I did it again! I now have my second marathon under my belt and boy was it just as crazy as my first. However, despite everything, I can proudly say that I love running! I did things a little differently this time around. Some were good, some were bad, but I defintely learned from my experience! Here's how the race went:
We started on Mount Lemon (or at least I believe it was Mount Lemon...). The ride up was miserable to put it bluntly. All runners were transported on buses. I ended up on a yellow school bus - I just missed getting on a nice tour bus. :P And of course the window by my seat will not stay up to save it's life! With every bump it would slip farther and farther open and when you are driving to the top of a mountain there are bound to be several bumps in the road. For a while I would just push it up every time it slipped. It would stay for a few minutes before falling once more. Then it just stopped staying up all together...Unless I held it there. Talk about ridiculous! I was so frustrated! A gentleman behind me offered to hold it up for a little while. I graciously obligued. I swear the trip up took 30-45 minutes too.
The beginning of the race was mostly downhill. It was great! I was going at a good pace, full of energy. After running down the mountain we entered the highway at mile 9 - Oro Valley Road, I believe. This was the boring part. Don't get me wrong, the mountains down in Tucson are really pretty. They seem to just spring up from the valley! The rest is all desert though; cactus and sagebrush. Plus at this point we started fighting a headwind of 20 mph. Talk about degrading! I was going strong through mile 15. I slowed down a little after that, but I was still going to come in before 4'30". Then mile 20 hit me. I just didn't want to run anymore! I was doing great energy wise. I'd kept my carbs and electrolytes up, but mentally? I just wanted it to be over! My hips killed, the wind was frustrating, I had lung burn... It was definitely "the Wall." At mile 23 we FINALLY left the highway - see why I was bored??? Unfortunately the last three miles were more uphill than downhill. I couldn't seem to find my momentum. Sometimes it hurt less to run, other times I just didn't care. I wanted the race to be over. I was so excited to see the finish line! Unfortunately there was a sharp turn right before it and it was all on sand so I couldn't even get a good sprint in. Oh well. I finished! It felt so good when they put that medallion around my neck. :) Final time 4'45" - slower than I wanted, but next time I will be better prepared.
There are several things I learned from the marathon:
Pros:
- I ate really well - lots of veggies, not too many carbs (sushi the night before was perfect!)
- I researched what I was suppose to eat.
- I didn't feel sick the entire marathon! (probably because I ate well)
- I paced myself fairly well up until the end.
- The wall didn't hit me until mile 20 (it was mile 17 on the last marathon)
- I trained using a lot of stairs and hills - helped strengthen my quads and gave me more endurance.
Cons:
- I didn't keep to my training schedule! I didn't run Saturdays and there were very few weeks I actually ran all of the other days I was suppose to. Next time it will be better, especially now that I am learning how to budget my time.
- I wasn't prepared to be cold. Solution: long-sleeved shirt and possibly spandex pants, and look at the weather forcast
- I didn't mentally prepare for the wall. I'm sure if I actually ran the entire race I could cut some time off.
Goals:
- Strengthen hip-flexors
- Defeat "the Wall"
- Stick to my training schedule
- Run more stairs and hills to increase time
- Be prepared for weather
Although I was slightly disappointed in the results of the race I feel really good that I accomplished the 26.2 miles once again. It was hard at the end knowing that no one would be waiting for me, but I guess that is what happens when you move far from home. :) I definitely did NOT like the fact that I had to get back in my car and drive five hours. I'm sure I was very amusing to anyone who watched me attempt to get in and out of Beauty (my car) every time I stopped. Haha I was always yelping in pain. The good news: it only took me three days to recover, although I haven't ran since then. :)
My big goal is to run the Boston Marathon someday. That means I need to cut an hour off my time. Probably won't happen in 2010 but maybe around 2012? We'll see. :) Not sure what the next marathon will be but I will keep you updated!
Keep runnin' strong!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
New Places
I am now a resident of Arizona! I moved down to Winslow - you know, "Standin' on the Corner..." - two and a half weeks ago. It took me a few days to get over the homesickness, but now I honestly love it here! I've been making friends: Joseph, Mary Catherine, Ashley, Janae (just to name a few). Basically I'm always with the Ricks family down here. :) My friends have been showing me all the amazing things to do around the area. Did you know there is a giant Jack Rabbit that you can ride? Yeah, they make fun of it in the movie Cars. Isn't it cute? I love animals. ^^
I've also been cliff jumping at Clear Creek, driven an amazing Jaguar convertible, ran a 10k, eaten at the Rootbeer Stand, and visited the Little Painted Desert. (See Below)
This picture doesn't give the bird's mohawk justice...
Last weekend I also visited Tucson for the first time! It was pretty incredible. Joseph showed me around the city. (Much bigger than Winslow BTW!) First we went to the zoo! Did I mention I love animals??? Haha.
This picture doesn't give the bird's mohawk justice...
The otters were definitely one of my favorites!
And at night the city looks incredible.
These are all of my adventures for the moment, but I'm sure there will be more to come!
Monday, April 20, 2009
SLC Marathon
As most everyone knows I have been training for the Salt Lake City Marathon for the past three months. Training has been a rewarding experience, although the process as a whole been a rollercoaster ride. Hehe. I started out on treadmills, now I hate them more than ever. Seriously, I would rather run in a blizzard than one of those blasted machines. Needless to say I do most of my running outside, despite the elements. I've learned to run in rain, snow, and my absolute favorite SUN! There was a week that I actually ran on a track, without music. Although I had no choice, I was in the middle of the pacific ocean and running ON water was not exactly an option. :) Near the end of my training I discovered I love to run with people, whether they are running alongside me or riding a bike (as Megan did). My total progress was this: I started out running at about 5.0 mph. Not bad, sometimes it was slower. Now my pace is about 6.1 or 6.2 mph and this is for several miles! Woot yeah!
Alright, enough with the training details and onto the main event! I spent the night with Megan's grandparents - LaVerne and Chet - and woke up early to get ready for the race. I parked Stevie (my car) at the Gateway and caught Trax up to U of U. My legs felt ready for action. I actually jogged a couple of paces. My whole body was quivering in anticipation. The ride was long, but after 45 minutes we finally reached Legacy Bridge at the top of U of U's campus. There were tons of people milling around waiting for the race to start. Most people were involved in the half marathon. We all congregated on the road. I saw Kyle Jennings from high school. He was running the half marathon so we talked until the race started. The start was kind of amusing. The announcer counted down, then there was a gun shot and everyone started to move forward. Although it was more of a shuffle than anything else. It didn't take us long to break up. The start was all downhill. Tons of people were passing me but I kept my steady pace, knowing I would need to conserve my energy. The morning air was cool and crisp. My music pounded in my ears. I had so much adrenaline! Every once in a while my emotions would get the best of me and I would start to choke up, but I soon discovered that I couldn't cry and breath at the same time. Haha.
At every mile along the course it said which mile you had finished and the amount of time you had been running. Every couple of miles there were rest stations with bathrooms (port o' potties) and people holding out water or gatorade. At my first rest stop I tried to run and drink at the same time... Yeah, didn't work out. I spilled a bunch. That's when I learned you walk when you are trying to drink something.
The course was really hilly. I remember looking at the elevation chart once and realizing I would encounter a few hills, but I guess it didn't fully sink in. Most of the hills were within the first 10 miles. I didn't stop to walk any of them! Except for the one at the very end. Thankfully the sky stayed overcast for until about 10am and even when the sky did clear up there was always a breeze.
I was feeling pretty good around mile 10. My pace was the same and I still had energy. Mile 16 was when everything hit me. I was tired. A couple miles earlier I had started to feel the wear, but this was definitely the Wall. I struggled. My mind was thinking, 10 more miles. Somehow I found my rhythm again, although I was all-too-aware of hot spots on my feet. Then at mile 18 it just hurt. My legs didn't want to go any further. I had 8 miles to go and all I wanted to do was sleep. I would glance longingly at the grass. I could see myself asleep in my car on my way back to Tremonton. It was hard. I stopped to walk for longer periods of time, but my legs hurt all the same. I ate some jelly beans and forced some gatorade and water down, but nothing helped. Food was the furthest thing from my mind. Even the gatorade was starting to make me feel nauseous. I remember thinking I was crazy! Part of me even thought that I would never run a marathon again. (Although I knew I could never completely make that promise.) One thing was certain, I would not give up!!! I took out my headphones, no longer amused by my selection of music. Every step hurt. My face became stoic although my mind was raging a huge battle against itself. I was counting down the miles, looking anxiously ahead for the next sign. One of the few things that kept me amused was the photographers. I started posing for the cameras, doing anything to keep my mind off the battle. I felt like I walked a lot, although it was probably less than two miles in total.
Finally I came to the last two miles of the race. There was a blasted hill. Despite my aching feet I knew I had to finish strong. I was determined to run the rest of the way once I got to the top of the hill. I walked the whole way up, exhausted beyond belief, but when I hit the top I ran. I forced my stride to lengthen. One last stretch, I thought. My eyes were focused on the Gateway straight ahead. I knew I would have to take three more turns before I could see the finish line. I passed the temple. My breathing was labored, but I couldn't stop. I wouldn't start up again. That last mile honestly seemed to take forever, but finally I rounded the corners. I could see the people. I started looking around almost overcome with emotion then I saw the finish line. Without thinking I sprinted straight ahead. I could hear everyone. I knew my family was cheering me on. I swore I heard my name but I couldn't focus on anything. It took every last ounce of energy to sprint towards that finish line. I passed a handful of people. Finally I was across. After slowing so rapidly I thought I was going to pass out. Thankfully I kept walking, trying to suck precious oxygen into my lungs. Someone handed me a medal. My mind must have been somewhat numb. I think I had to force myself to smile. I had done it. I finished in 4 hours and 42 minutes. Under my goal of 5 hours too!
The marathon was a great experience. I could hardly walk after sitting down for a few minutes. Everything hurt from my waist down, but the pain was worth it. My family was beaming and it didn't take too long for me to start beaming as well. Now I've started planning for the next one. I think it will be Top of Utah in September. I'm crazy. I knew after one I would do another. The feeling is very addicting. Even now I long to run out in the sunshine, despite my stiff muscles. :) I think I am still on an emotional high...
My family and roommates were all so amazing through all of this. I know how proud they are of their marathon runner and I hope they realize how much they did for me. Life really is a marathon and although there are times when we want to quit it is worth every minute of suffering once you cross that finish line. Thanks everyone for your support!
Alright, enough with the training details and onto the main event! I spent the night with Megan's grandparents - LaVerne and Chet - and woke up early to get ready for the race. I parked Stevie (my car) at the Gateway and caught Trax up to U of U. My legs felt ready for action. I actually jogged a couple of paces. My whole body was quivering in anticipation. The ride was long, but after 45 minutes we finally reached Legacy Bridge at the top of U of U's campus. There were tons of people milling around waiting for the race to start. Most people were involved in the half marathon. We all congregated on the road. I saw Kyle Jennings from high school. He was running the half marathon so we talked until the race started. The start was kind of amusing. The announcer counted down, then there was a gun shot and everyone started to move forward. Although it was more of a shuffle than anything else. It didn't take us long to break up. The start was all downhill. Tons of people were passing me but I kept my steady pace, knowing I would need to conserve my energy. The morning air was cool and crisp. My music pounded in my ears. I had so much adrenaline! Every once in a while my emotions would get the best of me and I would start to choke up, but I soon discovered that I couldn't cry and breath at the same time. Haha.
At every mile along the course it said which mile you had finished and the amount of time you had been running. Every couple of miles there were rest stations with bathrooms (port o' potties) and people holding out water or gatorade. At my first rest stop I tried to run and drink at the same time... Yeah, didn't work out. I spilled a bunch. That's when I learned you walk when you are trying to drink something.
The course was really hilly. I remember looking at the elevation chart once and realizing I would encounter a few hills, but I guess it didn't fully sink in. Most of the hills were within the first 10 miles. I didn't stop to walk any of them! Except for the one at the very end. Thankfully the sky stayed overcast for until about 10am and even when the sky did clear up there was always a breeze.
I was feeling pretty good around mile 10. My pace was the same and I still had energy. Mile 16 was when everything hit me. I was tired. A couple miles earlier I had started to feel the wear, but this was definitely the Wall. I struggled. My mind was thinking, 10 more miles. Somehow I found my rhythm again, although I was all-too-aware of hot spots on my feet. Then at mile 18 it just hurt. My legs didn't want to go any further. I had 8 miles to go and all I wanted to do was sleep. I would glance longingly at the grass. I could see myself asleep in my car on my way back to Tremonton. It was hard. I stopped to walk for longer periods of time, but my legs hurt all the same. I ate some jelly beans and forced some gatorade and water down, but nothing helped. Food was the furthest thing from my mind. Even the gatorade was starting to make me feel nauseous. I remember thinking I was crazy! Part of me even thought that I would never run a marathon again. (Although I knew I could never completely make that promise.) One thing was certain, I would not give up!!! I took out my headphones, no longer amused by my selection of music. Every step hurt. My face became stoic although my mind was raging a huge battle against itself. I was counting down the miles, looking anxiously ahead for the next sign. One of the few things that kept me amused was the photographers. I started posing for the cameras, doing anything to keep my mind off the battle. I felt like I walked a lot, although it was probably less than two miles in total.
Finally I came to the last two miles of the race. There was a blasted hill. Despite my aching feet I knew I had to finish strong. I was determined to run the rest of the way once I got to the top of the hill. I walked the whole way up, exhausted beyond belief, but when I hit the top I ran. I forced my stride to lengthen. One last stretch, I thought. My eyes were focused on the Gateway straight ahead. I knew I would have to take three more turns before I could see the finish line. I passed the temple. My breathing was labored, but I couldn't stop. I wouldn't start up again. That last mile honestly seemed to take forever, but finally I rounded the corners. I could see the people. I started looking around almost overcome with emotion then I saw the finish line. Without thinking I sprinted straight ahead. I could hear everyone. I knew my family was cheering me on. I swore I heard my name but I couldn't focus on anything. It took every last ounce of energy to sprint towards that finish line. I passed a handful of people. Finally I was across. After slowing so rapidly I thought I was going to pass out. Thankfully I kept walking, trying to suck precious oxygen into my lungs. Someone handed me a medal. My mind must have been somewhat numb. I think I had to force myself to smile. I had done it. I finished in 4 hours and 42 minutes. Under my goal of 5 hours too!
The marathon was a great experience. I could hardly walk after sitting down for a few minutes. Everything hurt from my waist down, but the pain was worth it. My family was beaming and it didn't take too long for me to start beaming as well. Now I've started planning for the next one. I think it will be Top of Utah in September. I'm crazy. I knew after one I would do another. The feeling is very addicting. Even now I long to run out in the sunshine, despite my stiff muscles. :) I think I am still on an emotional high...
My family and roommates were all so amazing through all of this. I know how proud they are of their marathon runner and I hope they realize how much they did for me. Life really is a marathon and although there are times when we want to quit it is worth every minute of suffering once you cross that finish line. Thanks everyone for your support!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Running through Swamps!
HAHA! I LOVE this story! So tonight I went running with my good friend Brad. Much to our surprise we have never been running together before, but we had a blast! So we set out at a good pace at least 6.0 miles per hour, probably a little more. Our goal was to run eight miles. Really, not terribly difficult. We are both distance runners. :) Here's the thing Brad is seriously awesome. I think I would consider him one of my best friends. He isn't dramatic, I try not to be dramatic, but I can completely be myself around him. (Don't worry, we are just friends, nothing more.) Anyway, so around mile three we were running down 1800 North and it lead to a dead end. We were about a block away from 1000 West, but their was a flooded field blocking our path. Being the awesome pair we are we decided to brave the swamp and cross it.
Our first hurdle was a wire fence with barb wire along the top. Brad made it over first - he's a lot taller than me so he just had to step over it. Then it was my turn. He held down the wire for me and I stepped over with my left leg, picked up my right leg and I was caught. I know, it was ridiculous! Thankfully it took me all of two seconds to fix. We laughed and the continued onto the bigger obstacle. A vast marsh.
At first the going was easy. Brad lead the way as we hoped from one dry patch to the next. Occasionally our feet would come across a little water, but nothing too bad. Until we reached the middle. By this point our feet were only half dry, but we were way to far to turn back now. We trudged on, actually it was more like hopping, laughing and talking the whole time. Our shoes and socks ended up getting soaked. The water was unavoidable, however we finally made it to the end of the mire. That did not conclude our quest though. Before we could get back onto solid ground we had to cross yet another fence. This one was higher than the first and very unstable. Brad suggested I use him to help me get over, but I couldn't get my footing right at all. So then he said he would lift me up so I could stand on the barb wire then jump over. It wasn't too difficult. I even landed on my feet. Hehe. It didn't take Brad long at all to get up and over, but he did end up falling. :) Although he jumped right back to his feet. Then we were off and running again. Haha! It was so much fun!
We did finish our eight miles. It felt nice, although I was tired by the end. That makes thirteen total today - I ran five this afternoon. I figure it is my last week to really push myself then it's three weeks until the marathon! I am so excited! And it looks like I may have found a running partner too. Yay!
As for other news I just got back from a week long cruise to the Mexican Riviera. It was soooo much fun! Hopefully I can get pictures up soon. My dad is the family photographer so he took most of the pics.
It's good to be back! I'm sure I'll have more stories soon!
Our first hurdle was a wire fence with barb wire along the top. Brad made it over first - he's a lot taller than me so he just had to step over it. Then it was my turn. He held down the wire for me and I stepped over with my left leg, picked up my right leg and I was caught. I know, it was ridiculous! Thankfully it took me all of two seconds to fix. We laughed and the continued onto the bigger obstacle. A vast marsh.
At first the going was easy. Brad lead the way as we hoped from one dry patch to the next. Occasionally our feet would come across a little water, but nothing too bad. Until we reached the middle. By this point our feet were only half dry, but we were way to far to turn back now. We trudged on, actually it was more like hopping, laughing and talking the whole time. Our shoes and socks ended up getting soaked. The water was unavoidable, however we finally made it to the end of the mire. That did not conclude our quest though. Before we could get back onto solid ground we had to cross yet another fence. This one was higher than the first and very unstable. Brad suggested I use him to help me get over, but I couldn't get my footing right at all. So then he said he would lift me up so I could stand on the barb wire then jump over. It wasn't too difficult. I even landed on my feet. Hehe. It didn't take Brad long at all to get up and over, but he did end up falling. :) Although he jumped right back to his feet. Then we were off and running again. Haha! It was so much fun!
We did finish our eight miles. It felt nice, although I was tired by the end. That makes thirteen total today - I ran five this afternoon. I figure it is my last week to really push myself then it's three weeks until the marathon! I am so excited! And it looks like I may have found a running partner too. Yay!
As for other news I just got back from a week long cruise to the Mexican Riviera. It was soooo much fun! Hopefully I can get pictures up soon. My dad is the family photographer so he took most of the pics.
It's good to be back! I'm sure I'll have more stories soon!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Bad Day
Today was honestly the worst day I have had in so long! First off I have been alone in my apartment since Friday. It is Spring Break for USU so all of my roommates left. I figured no big deal, right? I would just be alone for a few days, but I would be working and getting stuff done. Wrong! I have slowly been going insane on these long, lonely days. So today I woke up to get ready for school. I was teaching down at Mountain Crest for a high school science class today. I got ready and attempted to do my hair. That was the first thing that went wrong. I just got my hair cut and I am experimenting with a new style that I love, but of course my hair wouldn't cooperate. I gave up quickly because I didn't have time to try anything new anyway. Then I tried to get something together for lunch and honestly, nothing sounded appealing. I knew if I didn't take something I would regret it so I suffered for a hot pocket. At 7a.m. I walked out the door into a white blizzard. I knew it had been snowing from last night so I looked anxiously at my car. Yeah, a foot of snow was covering it! Gah! I thought, alright, it's alright, I don't have to be at school until 7:47a.m. (Who puts that for a starting time?) Well, there I am wading through a foot of snow on the ground and I am in heels. It took me ten minutes to clear off my car. Finally I make it out of my parking lot. Well, I knew I needed to get out to Hyrum the quickest way possible and me, being not very bright this morning, decided to drive down a steep hill. I almost killed myself! I couldn't control my car and I couldn't brake. Thankfully I did manage to stay fairly straight, although I did run the stop sign. No damage done. Thank goodness! I was a little shaken up. I took the rest of the drive slow. I didn't make it out to Mountain Crest and park until 8a.m. So I am late, but I figured it was to be expected. Teaching was easy. No lesson plan had been left for me so my classes watched a movie about killer whales. The movie was really good the first time I watched it, but I had to watch it three times. I finished one book and started another, but I was going crazy. I longed to have a conversation with someone, or at least sleep. Oh well. I survived the day. When I walked out to my car again I discovered another foot of snow had deposited itself on my vehicle. At this point all I wanted to do was go home and get warm, even if I wasn't going to be around anyone. I spent another ten minutes sweeping my car clean then another ten as I waited for anyone to let me out of the parking lot. No one would let me in! I was so frustrated. Finally, I made it home. The rest of the day hasn't been too bad. I did get my hair to cooperate with me. At least tomorrow and Wednesday won't be so bad. On a positive note I got my temple recommend renewed yesterday. I am way excited! I hope I can go to the temple on Wednesday! Woot! That's the update. I leave for my cruise on Friday so no one will here from me until I get back. Don't worry, I'll post lots of pictures. :D 'Till then!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Rascal Flatts in Concert!
The event of the week was my first concert EVER! Of course I have always gone to band and orchestra concerts, but never a rock concert - even though Rascal Flatts is a country band. The concert was amazing though! My friend Jessica and I got tickets and after having dinner at Apollo Burger we headed to the Energy Solutions Arena on Trax. We were pretty excited. It didn't take long to reach our destination. We stepped off the light-rail into an atmosphere of excitement. People were milling around outside, taking pictures or trying to get into the building. A radio station was broadcasting outside and some girls were attempting to sing-along with a Rascal Flatts - they didn't sound so great... Jessica and I hurried inside where they scanned our tickets. It didn't take us long to find our seats - Section 21, Row 20, Seats 7 & 8. Not too bad. I was hoping for the floor, but oh well. Then we decided to wander around. I was ecstatic, I really wanted some souvenoir to remember the concert by. Of course the line for merchandise was long, but we decided it would be better to buy something before the concert rather than afterwards. Everything was so expensive though! I wanted a sweatshirt, but it was $50. Instead I got a strawhat. It looks really cute though.
Once Jessica Simpson was done performing the stage crew came out to get ready for RASCAL FLATTS! The stage was set up with the band at the back and then platforms all around the floor. Techies came out and climbed up and down from the lights to the stage on long rope ladders. It looked pretty cool, although I would probably be terrified. It took the crew about 15 minutes to get everything set up. Jessica and I just goofed around with our cameras. I was giddy with excitement.
It was so amazing! Everyone started screaming and cheering and singing all at once. I was surprised how good they sounded. Seriously, they sounded just like their albums. The guitar riffs and drumset were ridiculously good. They even had someone playing the electric violin. I sang along to almost everything, although there were a few songs I didn't know that well. :) The sound balance seemed a lot better for Rascal Flatts, even though everything was still so loud! Again, the concert was awesome. They did a little improv thing in the middle, while things were getting set up, about girls walking around in mini skirts and high heels. And they gave the advice to not get offended if you choose to wear that get-up because every male is going to look at you. It was pretty funny.
Jessica and I had so much fun at the concert. She told me she didn't know if it was more fun to watch the concert or to watch me. Haha. It was worth every penny and I recommend them to anyone. They are so great! "Good night, y'all!"
By the time we made it back to our seats Jessica Simpson had already started her opening act. To my surprise she was really good. She had a great voice and I wouldn't mind having some of her music. I think country suits her well. I couldn't believe how loud the band was, though. I couldn't really make out the lyrics to some of the songs, but it could be because I didn't know the songs. Regardless, it was a good opening. It was really weird seeing a celebrity live. :)
Once Jessica Simpson was done performing the stage crew came out to get ready for RASCAL FLATTS! The stage was set up with the band at the back and then platforms all around the floor. Techies came out and climbed up and down from the lights to the stage on long rope ladders. It looked pretty cool, although I would probably be terrified. It took the crew about 15 minutes to get everything set up. Jessica and I just goofed around with our cameras. I was giddy with excitement.
Finally everthing went dark and an image of huge redwood trees showed on the screens in the back. After waiting for a while - in all reality it was probably only 30 seconds - I started getting anxious. I looked all around the arena, trying to figure out when everything was going to start when a shooting star started falling on the screen. I was so fascinated as it came closer and closer, until suddenly it exploded on stage! I must have jumped a mile high. Then everything was revealed and there was Rascal Flatts!
It was so amazing! Everyone started screaming and cheering and singing all at once. I was surprised how good they sounded. Seriously, they sounded just like their albums. The guitar riffs and drumset were ridiculously good. They even had someone playing the electric violin. I sang along to almost everything, although there were a few songs I didn't know that well. :) The sound balance seemed a lot better for Rascal Flatts, even though everything was still so loud! Again, the concert was awesome. They did a little improv thing in the middle, while things were getting set up, about girls walking around in mini skirts and high heels. And they gave the advice to not get offended if you choose to wear that get-up because every male is going to look at you. It was pretty funny.
I noticed they were always changing guitars. They were all so gorgeous. I remember one was an electric guitar in brilliant blue with a silver pick guard. Another was warm yellow and red. But enough about the guitars. At the end Rascal Flatts said thank you to everyone and introduced those playing in their band. A lot of people must have thought the concert was over because people started heading out. Jessica and I stuck around. I didn't know if anything else was going to happen. Everyone was cheering as loud as they could. Then, all of a sudden, the lights on the stage came back on and Rascal Flatts were back out singing! Confetti exploded from the stage and balloons fell from the ceiling. Everyone started screaming again. After a couple more songs they said goodnight.
Jessica and I had so much fun at the concert. She told me she didn't know if it was more fun to watch the concert or to watch me. Haha. It was worth every penny and I recommend them to anyone. They are so great! "Good night, y'all!" Thursday, February 19, 2009
Resolutions and Love?
Alright, so I'm not really in love. I'm not even dating anyone, but I figured it would be a good title for New Year's and Valentine's Day. :) Let's start with New Year's. I made one resolution and I've thought about others, although I haven't come up with anything. Anyway, my resolution is to run a marathon! I'm so excited! I officially registered for the Salt Lake City Marathon on April 18th. I've been running consistently since the beginning of the year. I found a 16 week training plan about 4 weeks ago. It's got me training pretty hard, right now I am on week 8. Half way there! Sometimes it is hard to get out and go running, especially if it is poor weather and I'm forced to run on a treadmill. :P However, my muscles are growing stronger and stronger. Starting next week I won't run anything less than 5 miles. I never run more than two days in a row and my long runs are always Saturday, to help prep me for the big day. It is so amazing to run. Some days I feel like I could go on running forever.
Now for Valentine's Day. Mostly I just hung out with my roommate Megan. The night before we decided to go on a crazy "roadtrip" starting in Logan and making our way North. We always took the back roads and at first we really didn't know what we were doing, but slowly our trip had a purpose. If we ever saw something interesting - like an old car, or a bell - we would park then jump out of the car and take some pictures. Then we would always take a picture by the "Welcome to (insert random town here)" signs. It was awesome! I'll post pics soon. :) We ended up in Trenton and Clifton, even all the way up to Swan Lake and Downey! So crazy! Some towns didn't have a sign, but we tried to take a picture to remember the town by. All-in-all we spent over three hours driving around. I can't wait to do it again!
Right now my day consists of me subbing somewhere in Cache Valley. I'll sub K-12 and let me tell you, some of those kids are crazy! I always learn something. I'm definitely learning where my boundaries are and how I want to handle my own classroom. It's a pretty relaxing job. More than half the time I get paid to read a book. I usually end up finishing a book a day. It's great! This week I have been subbing for a 7th grade science class, but they already have a student teacher so I really don't have to do ANYTHING. It's actually kind of nice. I don't feel too unproductive cause I am making money. Today I found myself longing for my own classroom though. Hopefully that happens soon. :)
Well, that's my life for the moment. I have made a goal to post something weekly so it won't be so long inbetween posts again. Later!
Now for Valentine's Day. Mostly I just hung out with my roommate Megan. The night before we decided to go on a crazy "roadtrip" starting in Logan and making our way North. We always took the back roads and at first we really didn't know what we were doing, but slowly our trip had a purpose. If we ever saw something interesting - like an old car, or a bell - we would park then jump out of the car and take some pictures. Then we would always take a picture by the "Welcome to (insert random town here)" signs. It was awesome! I'll post pics soon. :) We ended up in Trenton and Clifton, even all the way up to Swan Lake and Downey! So crazy! Some towns didn't have a sign, but we tried to take a picture to remember the town by. All-in-all we spent over three hours driving around. I can't wait to do it again!
Right now my day consists of me subbing somewhere in Cache Valley. I'll sub K-12 and let me tell you, some of those kids are crazy! I always learn something. I'm definitely learning where my boundaries are and how I want to handle my own classroom. It's a pretty relaxing job. More than half the time I get paid to read a book. I usually end up finishing a book a day. It's great! This week I have been subbing for a 7th grade science class, but they already have a student teacher so I really don't have to do ANYTHING. It's actually kind of nice. I don't feel too unproductive cause I am making money. Today I found myself longing for my own classroom though. Hopefully that happens soon. :)
Well, that's my life for the moment. I have made a goal to post something weekly so it won't be so long inbetween posts again. Later!
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