On January 23, 2021 we adventured out to David's Trail Endurance Run in Mountain Home, Arkansas. I ran the 50k, Mama ran the 25k, and Papa ran the 7k. It was a cold day, and the trail had gigantic hills. Looking up at the hills made you feel like David facing Goliath, but it was a great feeling to conquer them. There was a super friendly atmosphere, as there generally is at trail runs. There was a camp fire at the start/finish line, which took a little chill off the air. On our way home the next day we stopped in Kearney, Missouri and visited Jesse James Birthplace at the James Family Farm. The history was fascinating, and we learned a lot from the museum and the friendly tour guide. It was definitely worth the stop! There was a large grassy area connected to the farm, and after asking permission, this is where I ran my mile for the day. I really enjoyed this trip, and will always look back on it with fond memories!
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Arizona's motto of "Ditat Deus" means God enriches. The state is one of four that includes God in its motto, which is just one more reason to love this sunny, cactus-filled state. We visited for Goodyear's Coldwater Rumble Trail Run on Jan. 16, 2021. The race boasted everything from a 4 mile to a 100 mile distance. I chose to run the 52K, while Mama opted for the 20 miler, and Papa for the 20K. It was a gorgeous, hot, sunny day, and I felt pretty good in the race for the first half mile. Then I noticed that the course was mountainous, and I was already getting tired. I was also running with a water pack for the first time in my entire life. It's a given rule not to try new things on race day, but regardless, 6:47:27 and 32 miles later, the water pack and I were well acquainted. I figured out how to actually drink from it about mile 11, and slowly but surely got used to the extra weight and the swishing sound it made with every step. I ran on, soaking in the beauty of God's creation. The cacti and mountains were enough to take one's breath away--if the running didn't do that already. Yes, that is blood running down my legs in the above picture. Red has always been a good color on me, and I obtained some red legs and hands from taking a tumble down the rocky trail about half way through. It hurt; I got some cool comments from passerby hikers, and after I finished, I took a little visit to the medic tent. The medics cleaned and bandaged my wounds, and comforted me with the information that they had seen a lot worse today. One runner had a gash in her leg going all the way to the bone. Those desert rocks were unforgiving for sure. The next day we hiked through the desert and took tons of cactus pictures. We even found places where my parents camped several years earlier, long before I came into existence. We also stopped at Organ Pipe Pizza in Mesa, which is a must-see for all music and pizza loving people visiting the state. Overall we had an amazing time in Arizona. You can take a lot away just from the state's motto of "God enriches." The word "enrich" means to make something more meaningful, substantial, or rewarding. It improves something and makes it more valuable. God enriches lives every day. Jesus specializes in turning brokenness into beauty. He takes empty lives and gives them true meaning and purpose. Life is not really complete until you have given your all to God. "Labor Omnia Vincit." This is a Latin phrase meaning "Labor Conquers all Things" and is the state motto of Oklahoma. My first impression of the state was formed when spotting a road sign stating, "Hitchhikers may be escaping inmates." After that we decided to only pick up hitchhikers that looked super friendly. Later on we spotted three advertisements for bail bonds all in one restaurant. "What type of state is this?!" we questioned, and then began discussing if we should get in the bail bond business as well. If so, we would only want to deal with good, honest criminals. Our first destination was to see the adorable Blue Whale of Catoosa, a famed attraction on old Route 66. Due to insurance reasons, a sign is posted for "No Swimming." The huge whale sported water slides, ladders, and diving boards, and one can only imagine the summer fun for crowds from years gone by. The whale, originally built in the 1970s as a surprise anniversary gift from Hugh Davis to his wife Zelta, still sports a baseball cap and a grin for visitors like me every day. Next up was the Runners World Tulsa Half and Half Marathon! The reason for the "half and half" in the name is there is a trail half marathon course and a paved half marathon course. You can run either of these 13.1 mile races, or if running the full marathon you can choose to do the trail course and the paved course, or just the paved course twice. My adventurous parents chose the trail half marathon while I opted for the full paved course. When the marathon started at 9 a.m., 55 runners took off in the direction of the rugged trails, and 41 of us went the opposite way towards the riverside pavement. The race was on and it was a lovely day in Tulsa. I was determined to pace myself, and not start like I was out for a quarter mile sprint. My goal for the first half was a 9:09 pace, (on track for a 4 hour marathon) though I didn't plan on keeping it up the whole way. My end goal was for a sub 4 hr. 20 min. time. This strategy worked well initially; I was feeling pretty good about it all, until I was introduced to some memorable hills. With the race starting at Turkey Mountain Park I soon noticed they weren't kidding about that word "mountain." This course boasted some killer hills! Though I kept my planned pace for the first half, I soon started to feel drained and a little less than enthusiastic about facing those hills on the second lap. There were more runners the second time around, from the group who ran the first part on trails. I soon found myself playing leapfrog in a fashion much like the race of the tortoise and the hare. I kept up my slow and steady pace, while a couple of the runners around me would sprint ahead, then start walking for a minute. I would pass them by, only to see them sprint by again shortly. This went on for miles. Before I knew it, I was facing that last gargantuan hill before the finish line! There's nothing quite like the feeling of happiness to see the finish line of a marathon! The time on the clock read 4:14:42. We collected our finisher medals, a plaque for 3rd place female, and a nice glass for placing first in my age group (though I'll admit I was the only one in it.) I then proceeded to enjoy two jackfruit tacos, and listen to my dear parents' race reports from their 13.1 miles of trails! They both took several falls amongst the roots and rocks, but still finished strong, and had so much fun along the way! Oh! I can't leave out what my pre-race meal consisted of! This chocolate taco was impressive to say the least. And it must have helped a little to get me through the 18th state in my marathon journey on that sixth day of December.
“Like the marathon, life can sometimes be difficult, challenging and present obstacles, however if you believe in your dreams and never ever give up, things will turn out for the best." -Meb Keflezighi, U.S. Olympic marathoner A visit to Bass Pro Shops Headquarters in Springville, MO would be a huge dream come true for any outdoors lover! We found our way there November 1 for the Run Bass Pro Shops Marathon! We toured the lovely store and museums, slept in the Angler's Lodge (which had a pack of gummy worms on each bed!) and made it to the race starting line. It was Sunday morning and there was a worship service for the runners before taking off. The Sons of the Silver Dollar warmed our heats with uplifting music such as Trumpet of Jesus and Power in the Blood. Races in these modern Covid times have staggered starts and masks required until social distancing is possible while running. I started with the 4:20 pace group and was determined to stay with them as long as I could. After taking a whole month off from racing and getting some good training runs in, I felt amazing! It was wonderful to run with hardly any pain for a change. This was a relatively flat course on city streets. I usually feel good for the first half, then gradually slow down for the remainder. This race I mostly felt better the whole way. When I got to mile 16 I realized I only had like 10 miles left. I started passing other runners, which was a fun change from my regular routine. There were a lot of aid stations and spectators out cheering us on, which made for a great experience. My time ended up as 4:11:15, my best of the year! Mama also had her best time of the year in the half marathon with 2:06:59, and Papa did great in the 5K with 27:09! It was a good day to run! It has become a family tradition for us to run on Thanksgiving morning, but this year the regular 5K we race in was cancelled. Everything in Iowa was cancelled, and no extended family was going to be able to make it for dinner either. The solution to this? Head out for Texas! The Texas Quad Races were on in Fort Worth! This series consists of 4 days and 4 races on the same course. I chose to run the 8-loop marathon on Day 1, Thursday, while Mama and Papa opted for the 4-loop 1/2 marathon. Other amazing runners ran all 4 days! Not us! The trails along the Trinity River offered a scenic view as we ran on and on. It was a small race compared to others, and I missed having a pace group, but I was just glad to be able to race! The benefit of a small race is I could finish in 5th place with a time of 4:21:46, instead of 205th place! Mama also finished in 5th place in her respective race, and Papa in 7th! Awesome, comfy t-shirts were provided, pink for the girls, and blue for the guys! The medals were pretty as well! One thing I always enjoy is seeing familiar faces from other races we've been to across the country. There are many extraordinary stories to be heard and many friends to be made. On this Thanksgiving morning I was extra thankful for the gift of running, and for all of God's bountiful blessings on me! “Finishing a marathon is a state of mind that says anything is possible.” It was a lovely weekend for a road trip to Omaha in the final days of September. Our first stop was the Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Gardens! The lives of presidents have always fascinated me, and this beautiful garden was fabulous to see. A wedding party was taking photos when we arrived, and I always love crashing weddings too. You may have guessed the real reason we were in Omaha! A marathon, of course! We stayed at a hotel in Carter Lake, IA, which was actually on the west side of the Missouri River. The race start was near by in Nebraska. When it was time to take off, it began to rain, and the sound of thunder rolled. A thunder storm on race morning is one of a runner's worst dreads. Not that lightening is scary, but it can cancel races. For us, a delay was announced, but the possibility of the full being cancelled and just having the half marathon was mentioned as well. "Noooooo!!!!" came the roaring reply of the dedicated marathoners. That just would not do! Thankfully 20 minutes later there was a break in the clouds and the eager runners started on their journey. Half a mile into the race we crossed the bridge into Iowa. The full course was a double loop, with only about a mile in Nebraska, the rest in Iowa. It still counted for NE, as it is where the race starts that matters! I started out with the 4 hour pace group, which was really fun until mile 12. Then my right knee and left Achilles tendon decided they had had enough. "Why are you doing this to us?" they screamed. It was a painful last half of the race, and I think it's the closest I've gotten to a DNF--Did Not Finish (or maybe it's Died Near Finish?) I felt like giving up, but I was in a trail in the middle of nowhere. I didn't have much of a choice really but to keep going to that finish line. A lot of walking took place, but I have never been happier to see a finish line than on that day after 5:09:59 of the trails. Just like in life, the tougher the bad times are, the sweeter the good times are. Life is a struggle. There are good days, but there also days filled with pain and heartache. Remember to never take your eyes off of Jesus and that beautiful finish line, Heaven! It will all be worth it when you reach that eternal goal!! Labor Day Weekend found us in Wisconsin for the Minocqua No Frills Marathon! We had never heard of the town of Minocqua before, and assumed no one else had either. We expected it to be a desolate northern wilderness area, but in reality it was a packed-full, bustling city. Race morning I started out with the 4:15 pace group and they kept me entertained for the first 20 miles. The pacers were nice, but they were continuously asking for money. They said they live off of the tips they get. They were just joking (I think.) It was a pretty course running through the woods on the Bearskin Trail. I hit "the wall" after mile 21. The last five miles seemed to last forever, and my legs just didn't want to keep going. My time ended up as 4:47:20. Those last miles were slow! The reason for the race name "No Frills" is it is designed to be simple and affordable. It's all about the race, with no extra frills! The next weekend found us in Danville, Indiana for the Fair on the Square Marathon! I was still limping from the last race, so my goal for this one was just to get across that finish line. It was cloudy and cool, but also humid! This course went out of town on rural roads featuring scenic farms. Horses pranced in pastures, and roosters crowed. "This is so peaceful," I thought to myself. My mind suddenly changed as I came upon a farm house surrounded by police. There were perhaps four or five sheriff cars parked in the driveway. My first thought was one of extreme curiosity. I could go up and investigate. My next thought was I should run as fast as I could to get out of the area! To this day I still don't know if a major gunfight was about to ensue, or if the officers were simply meeting on the farm for some Saturday morning coffee. I crossed the finish line at 4:41:51. Other years this event has had a half marathon and a 5k, but with so many other races cancelled they chose to include a full marathon this year. I'm so glad they did! If you ever find your way to Danville, make sure to stop at the Mayberry Café, like we did for our pre-race meal, especially if you're an Andy Griffith Show fan! An old squad car is featured, and the show plays on the restaurant TVs. The décor and the menu is based off of life in Mayberry as well! "Life is like a marathon. It’s full of ups and downs that take your breath away.”
What's a better way to spend hot summer days than packing your bags up and heading west for some rest and relaxation? That's exactly what we did this year...twice! In July we flew to Montana and stayed in a lovely cabin near the Madison River. We ran the Big Sky Marathon, went whitewater rafting, horseback riding, and spent some peaceful moments wading in the river and soaking up the sunshine. This race was advertised as the second longest downhill marathon on planet earth and one almost guaranteed to bring you a personal worst time. It was a limited support race, and it was strongly recommended to bring your own water and supplies. Of course, I didn't. Their advertising was amazingly accurate. At more than one point I was strongly tempted to take a drink at at one of the cattle creeks. Right when I was about to give into this temptation, a kind lady from Mississippi (whose husband was running) showed up and offered me a water bottle! I was so happy!! Small acts of kindness can make a huge difference, so in a world where you can be anything, be kind! We started up near the snow of the mountains, and ran an unforgettable down hill race...especially unforgettable to my knees. We ran on a gravel road through open range ranches with pretty cattle grazing. I finished with a time of 4:59:33, just barely beating the 5 hour mark. Our next adventure, in August, was the Bear Lake Trifecta, 3 states, 3 marathons, in 3 days! I was excited about this chance to push myself out of my comfort zone. Day 1 was in Idaho. This was the toughest day for me. My time was 5:05:23, and I really didn't feel like repeating this episode two more days in a row. I didn't see any bears, but written on the race shirt was, "Only one runner has to worry about the bear!" I didn't want to be that runner! I was expecting the worst on Day 2 in Wyoming, but instead it just got better. This time the most exciting part was when a super friendly dog rushed out of nowhere to greet me less than a mile from the finish line. I love dogs, but I still needed to finish the race, and the canine was jumping up and down forcing me to give him my full attention. A policeman was the only other person in sight and he soon came to the rescue. "Where did the dog come from?" the officer asked. "No idea!" I replied as I sprinted off leaving the kind officer to figure it out. The timing clock read 4:50:00 as I ran in. The 3rd day was in good old Utah, and once I got past the first couple miles I felt the best yet. This course boasted both trails and pavement, and was a super fun race. I was happy to end with the time of 4:26:52 as the 1st female finisher! Mama ran the half marathon all three days, and Papa ran the half marathon in Utah. This race trifecta will go down as one of my favorite adventures! "If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you!"
Today made day 367 of my running streak! A year ago on April 29th, I was sitting at the kitchen table reading the latest edition of Runner's World. It was about streaks, and I was inspired. I put the magazine down, grabbed my running shoes and took off. Every day since then I've run anywhere from 1 mile to 30 miles. The world record for the longest streak is held by Ron Hill, three-time Olympian for Great Britain who retired in 2017 after running at least a mile every day for 52 years and 39 days. I still have a ways to go! It takes a lot of dedication, and stick-to-it-iviness through better and worse. There were plenty of days in the past year where I didn't feel like it, but when you have a goal, you've got to stick with it. One night I was out with Bethany at a Maddie Poppe concert at the county fair until after 11 p.m. I still hadn't gotten my mile in and I had less than an hour left! So on our way home, Bethany dropped me off on the road and followed me while I ran my mile in the dark. There were also days when I was sick and felt like I was on my death bed. (It really wasn't that bad...I just felt like it was.) Still I had to grab those running shoes. Then there are the good days, where the sun is shining, and you run downhill with the wind at your back. A little run can make any average day an amazing day! To celebrate my 1 year anniversary let's do a little Bible study on running! The word "run" is included in 65 verses, "running", 24 verses, "ran", 61 verses, and "runneth" 11 verses (KJV). Though some of these times are referring to running water, blood, or tears, there were plenty of amazing runners in Bible times. Here are a few characters who you may not have known were into running: Abraham, Eliazer, Rebekah, Laban, Rachel, Esau, Moses, Aaron, Jotham, Samuel, David, Cushi, Ahimaaz, Elijah, Gehazi, Zacchaeus, Peter, John, Philip, Rhoda, Barnabas and Paul. I won't explain the circumstances of their runs here, so you'll just have to read and find out yourself! Now that you know what I've been up too lately, since I obviously haven't been spending any time blogging, let's catch up on my marathons. I have completed 8 marathons in 8 states in the last year and a half. Here they are! IMT Des Moines Marathon, Des Moines, Iowa, October 2018 This was our 2nd year running this marathon, and it went really great! I set a PR of 3:49:49, and that time is still waiting to be beat. Otter Creek Trail Runs, Brandenburg, Kentucky, December 2018 This was an unforgettable experience. It was muddy...maybe you can notice that in the picture. At about the half way point I fell through a bridge by the side of raging Otter Creek. I just sat there for a minute and started to cry. It was a fun one. It was a three lap course around a loop and each lap was muddier and scarier than the first. I reached the end, and my watch read it was only 25 some miles! I needed my 26.2! There were a few of us who just kept going till we got what we needed to make us happy. Scheels Med City Marathon, Rochester, Minnesota, May 2019 We had signed up for this marathon in 2018, but it was cancelled due to extreme heat. We were stuck with doing the half then, but not this year! It was a beautiful day for a long run. It was a painful one however. I had the super great idea to run a 10k race the day before, and I had been struggling with knee pain for quite some time as well. The morning of the race we drove there, and when I got out of the car I could literally barely walk. I somehow limped along and got it done. It was slow, but it happened. My knees eventually recovered thankfully. Juneau Marathon, Juneau, Alaska, July 2019 I loved Alaska! Support for this race stopped at 4 hours, so my goal was to beat that time. It seemed like there was a lot of down hill and the lovely Mendenhall Glacier could be spotted across a lake. I heard there were bears around, but I did not have the pleasure of running into any. I was on a pretty good pace the first part of the race until I hit the wall. I managed to finish in 3:57:53. After a nap that afternoon, Mama, Bethany and I hiked up Mt. Juneau. I thought the mountains were marvelous. TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon, Moline, Illinois, September 2019 Look at my halo in this picture! When we drove down to Illinois on Friday night our hopes of actually getting to run the next morning were pretty low. The forecast was for thunderstorms, but we had already signed up, so we figured we might as well pick up our packets. We enjoyed touring the expo, and I took part in the Pump N Run, a weight lifting competition combined with the races. It was great, but I was sure sore the next morning. A lot of prayers were being said, and there was no lightning in sight when the runners took off for the race! It did rain a whole lot, and we were soaked, but we all were happy! I especially enjoyed running by the Rock Island cemeteries. Pilgrim Pacer Marathon, Lenexa, Kansas, November 2019 The hills, the huge medals, and the pumpkin pie were the highlights of this race. FITTEAM Palm Beaches Marathon, West Palm Beach, Florida, December 2019 Florida is flat. It was a hot race, but the lovely palm trees provided some shade. I absolutely loved the ocean and beaches. We had a great time kayaking and biking as well. We toured the Everglades, and a new animal gained a spot in my top 5 favorites--alligators! It was hard to leave the Sunshine State. Louisiana Marathon, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, January 2020 And then there was Louisiana! This is a nice picture, except it says my finish time. We left our home in Iowa during a raging blizzard to fly down to 70 degree temps in humid LA! It was a good time to go to the home of the LSU Tigers after their football championship. We even got to see Mike the live tiger mascot. Climbing to the top of the capitol building--the tallest in the nation-- was fascinating the day after the race. So much history there. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith."
We were blessed to have Yai (ยาย) (grandma) stay with us this year! One thing I learned from her is how to cook Pad Thai Noodles! Yai's Pad Thai Noodles
2 quarts boiling water 2 Tbs. Oil 1 1/4 packs Fettuccine Noodles 6 eggs, scrambled 1 cup peanuts, chopped 2 stalks green onions, chopped Celery, chopped Bell Peppers, chopped 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup oil 1 Tbs. peanut butter 1/4 cup Thai Peanut Sauce Garlic Salt and pepper Add 2 Tbs. Oil to boiling water. Toss in noodles, and boil until tender. Drain, and mix in soy sauce and brown sugar. Cook 1/4 cup oil in a large pan over medium heat. Stir in peanut butter, and peanut butter sauce. Sprinkle with garlic. Add noodles. Toss in 1/2 of peanuts, 1/2 of veggies, and 1/2 of scrambled eggs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir until combined. Pour into serving dish, and garnish with remaining eggs, peanuts, and veggies. Keep warm in oven until ready to serve. The Runner's Flat Fall Endurance Fest was October 13! Papa signed up for the 10k; Mama signed up for the 25k; I signed up for the 50k. A 50k is only 10 5k repeats, so what could be hard about that?
It was still dark when we arrived for packet pick-up. At 7 A.M. the 50k runners took off. The first mile felt pretty good. It was actually fun. I was going at a 7-minute pace, keeping up with a couple of other runners. They were talkative and I enjoyed eavesdropping. One runner mentioned that he hadn't run in a long time. "Wow," I thought, "Why is this guy running a 50k after not running for such a long time?" "Yeah, I took the last three days off," he went on. "Oh, three days is a long time?" I thought. We moved off of the paved path unto a gravel road. "Flat as a pancake," the other guy commented about the course. At mile three my watch read 22:17. There was a slight breeze blowing at our backs. I enjoyed the rural scenery. There were pretty cows grazing. There were golden corn fields all around. After a ways we ran into a rough trail in the woods. We were going to run two six mile loops. "Ah, what a perfect way for someone to get lost," I thought. By mile 16 I was ready to go home. But both my parents were far away running their 25k and 10k. I was tired, but stopping out there in the woods would do me no good. So I kept moving. The trail was partially hidden in leaves, and there were some old roots sticking out just asking to trip some tired runner. They grabbed me twice. My knee got banged up, but worst of all I jammed my right hand's ring finger. I was glad to make it out alive, back to the gravel. It was a super long, uphill road. Iowa is not flat! The wind had really picked up...and now was blowing straight into my face. I thought of another race where a guy told me,"That's the story of my life--uphill and into the wind." I didn't have a water pack on me; I just survived from one aid station to the next. I enjoyed water, Tailwind, gummy bears, M&M's, and best of all, dark chocolate and nuts. I always knew chocolate was good for me! At mile 27 I felt like crying. I had a side ache. I had never run that far before. But then I saw Papa and Mama up ahead! They had finished their runs and were there to cheer me on. I couldn't cry now! "I'll wait until the finish line," I thought. Just seeing my dear parents again made a big difference. I felt better and finished the race in 5:00:20. I couldn't cry then either...I was so happy!!!! I was the second female finisher and won a nice $50 gift card to the Runner's Flat. The thing that hurt the most in the following days was my jammed finger. Eight days later I set a PR of 3:49:39 at the IMT Des Moines Marothon. I'm thankful I could do my first ultra this fall! Remember, don't be afraid to go chase after your goals. Your life is a gift from God, and you only live once. Live life to the fullest! |
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