Cali cont.

Chances are, if you do not share my DNA, you won't find this post very interesting. But, if you like pictures of cute kids with mediocre captions, you won't be too disappointed.

Will and I at the tidepools

Isn't it preetty??


Getting the sand out

Kater at the tidepools

Touching a sea anemone (or is it anenome?)

Me and Nat

It took him 4 days to warm up to me

3/4 of the girl cousins

the DC's

Call me old school, but I was a little disappointed he was wearing a tux.

Will "not smiling"

I don't know what this face is, but it's cracking me up.

I love this grin

Me and the kiddos at D-land. After one ride I was exhausted!

Thomas and I with our matching skulls

Caroline and I

Pretty little princess Abby

This is as close as we got to getting a good picture of the two of us

Will goofing off with Mand

Isn't she precious?!

My little skater boy

eating clam chowder through a straw. a good idea in theory, not so much in the execution.

Thomas and Marti

Camera trickery part I

Camera trickery part II

Deep conversations with Kater

California

What I wouldn't give to be in California right now, chilling in the front yard of our oceanfront cottage watching people cruising down the boardwalk on their beach cruisers, listening to the waves crash on the beach and feeling the breeze cooling down an otherwise hot day. This of course was my reality last week. Sooo dreamy. I miss it so much. It was such a fun vacation. There were no real plans, other than Disneyland one day, and LA with Tara another. The rest was spent enjoying the beach with my family. Aaah, to go back...

Uh, this guy sat next to me on the plane. Well, technically he sat two seats away, but when his owner used the facilities he would pace the seats, sticking his bum in my face. Not so pleasant.

This is a totally natural pose for me.

I thought this was Matt Damon :(

Running with the Greeks

With Hermes, my hero

Remember the picture of me up there?? It was in preparation for this. You have no idea how long I stood there.

Can you believe the Academy Awards are held in a mall?!

HOLLYWOOD!!!

Just some goofy kids I know.

I stood in line at Sprinkles for 20 minutes. Well worth the wait.

I can't believe he still lets me give him kisses!!!

This is only the first half of my pictures from Cali. The rest are stuck on my work computer so I will post more on Monday.

Pick-up lines

While we were stuck in a van for 31 hours this weekend, Christy mentioned a running blog that she enjoyed reading called "half fast." I googled it this evening and was directed to this post about pick up lines for runners. Hi-larious! The comments are funny too. In fact, my favorite line was found there "When you passed me I felt like running faster, but following you from behind was inspiration enough. Thank you." Awesome huh? Do you have any you would add??

Oh, and a few more WB pics:

THE END!!!

I forgot that Maria wasn't in the picture of the team I posted last time, so here's our WHOLE team.
Back L-R: Chloe, Sarah, Me, Kelli, Maria, Josh
Front L-R: Mike, Brian, Christy, Melinda, Josh, Matt

Heaven? or Hell?

Team Heaven or Hell: Mike, Christy, Josh, Matt, Me, Sarah, Chloe, Melinda, Kelli, Jason, and Brian

In honor of our team "Heaven or Hell," here is my spin on a pros and cons list:

First...we have HELL:

-spending 31 hours in a cramped and messy van
-Breaking my camera 30 minutes into the race
-running 5 miles at 4pm in blazing hot temperatures with no shade
-running at elevation when I have only trained at sea level
-running period after being sick and not training for 3 weeks
-running 3 miles on no sleep
-getting the van stuck in a ditch, stopping mere feet from the beloved Honey Buckets
-attempting to run up a mountain at 2 pm in blazing hot temperatures with no shade and a head wind on less than 1 1/2 hours of sleep
-hyperventilating while attempting to run up a mountain at 2 pm in blazing hot temperatures with no shade and a head wind
-having to stop running 3 miles into my 5.1 run up a mountain at 2 pm because I was hyperventilating
-feeling like I let my team down when I stopped running...er...walking, 3 miles into my 5.1 mile run
-seeing and smelling manure and rotting carcass while running
-not showering or brushing my teeth for two days
-trying to sleep in the back seat of a cramped mini-van
-knowing we were the very last team on the course for the majority of the race

and then we have HEAVEN:

-spending 31 hours in a van with 5 awesome friends, new and old
-running at 2:30 am with nothing but my music, a headlamp and the moonlight to keep me company
-beating my projected pace on my second leg by 10 minutes
-ice in my sports bra
-enjoying the beautiful Utah landscape in an unconventional way
-Honey Buckets
-supporting and cheering on my friends while they all pushed themselves to their limits
-being supported and cheered on by my friends while I pushed myself to my limits
-not having to run "You've gotta be kidding me" and Ragnar (Thanks Josh and Brian!!!)
-learning that our teammates had 5 "kills" on the final legs of the race
-being able to wear spandex for 31 hours (seriously, I love it that much!!)
-Skunk smell
-ice cold water after a really tough run
-running down the chute with a time of 30:53:46 with 11 of the toughest people I know
-finishing!!!
-not finishing last!!!

So the consensus? In hindsight, running this race after being laid up in bed for three weeks probably wasn't the smartest idea I've ever had. It was the most difficult thing I have ever attempted, I struggled, a lot! But it was also a really great experience. My teammates were incredible and fun, the course was beautiful, and it was something I will never forget.

So...will I do it again? Probably. I think I'll only do Wasatch Back if I am able to train at elevation, but I'd really like the opportunity to see how I can do when I'm in peak physical form.

Thank you to all of my awesome teammates for the awesome journey. You can read more recaps here, here, here and while she hasn't posted yet, keep checking for Christy's here.

And check out a few more pictures of me that I stole from Mike...

Do I look like I'm dying? Cuz I am...

Pretty huh? Too bad it was ridiculously hot!!!

I couldn't have done it without my peeps! Rockstars...all of them.

My new friend Sarah and me with the cows

30:53:46

There is so much to say, but I don't really have the words. I'll tease you with these few pictures I took with my phone (my brand new camera broke while we were on the 1st leg of the race). I'll write more when I can track down more photos from my teammates. I won't keep you in suspense though, we DID finish; in 30 hours 53 minutes and 46 seconds. Awesome, considering 4 of our runners were last minute additions and I was not in peak physical form.

This pretty much sums it all up!!

I think this was the last time I smiled until the race was over... Like the sexy spandex??

Kelli and I at the first major exchange

How hot is this look?!

Trying, unsuccessfully, to get some rest before starting running again (at 2:30 am)

We did it!!!