Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay

Brent and I ran Ragnar with my cousin's team in 2007 and passed on opportunities to run in 2008 and 2009. When my friend and her hubby asked us this year, I couldn't say no. They were desperate (as you probably guessed) and I not only agreed, but volunteered my speedy husband, his co-worker, and another running friend for the project as well.

Three years ago I was runner 7 and despite the ease of assigned legs, I suffered from 90+degree heat, caffeine withdrawal headaches and backseat-of-the-poorly-driven-van nausea. Not this year! Being teamed with friends and handsome spouse and a cooler full of Diet Dr. Pepper made this time's experience much more fun.

We left for Logan at 2:30 a.m. on the fumes of 3 hours of sleep to make the not-so-vital safety training session and our 1^st runner started at 5:15. I was runner 2 with legs 2, 14, and 26. I ran my hardest and longest leg first with the following splits:

1-10:02

2-10:24

3-10:01

4-10:22

5-11:18 You see that benign looking little bump at 4.3 miles, yeah…it was a little bigger in-person.

6-10:26

7 (.8 miles)-7:07

Total: 1:09 = 10:15 pace

My second leg was only 3 miles and it was HOT outside by then. I enjoyed getting sprayed by the fun kids along the route who were a little too happy to help cool me off. My splits:

1-9:40

2-9:35

3-10:20

Total: 29:49 = 9:52 pace

I ran my last leg was in pitch darkness cursing someone’s great idea to strew glow sticks along the route. From the beginning of this 3.3 miles I felt the effects of sleep-deprivation and over-use of my IT Band and whatever tendon it attaches to that wraps to the foot arch. (Kind of felt like I’d run two times in the last 12 hours and a marathon the week before…Hmmm. Strange.) Splits:

1-9:53

2-10:54

3-10:03

4 (.3 miles)-2:28

Total: 33:18 = 10:09 pace

In summary, I loved a lot of things about my Ragnar experience this time around:

* Being runner 2 rocked. My legs were pretty easy but the best part was being finished so early. I was able to enjoy the rest of the race. I am more suited to being a cheerleader than an athlete…although my physical proportions don’t hint at either of those capacities.

* As we were in the same van, I was able to enjoy Brenty's sparkling personality and since I’m already immune to his body odor, he was one less person I could smell in such cramped quarters.

* We saw a friend and his team a couple of times on the course. I embarrassed myself by accusing, yes, accusing his look-alike brother of being him. The poor guy may never recover. Funny.

* I had an unspoken (and lame to speedy runners) goal to go under a 10 minute pace on each of my legs and while I accomplished that on only one of my three legs, I felt okay about my performance.

* I was able to sleep when I had opportunity. This helped my body and mind a lot.

* My $2 shower in Heber City was priceless. And, I ran into a teacher that I knew when I taught there a million years ago. So fun.

Things I didn’t love about Ragnar this year:

* Even though our kids are older and pretty low maintenance, I couldn’t relax completely wondering and worrying about child care issues.

* The finish line was a crowded, chaotic joke. Van 2 had a miserable time finding parking in time to meet at the finish since leg 36 was short-ironic especially since they, without notice, increased leg 35 by 1.5 miles.

* In general, I really think there were just too, too many teams and people. I don’t know what the solution is…increase the fee from ridiculous to astronomical? disallow charity teams? refuse entry to old, slow, red-haired women? I don’t know but it seems like Ragnar is an example of less would be more.

This relay is tough but so much fun. I am crossing my fingers that my father-in-law will get the itch to head a Zimmerman Family Team soon!

Happy Father's Day, Brent.

You are one sick dad!

Dad Life from Church on the Move on Vimeo.

Herding Cats aka Coaching T-ball

My little guy looooves to play ball--football, soccer, basketball, tennis, baseball, anyball. Although Alec is a year younger than the city's Parks and Rec. Dept. states he needs to be in order to register for T-ball, I thought they might look the other way if I volunteered to coach him and 14 other kitties, I mean, kids. They did gratefully and graciously handing over a team roster, 15 Phillies uniforms and hats, a T-ball post, 6 rubber t-balls and some nervous sounding well wishes.

I was thinking of suing the city for any or all of the following conditions--vocal cord recuperation therapy, high five-triggered palm blisters, chronic lower back pain from lifting post-toddlers to the correct batting stance, perma bruise on my forehead from the "d'oh" after nearly every fielding play, laugh lines from the hilarity that is 5-year-olds trying to play a team sport, etc.
but I decided to take the offered settlement...

Totally worth it!

26.2 miles of random thoughts.

Brent, my father-in-law, Scott, and I ran the Utah Valley Marathon on Saturday. (Read Brent's report here and my father-in-law's report here.) It started in Wallsburg and finished in south Provo. 26.2 miles makes for a long day and lots of thinking when you're slow and running alone. Here are my mile splits with a mere smattering at what was "running" through my mind while I was running and running and running...

1-9:59- I was a good 12 minutes crossing the start line after the official start gun..It may have been a bad idea to wait so long for a PoP (port-o-potty) visit. I feel like the only one out here. Seriously. What if I were to come in absolutely LAST? Yikes.
2-10:20- So this is Wallsburg. When I taught Home Ec. in Heber City, many of my students were from Wallsburg including Shane and Shantal—the hellion siblings who one-uped each other daily with their discipline-prompting antics. Those two names got crossed off the “what should we name our kids?” list fast!
3-11:03- That volunteer lumped me in with “crazy marathoners.” Huh. I am a marathoner. THAT is crazy!
4-13:13- A PoP stop this early? It’s gonna be a loooong race.
5-10:26- Lucky me. A soggy hug and words of encouragement from AlisaK! She is darling and as cold, wet and tired as I am. Volunteers rock. How cute is it that her husband is here? It’s not his gig but he supports her in her psychosis, I mean, hobby.
6-11:03- Not often that Utah weather includes the phrase “torrential rain.” Good thing I’m not one of the pretty girls who do their hair and makeup before a race. I’d have hairspray stung eyes and mascara striped cheeks by now.
7-12:12- Hey! It’s Bennett’s Mom in a lovely black running outfit. Oh wait, that is a garbage bag. Well, she makes it look good.
8-13:46- TIME: 1:32:00 Aww, Brent’s favorite number. I hope he’s doing well. I bet he didn’t walk this hill!
9-10:17- I. AM. COLD. So glad it’s not 100 degrees though.
10-11:49- “Soy un perdedor. I’m a loser baby so why don’t you kill me?” I heart you Puck and Finn…loving my GLEE music.
11-12:10- Blistermania commence. I hate wet feet.
12-11:38- Yay, I see my father-in-law! He asked me what my race plan was this morning. I answered him the same way as I answered BeMo when she asked my strategy. “Uuhhhmm.” + nervous giggle. I still don’t have a plan.
13-9:49- Would it be flirting to tell that guy that he has beautiful calves? Probably. WAIT! How did he get such yummy calves if I am passing him? That’s not fair.
14-12:45- Appropriate. “Highway to Hell” on the mp3 player in time for another hill.
15-11:56- Absolutely beautiful, green canyon mountains. What a blessing to run here.
16-10:43- My feet hurt. Bye-bye toenails.
17-10:11- Yay tailwind!! Maybe my clothes will dry out before the finish line.
18-10:32- Could I possibly go under 5 hours, smash my Ogden time and PR? Math…do math. Dangit. I can’t add or subtract but I guess I can keep running.
19-10:33- Why does 8 miles left sound more daunting than 10 miles left? Weird.
20-10:24- If I cinch up the knee strap and down some ibuprofen maybe I can mask the ITB hurt.
21-10:08- Oh-oh. The runner who nearly plowed into a construction barrel is asking if she can run with me because I’m what? “Running so fast!” The poor delusional thing. Say yes, Rita. Don’t ask her to help you with the pace math though.
22-11:18- Wow. I really think I can do this thing in less than 5 hours; especially with the distraction of chatty barrel lady. Don’t think about it. Just run.
23-11:11- University Avenue. I loved going to school here. BYU is the best.
24-11:14- The Canadian rock group LOVERBOY was really underrated. Lovin’ every minute of it…dun dun dun dun…Lovin’ every minute of it.
25-11:04- Mmmmm La Dolce Vita Gnocchi. Wish I’d had that for my carbo load.
26-11:13- Really?! A hill during mile 26 of a marathon? Look down, one foot in front of the other. Look down, look down…crack, tar, weed, rock. Ahhh. There we go…top of the hill. Ouch going down feels WORSE!
.38- 3:54 (10:09 pace)-26.2 is a marathon and long enough but my GPS is showing a further distance. LET. THIS. END!! There’s Brent!! Now where’s the *^&% FINISH LINE?!

I can actually say that I am super proud of this race. I ran the 2nd half of the course faster than the first half and and my mile splits without hills or the one (that is an accomplishment of itself!) PoP stop were fairly even.
I finished in 4:54 which is a 10 minute PR and my first sub 5hr marathon time. Yay me!

Happy Birthday, Alec!

Alec Scott was born on June 13, 2005 at McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden, UT. I was induced two days prior to his due date and Alec still weighed in at a whopping 9lbs 3oz and was 21 inches long. (No one will ever make a case for Diet Dr. Pepper consumption correlating to low birth rate, right?!) The nurses and doctors watched Alec closely in the hospital. Because he was so big, they worried that he would lose weight too quickly or become dehydrated or something (I was on too much pain medication to really understand) but it turned out that he was just a really BIG baby.

When he started to get some hair, it was very fine and extra poofy. Todd and Kenna loved this about him. When they set up computer game accounts for him, his username is usually CrazyhairASZ. Alec didn't really crawl but scooted on his rear end faster than most kids walk!

Alec our sport-sporty kid. He loves to run and play any kind of ball game. One day at church when he could only scoot, he used a pencil as a hockey stick to hit a sponge ball across the floor. Hit, scoot, hit, scoot...he was quite the spectacle.

Alec's happy, easy-going disposition revealed itself early and remains constant. He has a great sense of humor, understands teasing and jokes and doesn't hold back a good old belly laugh when the occasion is right. His happy, silly personality is truly contagious.

Alec is great with numbers right now. A few days ago he told me that 99+99=198 because, "The 100 just wastes one two times." (I don't know what he meant by that but he understood it!) Last week at baseball, "Todd's team is 9 and the other team is 5 so Todd's team is winning by 4 points. Right, Mom?" And last night he counted 100 handfuls of legos while cleaning up his room. (Yep. It was that messy!)

Alec's most endearing quality to his old mommy is his tolerance of squishing! Alec is a very affectionate little guy and will frequently ask if I want to snuggle him while we watch a show together. Who could pass that up?

Happy birthday, big Alec. I love you.

Do you love this show?

I know, I know. It's buggy to have a playlist that starts automatically when you check in. Sorry. I hope your speakers weren't turned up too loud. My sister-in-law got Brent and me hooked on GLEE. I can't recommend it to all of you because of it's PG-13-ish content but if you're a little rebellious (like me), you might LOVE it. Even if you don't enjoy the story line and humor, you cannot pass up the music. ENJOY.

Don't you wonder?

Have you wondered about dying? I mean, we know everyone will die, but have you thought about passing before you "plan" to die? I've had that fleeting and panicking thought during a particularly sad, dark spell or even innocently as I drifted off to sleep. It sends my heart racing and begging for more; more time, more happiness, more life. Phrases meant to be inspirational--"Live each day as though it were your last,"--sound trite and tainted with naivety. Even the most comfort-intentioned sentence--"Families are forever,"--is heard and experienced so differently once you have to truly employ your faith to understand an incomprehensible situation.

Brent's little sister, Sheri, told nurses that she was in so much pain she felt like she would die. I don't think she meant it. She couldn't have believed that. None of us believe that we will leave this earth without the many evidences of old age; as though somehow enough wrinkles and grey hair will ease our departure. So, as with many topics since her death, I think differently about leaving my family, friends and earthly home prematurely. A visit to Sheri's gravesite on Memorial Day brought to mind a few more things that I have learned from Sheri's willingness to lead by example...

1. Motherhood brings joy. Sheri loved her little daughters deeply. Sheri and Eric were married for years before they decided to have children. I never heard Sheri regret this decision or wish their before-kids days back. She complained very little and giggled very much while she was a mom.

2. Little things DO count. A few times since Sheri's death, I have sung songs--just for fun--with Abbey and some of her cousins. Each time, Abbey reminds me that her mommy died. I believe that the Primary or fun song that we sing evokes a memory of Sheri because Sheri sung and spent special time with Abbey.

3. Working parents can be fully engaged with their children. Even with a part-time schedule, I find it energy-taxing to work and parent. Sheri and Eric worked their schedules to ensure maximum time with Abbey even if it meant less time for them to be together. Sheri even used commute time to-and-from the sitter's house to play with and teach Abbey.

4. Your children will remember you. Abbey is little, only three. Ava is not yet one and was never physically introduced to Sheri but I know that they know Sheri and feel her. I see small evidences--Abbey reading 'Goodnight, Gorilla' to Ava, silly Elmo voices, tender talking--of Sheri's lasting mark on her daughters' hearts.

5. Your attitude and small actions will define you. Sheri wasn't here long enough. She wasn't. When her too-short life was condensed to memories, Sheri's laugh, kindness, tender heart, humor, sacrifices, example and leadership were mentioned repeatedly by those of us blessed enough to know and love her. She made big and small differences to many.

I love you, Sheri. Miss you too.