CARRY ME TO THE FINISH LINE!

THE RACE!!

 

November 28,  2013

Last night was a long night and yet it went quickly. I woke up at 2:00. 3:00. 4:00. 4:15. 4:30. 5:00 and 5:30a.m.. Not sure if I was more Afraid I wouldn't wake up to my alarm set for 6:00 or if I was just totally excited. I think it was equal amounts of both. So when I woke up at 5:30 a.m. I decided well lets get stretching. Then before I knew it we were all in the car heading to Orem by 6:30 a.m..

 

I arrived at the Rec Center. I went in watching what everyone else did so that I would know what to do. So I followed. I found my name on a list with the number 1085 next to it. I went over to the table marked Registration sign in. I told them my Number and Name and this is what they gave me!!

 

My Earn your Turkey Shirt and Number!

 

And this square chip with 2 zip ties. Never having ran a race before I said. Um. This is my first race. What do I do with this? They were so cute. Well this is a Microchip that will keep track of your time. When you pass the starting line it will activate. Then when you cross the finish line it will stop.

Well that sounds easy enough, I thought. I attached it to my shoe and put on my number.

 

Well it was now 7:30 a.m.. In walks my Brother and Sister-in-law and their children. Their daughter Whitney was also running her first race ever. So we documented the moment.

Here we all are heading over to the starting line.

 

We got over to the starting line and wow what a rush of adrenaline. I turned around to look at the people around me and there about 10 people behind me was Brad Wilcox and his family. I smiled and thought to myself. Awesome. I am in great company!! I have heard Brother Wilcox speak many times. What a great example.

 

Then all of a Sudden the Starting Gun went off. My sister-in-law looks at me and says well here we go! And that was it we were off. I ran with Lynette for the first 2 miles. It was so great to have her there by my side. It really does help push you. During the 3rd mile she ran back to be with Whitney. So for about a mile and a half I was all alone. But totally surrounded by other runners.

 

Just as I was about to give up I looked down on the ground and saw a piece of paper with the words: Carry me to the finish line! Written on it. Throughout the race they had placed frozen turkeys randomly on the path. If you found one and carried it to the finish line it was yours to keep.

 

The thought popped in my head. PRAY. Ask Heavenly Father to help Carry you to the finish line. So that is just what I did. "Father", I said. "I cannot do this alone. I need your help. I want to make my children and Husband proud of me. I want to finish this race. But in order to do this I will need you to help Carry me to the finish line."

 

Then as soon as I closed my silent pray. I felt a burst of adrenaline. Then this darling teenage girl turns to me and says, "You're almost there! You can do it!!" I Smiled. And then another thought came to my mind. "You started this process with Jessica. You should call her and end this race with her!" So I pushed the call button on my phone it went to voicemail. I thought. No!!! she has to answer!. So I tried again. With a half mile left to run. She answered. I couldn't speak. I was breathing so heavily. But there on the other end of the line was My sister and her boys. I didn't hear them talking but I could hear little Hayden breathing into the phone and that was good enough for me to get me through. I looked up and just a few hundred feet ahead was the finish line. There were so many people there. I started to pick up the pace. I was not alone. I was being Carried to the Finish Line. Just as I crossed the finish line I could hear my Husband and Kids yelling!! It was incredible!!!

 

Here it is 10 feet to the finish line. It's a little blurry but you can still see that Smile on my Face! I was on Cloud 9!

 

I could not help but shed a few tears of Joy as I crossed the finish line and my cute children and Husband were there to congratulate me!!

At the finish line with my daughter.

We made it! Our first Race!!!

And of course I had to get a picture with Brad Wilcox!!

 

This was such a great journey. I had a few ups and downs with 8 days ago. Feeling so sick I thought I would die. to finishing my first race today.

My children said to me. "Mom, I am so proud of you for setting a goal and then finishing it. I want to set a goal and complete it too." April wants to run a race. Caleb wants to do better on his math and spelling!

4 miles totally worth it!

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 



When life gives you Lemons...

When life gives you lemons. Make orange juice and leave the world wondering how you did it!

I love this quote,

Stand out!   Why be just like everyone else. I have never been very good at the latest trend, I recently tried the leggings thing they are so cute on everyone else, not for me! they are very comfortable I will give everyone that, but I feel like hello world check me out, and not in a good way. So I will leave that style to all the beautiful people out there without a lot of junk in there trunk. ;) . So for me I kind of do things my own way, Which I guess is great I am a one and only model no one quite like me. I love when I can think of something fun and different sometimes I can think outside of the box, and on top of the box and underneath. Sometimes I even surprise myself! I really want to be the type of person that when I die people can say hey she could make anything fun, full of exciting surprises. My mom would be the definition to this quote. I have heard so many people say that Debbie she could look in a pantry and make shelf (shelf- definition what ever was left in the pantry before payday) and it would be something unbelievable, something you find yourself asking for on a regular basis. So I guess what I'm leaving you with is the hope that you can stand out in a good way be there for people, be the one that can make the difference. This world today needs a lot of people that are willing to be different because its getting pretty scary out there. Be someone that you yourself can be proud of, at least that is what I'm going to strive to be like.
Jess

HOW LONG IS A 5K

Well I have been running and Jessica has been cheering me on. (Literally she is talking to me with my Bluetooth headphones. It is awesome. So I put a 5K on my bucket list. Yep that is what I have been training for. Well the other day I was talking to my sister in law and she informed me that her family is all running in the “Earn your Turkey Race” on Thanksgiving Day. “You should totally do it with us. It is a great race”. She said

“Ok well how long is it?” I asked

“Oh about 4 miles. no biggie. It’s like a 5K.”

“Oh ok! That sounds like fun. And what I get a shirt. Um totally sign me up!”

So I signed up…

Well I was talking with someone today at church and I said “Guess what I am totally running a 5K.” “Awesome I am so proud of you” was their response. “What is a 5K like 3.1 miles?”

In my new to running just signed up for what I thought was a 5K knowledgeable voice said “I thought it was like 4 miles.”

So I went home and looked it up and this is what I found:

How long is a 5K? You're a new runner and you keep hearing about it. Your friends have encouraged you to sign up for one, but you're not sure how long a 5K is and if you can do it.

The "K" stands for kilometer. A kilometer is 0.62 of a mile, which makes a 5K race 3.1 miles long or 16368 feet long or 5000 meters long. When you hear about races such as the Carlsbad 5000, Santa Monica 5000 or Reno 5000, you can know that it is a 5K or 3.1-mile distance event.

(I read this and thought “Sure! It’s like a 5K only LONGER”)

If you're looking to run your first 5K, you can simply focus on the distance knowing that you will already be setting a PR (personal record) that day. As you build up to your second or third 5K, you can focus more on time.

So how long is a 5K? It would be like:

• Running across a football field (91.44 meters long) 54.68 times
• Running around all four bases of a regulation baseball diamond (360 feet to round the bases) 45.47 times
• Running the length of an NBA-regulation basketball court (94 feet long) 174.13 times
• Running a little less than a fourth of the length of Manhattan (13.4 miles long)

A 5K is long enough to challenge you, but not so far that you'll become discouraged. At 3.1 miles, a 5K is a very doable running distance.

Note: Please consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Really!!! I read this and thought, “OH DEAR! WHAT HAVE I JUST DONE?)

Well there is no backing out now. (NO REFUNDS.)

There is nothing I can do now but Call Jessica and RUN!

WISH ME LUCK!