I JUST SIGNED UP FOR MY FIRST HALF MARATHON SINCE MAY LAST YEAR!!! IT’S ABOUT TIME FOLKS!!!! AND IN HONOR I THINK EVERYONE… I’M LOOKING AT YOU EVERYONE, NEEDS TO COME JOIN RUNNING IN ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL NATIONAL PARKS IN THE WORLD. IT’S IN JULY WITH START TIME TEMPS IN THE 40’S. NOW WHO DOESN’T WANT SOME OF THAT! COME PLAY!!! BRYCE CANYON HALF MARATHON, PR HERE I COME!
This 3.5 miles was brought to you by Janet Jackson and all her nasty boys.
Everyone flexes when they finish a marathon though, right?
This woman right here=hero!
Utah sleeps a little easier with The Brenns on her way to New York. Have fun!
We were supposed to paint something super girly, I rebelled and thought I’d paint something angsty and full of hatred…. Anyway I guess angst and hate equals Christmas, Merry Christmas y’all
So once when I was 13 and at scout camp something happened in the tent that changed me forever. It was late and I was just laying in my tent and…. wait this isn’t my scouting blog, my bad… This is my running blog. OK, let’s focus on running confessions! SO my running is not up to par where I would like it. 3 miles is a struggle for me. A darn right struggle.I also have gained maybe ten pounds, and that could be slowing me down. I want to lose this weight and start upping my mileage. This is going to happen. Tonight, I got 3 miles in, It was a bit of a struggle, but I got it done.
Also sometimes when I get in an elevator that has a mirror in it, I will pull up my shorts and flex my thigh; sometimes the door opens unexpectedly and you are caught in the act. That may have happened today. As for the boy scout story, guess you’ll have to find my boy scout blog.
Ok, so 25 miles isn’t exactly a marathon, but if we add climbing over rocks and down rocks, walking in sand, and carrying 60 pounds on your back, does it count then? Ok, granted there was a night sleep in the middle of those 25 miles, but still, no day at the beach… Mainly because we were in the desert, which in my book beats a day at the beach.
There is something immensely satisfying about pushing your body past its comfort zone. The rewards in this case will be life long lasting. Had I sat home all weekend and watched television, or gone to a movie and dinner, it is easy to say that it could of been forgotten sooner than later. However this weekend is one that I will NEVER forget, I suppose a lot of that came from some of the pain felt, but more so from the sense of accomplishment.
As much as I want to believe that I need all the finer things in life, technology, kitchen gadgets, entertainment, things like this remind me of how simple life truly is, and how much joy there truly is in the most simple of things. For example, just spending time with your dog with no other distractions is simply priceless.
Time spent with friends, and enjoying conversation in a world lost in technology, text messaging, and social media is wonderful. You forget at times how little actual interaction we have using our voices and body language.
But most of all it is just connecting with the root of our existence, and why we exist, nature, mother earth. To think how hard it must of been for our species to get to the point where we are now. To imagine life 1000 years ago in these canyons making an existence with only what could be gathered around you. It makes you beyond grateful for the time we live in. Yet there is a complete peace in these circumstances you wish you could always keep with you. 
Push yourself every chance you get. It’s the moments you cherish, and will always remember. When you think about quitting or not taking a chance, think back on life and remember what matters most, and I can guarantee it was when you worked hard for something, or took a chance and withstood the storm. Much like this tree in the desert, been there for who knows how many centuries, withstanding, floods, droughts, extreme heat and cold. We are the same, If we choose we can withstand just as harsh circumstances and grow to stand alone and strong for many to admire and stand in amazement.
I kinda love this girl!!! Always getting me out of trouble, I return the favor by always putting her in dangers way! LOVE YOU BRENNA!
“Welcome to Breaking Into Cars 101” - John the Marine
Some idiot Mormon locked his keys in his car when he got to school tonight. Luckily he has an incredibly lovely and kind friend with AAA who was also looking for a reason to bail on dinner plans.
“I hate windows without an upper frame like this. If you do it wrong, it doesn’t shatter. It EXPLODES.”
Please be careful, John!!!
As long as freedom and good exists, evil will do everything it can to stop it. History however proves that GOOD always will prevail. I join my runner brother and sisters and put in my miles in solidarity. Also I found a list of charities on the B.A.A. website that runners were running for. I can’t do much, but I want those runners to know that there efforts matter and there charities will be supported. I made my donation.
While I was on hiatus, I was still running. I was running up hills, down hills, running races, running on trails, running on pavement, running on dirt, running my life, running mad, running some tests, running to the bathroom, and running ragged. In all of this running I had a moment I never want to forget, something that was very special to me. I ran a relay race back in March with my family.
There were six of us running the Red Rock Relay. It is 70 miles of nothing but either going up a hill or down a hill, but never flat it seemed. Two of my brothers, my sister in law, my nephew and our adopted family member Brenna took on this very picturesque and scenic course.
Of course running 70 miles stuck in a car all day with your family is memorable in itself. There were countless funny moments, great one liners, and an immense amount of bonding. For example my sister in law was so happy to have another girl in the car to back her up in her girlish ways, only to find out that Brenna actually is more crude than any of the boys. All of this made for amazing memories, but something happened that was something I can never forget, and something that reminded me what the spirit of competition, love and family is all about.
While my second oldest brother Joey was running his first leg of his race he rolled and sprained his ankle about half way through his run. He amazingly powered through and finished his leg, despite being in immense pain. All of us told him that there was no way that he could run his next leg and his wife kept telling him she would run it for him. We got him ice, ben gay, ibuprofen and ankle brace. He was very determined that he would run his second leg of 7 miles, which included a brutal uphill section. It also was the last leg of the entire race. My brother is not one to EVER complain and one that feels that he can overcome any obstacle. He laced up and took off on his run, after about a 1.5 miles, he flagged us down because he was in such immense pain. I saw a tear falling down his cheek, I have never seen this brother cry because of pain before. I knew it had to be serious. His wife immediately jumped out of the car and continued running up the hill for him, because no way was this family going to give up and not finish. What commenced was each family member ( including Brenna ) running 1.25 miles of his leg. All of us were exhausted from our runs, but were determined to finish. I was so impressed by the human spirit in that moment. No one was beat down or felt defeated, we finished as a team. No one was trying to win, but simply determined to finish. No one was upset my brother couldn’t carry on, instead we figuratively picked him up and ran him across the finish line. As my family ran across the finish line I saw my dad tear up that we all came together and ran a race together, bond, and take on a little extra pain for one of our own. No medal, no prize, no nothing could compare to what it felt like on the inside to see my family come together and support one another for that one day. It was the common love for one another and running that bonded us that much more forever.
Oh and because this is my blog, obviously I am going to put a gratuitous sexy running photo of myself up. Because, obviously. Should we also make mention of those gams?
