My first run after getting casted for a broken hand.  The long break I took made this run not just enjoyable, but joyful.  Slow, but joyful. 

Sometimes not doing something is the better decision.  There have been moments in my life when I've allowed running to interfere with my family life and well-being.  I'm not proud of that.  But I was able to recognize the dark side of running, and now I have better balance in my life.  Click on this page then on the link provided to read more about those times when running may be more of a devil than an angel.  Happy running!

Reasons Not to Run

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What I Know For Sure

First run with my latest running accessory, my cast for a broke hand.

The more I learn, the less I know.  And every time I think I have things figured out, I realize how wrong I was.  It's the reason I rarely offer advice!  Click on this page, then on the link provided to read about the few things I do know for sure.  What I Know For Sure

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Favorite Podcasts 2016

I love running.  I love podcasts.  I love running to podcasts.  What else is there to say.  Here's this year's list of my current favorites.  Download a few episodes and go long.  Click on the link below for more.

Podcasts to run to

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Coach Mom

My mom and me after Boston 2010 (photo taken by my 7 year old- forgive the angle)

As I was touching up an article about how running has made me a better mother, I realized the role my own mom has played in my running life.  Nearly every picture I have at various races was taken by my mother.

I am lucky to have a mom who cheers me on at every race, whether she can be there or not.  I may be over 40, but I'm never too old to brag about, apparently.  And for that I'm grateful.

So, for Mother's Day (shouldn't it be at least a whole week?) I've tried to capture all the ways my mom has made me a better runner.  She's not a runner herself, but she's taught me more than any running coach has.

Click on this page then on the link provided to read more about my Coach Mom.

My Mom Makes Me a Better Runner

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Thank You, Boston

Some of my most precious Boston memories: My first Boston.  At the finish line with my husband and daughters.  

It's Marathon Monday and for the second year in a row, I'm not in Boston.  In February I couldn't have been happier not to be headed to Boston, but I can't deny that watching the marathon start from my living room in Utah left me a little heart-sick today.  I've run Boston plenty of times, including 2013 and 2014, both significant in their own rights.  I truly feel it's time to explore new roads beginning with the Amsterdam Marathon this coming year.  Unfortunately I am not independently wealthy, so choice have to be made and I've made the choice to leave Boston behind... for now. 

2010 Finish Line with my dad and goofy daughter, Kaitlynne!

At the start of the 2010 B.A.A. 5K (the day before the marathon).  Kaitlynne took the picture.

As much as I hate training through the winter for spring races anywhere, my heart just can't let Boston go.  It isn't the history.  It isn't the fabulous crowds.  Boston's meaning is a little more personal than that for me.  Click on the link below to read my full article in the Deseret News and find out why my love affair with Boston runs strong.  And may the wind always be at your back. 

What the Boston Marathon Has Done for Me

2012 Boston- My grandma got to see me run a marathon for the first time ever.  So special to have her there with me.  

Boston 2013.  On Boylston St. at Mile 26.  This is the memory of that day I choose to hold close.

Boston 2014.  With my running partner Tyler.  This guy has seen me through some tough races, but this day was pure joy.  It felt like the crowds carried me the last mile.  There will never be another year quite like 2014.

At the start of the 2011 B.A.A. 5K.  It's about the only time my husband and I run together.  

   

My BRF Shelly at the start of the 2014 B.A.A. 5K.  She makes every run a fun run.

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Springtime = Fresh Start

Sunshine gives me superpowers!

I love spring for the same reason I love mornings- fresh starts.  I shed my winter layers at the same time I shed my old mindsets.  I get a do-over.  And this year I really need a do-over.  Last year was, as my 12-year-old daughter would say, a bummer.  More lows than highs.  But my optimism is rising along with the temperature.  I'm feeling hopeful.  And isn't that what spring is about?  So, here's to a new season and a new outlook.  Tip toe through the tulips and soak in the sun.  Click on this page and then on the link at the bottom to check out my whole article about springtime running.

Springtime Running

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Staying Motivated

This fine looking group met me in the pre-dawn hours on a Saturday!  Talk about motivation!

In the spirit of "keeping it real", I really hate getting up every morning to work out.  I really do.  Never in my life have I ever leapt out of bed eager to pull on my spandex and get moving.  Driving to the gym to teach my 5:30 am classes, I always look at the dark, quiet houses along the way, fantasizing about sleeping in like "normal" people.  As strong as that urge is to roll over and hit "snooze", I never do.  What gets me moving?  What keeps me from quitting?  Here are a few things that motivate me to get up and get it done.  Click on this page, then click on the link provided to read the full article on DeseretNews.com.

Deseret News: How to Stay Motivated When You'd Rather Stay in Bed

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Recovery, recovery, recovery

A post-marathon tradition.  Enjoying a recovery donut.  If you can't have a donut after a marathon, when can you?

It's all about recovery.  Only half of the physical gains we make happen during a workout.  The other half happen during the recovery.  Good nutrition, sleep, cross-training are just a few keys to a successful recovery.  Remember, we're in this life for the long-haul.  It's so important not to punish our bodies into submission, but to take care of them so they will take care of us.  Click on this page, then click on the link at the bottom to read what I do to recovery and stay injury free.

Deseret News: Tips for Recovery

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Getting Older, Getting Wiser?

Birthdays should ALWAYS be cause for celebration, not lamentation!  Eat cake!

There was a time when I really cared about fitting in.  I cared about liking the right things and discounting the wrong.  I wore clothes others thought looked great even if I felt like a clown parading around like a queen.  Those days are long gone.  I'm older, and hopefully a little wiser.  With age comes experience and the experiences I've had the last year have opened my eyes to a whole new world- a world in which my contributions matter more than my size.  My relationships matter more than my weight.  My creative output matters more than my race times.  I've taken a step back the last twelve moths and reevaluated my trajectory and come to the conclusion that life is short.  We should make it matter.  I can enjoy the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and still be the intelligent woman who can debate the merits of a political candidate.

Click on the link below to read more.

http://m.deseretnews.com/article/865648267/Getting-older-and-wiser.html?pg=all%3Fref%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fdesne.ws%2Fscmf%2FOrMCe04Lcp0lOEFKBL9G1hMM2DYDODlJEAlDTp6-RtIT7D8zfz5DLRUKOk0ER5DJxfQiUmcjxE_yF9swgNyF7G40RbK5fkQoIfLu3uityvkzL-5fGDGJnyWn6cKvRXKdJQ%2Fobn

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Marie Murray

Marie Murray and me after a wonderful 20-mile run with the HHH team, just weeks before the 2013 Boston Marathon.

A couple weeks ago I was on vacation, getting in my morning run.  I was on lap 28 of 40, trying to run 16 miles on a ship deck in the middle of the ocean.  At one point I found myself completely alone, the sunrise right in front of me and the gentle mist of ocean spray in my face.  The sound of the waves intermeshed with the sound of my feet put me in an almost trance-like state.  My thoughts turned to all the good things that make up my life.  Of course, Marie Murray is one of those things.  For the first time in weeks, when I thought of her I smiled instead of cried.  How she would have loved to run mid-January in a tank top and shorts with the sun beating down on her shoulders.  I tried to put into words my feelings for my dear friend.  Click on the link below and get to know a girl like no other.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865647180/Running-with-cancer.html

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Patti Paul- When Life Gets Tough, We Get Tougher

Patti Paul running her first half marathon with her husband by her side for support.

Runner's are a resilient bunch.  We are stubborn to a fault, but sometimes that is just what we need to be.  Patti Paul had a stroke last year.  Not one to let outside forces dictate her life, she fought her way back and ran her first half marathon just 8 months later.  Her story was a source of real inspiration in an age where "inspiration" is applied to everything from You Tube stars to cute kitties playing with yarn.  Patti's the real deal.  Click on the link below to read more about her incredible story and more incredible comeback.

http://m.deseretnews.com/article/865645541/When-life-is-tough-you-get-tougher-Utah-mother-runs-half-marathon-after-stroke.html

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