Getting Back on Track

So for yesterday's run... to start, Randy is sick and couldn't go running with me, so I had to run alone. In order to make the run a little more pleasant, I took the MP3 player. Such a good thing to take, yipee for distraction, especially when soreness is involved. I ran the 24 minutes without a problem, I was even still smiling at 22 minutes. I wasn't as fast as last Saturday, but I still got 2.1 miles in. Wooo hooo! I as so glad that I didn't repeat another run like Monday's. I was all hyped up after this run (I probably could have run another mile). I am glad to be liking running again.

This morning's run has to do with dogs again, but this time actually dogs, not coyotes. I got up early to run before my morning walk with my friend. I actaully got ready a little too fast and I didn't want to have to wait in the cold for too long before she got there, so I lolligagged for a bit. It was finally time to go, so I opened the door, went outside, locked the door. I got to the gate and opened the gate, just to have a huge dog run at me. I quickly slammed the gate and screamed (hey, it scared me, it was still O dark 30 in the morning). The dog kept trying to the get into the back yard with me, so I was yelling at the dog "GO AWAY." Clearly this dog didn't speak English. About this time, I realized that I was yelling and that Randy and Jolee were still asleep and if I kept yelling, they wouldn't remain sleeping. I stopped yelling and started whispering "go away." Well, you think I would have realized that if yelling didn't work, then whispering wouldn't have either. So about this time, I decided to threaten, "I you don't go away I am going to spray you with the hose." Dog still didn't go away and was still trying to get into the yard. Muahahaha, cold water works like a charm. I hosed that big old dog down, ran to the car, got in and locked the door (just to be on the safe side), and I was off. As I pull out of the driveway, the dog showed up again, this time with a friend. So the two dogs ran around my car as I attempted to drive away. When we got to the main street, they got disracted, and I took off like the wind. When I got to the park, I was still a bit scared (stupid dog) and of course, I was the only one there. So I hid in the car until another person showed up. I did get my run in, all 18 mintues scheduled for today. Whew! What a morning. Rest day is scheduled for tomorrow (insert happy dance). Hopefully Randy will be back to good health and I will stay in good health for our 26 minute run on Saturday. (Friday is cross training day, this week is belly dancing, fun). 

Running Update: The Good and The Bad

Last week was a pretty good week for us. We are getting stronger and a little faster. I have been averaging 12.5 minute miles (slow, I know). So Saturday was our long run of the week, 22 minutes. This actually was an enjoyable run for me. I even kinda sprinted the last little bit. For this run, we chose to run Pantano (the major street that we live next to), partly because it is easy to tell how far we have run, and partly because the first 0.6 of the mile is uphill. I would always rather start uphill and end down. So the run went up for 0.6, slight down for 0.4, then we ran back the way we came so slight up for 0.4, then down for 0.6. I was able to run 2 miles in 22 minutes, shaving 1.5 minutes off of my average mile time. Whoo hoo! I love seeing improvement.

With the good, comes the bad. Yesterday's run was not nearly what I had hoped it would be. It was to be a 20 minute run. We decided to run a different street (Escalante, downhill to start, then all uphill). This run was NOT fun at all. I think I was ready to collapse about 5 minutes into the run. (I think part of the problem was that I ran a couple of sprints yesterday morning, not a good idea. The other part was all about fuel, bad fuel=bad run. So Valentine's candy is a bad thing to eat before a run, go figure.) I ran the first 0.6 of a mile, then I had to walk (something I haven't had to do for weeks). From there, it just got worse. On the run back, I think I might have whined a lot, and cried a little. Everything hurt! So we ended up running about 1.5 miles in 17 minutes and at that point, I could go no further. It was warm yesterday and I overheated. When I got home, I hosed off (horray for cool water) and stretched. I am still sore and we have a 24 minute run today. :(

I will let you know after our run how we do today. Positive thinking. I CAN DO IT! Actually, something that helps me is something I read in Runner's World. A runner was talking about what she thinks when the run is the hardest and she said that she just repeats in her mind Dory's little song. 'Keep on swimming. Just keep swimming." If you see me running and I have a glazed, but kinda silly look, you will know for sure what is going through my head ;)

Open Again

After trialing being a private blog, we decided to once again become an open blog. Due to the hassle of being private, we changed our minds. So, ta-da here we are again.

To Unwrap a Present

For being only 7 months at the time, Jolee got pretty good at unwrapping presents. The hardest part was keeping her from eatting the wrapping paper. Here she is unwrapping her present from Auntie Meg!

Mess = Bath Time

A few weeks ago we had the missionaries over for dinner. Jolee refused to wear a bib and proceeded to have one of her messiest dinners yet!

There is just something really fun about squishing cereal in between fingers and smearing it everywhere :)

One of Jolee's favorite things to do is to blow rasberries. Although this is slightly dangerous for whoever is feeding her (namely me this night)

I am starting to think that somewhere in that innocent little mind of her's she has come to understand that if she gets messy enough, then she gets to take a bath. My little girl loves baths so much that I think she might be part fish.

Here she is going for the soap. She would grab the soap, drop it over the side of the bathtub, then lean over the tub and try to reach it. It is definately a splishy splashy event when Jolee bathes.

Covered in cereal or covered in soap bubbles, either way is fun for our Jolee.

Jolee and I post bath. I am a little wet, but it is worth watching how much fun she has and for that mmmmm mmmmm clean baby smell.

Random Cuteness Courtesy of Jolee

Running Update, with a little bit of a twist

As Randy and I are not runners (but we will be), we are training using the couch to half marathon program. We have just entered our third week of training and today was our longest run of the year, 16 minutes of running. I know it doesn't sound like much, but as a beginner it is NOT easy. We are however getting stronger and able to endure a little more. You should have seen our first run, we could barely run 1/4 of a mile. Now we are running about a mile and a half! This morning's run was broken up by a less than pleasant sight. Just after the mile mark, I looked up and saw a dog running across the path a bit ahead of me, I looked back down and continued to run. Just then it occured to me that that was a weird looking dog. I look back up and realized that it was not a dog, but a coyote, and not just any coyote. It was a coyote with a cat in it's mouth! I put on the brakes and started to yell and scream. Poor kitty cat! Randy caught up to me about then and told me the cat was already dead. So the coyote ran off with its breakfast :( and we continued our run. Thinking of the coyote was enough of a distraction that I didn't even really notice the next half mile and I was able to run that last bit with relative ease. I am actually looking forward to our next long run (18 minutes) later this week. Compared to how we felt when we first started really training 3 weeks ago with our first 10 minute run (oh it was hard), tomorrow's 10 minute run seems a little too short and too easy. I am looking forward to getting my work schedule for March, hopefully I will have the time off and we can head up to Tempe for the first run of the Susan Mortensen Turley Foundation!

Ok here it goes

I have been needing to tell this story for some time now. I just haven't been able to really come up with the words that I want to use, so I have been putting it off. First off, Randy and I are training to run our first half marathon (13.1miles) on June 26th. Second, we are running with my second cousin, and a personal hero, Anna Mortensen. She has undertaken the goal of 50 marathons in 50 states. Her reason for running is to earn money for the Susan Mortensen Turley Foundation. This foundation was set up in memory of my late cousin Susan who passed away at the age of 25 from colon cancer. Her death was beyond shocking and heart breaking to me. Even though it has been over a year, I still think of her often. Here is a brief description of Susan's foundation... "In memory of Susan and as an extension of her loving nature, those who love her have formed the Susan Mortensen Turley Foundation, dedicated to the support of young adult cancer patients and their families. All funds that are donated to this non-profit foundation will be granted to organizations to be used specifically to provide support, education and respite care for this unique group." More information can be found at http://www.susanmturley.org/. Third, as we are running and training, we are working to raise money for this foundation. Our goal is to raise $1000 through donations to support our half marathon. Donations can be made starting Feb 1st at http://anna-marathon50.blogspot.com/. If you choose to donate, please put in the comments that it is for Randy and Sarah's run. All proceeds to benefit young cancer patients and their families. Fourth, the run we are running is the Seattle Rock n Roll marathon. So if anyone is planning on being in Seattle on the 26th of June, we would love to have your support. Fifth, my cousin is looking for at least 2 more runners for our team to run the full ot half marathon and to help raise funds for Susan's Foundation. Let us know if you are willing and want to join us.

We will be posting updates for our training both here and at Anna's blog (http://anna-marathon50.blogspot.com/). For more information on the Seattle Rock n Roll Marathon, please go to http://seattle.competitor.com/

Additionally, the first event for the Susan Mortensen Turley Foundation will be held at the end of March.

Susan's Run

5k, 1 mile fun run, Kids Dash
Saturday, March 27, 2010 8am
Kiwanis Park- Tempe, Arizona

The entry form for this race can be found here http://www.susanmturley.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/1st-Annual-Susans-Run-Entry-Form.pdf. You ca also register online through following the links on the foundations website. If I have the day off of work, Randy and I are going to be running the 5K.

Any support of any amount would be apprecitated! We will have a running total of the funds we have raised. Thank-you and lots of love!

A TOOTH!

Jolee has been super cuddly and cranky and she had a slight fever yesterday, so I was worried that she might be getting a cold. Well, Jolee broke her first tooth yesterday afternoon! Her right front lower tooth and the left front lower tooth is on its way! I tried to take a picture, but that was a disaster, all I got was blurred pictures of a crying baby (don't worry, she is happy now, still cranky, but happy). Hopefully the teeth come through the rest of the way quickly and she won't be hurting for too long. All I can say is hurray for cold teething rings, tylenol, and Humprey's 3.

O Christmas Tree

Here goes starting the old game of catch up

Every year for Christmas we go to the tree yard and find the perfect tree. I grew up with plastic trees, Randy grew up chopping down his own tree, so to compromise, the tree yard is where we go. This year Jolee helped us to find the perfect tree.

Randy and Jolee in front of "the perfect tree"




Sarah and Jolee with the tree at home 

Jolee helping to show off our tree

Our tree after decoration

The family. Jolee was getting tired and would play and cry, then play and cry, clearly we thought she was a little bit funny. She got mad at us for laughing.

Us with our presents.

Stealing a kiss while Jolee is focused on her new clapper :)

I, of course, couldn't wait to decorate our tree. It is one of my favorite traditions. I love all of the funny and weird ornaments that we have collected over the years. Each year we look for an original ornament and some sort of Santa ornament. Jolee actually did a great job at not stealing ornaments (too much). She loved staring at the tree. Once she realized that the boxes under the tree were covered in paper, it was a bit more difficult to get her out from under the tree. She actually really enjoyed unwrapping presents and trying to eat the wrapping paper.

Christmas was very enjoyable. We ended up celebrating early because I had to work on Christmas. Randy's favorite gift was his new laptop (I told him he wasn't going to get one, then I sneakily worked it out with my mom and surprized him with it. Thanks again Mom and Dad for helping me :) ). My favorite gift was the magic bullet and my fairy tale book (I love old classic fairy tales, especially ones I have never heard before). I am not sure what Jolee's favorite is. It is between her popping ball toy (not pictured, but I will post more later) from Meg and her bath toys from GrammE and Grandpa. My favorite of her's is her booster seat high chair (it is so much easier to feed her without making a huge mess). Thank-you for our gifts, we love them all, but so much better than gifts is the love of family and friends. This past year was completely full of blessings and love!