St. George...The Adventures

So the marathon was fun, but the best perk was spending time with family.  About a month before the marathon it looked like it would just be Tim and I and the babies for the weekend down south, but by the time the day arrived we had an overly full house and it couldn't have been better! My parents took on the role as hosts and the kids were all in heaven with Sweedish pancakes each morning and plenty of their other specialties throughout the day.  I especially loved having three of the siblings together and we took full advantage to make some great memories in the few short days together. 

Ruby and Sadie are born two weeks apart to we had to make sure we had a celebration for the girls while we were together.  They loved the gifts and the double birthday cakes and candles.  Somehow, thanks to Uncle Sean, the boys joined the celebration with their own belated birthday gifts.  

I think the bubble gum was her favorite gift,

Thanks Uncle Sean for introducing her to gum!

The master and the student.

Legos for Days

Never waste a chance to dance in the rain.

The kids made up and played so many games together...the longest running was "Ice Age" and appeared to have all types of complicated rules and role plays.  I loved sitting inside the house with the screen door open, listening to their stories and their laughter. 

Sunday afternoon we decided to go adventuring and check out some of the natural wonders around St. George.   The first place we went was the petroglyph rock in Bloomington.  Tim and I took the kids to the rock a few years ago but they didn't remember it at all so it was a new adventure for everyone.  Everyone loved the chance to climb to the top of the rock and the kids spent a lot of time trying to decide what was meant by the various signs and pictures.

Even Grandma and Grandpa climbed the rock for a better view.

One of our favorite places in the St. George area is Snow Canyon.  There are great hikes, sand dunes, and plenty of slick rock to climb.  The views are stunning and make you feel so small because of the grand nature of the rock formations.  There was only one negative on this trip....the cold and the wind.  We were not particularly prepared for the weather and ended up piling on every coat, hat, and glove that we could find in the car.  We didn't spend a lot of time on the rocks but still loved it.

After the slick rock, we stopped at a hiking trail that led to some caves made of volcanic rock.  My dad had been there in the past and really wanted to take the kids to see them.  The area was really cool, and we saw some great volcanic formations, but it was a pretty long hike for an unprepared group.  I ended up turning back with the girls shortly before the cave because they were just too tired and cold, but the boys made it to the caves and thought they were really cool. 

Craig had convinced us to stay an extra day, so Monday morning, we decided to take everyone to Thunder Junction.  At one point we had considered going to a fun center, or movie, or something that provided more entertainment, but after watching the kids together all weekend, we realized that all they really cared about was being able to play together.  And the park was perfect for that.

Before going home to Provo, we told the kids we could spend some time in the swimming pool - they had been begging to swim all weekend but it had been too cold on the other days.  Monday afternoon ended up being sunny and nice and the kids made the most of their time in the pool together.  

Unfortunately the weekend ended on a little bit of a sad note.  My dad was in the pool playing catch with Roman and Luke when he fell, caught his arm on the pool deck and completely dislocated his shoulder.  He was in immediate agony and it was quickly apparent that he would need to get to the doctor.  Tim ended up taking him to the ER, then stayed there with him and my mom until they got his should back into place and settled.  The kids were really sad to see grandpa in so much pain so we stopped and said a prayer together which I think relieved some of their fears.  It definitely was not the way we wanted to end our weekend, but he made it home from the ER and we were able to comfort him before driving home.  We made it home very late, and were very tired, but the time spent away was completely worth it and we were so grateful to spend so much time together. 

St. George...The Marathon

Since the time I started running Marathons, St. George Marathon has been a favorite race and is our Fall destination nearly every year.  When I signed up to to run the race in April, it seemed like the right idea, but by the time it got closer to the marathon I wasn't quite sure that I even wanted to run.  This last year has been a tough one for me and my running.  I was diagnosed with Celiac and went gluten free which should have made me feel much better.  However, it has thrown my thyroid out of whack which has had a huge impact on me both physically and emotionally.  I have struggled in nearly all of my workouts and have really questioned my ability to run.  During some of my long, difficult training runs, I questioned if I even cared about running a marathon anymore.  I knew I wasn't well trained and as October grew closer I actually considered just staying home.  I moped around about it for awhile, but then decided that I really did want to run. I was nervous because I knew how hard it would be - but I just couldn't bring myself to quit and leave behind my summer of long runs.  So, Friday October 5th we got up early, celebrated Ruby's 5th birthday, then loaded up our gear and started the drive to St. George.  We arrived early afternoon and drove straight to the expo where I picked up my number and we checked out the various booths and vendors.  The best part of the experience, as it always is, was the photo booth- the photos are silly, the photographer is grumpy, and we love the memories and photos we have collected through the years.

After the expo we went to our condo where I got all of my gear sorted and organized and tried to get settled for the night.  It was a weird year because I was the only member of my family that raced.  That made it tough at the house because I was the only one nervous about meal time, bed time, and time on my feet.  My mom, bless her heart, had brought baked spaghetti and I was so relieved to not have to worry about dinner.  A few days before the race a memory had popped up on my Facebook of six years ago when me, Tim, my dad, Sean and Jarin all ran the race.  It is one of my favorite pictures, and memories, and I suddenly started feeling very sad that I would be racing alone.  Tim was sweet and offered to take me to the starting line and wait with me until I got on the bus.  I wanted to be brave and tell him I could just drive myself but really, I was thrilled to have his support.  

On marathon morning we got to the park, then had to wait almost an hour before a set of buses arrived to take us to the start.  While we were waiting it started to rain and my hopes for a dry race were suddenly dashed.  Since running Ogden Marathon in the rain several years ago I have become almost traumatized about running in the rain.  I knew there was rain in the forecast for St. George, but I couldn't face the possibility that it would actually rain so I just kept ignoring it.  I was kind of terrified at how bad it might be, but when we got off the bus at the top, the rain had stopped so I foolishly put my rain jacket in the drop bag and started the race in a long sleeved t-shirt. Within a few minutes of tossing my bag the rain started and it continued for most of next 26.2 miles.  Unfortunately, the rain was just one of many difficulties I faced.  I struggled with heavy legs and labored breathing from the very beginning and most of the race just felt hard.  Despite all of the negative though, I had a great time and felt so grateful that I was able to run.  I love the scenery and the crowds and the experience of being with so many people who are working towards the same goal.  Even though I wasn't able to run fast, I just really felt so, so grateful that I am physically healthy enough to run the race, and that I'm able to convince myself to show up to the race and to keep putting one foot in front of the other

I may have been the only one in the family running, but I definitely had plenty of family support throughout the race.  My dad rode his bike up the trail and checked in on me at several spots in the race.  He would walk/run alongside of me giving me encouragement and even brought a pair of dry socks which felt heavenly after running in soggy socks and shoes for 16 miles.  I know he would have loved to be running so it meant so much to me to spend a little time together on the course.  

The rest of the family was waiting me about a mile from the finish line and it has seriously never felt so good to see the ones I love.  I was definitely running at the back of the pack, but the kids all cheered for me like I was about to win the race.  I had been feeling pretty beat, but their energy gave me the boost I needed to pick up my feet and finish the race with a smile.

By the time I made it to the finish line I was definitely ready to cross the line and be done.  My official time was 5:30:18.  It was my slowest time ever, and almost two hours slower than my PR, but I am still so proud of my finish.  This race was hard, and most of the time I really didn't want to do it, so finishing was a really big deal.  My 23rd marathon is in the books, talk about a great ride. 

Mantras on the hands...Always!