New Year's Eve

Mindy, Lisa, Joy, Stephanie, Scott
Isela, Lori

Today was the first time that I have ran in temperatures below 20 degrees, and guess what? I survived!

Mindy, Don, Joy, Stephanie, Scott
Isela, Lori

When I left the house it was 8 degrees. I wasn't quite sure how to dress. I did 2 layers on the bottom half, and 3 layers on the top, then my yellow jacket also. A hat, gloves, and neck gaiter. I actually was too warm! I had to keep stopping to either un-zip or peel off a layer.

I ran with my fellow NERC's. We ran down Blacksmith Fork Canyon. Wow! What a beautiful, peaceful run this morning. The sun was shining. The air was crisp and so clear. We ran 5.5 miles today.    I actually was a little nervous this morning, besides the temperature, the canyon is ALWAYS windy. But as luck would have it, we encountered ZERO wind!

We took two pictures, so we could all be in the photo.

What an amazing group of friends I have come across.  I am so blessed to have each one of them in my life.  It was exactly ONE year ago today, that I invited some of these runners to run with me on New Year's Eve.  This was the first time I met many of them, and now they are some of my dearest friends.

Happy New Year.


May 2013 be one of Joy, Happiness, Peace, Love, Good Health, Strength.......and that awe inspiring RUN!

Baker's Dozen Half Marathon

Last year, I read about an awesome race, The Hostess Half, that was held in Hurricane, UT.  It was put on by Cory, www.fastcory.com,  and my friend Mendy ran it.  (Cory is "Buddy the Elf) It looked like so much fun, that I messaged Cory and asked if he was going to do another Hostess Half, and he informed me that he would be doing a Baker's Dozen Half.  I jumped on board!  The course would be a loop course, and every time you passed the aid station, you HAD to eat a treat. The runner who ate the most would be crowned "Sugar Slayer."

Somehow I talked JoAnna and Krista into running this with me. Unfortunately, Krista was unable to come with us, and for a while, it looked as if JoAnna would not be running either.  JoAnna was injured, and had actually sold her bib to Josh, but then he got injured, and JoAnna put on her big girl panties and made the trip with me.

We drove 370 miles to run 13.1 miles in the rain and snow, then drove 370 miles again through a killer snow storm!  Crazy????  ummmm.....you can be the judge of that.

Round 1. We each ate one cookie.  I ate a Snickerdoodle.  These were the BIG cookies, that had luckily been cut into fourths. JoAnna decided to make a pit stop, so I snuck in one more cookie, a Ginger Molasses.  Hee Hee, I was thinking that I was gaining on her!

The goodies were so yummy!  Cookies, donuts, mini cupcakes, and moon pies. JoAnna thought it would be funny to capture us eating our treats.

Round two...cookies with frosting. I had a red velvet cookie with vanilla frosting. Not to be outdone, JoAnna ate 2 cookies here so we were both tied at 3.  If you notice in the background, the weather seems to be turning nasty.

Round 3.  I can't believe she ate half of a donut!  I ate a chocolate cookie that had the most yummiest orange frosting on it.

At this point, we were soaked!

My goal was to Catch the Twinkie!

Lots of people were dressed up.  There were bakers, donuts, the Sugar Ninja, a Hostess Buster, and the Twinkie!  The twinkie is one of my friends Susette, You'll Always Have My Heart,  who I met through Runner's Anonymous, and we have actually ran a couple of races together.  A big THANKS to Alex Santiago who captured all of our photos!

This race was just what I needed. No one worrying about PR's. Just a bunch of nuts out running on a rainy/snowy day, just because.  

As Buddy the Elf would say, "Running is my Favorite."

Baker's Dozen Training

Tonight I decided that I better start training for the Baker's Dozen Half Marathon that will be on December 15th in Hurricane, Utah.

This half will be very different from any other race that I have ran.  It is a loop course.  ( 3 miles) Every time you pass the aid station (every 3 miles) you are REQUIRED to EAT a TREAT! This may be a cookie, a moon pie, a donut,....anything. AND in order to earn your medal, you HAVE to eat one treat every time you pass the aid station.

I stopped at Macey's and bought a package of their snooker doodles! Tell me, who doesn't love a snooker doodle?  I wrapped it in a napkin, and smuggled it into the gym with me tonight.  I wanted one of the treadmills on the back row, but had to settle for one in the middle.  I very calmly put my cookie on the treadmill, and ran 3 miles. Then I bumped my speed down to 2 mph and ATE half of the cookie.  I did receive some very, very strange looks. Washed it down with a little powerade, and started running again.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.    Apparently eating cookies makes me look really fast!

Lets just hope that the treats are not GINORMOUS like the Macey's cookies, or I may be loosing my cookies somewhere in Hurricane!