I felt! The course is awesome...I would say it is a “true half marathon.” The first seven miles has a lot of up hill with the last six being more flat with some false flats. It was a tough half marathon course and a great challenge! I decided I would start with the 1:35 pacers and go from there when I was at the start line. The first couple miles I wasn't feeling great and was a little worried, but at mile three I started to feel great! I passed the 1:35 pacers around mile 5 and decided I wasn't going to let them pass me again. I ended up finding a man who was running a great pace and decided I would stay on his heels and figured at mile 8 if I kept my pace I could come in around 1:32. Unfortunately, the nice man with a nice pace stopped at the aid station at mile 11 and left me to run on my own! Crap! At mile 10 was starting to feel the hurt and I really wanted to walk! But, I pushed through and was not going to walk! The last two miles were painful! My legs hadn't seen these miles for months! I truly pushed to the finish line and finished in 1:32! I was thrilled with my finish time as it was a tough course and I wasn't on fresh legs. I was also able to have a positive race to lead off this coming year. I am so excited for this race season and to push myself to some new limits! And as if the half marathon wasn't enough...thanks to Heath and Mahogani Thurston we rode for 1.5 hours and then swam! Quite the day!

Christmas 2011...yes I am very behind!

It is no secret that I LOVE Christmas!! I don't love winter, I don't love cold, but I do love the holiday season. I think it is because everyone is in the giving spirit, being kind to each other, and looking out for what is best to ensure everyone has a great holiday season. I LOVE it!
The Christmas festivities this year worked out so well in terms of not being crazy. With trying to get to three different families it can be a little chaotic! Especially since I have a rule that we are home Christmas morning!
My mom did her celebration the day before Christmas Eve. My mom always makes my favorite holiday treat, potica. And I seriously eat myself sick at her house enjoying every bite! Santa always comes (I mean Uncle Aaron!) and these year he and Ashley went above and beyond! They made marshmallow shooters for all the kids that "Santa" gave to them. I am not sure who enjoyed it more..the kids or adults! Lets just say their were marshmallows EVERYWHERE in my mom and Dave's home after the party! My mom and Dave gave Cambrie the "hit of the year"....a pogo stick! She spent the rest of her holiday season jumping on it. So cute!
We spent Christmas Eve morning at Grannie Annie and Papa's. We have a traditional Christmas Eve brunch at their house...always SO good! Grannie Annie is such a great cook!! We played a fun gift giving game and opened presents. My dad gave Jayden and Ethan basketball hoops and it has been so fun to watch Ethan with it. We have it set up in the basement and it provides great entertainment while I am on my trainer!
We did a new tradition this year...and one I am keeping! Christmas Eve at our house. I made soup and we had Jon's parents, grandma, and sister over. Our house was full of screaming kids and it was perfect! We decorated waffle ice cream cones like Christmas trees, watched a Christmas music, opened present, and visited. Sharon and Monty are always so thoughtful in the gifts to their grandkids....whatever they give is always a hit! I am hoping to make this an annual tradition.
Christmas morning we have traditional brunch. We always tell all the grandparents whoever wants to come over can...we will feed them and they can see what Santa brought! Christmas morning was a little sad this year because "Blate" our elf sadly had to go back home to the North Pole. But, before he left he took several pictures of himself for Cambrie and Ethan to look at until next year. (Such a nice elf!) Cambrie and Ethan loved Blate (yes, Cambrie named him Blate). Not sure where she came up with that at. But, we had so much fun with Blate. He was a mischevious elf (snow angel in powdered sugar, messing up the advent calendar, went on a date with Barbie in the Barbie car, and he even brought gifts from the North Pole!)
Christmas night we spent at Jon's parent's home. I love our annual gift exchange at their home. We collected favorites from the year and then give a bag of those favorites to Jon's parents and each siblings. So..essentially we go home with everyone's favorite things from the year. It is so fun hearing what everyone's were from the year!
It was a perfect Christmas!

Temple Square...another favorite tradition!

Anyone who lives in Utah looks forward to walking through Temple Square looking at the beautiful lights. It is such a sight to see and one of my favorite traditions. This year we went up with Grannie Annie and Papa. Thanks to a mild winter the conditions were perfect and we only had to be in a couple layers instead of five!! There have been winters that it was almost not bearable to even walk through. But, this year we watched the manger scene, walked through all the manger scenes from different countries, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Gingerbread Houses...a Christmas tradition

For anyone who knows me...knows I am not the greatest baker, not the most creative decorator...so making a gingerbread house from scratch would be disastrous! Thank goodness for Costco!! Cambrie and Ethan look forward to decorating the gingerbread house every year! Ethan definitely thought it was more fun to eat the candy then decorate the house this year. I have to admit..they did a great job decorating!

Wow...I am behind!! Lets start with Halloween!

Here we are in March....outside reminds us of Spring with the sun shining! And...my blog hasn't been updated since fall! Ouch! I have some work cut out for me. So...we will start with Halloween! We had just great Halloween festivities! Cambrie chose to be a witch and Ethan was a turkey...we thought that fit him well.
We found ourselves at Gardener Village, Water Conservatory, and at Grandma Foster's for her annual Halloween party. It was so fun to visit with Heather at the water conservatory Halloween festivities...and I have decided that is the best kept secret! My kids had so much fun playing games and eating doughnuts in their cute costumes. They even got to watch a presentation that included pumpkins throwing up!
The past two years we have ended up having some friends over to carve pumpkins. I think I am going to continue that tradition! It is always so much fun visiting with friends and letting our kids dig into their pumpkins. I say any excuse to visit with friends!
I also learned about the Foothill Village trick or treating this year....this was so much fun! My kids walked through the shops loading up on all sorts of candy, cupcakes, games, and balloons.
I don't think any of us could have asked for a better Halloween!