This is good!

Sometimes when I'm trying to find distractions from homework I look at Mormon Messages online! This is one of my favorites. Perfect message for the season! I love how even the littlest good deeds can make a great impact on the lives of others. You never know how meaningful an act of kindness can be.

Okay, back to homework!...

sometimes i like to spin around on hilly gravel between on ramps and freeways and then drive tail end to the middle of the freeway...

Not really actually. Jimmy and I had a scary experience Sunday. I'm so grateful we are both okay. I think we definitely both left this experience with stronger beliefs in miracles and that Heavenly Father is watching over us! Jimmy says it best:

So Christy Tried To Kill Me

Big Sur 1/2 Marathon

This past Sunday I raced in the Monterey Big Sur 1/2 Marathon with Team Club Sport--a team organized through my work that I helped coach. It was fun! There was about 50 of us or so who joined together every Wednesday for speed workouts and every Saturday at the wee hours of the morning for our distance runs. It was a great time to see people who had never run before complete a whole 1/2 marathon! Last year I was peer pressured into joining the Team and we ran the US SF 1/2 Marathon which I loved and did surprisingly well in. So I though, hmm maybe I should keep running. I admit, I think I do love triathlons better, but they're both great!

Anyway, I went up to Monterey Saturday afternoon with Matt and went to my packet pick up and then met up with some of the other Team members for dinner.

Brian, Kareem, Matt, me, Priscilla

I think I definitely took to hear the "carb-o-loading" principle. Anyway, after dinner we went to our lovely Days Inn Hotel room where Kareem, Jordan, Priscilla, Brian, and Allie (their baby) were staying. Matt ventured on home and the rest of us started laying out all our clothes for the next day.

Kareem

Jordan-yes she included her undies! haha

Brian

Me!

I was not tired at all so Jordan and I made a run to the store and picked up pretzels and water and whatever else we needed. We ended up going to bed around 10. I slept pretty well surprisingly but some did not sleep at all worrying we would miss the race!

Priscilla got up with Allie around 4:30 and we all pretty much sprung up around that same time. We were all pretty awake for that hour, must've been the adrenaline kicking in. Anyway, we got ready, dropped off the baby, and headed to the main hotel to meet with the Team for pictures.

Part of the Team-not everybody made it over that early! 5:50 am

The Days Inn Crew. We look crazy. 

I don't know why I chose to stand like a wooden soldier.

Some of the coaches!

Then we headed out closer to the starting line to do our last warm-up drills together. (tear) Everyone always made fun of me because I was never paying attention during this time. I was usually talking to somebody or goofing off and Coach Eric (the main coach) wouldn't start until I was ready and paying attention and in front of the line.

Drills! It was so cold!

Nina, Jordan, Elizabeth, and me

just some legs.

After we took pictures, visited the bathroom (I think I went like a billion times out of nervousness) we headed to our designated corral. I was in A and so I went up with Elizabeth, Eric, Brian and Kareem. Some olympic athlete shot the gun and off we went! 

Our coaches told us this was a flat course, but it was not so. Rolling hills pretty much the whole time! We didn't train on any hills so I know a lot of us had issues during the run that never came up before. That was the only downer. Other than that the course was beautiful, the weather was perfect, and the small bands and bagpipes played along the run were great. I felt pretty good the first 8 miles then got a little tired. I maintained a 7:06 pace and by the end of the race averaged a 7:27 pace. I'm satisfied though. It was a good race and I beat our main coach Eric (which was a dream of mine! haha) 

Anyway, I placed 10th in my age group which surprised me. Here's the results:

After the race I had a hard time wanting to eat anything, but I drank a lot of water! They had tons of food and we met up with some of the others from the Team. Everybody finished and despite any issues they had, they ran through it and finished strong!

After the Race

woohooo

Felix--he's also one of my clients. Hilarious guy.

Coach Eric, Nina, and I

It was a fun time. Now I'm kind of sad that it's over. It was fun meeting new people, running together, and supporting each other. Now I just can't wait until Tri-Training! So much fun! I also have to keep training as I have my first marathon coming up December 5th. I'm really nervous and not sure how I feel about it! I'm still super sore from the 1/2 so hopefully I'll recover quick so I can feel great for the run! I want to try and qualify for Boston...we'll see!

i can't decide, who had the better costume??

this is the most delicious dessert gum i've ever tasted

and this is definitely the cutest ladybug i've ever seen