Silver Lining

I don't really know how to start this, so all I am going to say is that life has been slightly complicated lately! I feel like the days are just going by so fast and all I want to do is tell the world to slow down for just a bit! But I guess the real reason I am writing today is not because of all the craziness, but because of all of the peace that I have found within these last 5 weeks.

I feel like I have had so many wonderful blessings just surround me recently, that I can't even describe how awesome my life is. Through all of this, I have come so much closer to my Heavenly Father that I just can't hold back any more! My life has been full of so many wonderful miracles! I know that God is hearing every word I pray, and it is so cool to see how his hand has just come into my life. I have grown to understand that when He asks us to do something it's because he has something better for us. I always thought I understood that, but recently it has just been reiterated again and again! Why wouldn't he bless us for following him? Why wouldn't he give us the things we need to be happy? It's really our choice to come to him and accept those blessings, or turn them away.

I have such an appreciation for my Savior, and such a love for Him as well. It is just so awesome to feel how close Heaven is when we just let it touch our lives. Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!

I did it!

It's been a week since my last post, and boy, what a week! Currently I am enjoying my Spring Break, relaxing at home with my little puppy. BUT there is probably something more exciting you want to read about...

I completed my first half marathon!

And I did it in 2:03:29

I am so so excited that I completed it! I will start my day from the very beginning.

4 am: Woke up after having a crazy dream about my half marathon
5 am: Woke up after having another crazy dream....
6 am: Woke up after yet ANOTHER dream....
6:45 am: Rise and Shine, time to wake up! I was actually pretty relieved to wake up because my dreams were so stressful. But once I woke up, I was still so nervous, I could hardly eat! I planned on a nice hearty breakfast (toast and peanut butter, yummm), but after eating about half a slice, I thought I might puke. Gave some to the dog and threw the rest away :P
7:30 am: Leave the house to go pick up Eric, and head to Issaquah for my race
8 am: Arrive at Lake Sammamish Park in Issaquah, WA. From here, until about 9am, my stomach was just in KNOTS. I was so nervous that I wouldn't be able to complete my race, that I would throw up, or have a heart attack or something. If you have been following my half marathon story, you know that I have never really been a runner-- what if I didn't train enough?! Eeek!

My mom pinning on my number before the race!

8:50 am: Pre-race meeting. All the runners (1300 of us!) lined up near our pace markers. Throughout all my training, I had been running about a 10 minute pace. On race day though, only the older out of shape people or mom's with strollers were back there, so I lined up at the 9 minute pace. I only planned on doing this once, I didn't want to be in a crowd of lame people for my big moment :P  At this time, I also started eating my Clif Shot Bloks. Love these guys, and would absolutely recommend them to anyone. Taste good, and they seriously work. In training, I only ate 3 before a run, but I ate all 6 on race day!

9am: 5...4...3...2...1...GO! Holllyyyyyy crapppp. This is the only way I can describe this moment. Of course there is the starting line traffic jam, but I just put my head phones in and tried to find my pace. It was weird though, because I was so so nervous, and as soon as I started running, I felt completely fine. It's like my body was like "oh yea, we know how to do this..."

I am on the side closest to the camera, in the white jacket (number 515) seen in the other photos. This is just a minute or so out of the gate.

Seemed like the 2 mile marker came up so fast, I wasn't expecting it. Looked down at my stop watch and saw it had been 18 minutes. Not too shabby. Pretty soon, I came up on my first aid station. They all had little snacks and things, but (even though this wasn't exactly my plan going into the race) I only took water. I wasn't quite sure how to chug this little dixie cup of water, but I just kinda threw some in my mouth, chucked it in the garbage, and felt pretty much like the awesomest person in the world. Pretty dorky sounding, but I promise I mustu' looked awesome.

Mile 4 seemed to come up soon too! My family cheered me on!

Aid stations were about every two miles. Everyone was so nice and so helpful. I didn't really know what to expect, but at every station, there were just about 10 or 15 people along the sides holding out cups or snacks, telling you what was in them. Like I said, I always went for the water, but there were pretzels, bananas, nuun hydration, and lots of clif products.

I had a great playlist that kept me going all 13.1 miles. I never stopped once, and honestly, mile 13 came faster than I had expected. I really pumped it up that last .1 mile, and even more once I saw the finish line. I had no idea I had it in me, but I ran pretty quick across that line! Definitely a great way to start my special day (my 20th birthday!!!)

It is a little sad to have my race over with! When I ended, I was tired, but I felt like I could have (and should have) done more. Now I am thinking about doing a marathon, a triathalon, or even a few speedy 5k's! I was happy I accomplished it, but I feel a lot different than I expected. I thought I would feel so awesome for completing my half, but unfortunately, I just feel all unstoppable :P I am not satisfied with just one race, now I want to do a billion of them! Will I always be a runner? Is this just what I do now? Couldn't I have picked an indoor sport?

Regardless..I DID IT :)

Sporting my new Lake Sammamish Half Marathon shirt and Medal! Evergreen Trail Runs put on a great race, and I would definitely use them again. Happy running!

Mixed feelings...

Welp, just 3 more days until my little body starts pluggin' away at 13.1 miles. I am kind of sad! I feel like I worked so hard over the past 8 weeks, and it's a little sad for all of that effort just to manifest itself for just a small moment. So, after my recovery is done, I am planning on starting a new training plan. Should I begin a marathon training? Should I do a tri program? I have no idea! I was thinking I might just continue a half marathon program so I have extra time for weights and swimming and such. Feeling sad that I won't have a gym over the summer... :((

Classes are going alright. Still getting good grades of course, but right now the only interesting class is geology. You know, I am just ready for spring break! In just 2 days I will be on my way back to the west side. So excited to see my family and more of my friends again! It will be nice to get away from school for a bit!

Thinking about spring break just reminds me about how I am going to be gone from Pullman for summer too! I don't want to leave! Nice, sunny vacation weather...fun people...beautiful hills...walmart...I will miss it all! I wish I could figure out a way to stay, but idk if that is in the cards right now. I recently had a job interview for a camp counselor position with great pay and housing included, but I am not so sure I got the job. Kind of started looking at other jobs in Pullman, but (despite a few offers from friends) I am not sure if I could find a good housing situation. I have a job waiting for me in North Bend and a great home to stay at :) but I would miss Pullman. Might have to vacation for a week or two back on the East side with my buddies :P

As you can probably tell, my mind is a blur with like a million different thoughts right now. So I will just cut this post off...BUT I recently just watched this video and I thought I would share it!