Happy Holidays 2015!

Happy Holidays 2015

Happy Holidays! This year has surely been a year of change!

Ruth started out with a goal to run at least one 5k (3.1 miles) race each month in 2015 after working with a new Physical Therapist, the amazing Ashton Therapies, for shoulder/hip injuries. With doc approval, (and nearly full range of motion!) I ran my first 5k of the year on Jan 31^st, 2015 to ring in the New Year – and have completely blown my original goal out of the water. I’ve run The Color Run, The Great Inflatable Race, and The Mustache Dache, just to name a few. I have dressed up as Darth Vader for the Star Wars Race, as Bellatrix Lestrange for the Harry PotterRrun, Cat Woman for a Superheroes Race, and a Fire Fairy for the Midsummer Night’s Run. I’ve been coated in colored dust, bubbles, and mud. My running total has well exceeded even my *updated* goal of 100 miles raced (not just training runs, but actual races; either virtual or not!) I came in as top 5 in my division in many races this year, including 5^th OVERALL for Woman of Steel, and was awarded my medal across the finish line by my amazing husband! I also joined a group called “Moon Joggers”, ran a whole slew of races for various charities, and even talked my friend Tyler into joining a few! My family pitched in for an early birthday present and bought me a FitBit Surge (with GPS tracking!) and I’ve accrued over 525 lifetime miles (walking/running/daily activities) since May 21^st! HUZZAH!  I’ve even completed some virtual races for even longer distances such as half marathons, a 52-mile “Escape from the Shire” Middle-Earth themed run, and most recently, the 88-mile Race to the Future! (Over several days, obviously.) Yay for running and better health (and hips!)

James and I had an additional goal of training for and completing the Spartan Super, an 8-10 mile obstacle race held here in Utah. We trained for a year starting in June of 2014, and with his help (and many boosts over 6, 7 and 8-foot walls!) we completed our first ever SPARTAN race on June 27^th, 2015! I believed that was the hardest thing that I had ever done. Climbing through mud bogs, hurling spears, hanging from ropes, scaling cargo nets, and hauling heavy atlas stones were just a few of the obstacles we faced. In 102 degree heat. Over 8.8 miles of rugged terrain. (This ain’t road racing here folks!) I was so lucky to finish leaping through the fire hand-in-hand with my husband! WE ARE SPARTANS!

I thought that running the SPARTAN was the hardest thing I’d ever done in my life… until four days later when James, his brother Russell, and I backpacked up The Grand Teton in Wyoming! WHEW! Hard in a totally different way! We camped on the saddle

under a full moon in the shadow of a glacier, and I thought how amazing my life has been! The next day we attempted to summit, but due to snow/ice and lack of technical gear for me, we had to turn around at about 12,000 feet. Safety first! Still, it was an amazing and literally life-long dream! I hope one day to reach the peak!

Also, in April of this year, Ruth changed jobs and went to work as an Implementation Specialist at

AdvancedMD, a medical billing software company. She works as a trainer and coordinates with multiple other departments to facilitate the client’s success in doing their medical billing. The company has been a great learning experience, and while the job can be incredibly demanding, she LOVES her co-workers (if not the commute to & from South Jordan twice daily!) And it has great perks – like swag, paid vacation, benefits, and company-sponsored movie premiers, which is always nice!) James continues to work at the family medical billing business and works hard at it.

And, after a 2-year hiatus from the competition arena, Ruth stepped back into the Taekwondo ring (for Sport Poomsae and Weapons) at the Wasatch Exhibition on Oct. 10^th. After injuring my hip while training for black belt testing, I have been unable to actively participate in Taekwondo, but it’s always been in my heart, and training in forms is my zen. So I was able to compete again, and took a gold in Sport Poomsae and a silver in weapons performing a sais form that my brother Mark taught me. I also was immensely grateful that I was able to attend a Sport Poomsae Seminar taught by the amazing Master Elva Adams, a world-renowned Sport Poomsae Champion. (Yes, I’m STILL working on my sidekicks!)

And for fun, James and I have been enjoying what Salt Lake City has to offer with a date at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, saw “The Book of Mormon Musical” for our 6^th Anniversary present (didn’t quite top last year’s “WICKED” in my mind…) and I got him a Lamborghini to drive for his birthday through Gotham Dream Cars. (Too bad he couldn’t keep it!) I also completed two 30-day drawing challenges for August and September, took a fun impromptu trip to Arches National Park with Tyler, and was able to visit my family in Montana to surprise my Mom for her birthday last February, over Labor Day weekend in September, and for Christmas… JUST IN TIME TO REVEAL THE SURPRISE!

We are expecting!  Just the day after setting my fastest 5k time for this year at a Geek’d Out Events run, The Gamer Dash, I found out that we are expecting the next Bartholomew! (No WONDER I felt so queasy sprinting to the finish! HAHA!) We are so very excited to be welcoming this new adventure in our lives! We had a big scare at the beginning, but thankfully the rest of the pregnancy has progressed without much ado. We had a second ultrasound on 11/11/15, and were able to hear the baby’s heartbeat at our last appointment on Dec 10^th! How amazing! It’s a little too early to know gender yet, but we’re taking bets! Birthday, time, weight, length, hair & eye color! Whoever gets the most right wins! Place yer bets! So the horses are getting more turnout and less riding, but they don’t mind! That’s all our news!

With all our love, Ruth, James & baby!

Yarrr! There be goldfish in these here waters!!!

For sure absolutely and without a doubt just felt the baby move!!!!

I've felt a couple movements before, but they were so fleeting that I couldn't be sure. This is the first definite, solid, without a doubt movement I've had where there can be no mistaking it for anything else. It was like MOVEMENT, but not like butterflies or popcorn popping or gas bubbles or whatever else I've heard it described as. Very definitely feels like a fluid movement. One woman said like a goldfish swimming. That's closer, but not as gross... But a fluid movement, way down low on the right side, right where the Doc found the heartbeat and where the majority of my stretching round ligament pain has been. 

Wow! I'm suddenly so emotional!!! How amazing!!!!!!!!! 💜💜💜💜💜💜

Oh . My . Gosh. Just bawled my head off! I am so happy momma! Wow! What an amazing and totally emotionally surprising moment! I am shocked by how emotional I am all the sudden!!! I really AM becoming a mother! It's suddenly more "real" than it's ever been! More than the ultrasounds, or the Doppler of the heartbeat, NOW for me it isn't just sore boobs and weight gain and swelling ankles (argh!) it isn't the starving hunger and months of nausea... Now for the first time really and TRULY it is real for me! James just hugged me and kissed my tears and says "Yes, it's very exciting. Did you think the heartbeat was faked?" Lol! No, but it's TRULY felt now!!!!! 💜💜💜💜

How absolutely amazing! I am delighted and can't wait for the next time I feel the baby move!!!!!!! So very much in love with this tiny being!

Thumpity Thump Thump, Thumpity Thump Thump - look at baby's heartbeat go!

So today was our 14 week check-up. BP was good, weight we will NOT be discussing, and baby's heartbeat the tech found RIGHT away and was a steady 158 bpm! Well!!! Old wive's tongues will never quit now! One at 165, one at 144, and one 158?

We're taking bets: gender, birth day, time, weight, length, hair & eye color. :) Whoever gets the most categories right wins!!!

My husband and I were both amazed to hear the little heart going - he says he actually teared up a little bit. I think that for the partner, this is the time that they can really feel like a PART of the process, (other than the obvious, of course.)

Our OB/GYN was not able to be there as she was on call at the hospital, so a pretty quick visit overall.

My belly is beginning to show more and more. I know *most* people mean well, but I sure hate getting comments about it, and my weight, and my expansion. I am aware. Every SINGLE day I step on the scale it's more than I've weighed before.

But hurtful comments like "You should make a plan to lose the post-baby weight." Or "Wow, you REALLY are starting to look pregnant." Or "You should only be gaining blah blah weight..." are hurtful, unkind, and DEFINITELY not helpful.

I am a runner, a martial artist, an equestrian, I lift weights and train in the gym multiple days in a week. At nearly 4 months pregnant, I am still running 5k distances routinely, and continue to train 3 days in an average week, not including races on Sundays and cleaning my horse's stalls. I do prenatal yoga and pilates, weight-train at the gym, and run (if slower than I used to.) As an athlete, I eat well, stay hydrated, and sometimes for emotional health, indulge in a treat. But for the most part, I am EXTREMELY healthy.

HOWEVER, I AM GROWING A HUMAN BEING! For a woman in the teens for body fat percentage and who trained and completed a Spartan Beast this past June, I do realize what it takes to get and stay in shape. However, the baby's health comes first, and experiencing a pregnancy for the first time, I knew would be a challenge.

But it's insensitive and insulting comments that really aggravate me.

No, I'm not still a size 1/2, XS like I was before. And you know what, THAT IS OKAY! I'm not gaining abnormal amounts of weight, but for a pregnancy where I have not been sick but once (THANK YOU UNIVERSE!) and where my appetite has been bigger than it ever has in my life, telling me what is a realistic weight gain is going to be determined by my body, my baby and my doctor.

I plan on continuing to be as active as possible, but the reality is that pregnancy makes activities harder. Even getting off the couch is quite literally a physical struggle as I get bigger. And no, I haven't gained much weight yet, (though apparently over people's expectations.) I do realize it will be more challenging. WHY DO YOU THINK I AM STRENGTH TRAINING NOW?

I know, I'm probably hormonal too. But seriously- everyone needs to put their noses back into their OWN business and stop giving me unsolicited advice - ESPECIALLY about my weight!

But other than these complaints, I really have been enjoying my changing shape because it means there's a BABY in there! Even if I will admit to missing my flat abs... and doing core work... and running fast. Those can all happen after baby arrives. :)

For now, I'll just whisper to Santa that what I really wanted is already on the way - though not really for "Christmas."

Happy Momma & 14-week gestating baby (who isn't able to scream through sitting with Santa THIS year!) :)

So much for not puking... Things I'm thankful for....

Whelp - I get to be a "real" pregnant woman now, complete with hurling. Woot woot. *Heavy sarcasm here*

But after a night spent cleaning the bathroom post-purge, I am grateful for a few things. MAINLY LYSOL WIPES! Seriously. Those are the best!!!

I did have a round of dry heaves the following week (what is it with Saturday nights?!) but this time hubby didn't obliviously sleep through it all... and hovered over me trying to be helpful. GODDESS BLESS THIS HUSBAND OF MINE ALWAYS!

I am afraid between bouts of retching up nothing I wasn't the most courteous wife... He asked if he could bring me anything, and I requested a hair tie - trying to hold my hair, NOT smell the toilet water (seriously - pregnancy nose is like nothing on earth. Is this what it's like to be a dog? HOW COULD THEY DRINK OUT OF THERE IF SO!?!? GROSS!!!!) and heaving until I was sure I'd get scolded by doc for working abs when I'm not supposed to do core work was not my idea of a good time.

This dear man brought me a glass of water, which was sweet, but not what I needed. I *needed* a hair tie. Then he brought a wooden stool for me to sit on instead of trying to kneel over the bowl... and then quickly went out and came back with a couch pillow to make it more comfortable. But still no hair tie. He asks, "Can I get you anything else?"

Ladies & gentlemen, I'm afraid the "Hangry Hulk" (as I now call my pregnant alter-ego) came out... and I snapped at him "All I REALLY need is a hair tie!!!" And then started crying because I NEVER yell at him... and he helplessly says "I can't find any?"

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? They are in the living room, looped around my water glass, covering the bedstand, inside the drawer where the Q-tips live... they literally are all over our entire house... and he couldn't find any?

He eventually came back with one, and tried to be helpful, but I was so wracked I could barely gasp for air between retching wretchedly. (HAHA! Well, it wasn't funny at the time...) I did have a moment like the cartoon below: "Why... oh WHY ME?!!"

But I've really had very few of the worst symptoms after the huge scare of the bleed - so I will be GRATEFUL and try to remember the baby is ALL worth it. It's going to be an amazing moment when I can feel it... right now leaning against our clean, but still somehow utterly disgusting and smelly toilet where even the WATER smells tainted to me.... well, that is sometimes hard to remember.

Finally I felt a little better, was able to sip my water, sit up on my pillow-on-a-stool, and realize HOW DAMN LUCKY AM I!?

We wanted this baby so much, were one of the lucky ones to get pregnant RIGHT AWAY (um... budgeting is going to become a WAY bigger priority!) and other than a few rounds around Thanksgiving hovering over the white throne, I am the luckiest pregnant woman I know. Okay, well, EXCEPT my workout buddy Jackie who never threw up even ONCE, and she has like 3 or 4 kids! She is probably the luckiest pregnant lady I've ever met.

Next up: our 14 week appointment. Um... which I'm not sure what exactly we do. I sure hope it doesn't involve taking off my pants again. Last time at our first appt meeting the OB, that pelvic exam, she told me I'd "feel pressure"- UM! THAT WAS PRESSURE!? Better brace myself for whatever other fun surprises I get in store... even before the baby arrives!

YIKES!

Still very grateful down to the bottom of my heart (and stomach) that we are pregnant! And that I have the nicest husband who doesn't even hold it against me when HANGRY HULK yells at him about hair ties when he's just trying to help.

HOW VERY LUCKY AM I!? Just have to remember that while doubled over retching... maybe that was the last time? C'mon kid, coming into the 2nd Trimester we're supposed to be getting BETTER, not worse! LOL!!!!

Ultra #2 11/11/15

Today's OB visit was fairly straightforward! I was excited to finally meet our doctor, and to get to see our little bean once again! I've been feeling so very good that sometimes it's really difficult to remember that I AM still pregnant!

I am so VERY thankful that the terrible sickness from before has abated - honestly I feel so great that now I can finally understand those women who say they enjoy being pregnant! (The first part was extremely rough, however, so I empathize entirely with those who struggled through their first trimester OR BEYOND! Though I seem to have a pretty light case of morning sickness as I was extremely nauseous, but thankfully never *actually* threw up, my symptoms have almost entirely abated since the bleed.

Doc told me to use common sense, but I can go back to being A REAL HUMAN BEING AGAIN! AND YES... I CAN RUN AGAIN!

She advised me to just listen to my body, and do *limited* jumping movements, but continue as per normal pre-pregnancy routine! Lifting, even okay'd some core work...

In fact, we can do everything as per normal - with the exception in the end of my second trimester no lying flat on my back exercises, like sit-ups or whatnot which are out. And don't get overheated or too exhausted. The nurse advised to keep my heart rate below 140 bpm, which even in the toughest part of Monday's workout I never peaked over 120. So hooray!!!!!!!!

I FEEL LIKE A REAL HUMAN AGAIN!

Of course, the baby's health is paramount, but I've been FEELING so good that it's very difficult to stay down. So being able to just be "me" is great!!!

Also, I have been cleared of everything in our first blood draw screening. No diseases, no lack of immunities, and confirmed my blood type. Always good to know, though I had mine confirmed in college.

The only concern is an ovarian cyst, which if it twists requires emergency surgery. At this point it hasn't bothered me UNTIL she pushed on it, but good thoughts to keep me safe and happy through the entire pregnancy are appreciated!

So now the question remains: BOY? or GIRL!? The heart rates have been teasing, one higher, one lower, and we won't have another ultrasound for a while. As long as it's not a velociraptor and is happy and healthy, I'm thrilled!

Here's our photos from today! (The little balloon-looking thing is the yolk sack, which has been feeding the little bean for a while until it is depleted! COOL!)

Going FULL Ninja!

Hello blog-o-philes!!!

Well, I have been absent my blog for far too long.

But there's a REASON for that!  SURPRISE!!! 

This was very definitely planned, but we've had some hiccups along the way.....

We thought we lost this little pumpkin a few weeks back, and I had to go in for blood draws to monitor my HCG levels to come back down to zero post-miscarriage.

Well, they called me after my second blood draw (the first being the baseline to determine the levels which we were starting) and then let me know the results were at half - which is what they anticipated after a miscarriage.

I was desperately sad, and maybe ate a half gallon of ice cream by myself - and actually got sicker than I had been the entire pregnancy to date!!!! I ended up needing to go get a prescription antacid because I wasn't experiencing so much nausea as extremely acid stomach and excruciating pain. NOT FUN!

Well, last week they did another blood draw, and realized their "transcription" error! My levels were not, in fact, at HALF, they were DOUBLE the week prior, and DOUBLE from the week before! She called me on 10/28/15 and though I could hear her saying things to me, I truly couldn't understand! I was STILL pregnant???

All my symptoms were gone. No desperate hunger, no queasiness, no soreness in my chest... and I truly thought I was just fluffy from all the ice cream that I was using to drown my sorrows. I must've made the nurse repeat it four or five times. "There was a transcription error - you're STILL pregnant!" I asked her if she was REALLY sure... because they had already made ONE error... was it possible that they had made TWO? And that I wasn't pregnant at all? After all, I felt FINE! 

Once that sunk in that my levels looked great and DEFINITELY increasing,, she said I needed an emergency ultrasound and they would schedule me that day, if possible!

I drove like a crazy person to be down next to the hospital for when they called, drank my QUART of water an hour before my visit, and James went with me to our first-ever ultrasound on 10/28/15.

The tech didn't say anything for a LONGGGGGGGGGGG time........ which got my heart racing because I was so scared the fetus wasn't viable. After about 15 minutes to the point where I was anxious enough that my heartbeat was showing in my uterine wall jumping on the ultrasound, I finally asked in a quavering voice, "So... does everything look okay???"

And she said "Oh yes! I was just taking measurements! Here's the baby, (and she pushed in until I feared I would wet the table!) and here's the heartbeat!" 165 beats a minute for the little bean! HOLY SMOKES!!! (Which is actually normal, but *may* indicate.... a girl! We have to wait nearly 10 more weeks to actually know gender, however!) The tech estimated that we were at 7 weeks and 5 days!

I cannot even tell you how reassuring it was to see that little flutter of that heartbeat on the monitor! I told James we're not having a baby, we're having a HUMMINGBIRD!!!!

But everything looks fine. I do have some restrictions as I am high risk due to my "advanced maternal age" (ACK!) and due to the bleed, but the good side is we may get ultrasounds every 2 weeks when most women only get two their ENTIRE pregnancy!

This little ninja is going to be very used to be photographed.... even before arrival!!!

I am so in love with my newly-popped out bump - YES, I CAN TELL! And my husband was thrilled - his eyes were utterly GLUED to the monitors watching our little bean appear as the tech moved the ultrasound around! 

We are still very early, so only an extremely limited group of people know, and we are not yet in the "safe zone" of 12 to 14 weeks when miscarriage risk drops to 3% and after 16 weeks drops further to just a mere 1% so all prayers, good thoughts and wishes are appreciated!

Our first OB intake appointment was yesterday, on Nov 9th, and tomorrow will be actually meeting our OB and having our second ultrasound which should be just about 10 weeks (9 weeks and 5 days to be precise) on Nov 11th. For now, however, their best guess is I'll be having a baby for my birthday - early June! (June 9th - subject to change pending tomorrow's ultrasound!) I feel great after being so very sick after the bleed - no serious symptoms, and we are going to take the best care until we are in the very safest of safe zones! 

Hopefully they tell me I can run tomorrow - so far they have restricted me only from jumping and doing core exercises!

Welcome, Baby B (the ninja who fooled mommy into thinking they were no longer there!)

Oct 6

Already suspected pregnancy due to symptoms last week of September... but didn't want to put the cart in front of the horse.... 

On Saturday, 10/3, after Gamer Dash 5k, I discussed symptoms with sis-in-law and she said many were very likely! Over the last week-ish many "strange" and unusual things have been happening. I wasn't overly optimistic but thought the idea funny if we conceived right away in the first month!!! Felt very nauseous on Friday, and told hubby if I still felt that way, I wanted to pee on a stick. Melissa said they had an additional preggo test they could bring down on Sunday for us. I said yes! 

10/4 Sunday- getting a massage and my boobs were so sore being face down on the table.... Lisa BET James a nice bottle of wine that I was preggo and he dashed off to the store to get tests! Before I even washed my hands the second pink line began to appear! Not even faint! I let James time 3 minutes and he said he already suspected when my nose was so sensitive! But now proof! He wants a second test for morning with the digital one, though one already confirmed! I beyond elated! Ecstatic! Not even a single period, which is fine with me! We both pray only for a healthy baby, boy or girl! Holy smokes- were official expecting! 

Update: second digital test at 1:30 am on Oct 5 confirmed! "yes+!" I'm officially a mother-to-be! Keeping news quiet until the "safe" timeframe, though I'm bursting to tell everyone!!! Baby is size of a poppyseed at 4 weeks; technically a blastocyst still, but already creating havoc... And CLEAVAGE! Update: a bitty belly popped out overnight on 10/6! Belly did NOT look like this yesterday even! Wow! All water weight so far. Mild cramping. Appt set for intake/blood work Monday, 10/12.

THIS IS THE SPARTAN!!!!

THIS IS THE SPARTAN!!!!

To start, let me say this is the single hardest thing I have ever done in my life. More challenging than running the 1/2 marathon, harder than my toughest Taekwondo test, more grueling even than hiking to the top of Deseret Peak or the 18.2 mile round trip up Timpanogos. WE ARE SPARTANS!!!

James says in over 20 years of being an athlete and fighting at an elite level, he feels ACCOMPLISHED having earned our "finisher" t-shirts and medals! :) Thank goodness he was by my side!!! This was absolutely a team event, and I literally could NOT have done it without him! We trained for an entire year, and actually did what we started last year!

The Spartan course is in Soldier Hollow in Midway, UT on the Olympic cross-country site at 5,000 ft elevation, but that didn't help cool the incredible 100-degree heat and still air... the dust and of course, MUD!

Our course was just over 8 miles with STEEP grades up the mountain and down, and of course, up again. I did NOT wear my FitBit as it would've utterly killed it as one obstacle was going under an UNDERWATER wall! (Yes, we had mud....everywhere!) Two days and four showers later I found mud in my right ear still!

We leapt into mud pits, crawled through mud under barbed wire, went over cargo nets, threw javelins, hauled atlas stones... and for every skipped or failed obstacle, the penalty was 30 burpees. To protect my injured shoulder I skipped the rings and monkey bars, and could not complete the rope climb, and much to my utter distress, my spear skiffed off the edge of my target and I ended up doing my 30 penalty burpees. James threw his spear so hard it vibrated the entire target but didn't stick as he hit the frame, so 30 burpees for him too!

The trail portion was single-file and so so so steep both up and down... at some points you just sat down and slid down the trail and tried not to knock everyone down like dominoes. About mile 3 I had brutal heat headache - and we ended up walking and though they had around 6 water stops on the course and we carried water with us in our Camelbacks, there was heat shimmer off the ground and even dousing myself in water didn't keep me cool enough. 

At the Monkey Bars, I got 20 burpees into my 30 (for skipping the obstacle - my goal was to avoid wrenching my shoulder...) and I got pretty gaggy... ended up having to lie down in the shade for a bit to recover... then finished my 10 burpees and off we went. However, I was FAR from the only one bent over in the bushes.. even quite fit athletes were struggling with the intense heat. Thankfully I didn't actually throw up, but the heat and exertion both were a lot for most people. And one guy dislocated his shoulder and medical hauled him off the mountain in a dune buggy.... ouch.

As for me, I wasn't AFRAID of any obstacle - though James definitely helped me with a lot of them... like the inverse wall, or the 6', 7' and 8' walls (which were all painted BLACK- YEOW! Sizzling hot!!!) and I helped him with the "Hercules Hoist" - a sandbag pulley and to get over the 8' wall he used my knee as a jump-off point. I also got a butt-boost out of the mud bogs by a very nice gentleman behind me so I could grab James' hand and he could haul me up out of the mud as it was a vertical clay wall and I wasn't able to jump high enough to catch the edge. Spartans work as a team! Even unknown Spartan um... "boosters!" HA!

The vertical cargo net wall, however, did give me a moment where I realized that "Risk of Death" waiver was serious. Here I was 30 or 40 feet in the air straddling about a foot-wide metal frame and my little legs straining to reach over and catch the net on the other side.... and realized I really DID need to watch what I was doing. Just a split-second of being VERY aware, but I obviously got through safely and that was my only point of hesitation. One woman froze over the final obstacle, however, and my very sweet husband sat on the top with her to encourage her to put her leg over, and she finally made it down. But she was genuinely afraid. He is so kind to help her out! (And me! He literally did nearly every obstacle twice - first throwing me over it, and then having to do it himself!!! He's amazing!)

And I learned that I don't really like going under water that you can't see through very much. Not afraid, just don't really like it. I also lost my weightlifting gloves on that obstacle - they were velcroed to my waistband and didn't survive the thick mud. And my sunglasses I threw away after the race as they got cracked and weren't worth trying to save. In all I did 125 burpees (the REAL kind, with a full pushup!) including my 5 mandatory burpees on the Atlas carry.

After dousing ourselves repeatedly (the BEST part was having the spigots they use for snowmaking turned on with glacially-cold water that we soaked ourselves under) and scrambling up, down and through obstacles, we were dirty, gritty, grubby, fatigued and sooooo accomplished! 

We held hands and leapt the fire wall at the end to go through the finish line arch, collect our SHINY finisher medals, hose off in the "showers" (freezing cold spray nozzle hoses) and get our SPARTAN FINISHER t-shirts... James wore his to morning workout, but I actually wore mine to work! (I can't wait for casual Friday - and we'll be in the Tetons by then anyway!) 

I AM SO VERY PROUD OF US FOR ACCOMPLISHING WHAT WE SET OUT TO DO!!! We came in at 4 hours 15 mins and while I would've loved a better finish time, the point is that we finished - especially given extreme heat and course difficulty. (By comparison, another set of our friends spent 9 hours, 11 mins and 51 seconds on the course.) 

I am very excited for them to post our on-course pictures... James was fried and we didn't get our free finisher's photos at the end - which I would have liked... but he did grudgingly stand for a photo at our car (JUST as the blasted clouds rolled in and the wind picked up! MURPHY!!!! It was brutally hot and still the whole time we were on the course!)  So for now we only have the photos at the beginning and end as I had to (obviously) leave my phone in the car. I also was sad I couldn't wear my FitBit but I would've destroyed it in the mud.

The obstacles for our course:

1) Mud bogs x3

2) "Over, under, through" set of 3 walls to go over, under and through a keyhole  (and the rest of the following mile+ was straight uphill! Though the cactus were blooming! SO PRETTY IN PINK & YELLOW!)

3) Cinderblock chain drag

4) Sled pull

5) Rings

6) Rope climb from moat

7) Hercules Hoist - Pulleys

8) Zig-zag walls

9) Underhand rope climb "Tyrolean Traverse"

10) Atlas stone plus 5 mandatory burpees and carry back (Atlas = big rounded granite stone)

11) "V" cargo net

12) Inverted wall

13) Tire flip

14) Vertical cargo net wall

15) Monkey Bars

16) Underwater wall

17) Sandbag carry

18) Bucket Brigade (carry up and down a hill)

19) Javelin Throw

20) 6', 7' & 8' walls

21) Cargo net & "Comb"

22) Barbed wire mud slide

23) Run-up incline rope wall

24) 7' jump up ladder wall

25) Fire Jump

Next up is training for the elite Sprint - 3 to 5 mile course!

BOOYA!

Strawberry Moon

Barefoot I walked under a rising Strawberry Moon in its distinctly golden glow, the cheery trill of crickets gave me a beat of silence as I passed by, a whisper of leaves in a warm and restless wind as distant cars rolled under the thumping heartbeat of a helicopter winking its way in Christmas colors across a dusky sky.

I hear the teeth of sheep pulling at the clover like Velcro coming apart in little tugs, and the flabby exhale of a horse as velvety rubber lips chatter. A star shimmers overhead as my feet gobble up the pavement, smooth and rough both, bare toes splat through puddles still warmed by the long day's sun. I hear the nasal Doppler whine of a motorcycle climbing through its gears and the soft clink of dinner plates through a bronzed kitchen window.

A wheezy drone of a scooter sighs like biddies gossiping over tea, and the first throbbing hum of an air conditioner provides a bass note to the halogen street light's high-pitched buzz. A distant dog barks; a girl laughs, a car stereo grunts by. The tisking sprinklers stop their scolding and lights wink out as the full moon rises and I turn my feet toward home.

Lessons from "Penguins of Madagascar" - Validation & Inclusion

I was watching the animated movie "Penguins of Madagascar" and while quite punny, (and a bit silly), there was a message that struck home with me.

The lead penguin, Skipper, keeps telling the others "You're a meaningful and valued member of this team." but never says this to one penguin named Private. Private is desperately seeking this approval, and through the antics of an animated film, keeps trying to prove his worth to Skipper who sees him merely as cute and cuddly, but utterly disregards every other aspect of his worth, smarts, or his attempts at contributing to the team. Skipper continues to devalue him as he sees him as merely a pretty face.

Sure, it's an animated film. But there's also a deeper lesson here that we tend to superficially judge others based on our EXTERNAL objectification of them. We comment on a woman's weight loss (or gain) or a man's financial prowess but rarely about their personal characteristics. Even in our work environments, rarely are we truly acknowledged as a VALUABLE member of the team.

I recently started a new job - and while challenging and having a steep learning curve, immediately I felt included as a new member of the existing team and was thanked sincerely for all my work (which to me seems minor as I'm still training for each task before I can complete it and still have to ask a lot of questions.)

I was acknowledged in my first week as a "meaningful and valued member of this team." In week one! As a new hire! Who spent most of the first day just trying to set up logins and change temporary passwords. (I also got a company mug and tumbler and felt very special that they ordered me an ergonomic keyboard and had it send via expedited shipping to get to me.) But more than the physical presents, (YAY PRESENTS!) I was acknowledged by every single member of my new team as a valuable addition and told they were glad to have me. They were truly grateful for the work which I could complete, and complimented me on my ability to be trained to a task and then perform it with relatively little further instruction.

They also appreciated my note-taking so that I could do the same task again without having to be re-instructed on the steps, as well as me noting any aberrations or issues with the task with enough detail to resolve it later. Wow! They paid attention to my work, gave me thoughtful and considerate feedback, and gave me sincere thanks! HOW MEANINGFUL THIS IS!

I felt included and validated, and eager to return to my new workplace! Me? Wanting to get up and go to work in the morning? WHO IS THIS WOMAN?!?! It's because I feel acknowledged for my contribution, small as they may seem to me. And it feels wonderful! 

So take a moment today to tell those around you - whether family, co-workers, roommates or friends HOW MUCH they actually matter. Too much of our world focuses on the negative, and everything we've done WRONG, and rarely acknowledges what we've done right. So take that moment, even if it seems a minor thing to you, it may be a major thing to another. 

Thank you for reading my blog! You are a valued member of my team! :)

New Year's Resolutions - one month follow up!

HAPPY GROUNDHOG'S DAY! It's a new month! How are you doing on your New Year's Resolutions?

For me, I am WINNING at exceeding my goal of 2 books a month (I read 6!)
*I got sketching again (including finding LOADS of old sketchbooks!!!!) Goal is to sketch at least once a week.
*I have been very consistent in my workouts and made up the one conditioning class I missed (And for this new month I've now moved to mornings and 3 days a week from 2 evenings a week.)
*I also did great at keeping up to date on writing (I am behind from this crazy weekend of racing/black belt ceremony/late nights at work, but I'll catch up!)
*I missed a couple days of my 30 days of yoga due to sickness (and one day on the 2nd of Jan. because I simply forgot! I wasn't in the habit yet! HA!) but I did yoga the majority of the month and seeing improvement in strength, balance and coordination!
*Worked with my physical therapist on my injuries and seeing enormous improvement! My range of motion in my shoulder is unbelievable now! :D
*I rode my horses, and now that I'm taking the morning conditioning classes, I'll have more evenings free to ride. YAY! :)
*I set up my "Warm Fuzzies" file again - every time something makes me happy, makes me feel good, personal epiphanies, compliments, etc... a slip of paper goes in and at the end of the year (or bad days!) I can re-read them and perk up!
*My blog has had 4,731 views! WOW! o.O
*TOMORROW I start a digital photography course in continuing education at UVU!
*Also, I ran my first race of 2015 toward my goal of one 5k/month and set a very good time on my least favorite $%#(&*$^) hilly course despite not having raced in 8 months nor run farther than a mile in 4! (And only got the okay from my PT to run that mile last week!)

Areas that need improvement:
*I haven't been working consistently on my Spanish.... not only learning it, but speaking it as well. We did watch "The Princess Bride" in Spanish - it loses a lot being dubbed over....
*While I did play the piano, I didn't meet my goal of practicing at least an hour a week. Gotta work on that.
*Archery practice!
*Working on enough strength to finally master Crow Pose!
*Consistent weekly forms (poomsae) practice - the Friendship Open is only a month away!
*Improving mile times now that I'm cleared to run and working distance up to the Spartan Race!
*Continuing my daily writing toward my goal of writing for every day for one year!

How are you doing with your goals? What are they! Let me know in the comments below!

*Being* An Athlete

*Being* An Athlete

I have always been active since I was a kid. Riding bikes, climbing trees, building forts (both winter and summer), playing cops & robbers, shooting BB guns and my brother's compound bow, riding the neighbor's horses, playing on the playgrounds, going on long walks with my dog, downhill and cross-country skiing, hiking with my family.... all part of an active and adventurous childhood.

Thankfully my mom never let us stay in and just "zone out" on the TV or play video games for endless hours - we always had to be active... and heaven forbid we EVER said the terrible words: "We're bored!" Oh, that was a recipe for many chores! Even if we had just finished them, there were ALWAYS more chores to do. Especially our dreaded one: ROCK PICKING!

So while I've never been especially sedentary, (with the possible exception of working insane hours in retail there for a few years) I've never particularly thought of myself as an athlete. Despite riding horses, doing Taekwondo for the majority of my life, frequent yoga practice, mountain biking, skiing, and being a regular at the gym, I was still taken aback when my Physical Therapist called me an "athlete."

Why?

Because my own "mental image" of myself isn't as one -- despite being a black belt in Taekwondo, an accomplished runner - including a half-marathon under my belt, hiking mountains, shooting my own bow, competing in martial arts tournaments, running races, riding my two horses, and being in the gym nearly every day of the week.

Because to me an "athlete" is an elite level artist in their sport, an Olympian, a professional, a competitor at the highest echelon. But does that make everyone who trains not an athlete if they aren't an Olympic sprinter? Of course not!

So, the question rises: WHY NOT ME!?

I realized the fault in my thinking is just another method of self-deprecation, another way of putting myself down and thinking I'm not good enough. How does *that* help me? It doesn't.

Two words to myself: STOP IT!

Of course there will always be someone faster, someone who can kick higher, someone more athletic, someone more accomplished, someone with more gold medals, someone who trains more hours a week. But that is no reason not to BELIEVE IN MYSELF!

I work actively to encourage and (hopefully!) inspire others.

People who don't even know each other have said that I am a great motivating force in their lives.

When I look in the mirror, why isn't that what I see?

So just as I won't let anyone talk themselves down over their accomplishments (any workout is better than none at all!) so too I have to monitor myself, EVEN & ESPECIALLY when it arises in a situation like this one where one simple word carried so much emotional impact.

I AM an ATHLETE!

Being one is just part of who I am, part of who I want to be, and even more representative of what I want to become.

Onward & upward!  BOOYA!

Competing at Utah Summer Games 2013

 Riding my mare Sebien at the Missoula Equestrian Park in Montana

 Hiking Timpanogos, UT Fall 2014

 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Nationals, Cazenovia, NY 2002

 Bo staff training with my brother in his Taekwondo School, Bozeman, MT

 Hiking in The Needles, UT - Spring Break

 Shooting my bow

 Hiking Deseret Peak, UT - Summer 2014

 Missoula, MT Half Marathon - July 2011

 Doing forms in the desert - Arches National Park, UT

 Biking the Hiawatha Trail on the MT/ID border

 The very top of Mt. Timpanogos, UT Aug 2014

Mountain biking Rattlesnake Wilderness, MT

 Sparring at Livingston tournament MT

 Hiking THROUGH Stewart Falls, UT 2013

 Forms competition - Montana State Championships, Bozeman, MT

 Skiing Lost Trail/Powder Mountain at the border of MT & ID

 Skiing in MT