This is gonna be a good year!

This is going to be a good year. How do I know?

Because Ohio and I are getting married!

Yes you read that correctly.

I had a weird feeling on our first date that I would get married to him- and I was right! So, just 8 months later we are engaged and I really couldnt be happier.

Best birthday ever and a sure sign that year 29 is gonna be a good year!

Raining in Humboldt

Humboldt County is the most beautiful county in all of California, so of course my friends and I use the Avenue of the Giants Half Marathon as an excuse to go camping there for the weekend.

Which would have been great if not for the fact that it rained like crazy and our campsite ended up flooding, our tent filled with water and my car battery died.

So we ended up being cold a miserable, and left the day before the race. Because who really wants to be cold and miserable BEFORE the race?

But just my luck, when we get back to Sacramento our friends who stayed in Humboldt call to tell us that race day was clear skies and beautiful weather!

Meeting my Nephew

Meeting my nephew was surreal! First of all, its amazing how you can instantly love someone that doesn't even have a personality yet. Second- he is the tiniest baby I've ever held. He only weighs about 4 pounds. So little and adorable!

I am Psychic

My psychic abilities amaze me. Ok, maybe I am not psychic, just on to a conspiracy. That conspiracy would be Disney's continued manipulation of my favorite yearly event, Stadium of Fire.
Stadium of Fire is basically the biggest stadium fireworks event in the USA. Its insane how much fireworks are shot into the air. And, being a girl who LOVES fireworks, I love this event and have travelled to Utah for it 4 times.
Last year however, they decided to change from the years past when country megastars like Brooks n Dunne or Reba performed. Instead the headliner was Hannah Montana....which meant the whole show sold out in about 12 minutes.
After last years debacle, I had decided that I would buy tickets no matter what this year on the first day they were on sale. So I was happy when I got an email from Stadium of Fire saying that because I had bought tickets in the past, I could pre-buy them this year before the headliner was announced.
So I did. And of course, who was announced as headliners- JONAS Brothers. Urg! I knew it!
So looks like this year I will be celebrating 4th of July with the Jonas Brothers and 60,000 teenage girls. booo! Oh well, it will still be a blast!

Just call me Aunt Linsey...

I am so happy! I now have a nephew!

Ellie is the best dog in the world

Just thought people needed a reminder.

An exciting day...

Its a new day and a new world! New president-elect...I'm hopeful for what kinds of positive changes we might experience.....

More pics from Nike

More pictures from the Nike Women's Marathon....the real reasons to run this race- the bling, the cause and the true heroes you honor by raising all that money....

By the way, did I mention TNT raised over $20 million in this race? Whoooo!!

Marathon's twin causes: cancer, female athletes

NIKE MARATHON- YEAR 2

So, although I am not really supposed to run (because of the ribs), I decided not to pass on the opportunity to run in the Nike Women's Marathon again this year. I decided to do the half marathon, and if it was too painful I would walk it.
Took the train to SF with the girls- had fun at the Nike Town store, the Expo and the Pasta Dinner.


I am so thankful that I was exposed to Team in Training and have had the chance to meet so many wonderful people and do so many fun and exciting things. Its truely been one of the greatest blessings in my life.

More on the actual race later...

I did it! 13.1 miles with fractured ribs!

Smart, no. Fun, yes. Happy I did it? Of course! Here is an overview of another fantastic race:

5 a.m. Wake up and get dressed for race
5:30 a.m. Meet teammates in the hotel lobby- walk to Union Square. ITS COLD- and cold makes my ribs hurt more!
6:00 a.m. Stand around Union Square freezing and chatting it up with teammates. Dance around to music. Wonder how I will be feeling in a few hours....
7:00 Race starts...with around 23,000 runners, we know it will take us a good 15 minutes to get to the starting line
7:20 pass the starting line with Christy, off to a nice pace. Oh, did I forget to mention I am running...not walking like I intended?
8:00 After a bathroom break (race nerves!) I keep running with Christy. I know this is not going to last much longer because my ribs are hurting really bad.
8:15 I tell Christy to go ahead,I have to walk or I am going to start crying.
8:25 I think, Ummmm what is THIS!! They totally changed the race course and now I have more hills to deal with. Bummer! I chit chat with other walkers and gripe about the course changes.
10:00 Walking/Running with Amy who walks super fast, almost faster than I run! We take pictures at the half marathon turnoff. Happy we don't have to deal with Lake Merced this year.

Cross the finish line- get my BEAUTIFUL new necklace, find Amy and then hit the TNT tent for some grub and (Gasp!) Diet Coke. I pop a pain pill.

We spend the rest of the day cheering for our teammates and friends at the finish line (they all did amazing!) and then go back to the hotel and then out to dinner.

Fabulous day!!!

A dream come true

When I was a kid, I was madly in love with Jordan from NKOTB. So much so I would cry listening to the music because I thought they were so amazing. My first concert ever was a NKOTB show.
So getting to see them now, as an adult is a dream come true- especially because the concert exceeded my expectations. They were fantastic! I am totally buying their new CD. So fun!!

And the celebration continues!

Well, I was training for the Cowtown marathon until I fractured my ribs. So, today was slightly depressing because I really wished I was able to be running this race. I dragged myself out of bed to go cheer on my team and I am glad I did. It was a fantastic day- and most of my teammates ran personal best times. I was happy to be able to cheer them on.
After the race I met up with my mom and dad in Colfax so they could help me celebrate my birthday. We went to Empire Mine State Park. They hadn't been before, and so we walked all over and had a great time. Afterwards we had dinner at Giovannis. Yummy!
I am so happy to have such great parents!

Celebrating one more year...

How has another year flown by so quickly? Its juts insane that I am already another year older (and a whole lot wiser if I do say so myself!)?
Oh well, gotta celebrate! Had a great b-day with friends. Felt a lot of love this year and am pretty happy with my life these days. Hopefully this year brings lots of good times!!

Sumo wrestling in SF

I never thought I would Sumo wrestle in Crissy Fields, but I photographic evidence of it. Super fun...I think I won.....but doesnt matter, it was just so funny I could barely breathe I was laughing so hard. Plus that fat suit is heavy!!!

Ummm, probably not a smart thing to do.

Word to the wise- inner tubing down the Truckee river in Reno is not a "lazy river' experience. Be prepared for rip roaring rapids, to be bruised and maybe worse....This was probably not the smartest thing my family has decided to do together, but it was fun. Next time I think I will wear a life vest, because even though I am a strong swimmer, all it takes is one slip on a rock to have you swept down the river and drown. :( (Scary!)
I did loose my favorite running hat- but oh well! Good times!

Wharf to Wharf- Excuse to go to Santa Cruz!

Amy had the great idea to make a trip to Santa Cruz to do the Wharf to Wharf race- fantastic idea! Santa Cruz is awesome and I do not get out there enough anymore. The race was a ton of fun= lots of great music along the way, tons of good energy and I did much better than I even expected.
Another race that I hope to make a yearly event!

4th of July in Tahoe

Due to Miley Cirus/Hannah Montana ruining our normal Fourth of July trip to Utah- my parents and I decided to try Tahoe out this year. It was a fun time- really pretty and great to escape all the smoke from the fires in Sacramento. But, really nothing compares to the Stadium of Fire firework show. We are really spoiled. So, the fireworks were a bit of a disapointment and we even sat all day on the beach to make sure we had great seats on the beach.
Oh well, had a great weekend with my family! Glad to celebrate America and all my blessings that living in this country bring me.

My dog isnt as lazy as I thought!

Ellie did it! A whole 5K! With her short little legs and big fat belly- thats like doing a marathon! I am proud of my little basset. She didnt pull a "flat basset" once. She stayed focused and completed the course, then promptly laid down and looked at me like she was really pissed off. Oh well! It was fun! The Sacramento Doggie Dash is going to be on my running calendar (or with Ellie, walking calendar) from now on.

Avenue of the Giants 10K

Hmmm, what do you get when you take redwoods, camping, running and mix with good friends? A fantastic weekend at the Avenue of the Giants Marathon, 1/2 Marathon and 10k!
Caroline decided she was going to do the 10K and invited me and Debbie and James to join- so of course we couldn't say no! Me turn down a chance to go up to Eureka? Uh, I don't think so!
All three of us were a little weary about the run seeing as we haven't been doing much of any running since the marathon. But a 10K is a piece of cake after doing a marathon- and this course is relatively flat. So we knew we would be OK. If all else fails we could walk and just enjoy the views.
The ride up to Humboldt Redwoods was fun thinks to James (great driver!) and Debbie who brought along some great DVD's for our viewing pleasure. We got to go to the annual pasta dinner- a fundraiser for the local fire dept. Yummy!
Camping was super fun- and I was proud of myself for sleeping all alone in a tent for the first time. Debbie gave me some dryer sheets to keep the raccoons away, and I slept like a baby despite it being really really cold!
The race itself was really beautiful- it juts goes thru the forest and along the Eel river, so it really cant get any more scenic. It was quiet and peaceful.
So after the race, Debbie and I had to walk a few miles to the campground- what were we thinking???!!
I want to do the half marathon here next year- hopefully I can make that happen.

Another season...am I nuts?

I signed up to do another season with Team in Training- this time as a mentor. I'll be helping my teammates reach their fundraising goals and cross that finish line....I am so excited!

My brother- a U.S Sailor

My family and I went to Chicago for a very important event- seeing my brother graduate from Navy Boot Camp!
I am so proud of him!!

I did 26.2 Miles????

Well, I did it! I finished my first marathon! Needless to say, it was by far the best experience of my life. Incredibly hard, incredibly fun and I have to agree with people now who say that your first marathon is a life changing experience. The day began in Union Square with over 20,000 runners plus thousands of spectators. It was so crowded at one point I got really claustrophobic because I literally felt like I was being crushed by other runners. Luckily, I had my teammates with me and we all held onto each other until the crowd thinned out. Adrenaline was totally pumping- plus I was also scared. I mean- what if I couldn't finish? A few minutes into the race I passed my family standing on a corner with signs cheering me on and all my worries went away. I relaxed and just really started to enjoy myself. The first 6 miles or so were awesome. Passing Fisherman's Wharf and the running along The Embarcadero just after sunrise was breathtaking. The views of the Golden Gate were incredible. I don't care how many times I see that bridge, I always am in awe of it. Things got much tougher just after mile 6 when we started hitting the hills. I wasn't prepared for them and they kicked my butt. But then again, after climbing what felt like the worlds biggest hill- my family was there to cheer me on. One of my favorite parts of the race was turning the corner near the Cliff House. That was one of the most amazing moments ever- it was just so beautiful. After mile 15 things got tough. My friends and I lost some steam and it was hot. Because a lot of people were doing the half marathon- it seemed lonely out there on the course. Then, at about mile 19 or so, we hit Lake Merced. Suddenly the unthinkable happened- I felt my throat close up and I couldn't breathe. I stopped running right in front of some TNT coaches who started asking me "where is your inhaler?" Well, it turns out I was having my first ever asthma attack (my doctor thinks that it might be sports asthma triggered by all the Eucalyptus trees around the lake). After about 5 minutes a coach decided I was OK to keep going, but he walked with me for about 1 mile. Then I ended up having to walk for about 2 more miles. This was really frustrating because after 20 miles, you just want it to be over. And having to walk just prolonged the end. And, my legs were so tired and heavy that walking was almost harder than running. Because of the 6.5 hour limit on the race, I got worried I wouldn't finish in time. My sweet Dad put on his tennis shoes and started running with me. That was great and motivating. Then at about mile 24 coach Ken started running with me too. At that point, it was all I could do not to start sobbing from being so incredibly grateful to have so much support. I don't exactly remember crossing the finish line- but I know I was half smiling and half crying. All the tears were just from being so incredibly happy and proud and grateful. Happy to have finally accomplished a life goal, proud of myself and of all my teammates and so incredibly grateful for my health and for my family and for my friends. Really, it was just one of those moments that you cannot describe other than saying it was incredible. And my Tiffany's necklace is now my most prized piece of jewlery!! I wear it proudly!! After the race, I spent some time stinky and sweaty with my family, took a shower and then headed out dancing with my teammates at the race Victory Party. Its amazing that all of us girls could dance so much and have so much energy after finishing a marathon!! Go Team!! Whoooo!!

My Birthday!!

Another year bites the dust......I actually had a nice birthday. I heard from a ton of friends- got several cards in the mail, flowers at work, gifts and a cupcake. Life is good!

I also celebrated my birthday with a short 3 mile run at McKinley Park with my team. It was good to get a little exercise before heading home to watch the finale of Top Chef (and Hung won! Hurray!).

While on one hand it sucks a little to be another year older- I really have a huge gratitude for the life that I have.

I'm lucky to have an amazing family- great parents and brothers that always make me smile and a brand new sister-in-law who makes our family even better than it was before.

I live in a great city, have a great job and wonderful friends. I have the worlds sweetest basset hound. I have peace in my faith and know that life is more than just years passing by.....

And once again, training with team in training has helped me to be more thankful for my body, my health and the ability to run 26.2 miles........

My last long run...before the longest run!

Saturday was the longest run I will do before the marathon- I ran 20 miles! Well, I didnt run the entire 20 miles- but I ran/walked 20 whole miles!!!
Today's run was tough- my foot has been bugging me a little but lately and it really started acting up on this run. Around mile 18 my hip started hurting- I think because I was running funny on my foot. But, I did it and I bounced back quickly- today I dont have any aches or pains!
Once again, I have to say that running with Hydration Hottie, Running Song, Serenity Sue and Red Lightning makes it so much easier. On this run I am sure we annoyed everyone on the trail because we were singing to pass the time and making each other laugh way too much! Oh, and we thought of wacky nicknames for each other. What can I say- when you run that much at 6:30 in the morning things like that are funny!
So now I am officially in taper mode- and will drastically cut back on my running so my body can get ready for the race. It is strange to think that in just a few weeks I am going to be donewith the marathon. It makes me happy to be reaching this goal- but it makes mesad because I have so much fun with my teammates!
In other news- my team has raised over $200,000!

18 miles and feeling good!

Another early and long run for me and my team this morning.....18 miles! The run was long ,and yes it was tough- but I actually dont feel too bad! It's crazy that just a few months ago 10 miles seemed tough....what a difference a whole lot of practice does! It's also amazing how some good conversation can help you forget that you've been running for several hours!

10 miles to go!!

So this week the major hurdles in my training have been: air quality (2 huge faires have made the air quality in Sacramento very poor) and the hot weather……and since I haven’t put ina good run in a couple weeks- well, I had to just do it and run 16 miles today.
Before the run we had our team picture- and you could tell it was going to be a fun run because even at 6:30 a.m. we were all cheering and yelling. Good times!
It turned out to be a really fun run- us girls were talking and laughing the entire 16 miles (ok maybe not the last mile). We decided to all tell our most embarrassing moments. That took a few miles to get thru our group and we were all laughing like crazy. I am glad we are able to run and gab at the same time!
After the run we had a raffle and I actually won a prize! I won a big old basket of Starbucks goodies and running gear! Lucky me!! I was so happy I went home and laid down- and accidentally fell asleep for 3 hours! Oops!

Fundraising Update!

So, I thought I would post an update on here on my fundraising efforts, since thats why I am running this marathon in the first place!
I've been doing a lot of fundraising- from selling magnets (I Heart Team in Training) to events (Sac Brew) to yard sales.......
Today I took a load of stuff to the flea market...it was sooooooooooooooooooooooooo hot I thought I was going to die. But I made a lot of money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society so it was worth it!

Time for a time out!

Time out from training for an important event! My brother’s wedding!! Yes, I took over a week off from running because life got crazy with my brother getting married. It was well worth it- It was so much fun!

Road trip!!!!

My team took a trip out of the hot, miserable Sacramento valley and over to San Francisco for an amazing run at Angel Island! We did the Angel Island EnviroSports 12k/25k. It was sooo much fun!

Well, it was fun once we got on the bus at 5 a.m. Waking up at 4:30 a.m was not fun. At all. But once on the bus, I had a good time. Most of the team is women, and a bus full of women at 5 a.m. is a funny sight. Some were sleeping; others (like me) had the giggles and could not stop laughing.

To get to Angel Island you have to take a ferry from Tiberon. That was fun because everyone running the race had to stand there and wait for the ferries together. Wiaitng around with other runners you can get a pretty good idea of what type of runners are there. There are the extremely thin ones with the perfect runner body type wearing the latest running gear- you know those are the ones running to win. Then you have your young high school kids who you know will kick your butt. Then you have people like me- who just want to run and finish and have a good time. You can tell who we are because we are laughing and wearing sweatshirts and have our cameras with us.

The race at Angel Island was fun- but different than the type of running I am used to. First of all, it was on a multi-use trail that is very uneven. I would say that 60% of the race was uphill and you had to pay close attention to your footing. Many people fell during this race. Luckily, I didn’t.

The steep and uneven terrain was well worth the amazing views of San Francisco. It literally took my breath away. Amanda, Kristen and I actually stopped to take some pictures- but I took them on my camera phone so they do no justice.

Anyways, I loved the run and will be back next year for sure!!

I had a party!!! And I can eat what I want to!

Yes, I had a party for all my teammates. Well, not all of them came- but they were all invited! Amanda and I decided we wanted to get to know everyone when they were not running and sweating. You know, see how people look in real life. So we had a mixer. Everyone was invited to come and bring a dish to share. It was so much fun!
We have such great people on our team and it is amazing how good people look without hats and running gear! Plus boy can they cook! And for some reason everyone had pastries on the mind….lots of cakes!! Those Chocolate Explosion's were amazing. Thansk Kristen!But hey- we were all waking up early to run a 12K/25k so we can eat whatever we want!