Each Day Is a Gift

6 easy mi with hubby, Wendy and Karen, down 3rd west, up on rail trail, Bull River to home.  Hubby peeled off at 2600N.  Cloudy sky, pleasant temp.  Was disheartened to feel so sluggish even after two days of rest.  AP: 11:16  AHR: 147.  I'm going to be SO SO SO S-L-O-W at PC.  Sigh!  On a positive note, Karen registered for PC!  Yay! :)

Swim lesson #3.  Got better at floating.  Remembered what Mark (Fly on the wall) said about taking a deep breath to fill up the lungs.  Learned basic arm stroke so no more kick board.  Did ok swimming to shallow end but tensed up swimming to the deep end.  I really need to overcome that fear.  Only swallowed about 1/2 gallon water today! :)

Core.

Hooray for 7 hours of sleep!!! :)  Ran 1st mile with hubby to meet Karen, then east to Smith and turned around.  Legs felt better once warmed up, may be it's the old Elixir shoes.  Chatted the whole way about the Oly Men's Marathon.  AP: 10:23 AHR: 152

Swim lesson #4: Wore swim cap for the first time b/c I had to take a super quick shower/dress afterward, no time to shampoo. 

1)  Learned to roll from front float onto back float, did it perfectly on the third try. :) 

2)  Flutter kick with kick board in the middle of the pool face down and didn't panic! :) 

3)  Freestyle along side of pool, need to work on breathing.  I didn't know you're supposed to breathe out thru your nose when in the water.  I've been either holding my breath or breathe out thru the mouth causing lots of water to go up my nose!  Silly me! :) Also need to have a good rhythm/pace so that I can take my time while breathing in and not swallow water...cough cough cough! :(

4)  Back stroke!  VERY tricky!  I had no idea the arms don't just go in circles like a windmill.  They actually do two semi-circles going clockwise and counterclockwise and there's "pulling" of water going on beneath the surface!  Plus you have to rotate your shoulders while keeping your head and hips straight.  Much harder than it looks.  I totally failed and discovered how uncoordinated I am!  :(    Why is it so natural for so many people and difficult for me?!!!

Ate a pb&j sandwich, yogurt on the drive down to Provo for the BYU Ed. Week.  Elder Tad R. Callister of the Presidency of the Seventy was the devotional speaker.  He spoke on our divine nature.  I love the simple analogy when telling a very young child a baby chic would grow up to become a dog that he/she would correct you immediately.  So just as a child knows that only a puppy is capable of growing up to be a dog, we likewise have all the attributes within us to become God. 

My next class was "The Spirit:  Your Personal Guide" and the topic was "allowing the Spirit to Shepherd Our Desires".  I learned how Satan attempts to control our appetites, desires and passions; and how I can let the Spirit shepherds my desires.  Bro. Barrett was funny and he used lots of good examples from scriptural stories i.e. the gathering of quails by the children of Israel in the Old Testament how it can be a blessing and a curse.  :)

Second class was Sister Boyack's class, "Seven Steps to Becoming More like the Savior".  In learning about God's attributes, we can turn to the scriptures and pay attention to how He acts and reacts, to His relationships, to how he first teaches then commands, how He lived.   I need to recognize what virtues/goodness that are already within me and assess what impurities that need removing.  I need to focus on "being/becoming" more than "doing".  I learn that the Savior went to quiet place to pray often; he enjoyed singing, walking, being with friends.  He's punctual, clean (not messy), happy, forgiving, patient, full of love and grace, loves little children.  His concerns are for people and righteous cause, submissive to His Father's will.  :)

While hubby went to a class on "More money than you'll ever need - Discover the Happiest Income in America!  Living an Abundant Life while Developing the Tools of Eternal Prosperity"; I went to "Organise Your Home:  Tips for Downsizing, Decluttering and sorting your belongings."  Some practical stuff to help me dejunk.  :) :)

Easy run with Wendy, Karen (Sky).  

Swim lesson: 

1.  Kick board breaststroke leg kick and flutter kick with kickboard 3 laps each.

2. Worked on breaststroke leg kick.  Need to keep legs/hips above water and knees close together.  At one point I was drawing huge circles with feet and not going anywhere.  Hope Sam's mom wasn't watching from the kitchen window or she'd be rolling on the floor laughing her guts out! :)

3.  Backstroke.  Still couldn't keep water off my face.  Once I realized my legs need to kick twice as fast as the arm stroke I was able to keep the body more horizontal and higher in the water.  The neat thing is I could breathe above water.  The not-so-neat thing is I could not keep a straight line...I swam diagonally across the pool.  In fact, on my first lap I hit my right arm (triceps) at the edge of the pool and got a nice size hematoma.  The swim cap made it so I couldn't hear Sam yelled "Stop!"  Waaaaa! :-0

4.  Freestyle.  First lap forgot to breathe out and my heart rate went wild and had to stop to catch my breath.  By 3rd lap I was able to get a good breathing rhythm going but still need to work on head turn position so I don't choke on water.  I was getting really tired by 5th lap. 

Ed Week 1st class:  "Clothed with Power and Authority" - Preaching the Gospel in the Spirit World.  2nd class:  Change Common Love into Charity.  3rd class:  Multimillion Dollar Choices - Turning Major Personal Expenses through Great Personal Choices into Dramatic Future Financial Reserves.

Went to see baby Skylar.  At exactly 24 hrs old, she was tracking our voices with her eyes.  She is a perfect little angel.  I just love holding her! :)

No running today.  Busy day.  To minimize walking in the afternoon heat, we stayed in the de Jong Concert Hall for all 3 Ed Week Classes.  Brent L. Top's great lecture on "A preparation for life - knowledge about DYING teaches us about LIVING."  Ask ourselves the "So what?" test.  "What we do hereafter will determine where we are in the hereafter.  What we do with the knowledge we have will determine where we are in the hereafter."  "Let the solemnity of eternity rest upon your minds." D&C43:34.  St. Jerome: "Begins to be now what you will be hereafter."  Epicetus: :Let death be daily before your eyes, and you will never entertain any abject thought nor too eagerly covet anything."

Some guiding principles of Living to die:

1.  Things won't change that much.  Who/what you are now, will not change much.  Alma 34:33-34: "Do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end....for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time ye go out of this world what same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world." 

2.  What goes around comes around.  "We will have a bright recollection of our righteousness being clothed in immortality."  Alma 12:12-14 "We will be seen for what we really are, what we really love.  We will be spiritually transparent.  It is about allowing the Savior to change us, we become new creatures in Christ.  We receive through His atonement a new spirit.  Every thought, every action will be imprinted on our spirits.  Those things that we are repented of will be remembered no more.  God the Omnipotent knows all and remembers all, but it matters not because He will see the NEW you for who and what your are.

3.  Sweat the Small Stuff.  (in a positive good sense)  The little things IS the big thing, e.g. being kind, how I treat others.  "Be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.  And out of small things proceedeth that which is great."  D&C 64:33.  The small stuff (deeds) will yield what you are really like.

4.  Don't chase after the shadow.  Pres Hinckley:  "Do not follow after a priority or a practice that will bring you later regret...you may find that you have lost the substance while grasping at the shadow.  Seek for the real thing, not the artificial.  Seek for the eternal things of God, not for that which is 'here today and gone tomorrow'."  What do we spend our time, money, hearts and devotion on?  What are the substances:  our relationship with god, with others.  Angels seen and unseen mentioned by Joseph F. Smith in D&C 138 are our families, they are the substance.  William Shakespeare:  "Be still prepared for death, and death or life shall thereby be sweeter."  The veil is just that, it is not a wall.  Our departed loved ones are not far from us....they are pulling for us in the spirit world just as they were pulling for us here.  

The next 2 classes were Janice Kapp Perry and Vanessa Joy both accompanied by Marvin Goldstein.  Great uplifting comments with inspiring music.  Standing ovations and tears! 

We've been eating out at fast food this week.  My tummy must've caught a bug.  So carb-loading was not successful...but I kept a good hydration plan.

Got home from Ed Week around 7pm.  Did laundry.  Ate one baked potato.  Took a Tylenol PM at 8:30.  Went to bed at 11pm.  Tomorrow's LONG RUN is going to be FUN! :)

Woke up once at 1am.  When the cell alarm went off at 4am, I was very groggy.  Karen picked me up at 4:45am.  Ate breakfast of banana and yogurt on the drive.  So glad Karen was driving 'cause I was still very sleepy!  :)

Got to Field House packet pick up...same 'ole purple bag...same gigantic race shirt...that's it!!!  NO freebies, NO coupons, NO gu, lame! :)  Saw Catherine, got a quick hug.  Met RAD at the hotel lobby where we also saw Wendy & Matt Clark,  Emily & Brian Hansen, SueM, DonnaP (Karen's cousin), Fly on the Wall AND Maynard who looks AWESOME, ripped and ready for a GREAT race! :) :) :)  Looked around and didn't see Teena nor Kelli. :( Walked to the start where we saw Bill Mandler.  Then I looked over to the sideline and saw Teena.  Our whole group rushed over there to get a hug from my SSF! :) :) :)  Then it was time to start the race, NO National Anthem nor count down...nothing...lame! :)

It was cold...good sign.  I was sleepy...bad sign.  People were passing me left and right...no hurry! :) :) :)  Catherine ran by and RAD went with her.  Donna ran by, Karen and I visited with her.  Found out Donna's birthday is 2 days after mine.  Her son is leaving for Rome, Italy on a mission next Wed.  She is Karen's "long lost" cousin, so lots of catching up and fun chats.  Matt ran by and started taking our pictures while running backward.  He's such a good guy.  I sure miss him and Wendy and their cute little family.  Then a guy in green GrandSlam shirt  ran by and I hollered: "Is that you, Zimmerman?"  He said: "Oh, didn't recognize you from behind."  I introduced him, Brent, to my running partners.

RAD waited for us at the turn off up the first neighborhood!  :)   What a GREAT friend to stop and wait!  :)  The four of us stayed together like peas in a pod and chatted away the miles, enjoying the sunrise, the wild purple flowers (that match RAD's outfit), the hot air balloons, the beautiful mountain scenery around us.   Met a girl, an organ transplant co-ordinator and talked to her about Easten, a 4 yo boy who recently received a new liver. 

On the Rail Trail, hubby's first cheering spot, Karen and I gave him our jackets.

We stopped and loitered around at every buffet table...pretzels, gummy bear, M&Ms, banana, Gu products!  Girl in print skirt is running to celebrate Easten's new liver.

Smooth, RAD, Karen & Donna drinking and not running! :)

An almost Smooth Sandwitch! :)  BrentZ in the green shirt.

Didn't notice Brent was behind us.  Chatted with him a bit.,,wondering why he'd slowed down so much!  We walked the inclines.  Then he peeled off to use the park bathroom and we never saw him again! :( 

We pointed out the "shoes tree" to the 1st-PCM-timers.  When they asked why the shoes tree, we just made up stories!  :)  Saw Scott and Maynard just before the turnaround tunnel as they were flying down.  It was so fun to high-5 them.  Met shirtless tatooed guy from South Carolina.  He told us he has a stress fracture in his femur.  I was so proud of him running in this high altitude with a sf.  RAD said we better not let him beat us. :) 

Met 19 yo BYU student, Sydney Chartrand, from California, majoring in Public Health.  Very fun to learn about her college life...wish I could line her up with my Bryan. :)  She was running with a friend who's running PCM on a whim...fun kids!

Here's cute Sydney on the Deer Valley loop. 

Just before mile 18 marker, at the open mall sky bridge.  RAD sat down to humor us.  It was getting warm.  Told hubby:  "forget being a paparazzi, BRING the ICE!" :)

I never looked at the Garmin except couple of times, on the uphill to check my heart rate to make sure it stays low and when Karen asked about the time (around 3:59) because she was running Garminless.  We shamelessly walked the 8th St. up to Empire while RAD, the QUEEN (in this case Empress) of Hill sprinted up that thing!  What a hoot! :)

Told Lowell I'd call him when we reach Lowell Ave (mile 18.5).  So I did! :)  He was running the Hobble Creek Half missing out on all our fun!  Told RAD that Toby should be finished her Half by now so she texted her.  I can talk while running but NOT texting! :) :) :)  Super excited to find out Toby ran a 2+min PR!  WaHooo!!!! :)

Got caught by the Paparazzi while exiting the PoP (2nd one of the day).  Why is it when you run slowly you need "to go" more often?...blame it on the buffet tables. :)

A pop/buffet stop is not complete without another pose for an "almost Smooth sandwitch"!  Notice RAD grabbed all the buffet necessities for me.  That girl can carry so much that she ought to be a juggler in the circus.  We then filled our bras and skirts with ice that hubby brought.  When we started running, RAD's ice "pooped" out of her skirts...the funniest sight ever...we were laughing our heads off! :)  Mile 19 split took 15+ minutes!  Holly FUN!!!! :)  Donna left us at this buffet. 

Met Larry Macon who has run like a million marathons.  RAD invited him to run in her birthday marathon 2014 at Myrtle Beach! :) Running through the golf course neighborhood was SO FUN this year.  It was always torturous on this winding rolling part of the course.  (Most runners felt the effects of the previous undulating 18 miles of uphill and then a steep half mile of downhill to this point).  I remember vividly that I cramped up bad here in 2008 and sadly watched my competitors passed by.  Not this time, we checked out the garage sale, RAD yelled "FOUR!" to the golfers who turned and looked...silly RAD! 

Tatooed guy leapfrogged with us.   We finally passed him for good...determined not to let a guy with a sf beat us! 

We also passed Sydney and an Asian girl who started with us.   We gave encouragement to fellow runners who are either battling with ITBs or it's their first marathons.  We even saw one girl resting on a patch of shady grass thinking she had finished her half but she was DNFing her Full.  We understand their pain and anguish as well as the "dig deep" feelings.  When you run at a 5 hr marathon pace, you get to meet and cross paths with many people with inspiring stories. 

RAD and Karen stopped to use the PoP at the soccer field buffet station.  I stopped to eat and asked for ice cream or popsicle.  The two EMT guys whom we've met earlier on the Rail Trail (where RAD forewarned them about my tachycardia) saw me and asked: "still no tachycardia?"  I told them I had my own personal crew who know CPR... :)

I jogged along thanking the EMTs and soon heard fast steps coming from behind, Karen and RAD caught up.  My legs felt pretty fresh at mile 24 when my sister-in-law called.  She had no idea I was in the middle of running a marathon.  Then RAD and Karen spotted hubby with about a mile to go.  At the last cheering spot, he said he'd see us at the finish and I pleaded for him to run us in.  He wasn't dressed in running clothes.  It was getting really warm.  He had thought that we'd be trotting along at 13mm pace in the last mile.  Well, RAD had a different idea...that girl had me "sprinting"! :)  Soon after the mile 26 marker, hubby had to let us go (dang, would've been sweet to finish the run with him by my side...but he couldn't keep up...that mile was the fastest one with the last 0.2 at 9:18).  We joined hands with Karen's daughters crossing the finish with our arms raised in joy!  I was extra elated to see that we finished under 5 hours.  :) :) :)   My shins started to cramp when I stopped.  No flowers for the ladies this year, another lame!

RAD made sure we got our last fill of the buffet! :)  THANKS a million, Rachel!  I couldn't have finished this without you!  You made it SO FUN and got us to sub-5 to boot!  You spread so much JOY and LOVE through this journey!  I LOVE every second of this day with you! :)

Super super happy to see Teena who ran an AWESOME Half and then waited around for SO LONG to watch us finish our run!  THANKS SSF!  It means SO MUCH!!! :)

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A few thoughts 3 days later:  (I know I'm slow...but I've been super busy with family stuff).

I've been lovingly advised to either not run or be super careful if I do run this marathon.  I figure a difficult uphill marathon course actually makes for a better training run than say a fast downhill half for me.  What can be more safe to run in a marathon with support, not to mention great friends such as RAD and Karen to share the journey with, than to run a 20 miler alone?  My plan was to take it easy and never let my heart rate climbs above 160 (my average heart rate was 154 with the max at 171 in mile 26).  I had a lot of fun, it strengthened our friendships while we made memories along this journey.  We made new friends.  To me, each run is a gift, each marathon has a risk.  I don't know when/what/how my tachycardia will show up and if it is causing myo-fibrosis or leads to persistent a-fib.  I am just so so so so grateful for the ability to run and treasure each and every friendship and the memories we make...that's the reason I run!!!  I am SO SO SO SO BLESSED to have such WONDERFUL running friends! :) :) :) :) :) :) :)