Digi Scrapper

So I am a HUGE digital scrapbooker and have been for about 5 years now. I am on several creative teams for various digi-scrapbooking stores and have to create layouts using various people's kits. I ran onto this kit the other day and knew it has the perfect "retro" feel for our Ragnar pictures. I posted in various galleries and apparently it has made a little splash. It has been nominated for several "layout of the day"s recognition. It just really wouldn't be that great of a page without Amy's hard work and efforts on the photos. Thanks Amy! I did change my background to match my paper. I think I would like to create another page using everyone's pictures- just to go opposite this page in my album.

Anyway...long explanation as to why it's here...just thought I would share!

Tiny Change to start time

It's now at 7:15 instead of 7.

Finally...I know

I am finally posting on the MOM blog to let everyone know that, YES, I booked my plane tickets. I am not really this much of a procrastinator, but when I realized that we only had three more weeks, it was probably time to find an itinerary. And then I was so excited because as I was looking for tickets tonight, I came to the realization that I went to freakin' China last year and I had all these miles sitting there. So cost of my tickets? $5.00! I am pretty proud of myself...

Also, the shirts are in to the screenprinter and they will be way cute! We might just have to have a pre-race party and do an unveiling...

Hope your training is going great and I can't wait for our adventure!!

"The Stick"

Can I show you my new favorite friend?

I think it's just as good as a foam roller, and not near as awkward. My calves are so happy!
I got mine at Road Runner Sports for about $20.

Night Run

We had a great time on run #2 last night! 5 miles, in the dark, on Vista Ridge hills. Good thing Bri was with us--she couldn't be missed! We all loved her bright yellow jacket.

Run #1 started from Jen's house. She babysat about 15 kids while we ran. Can we say, "Friend of the Year???"

Run # 3 was another 5 miles early this morning. THANK HEAVENS FOR THE HOT TUB!!!

Good girls go to heaven...

Racing Season Begins!

It's hard to believe with this long, cold winter that racing season has begun! We went to St. George for the weekend and I decided to run a 10 k at the last minute with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. It was in gorgeous Snow Canyon. I was planning on running ten miles yesterday, so I decided to run the race bandit since registration was already closed and continued on four miles more with my brother-in-law after the finish line. I ran the 10k in about 8 min miles which was great. Brennon ran it in 6'30" miles, so it was good to run 4 more miles after with him since he is faster than me. It really pushed me which was awesome. I am really feeling it today though, especially in my injured knee, but it was still great. I think its good to train with faster runners sometimes to push yourself. He was not that fast last September when I ran with him, but he does the Run Less Run Faster book program, which I also started three weeks bin. It's killer, but it was cool to see his results. My results are not that great yet, but I think they would be if I had not started the program injured. Hope everyone has a good running week!

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Free Stuff

Want to try some free stuff? Lots of protein, and a little caffeine! Check out the links below:

Of course, you usually have to sign up for a newsletter or something, but with the EAS and pepsi, it allows you to print the coupon twice--so it's worth it to me!

Free Powerbar Proteinplus Bites

EAS protein coupon

BOGO Diet Pepsi

Spring Break Group Runs

Mark your calendar ladies--Spring Break group runs are here! We have two weeks where babysitters are available, and we should take advantage of that. So here are my proposed dates:

Thursday 3/24. This will be the beginning of my first 3-a-day. So, let's get a sitter at 10am and go on a group run. Then, I am also going to do a night run that evening around 8pm. It would be a GREAT time to practice running with all your night gear. Trust me, you want to practice. (And I'll also be running Friday am. Any takers?)

Wednesday 3/30. Same time?? 10am? (If there is a better start time, let me know)

Saturday 4/2. This will be the MEGA HUGE last long run before the race. Let's start at 7am and run the Coal Creek Trail. We will have runners doing all different miles, all different paces, so everyone come--there will be someone to run with for sure.

I am also contemplating a Monday 3/28. Thoughts?

I figure if we each pitch in a couple bucks an hour the babysitter will make a mint, and we'll get to run in the sunshine. It's a win/win!

Talk soon!

Tara

Start Time

Post Edit: The Pace Document is uploaded. Some things didn't convert, so it doesn't look pretty, but all the vital info is there. Just click the link.

We have an official start time! 7am. Jarrie gets a nice, early start on the day. Our predicted finish is 4:30pm on Saturday.

California, here we come!

Steamboat Run

Kara and I had a great 3-ish mile run up at Steamboat this weekend! We didn't have the best of outfits packed and ready for a good run, and we were SO not used to hill runs - but it was a great run! And of coarse it helped justify the enjoyment of a good hour and a half in the hot tub shortly after!

And yay for Ragnar - only one month away!

Kimberlie

MOM Logos

Hi Ladies! My sister-in-law sent these over to me last night. She is amazing! Her blog is kikicreates.blogspot.com and her etsy shop is http://www.etsy.com/shop/kikicomin. I told her instead of us paying her money, I would have all of you forward out her sites on your facebook, blogs, etc. So I would appreciate all of your help!!

Anyways, what do you think? Which one do you like, which color, do you have any other suggestions, or something you want to add? Let me know and we can get this logo done!!

Killer Speed Workout

I just finished a killer speed workout. I usually run anywhere from an 8-8.5 min mile, so I did this workout at about a 7'10" pace, you could covert it depending on your pace. I used a 200 meter indoor track which made it easy, or a 400 meter outdoor track would be great. If you don't want to use a track then try a flat run and convert the meters to miles, for example 400 meters is about .25 miles. So here is the drill, at the fast pace you figured for yourself, run an 400, 600, 800, 1200, 800, 600, 400 with a 400 meter walk or slow jog between each interval. Don't forget a ten min warm up and cool down.20 yards of butt kicks and high knee raises are great to include in your warm up. Have fun! It was a killer, but feels great now that its over.

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Adventures of a Beginner Part 2

(This was my latest blog post for my personal blog and I thought I would share here...please don't judge my speed (or serious lack thereof) or my extreme lack of knowledge. I am honestly just a 38 year mom of 4 who has never done anything like this before in her life.)

"So I have been trying to run. I have also been advised to start recording my adventures. This may be boring for some but mostly it's for me. I have been trying to run this very oversized butt for a few months now. Sadly, the oversized butt is still there and the pounds are clinging to me for dear life. This week I had an epiphany though...something I already knew in my logical head but after reading 3 (yes that is THREE) books this week, I think my logical head and my heart are coming together. My high heart rate is making me hold onto the weight. My body is sucking up all the glycogen in my body and not using my plentiful fat reserves. Thus I fall into a coma for 2 days until the next run. It's all starting to make sense. My only question is why I didn't figure this out before now with only 39 days until my race. The good news is that starting Monday begins a new training routine which includes 5 days a week of running but at a much easier pace. No more trying to kill myself for 6 miles. After my last 2-a-day on Monday I felt super discouraged and just didn't know how I could possibly do this race. How do I run 5.5 miles, then 8 hours later do 3 miles and 8 hours later run 6? How do I do that when I feel like dying after the first 5? The answer will lie in this new training program. Forget the distance and focus solely on the heart rate and keeping in the zone it is supposed to be. Thursday I tried running/walking slower and at an incline because I felt I was getting sick. I kept the HR down to 70% and WOW, I felt incredible when I was done. My legs didn't stiffen up into rigor mortise after I was done. When I woke up the next day, I could WALK!!! Miracles happen. Now that I have finished the heart rate book, it totally makes sense. My body wasn't using my glycogen reserves! Awesome!

I don't like running. But I do have something to prove. I can do this. If the very large contestants on Biggest Loser can run, so can I. Even this season's biggest contestant Arthur has been running on the treadmill. If this 400 pound man can do this with all his extra "baggage" wagging on his body, then so can I and am FAR smaller than he is.

I feel like after this week's reading (yes THREE whole books just on running and heart rates) I have a head full of knowledge. I am excited to run at 70% of my heart rate max (which is going to be like walking really for a while.) I am excited to only have one hard day out of 5. I am excited that my hard day is not going to be on Friday when my schedule is too full and I get too tired. I am now looking forward to Wednesdays and Sundays...my days of rest. Every book I have read has said to love and enjoy those days off. I am looking forward to possibly (very possibly) consider training for a half marathon after this race is over. We'll see if I am dead after Ragnar or not. I don't think a full marathon would ever be in my future. It's not really all that good for the body and I honestly don't care but I am curious to see if I could survive 13 miles all at once. If I can do it in 24 hours for Ragnar, why not in 4 (yes I'm slow) for a half marathon? The other thing I have been learning in all my book reading is that there is no shame in walk/running...that most good marathoners do a mixture of both. Only a very tiny percentage run the whole way. Many even break at every mile to ice their knees (which also begs to wonder WHY they do it?)

I am sure this first week will be frustrating for me as I had finally hit 6 miles at an 11:44 pace- of course I died for 48 hours after that run. I am sure I will be back down to a 14:45-15:30 pace while I condition my heart. I know I am going to feel so much better though and not have to die in between the runs. I'm sure my family will be happy about that. They have seen me more horizontal than vertical since this whole thing started two months ago. So here's to another new twist in my adventure! My goal is to run a lot of miles in 2011. So far I am at 158 I think.

I really want to do the Napa Valley Ragnar in September of 2012. You start in San Francisco and cross the Golden Gate Bridge and head north through some Redwoods and on up into wine country. Sounds almost as blissful as the So Cal! Just something to work towards, train for and stay/get in shape for.

These are the two other books I have read this week. Informative for sure."

Just do it

Google Maps

So...thanks to Nikki, I have an afternoon to myself! Blake is napping and the other two are hanging out at her house. I was playing around on the Ragnar site, and decided to use Google Earth to map all my runs. It was so fun to see exactly where I will be running! I love that I can get detailed enough to even see the sidewalk. So cool! I'd recommend everyone do this. It will also prepare you for some unexpected scenery--it's not all beaches and palm trees :)

Adventures of a Beginner

So I bought this book last night and am already half way through it. Needless to say, I think I am over-training. Running too far too fast. My heart rate is way too high (usually in the mid 170 range) and I am so dog-dead tired after I'm done running, I usually collapse on the couch. I am stiff despite stretching until the next run. Walking up and down stairs has my legs aching. I am proud of my accomplishments thus far but I think I am going to back off the mileage and run just a little slower and try to get my heart rate a little lower. I have been so focused on this race that I am forgetting that I want to do this past April 17. I guess I just don't want to disappoint my team or myself at the race but I apparently need an attitude adjustment. One thing I have learned this far into the book is that injuries are not part of running, or at least they don't have to be. I had a stress fracture about 18 months ago and it took a LONG time to heal. I really don't want to go through that again.

So much to learn. I thought at age 38 I would be smarter....guess not. Oh well. Never too late to figure it out. Maybe by slowing it down a bit will help the weight loss factor a little more. Anyway, it's just a big journey of self discovery I am on. This race will likely be just the beginning for me.