A 13.1 mile party in the Street

In January, my sister, Colette and I talked each other into running a half-marathon.  The half-marathon we choose was the inaugural Morgan Valley Marathon.  We both thought it would be great to run in our home town.  A place we know and love.

The race was scheduled for July 31st.  I started training in mid-April for the run.  I ran sprints, did running intervals, went for some longer runners, worked out hard with my trainer, pushed my self to do many things I never thought I could do.

I don't consider myself to be a runner and I don't really like it very much either, but I have always wanted to say I ran a race that was more than a 5k.  As I the day of the was approaching Colette and I both realized the race course was going to be a bit of a challenge.  Within the first 1/4 mile of the race you go up a hill.  The course continues to wind through the foothills of Morgan, climbing for the next 7 miles.  I was scared.  I hate hills.  I live in the hills and I run on as many parallel roads as I can find.

Rather than getting my self nervous and full of anxiety I decided to mentally prepare myself for the hills and the course.  I told myself that if I had to walk up the hills it would be okay.  There is no shame in walking.  I learned that if I let myself have a good time.. what I like to call "a party in the street" while running I will be fine.

I broke the course out into 4 sections in my mind.  I would focus on making it to the Morgan Cemetary.  That is where the really hilly part would start.  The end of the hills would be a the Porterville Church so my next goal was to make it there.  After the Porterville church I would start to go down hill and made my next focus point the Y at Young Street.  After I made it to Young Street all I had to do was make it home.

During my training I kept telling myself, I am going to run a half-marathon.  I can do hard things.  I will accomplish my goal.  I will be energized and have fun and enjoy every moment. I learned to run with Quench Gum and my own water.  Before I started the race I had chocolate PowerBar energy blasts. At about mile 9 I would refuel with a PowerBar and some Gatorade.  I also packed some Raspberry Gummy Energy Chews.  The most important thing for my party in the street was my 4 hours and 11 minutes worth of music.  I would start it out loud and strong and keep it pumping.

I was very excited the day of the race and was ready to get started.  I had all of my plans intact and ready.  The gun was fired and I started to run.. my music was really loud.  I made it to the Morgan Cemetary in no time and felt great.  I was surprised I felt so energized.  The next thing I knew I was at the Porterville Church.  I felt like I was cruising.  I seriously still felt really great!

About a mile after the church my iPod started freezing.  That put a little damper on my excitement and good feeling but I just kept running.  When a song with a good beat would come on I would pump my arms and sing along.  I am sure some of the other runners thought I was crazy.  By about mile number 11 I started to get tired and wanted to be done.  I didn't look over the end of the course very well so I was surprised that we had to run behind the high school on a river side trail.  At this point my legs really started hurting.  After I made it off the trail I knew I only had a mile left to run and knew I could do it.  The last mile wasn't bad.  By the time I could see the finish line I felt energized again.

As I came across the finish line it was so fun to have most of my family there.  They were all cheering Go Annie! Go Annie! and pumping their arms like I did while I was running in the street.  It was an amazing experience to be done.  I hugged my sister Colette and said we just ran a half-marathon.  Remember how we did that.  I was great!  I will do it again.  Maybe?  Someday? Who knows?  I have some other things I  am trying to concentrate on right now but what I do know form my 13.1 mile party in the street is that I can do hard things!!!

Race for the Cure 2011

I look forward to the Race for The Cure every year.  This year I experienced more excitement because my Mom decided to participate.

Colette also came to the race again this year.

Kim came and brought a lot of her family members which made for a very fun, emotional race.   I am so proud of my mom for deciding she wanted to walk the race with us.  When we started we thought we would participate in the 1 mile walk.  As we got to the 1 mile marker Mom decided she wanted to go the entire distance.  I was so happy she was pushing herself for such a great cause. 

Breast Cancer or any cancer for that matter is no respecter of persons.  It effects the old, the young, the happy, the healthy, the depressed.  It is an awful disease.  The Race for The Cure is a fight specifically against Breast Cancer.  I am happy to participate and hopefully make a small difference in the lives of women, friends, husbands and children that have to experience the trials of this disease. 

SpOoK and SpRinT

A few days before Halloween my sister Colette called me to see if we wanted to participate in a Spook and Sprint Halloween morning. I had planned to stay at her house the night before Halloween anyway so I said "Of course" and was very excited, especially when she told me there would be costumes.



I bought a pumpkin Halloween costume for Charlie. When I got to Logan I decided I should try it on him. It didn't fit! Ahh, it was the night before Halloween. Colette, Vanessa, Savanah and I went to find Charlie a new costume. We went to four different stores. Who would have thought it would be so hard to find a dog costume? We had nearly given up hope when we found a puppy banana costume that was Charlie size. It fit him perfectly. A.J. decided he would take advantage of Charlies too small pumpkin costume and wore it to the race instead. I'm glad it went to good use. You can see him in the background of the picture. Ha!



We woke up got ready and headed to the Spook and Sprint. Charlie as a banana, me as an In N Out worker. When we got to the Spook and Sprint it turned out there were fewer people in costume than we had thought. It turned out to be a very fun morning. I always love spending time with Colette and her family. And Charlie was an outstanding little banana dog racer! Happy Halloween everyone!

Elephant Rock

Looking west to the Great Salt Lake


The Trail

A few weeks after I got Charlie, he and I hiked to Elephant Rock. It's a little hike here in Bountiful up the canyon to a rock that looks like an elephant (only a little bit like an elephant in my opinion). It is about 6 miles round trip. We started a little late so by the time we got to the top of the trail the sun was going done. I hadn't planned for the dark. So, Charlie and I started to run. We ran most of the way down but then it got to dark for me to see so we had to walk. I kept trying to use my phone as a flash light but it didn't work to well. We did however make it down safely and both had a great time. Charlie met several other dogs on the trail. He loved his life that day. It was good times. Next time I'll pack a flash light :)

The Race for The Cure

The Race for the Cure was on May 8th this year. My sister Colette and my sister in law Kim came down to participate with me this year. We had a sleepover at my house the night before. Did a last minute shopping trip to Target and grabbed some ice cream. I had talked with Colette and Kim about the race's I had done before. The Race for the Cure is my most favorite race I have ever done. Ever year I ended up running with tears regardless of how hard I try to stay composed. My family kind of made fun of me for saying the race always made me emotional. Colette, Kim and I were walking to the starting line and I looked over a both of them. I was stunned to see they were both trying to hold back the tears and were becoming emotional before the race even began. It was really cool. I'm happy they made it done and had a good experience. Hopefully it can become a tradition for the rest of our lives. To all of those who suffer, or know someone who has suffered from the awful breast cancer disease. The race is for you and you will always be in my prayers.





Colette and Kim both ran for people they new personally in their lives who had been plagued by breast cancer. I love to see people show they care.

Race for the Cure

Gosh... I love The Race for the Cure. It is an amazing thing to be a part of something that has such an impact on so many people. So many of us face breast cancer or any type of cancer every single day. It plagues thousands. How do we find a cure? One day, one test, one race at a time. I know my participation in a 3.1 mile race every year is small potatoes in the scheme of truly finding a cure but my eyes have been open to the effects the disease has on millions of lives. Here's to the search for the cure and all of those who have survived.

Millcreek Canyon

I love hiking and the weather is finally getting warm enough to pack up and head outside. (At least some days have warm enough weather). I took a short hike up Millcreek Canyon a few weeks ago. It was beautiful and has some great views of the Great Salt Lake and the Wasatch Mountains. Can't wait to explore more of the area this summer.

I Am A Grateful Person

Our morning hike to the "M"

I didn't ever write about Thanksgiving. I didn't mean to not write. I have just been a slacker. I had an awesome Thanksgiving this year. It was so much fun. Austin and Alysha, Colette and Aaron, Monica and Scott with all of their children and I went to my parents house in Morgan for Thanksgiving. We started off the day of course with some baking to prepare for the meal. Around 10:30 in the morning some of us took off to hike to the "M" in Morgan on the hill. It was something I wanted to do so I wouldn't feel so guilty for completing pigging out later that day. When we got back I hurried and showered and we all sat down for the meal. It was yum yum yummy and I ate like a queen. The traditional afternoon Thanksgiving nap was next. We watched movies and hung out. Then later that night I joined the Little family for the gingerbread house decorating party. I invite myself every year. Quite nice of me I think. They are gracious enough to let me come.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. You get to be with family and friends. There's no presents and no expectations (well expect for the food). I love being able to relax and express gratitude for the things I feel. I am grateful for so much in my life. My family, my testimony that God is real, my belief that the gospel is true, my health, my house, my intelligence, my learning, my career, my friends, my life....it is a great one. I want for nothing more!

I love to Snowshoe

I got to go snowshoeing today for the first time this winter season. I was so excited. I bought myself some new snowshoes last year. Today was the first time I got to use them. They are awesome...I love them. We went up Millcreek canyon at about 7:30 this morning. Scott my brother in law came with me. It was freezing cold but luckily with good gear you can keep toasty warm. If you if you look real close at the pictures you can see the frost on my hat and in my hair. It was so cold. But, gorgeous and tons and tons of fun.

The Wave

So those of you who know me well know that I have been talking about the wave since the first of the year. I heard about it from my brother in law Scott in February. I have been waiting to go there ever since. Scott got a permit to hike it again a couple of weeks ago. Being the nice people that they are, Monica and Scott, invited me to tag along. I was so excited. They are the best!!

Little Black Mountain

Scott, my brother in law, and I hiked to the top of Little Black Mountain in Salt Lake today. It is a hike that starts above the avenues in the Terrace Hills area. It is about 9 miles round trip. This all came about on Thursday when I was asking Scott for some computer help for my boss. I asked Scott if he had any hiking trips planned soon and he said he had this one planned for Saturday. I, of course, invited myself to go. We met at 6:30am to start the hike. It was amazing. Scott was gracious enough to let me set the pace. The weather was pretty nice until we reached the top and it started to snow. You could see everything from the top of the mountain from all of the Salt Lake Valley out to Tooele and up to Antelope Island. The leaves are just starting to change color so the mountains were canvased with beautiful fall colors. The hike down was cold. It started to drizzle rain and although I had my trusty rain coat my lower body got soaked. It was awesome though, a good good day.

Timpanogos Cave

A couple of weeks ago I hiked to Timpanogos Cave with my old roommates Becky and Elise, their new roommate Heather and their friend Nathan. We had a really good time. I haven't been up to Timpanogos for so long. I forgot what a good view you get of the south Salt Lake Valley. The cave was really fun as well. I did get in trouble by the 14 year old volunteer because my backpack touched the wall. Yikes.... I didn't mean to touch anything. I wouldn't want to mess up the stalagtites and stalagmites. Let's be serious. Here's some pictures of our day.



Beginning of the trail head. Me, Heather, Becky, Elise and Nathan.

Some of the cave formations.


A view of the valley.


Inside the cave.

Race for the Cure

The Susan G. Komen race for the cure 5K was this Saturday at the Gateway Mall. My friend Aubrey who participated last year encouraged us to join her. Trish and I decided to run the race with her this year. I have never been a part of such and emotional run. In fact I have never been emotional while running at all. I usually can't wait until the run is over. I have competed in my fair share of 5Ks but this one was amazing. There were 16,000 participants. It is the biggest 5K race in the state of Utah. There were every size, shape and age of runner or walker at the race. There were groups of people that had pink tags on their backs saying I run for my mother, my sister, my aunt, my best friend, my wife. There were runners with pink shirts saying I survived.The race started off with Melissa Etheridge's song I Run For Life. I was choking back the tears. There were babies in strollers and little kids riding on their dad's shoulders. The energy was intoxicating. The race is held for such an important thing.

I hope that we can all be aware of breast cancer and the effects it has on all of our lives. We all know a special women in our life that has fought against breast cancer. None of us are exempt from the disease. I hope we all gain an awareness of the importance of having regular medical check ups and self examinations. Visit The Susan G. Komen website for educational and inspirational information.