8 miles of therapy

I woke up Wednesday morning very sore from Tuesdays CrossFit class. Deadlifts every 30 seconds for 15 minutes. I decided to take it easy and just go for a relaxing run in the forest. An hour, maybe two, i didn't want to think about time. I felt as if i had all the time in the world. I can't remember the last time i said that to myself.

If there is one thing you learn while living in Denmark it is all about the weather. When the sun shines you enjoy it, because the next 5 days could be filled with gray clouds and alot of rain. So i didn't waste any time, as it was a sunny 75 degree evening. I took a beautiful run through the forest alone. It was a little spooky at first but after the first few miles i got used to it.


I had a few things on my mind and a few things i wanted to work out while i ran. I have been battleing a few issues that had been on my mind and i wanted to see how i reacted after a few miles. My mind wondered and then it came. I ran fast as i could up hills, i sprinted down streams, pushed harder and harder until i felt a release of anger and self doubt. Then i started to well up with tears in my eyes. I said a little prayer. On the lines of, " Help me find a way", and then ran in peace the rest of the way home.

Have you ever had such a run? It's better than therapy.

I ended my run with a few turns onto a small windy trail, up a long grassy hill, and over a few sparkling streams. I ended up at the Baroness's castle again and then turned around and found a different path home.

I felt like i had done my job for the universe that day -and it was simply taking care of myself.

CrossFit in Denmark

The witch burning night was a big hit. I couldn't stop saying hello to everyone. "Oh it's you!" and "Oh my gosh i remember you!!" It was just like old times. In short, we burned the witch, had some great food, and sang a few songs. My first Sankt Hans Aften in 5 years. It was just as  i imagined.

Another thing just as i imagined... CrossFit in Denmark.

I had not heard from the CrossFit owner so, i was unsure about just showing up to a class. But it had been about a week since i had been to CrossFit in Utah and i was going stur crazy. So it just so happend the kids were with their grandparents and i fumbled around the house and thought, "it's now or never." I took a bus into Roskilde (the nearest big town from our village) and showed up at the CrossFit doorstep.

As any CrossFit would do in the world, they opened their arms like i was one of their own. I walked in front of a big desk, and aked for the owner. We arranged a free class, and if i liked it i could sign up and if not, i could just leave it at that. Lucky for me, i loved it! I can't remember the last time i sweat so much in my life. The humitity must be very high here because it feels like working out in the amazon jungle.

I am very pleased with the world right now. There are people out there that are welcoming, caring, smiling, and just plain old nice. Coming into a new enviroment and a new country is hard, but danes make it so comfortable and easy.

It's a small world after all.

Jetlag... What's that?

It's like coming home. Right when i stepped off the plane, i could smell, see, feel, taste, that i was home. It's an odd feeling to have after living here so long, and then being gone for 2 years. But it truely is as if i had never left. The rickity straw topped roofs are still the same. The old gas station is still at the corner, and the trees and wheat fields are still strategically placed around the 500 year old village. It is comforting, constant and unchanging.

Enough of that nonsense... onto my first run in Denmark.

Totally blew my mind! I woke up this morning feeling no jetlag what so ever. I toppled down the wooden stairs and saw freshly made danish pancakes and homemade jam. I had made a running agreement the night before with my cousin (really it's my mother and father in-laws foster son) but i just call him cousin Marco. Anyway he heard i enjoyed running, and he was bored (arn't all 19 year olds bored??) and he desperatly wanted to go running with me. So after breakfast we discussed where we would go on our first run. I shouted out, "the forest!"



Baroness's Castle

The danish forests have always been a place of peace and refuge for me. So the forest it is. From our tiny village, we ran on the hard cement bike path for 2 miles before we hit the entrance to the forest. Immediatley when we entered in the cool green trees, i felt light. Just like when i run in Utah's mountains. I get this sense of balance, kind of like this is where i am suppose to be. 

It was breathtaking. I felt like i was in a movie. Braveheart, The Other Bolyn Girl, First Knight.. i could go on and on. Knowing i was running in such an old and medival sight, gave me a mysterious feeling. Feeling the soft mud push against my shoes and the brush of the trees against my legs were perfection at it's finest. I could have ran all day. We ran up hills, through fields, up to the Baroness and Baron's castle, through the streets of a small viking town and then finally down the bike path past the fjord. We ran 16 kilometers, which equals about 10 miles. I couldn't have choosen a better run and a better day if i tried.

Now, a quick shower and then off to burn witches! It's a big day in Denmark. It is Sankt Hans Aften tonight. In the heathen days, they burned real witches, but now it's just an exuse to throw a big party with all the villagers. We have a big bon fire, eat, sing and dance. We actually burn a fake witch too.

Sankt Hans Aften

 The adventure continues..

Here we come.... Europe!

We leave for europe in 2 days!!! I cannot contain my excitment. I call it "Europe" becasue it sounds alot more exotic than just plain old "Denmark".

Weeks before i decided to run a marathon, I planned a weekend trip to Rome. Instead i got a trip to the transmission shop which took all my Roman coins. Boo hoo, sniffle, sniffle.

So now it's just Denmark. My mother-in-law says she has a surprise trip planned but she won't tell me. I have a feeling it might be Sweden or Germany. Any how, i'll take 4 quiet weeks in Denmark anytime.

Bon' voyage and have a great summer everyone. I WILL still blog while i'm in Denmark so don't be dismayed. It might be a once a weeker, but i'll still keep in touch.

After all, don't you want to know how my runs go in Denmark??

Denmark 2009

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I am officially apart of the marathon club :)

It was thee most beautiful run i have ever taken -almost spiritual. It was indescribable.
The first 13 miles were not very pleasant, but the last 13 were magical.
Here are the sorted details...

Mile 1-5 Ran with my brother-in-law the first 5. We were going at a 8:30 minute mile pace and he said, we have to slow down or we will crash at the end. So, we slowed to an 8:50 pace.

Mile 7 I had to release all that water i'd been gulping. Broke off from my brother-in-law and waited 4 minutes to go to the bathroom. I'm upset that i wasted the time.

Mile 7 I take a GU and some water, then start feeling sick. Severe stomach pains and i loose my rythym. Now it's time for the hills.... with stomach cramping. Great!

Mile 8-11 Pain, pain, pain. I can't shake these stomach cramps. I walk through mile 11 aid station and then they finally stop.

Mile 11-12 I've got this! I'm feeling on top of the world. I get a good pace going. I take my second GU.

Mile 13 Oh no! A familiar feeling...blister. It growing, rubbing....i have to get this thing bandaged up. I wasted 6 minutes at an aid station bandaging my blister. I'm off again!

Mile 14 Feel amazing.... i zone out the pain.

Mile 14-21 I need to get through the rest of this freakin' canyon to see the girls and hubby at mile 22. I push it a little more. This feels good.

Mile 22 I see the girls and hubby. A quick hug and then off to the finish line.

Mile 22-25 I am focused, i have a good pace. I feel no pain... it's lost in the music.

Mile 26 I can see the holy grail.... the finish line. I got this! I start a fast sprint to the finish line. I finish in 4:20.

Pain i enjoyed! Where do i sign up for the next one?? :)

I'm thinking Rock in' Roll LasVegas Marathon in December with I Have Run.

Care to join us??

Danger ahead??

Everything is happeing so fast. My head is spinning and i'm trying to get everything in control. New things are in the works and it's messing with my head right before the big day.

I had this eutopia status that everything would be perfect the week leading up to the marathon but i am starting to see alot of disturbing things...

1. Self doubt (I am prepared -Am i?, I've trained for this -Have i?, You can get under 4-Can i walk half way?)

2. More time on my hands to "think" (not a good thing for Farrah who overthinks everything anyway).

3. New opportunities which means big dicisions

4. Distractions (both little and big)

5. My beautiful summer girls screaming, "I'm bored!", every 10 minutes

This is not my perfect week right before the marathon but what can you do?
It is what it is and you either let it bother you or you just go with the flow.

I'm a' flowin'.

Only 7 days until the big day!

I feel like a little kid before Christmas morning.

Then i get this knott in my stomach and think "am i prepared for this?"
26.2 miles is a beast, and in 7 days i am going to tame it.
I have two goals in mind. My first, 3:50. If i can't make that, then anything below 4:10.

I talked to my edurance trainer and she said, keep doing CrossFit but don't push. Back off a little and don't give it your all this week. Conserve energy, repair muscles, relax.

Here is my self-made week before marathon plan

Sunday: Church -pray to the holy lord above for endurance, speed, and peace.
Monday: CrossFit and Protein Load (45%) WATER
Tuesday: CrossFit, CrossFit endurance and Protein Load (45%) WATER

Wednesday: CrossFit, light and easy 3 miles, Protein Load (75%) WATER

Thursday: Rest day and Protein Load (100%) WATER
Friday: Morning sprints (25 minutes) then Carb Load all day baby! Olive garden here i come! Alot of WATER mixed with electrolytes.
Saturday: Race Day! Protein shake, Peanut Butter and jelly sandwich, then a lara bar on the bus.

Any tips for my first marathon. And if ONE more person says, "just have fun", i am going to kill them. :)

My first kipping

If only that was my stomach!!!

After my little scare with my foot/ankle i really have been taking it easy.
I had a complete 24 hour rest and then had Muscle Works take a look at it. Stacey my therapist said it might have been my shoe string that was irritating it.

It paid off and now i have no pain, no problems and even managed to get a 4 mile run in and an amazing CrossFit class.

Every CF class is amazing, but this one was particularly special. After 8 weeks of seeing everyone do a kipping pull-up (even grandma Grace beside me), I DID ONE!
I finally did one -and it rocked! With the marathon only 10 days away, i needed that.

One more thing... i have pre-race jitters already. My stomach is a mess. How do you get rid of that?

The unexpected

This has been an amazing running week. I tempo-ed, i speed-eded (is that a word?), i slow runned, i CrossFitted, i did it all. All in all i hit 38 miles. My highest yet. Memorial Day weekend i did a 18 miler and it was soooo wonderful to know my body is capable of going that distance.

After all my marathon is only 12 days away, so why not push hard, right?

Wrong! Double wrong. Pushing hard right before a race is plain stupid.
I didn't listen and now i am paying for it.

Yep the dreaded "I" word : Injury.

At mile 15 on my 18 miler i felt a strange pain on top of my foot/ankle. I stopped and loosened up my shoelace but it kept on bugging me. It forced me to change my stride and i really struggled to run comfortably those last 3 miles. I made it to mile 18 and called it a day.

When i got home i iced and elevated my foot, but it was still pretty tender. Today it feels better but no running, CrossFitting, jumping or sneezing until this thing is all gone.

What could it be? A pulled tendon, the begining of a stress fracture? And more importantly what if it does go away and then resurfaces on marathon day. I don't think i could continue running with that kind of pain. I can't stand the thought of not finishing.

My Own Calcutta today: Don't let the fear of the unknown chase you down.

Back in the sadle

I think i undid 2 to 3 weeks worth of running and CrossFit in about 4 days.
I managed to get in one 5 mile tempo run in the dusty and terribly hot desert.
And mustered up a 2 minute pushup-situp workout before Disneyland.

Late Monday night we arrived back in Utah.
I knew right when i saw the Welcome to Provo, i'd be paying for those 4 days.
Let's just say I was not wrong...

Tuesday morning back to CrossFit.
Tuesday evening back to CrossFit indurance.
3 mile hard run.
and now...

I feel human again.

Note to self: Never go off the bandwagon again for 4 days and stuff yourself with salt & vinegar chips, cheesburgers, and fried chicken. EVEN IF YOUR ON VACATION!

Pictures from Farrah

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I'm originally from California. Not many people know this about me. I grew up basking in the southern sunshine state . My brother and i played outside from January to December. The only kind of clothes i owned were one pair of "school clothes" and 10 baithing suits. I had a great childhood.

Each time i return i feel like i'm returning to my roots. I would never move back there. Too populated, too much crime. I'd miss my snow covered mountians too much. But i do love going back to visit. Especially when it's Grandpa Marvin's 80th birthday.

I can't wait to take a "girl" road trip with my mom and my girls. And the biggest surprise of all... we are stopping by Disneyland on the way home. The girls have no idea. When we fasten our seatbelts we will tell them the BIG ONE! I can't wait to see their reaction.

Here are a few pictures from our disney adventures through the years.

Pictures from Farrah

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LA Freeway

Rock Canyon

An unexpected late night sleepover (liv's couisin) catapulted me into a 4 hour sleep deprived coma this morning. I woke up at 6am in a groggy fog, but decided to go on my Saturday trail run with my group anyway. I was suppose to hit 20 miles, but talked myself out of it while i was fumbling around trying to find my running clothes.

20 miles is so not happening today. Get a good 10 in and we'll call it a day. Maybe on Wednesday you can try 20.

Good plan i thought. The hills on the LA Freeway are a killer anyway, so the plan seemed smart. The LA Freeway (lactic acid) are a series of trails that head up to the "Y" painted on the mountain just under Brigham Young University. The trail continues into Rock Canyon. One of the most beautiful canyons in Provo (in my opinion).

I arrived at Memorial Park and instantly saw my mentor Bruce Almighty wasn't there. Bruce is just that...mighty. He runs really fast, he runs freakishly long distances (that would be 50 miles in my book), and he doesn't sweat or huff or puff. Come to think of it i don't even think he breaths at all.

He has been very gracious to take me under his marathon wing and i've learned the world from him. I can just hear him now.

"Don't get in the back of the pack. Talk a bit and then break off. You need to think about pace."
or
"Keep your Cadence up... faster... faster."
or
"Time for speed work kid." (he usually says this about mile 9 or 10).

So when good ol' Bruce wasn't there, i thought this could be an easy 10. With my lack of sleep and all the lactic acid hills, i thought this was a perfect day just waiting to happen.

About 2.5 miles into the run, we hit the mountain and start to climb. And who do we see at the top? Bruce Almighty. "Where did you come from?", we all ask. He explains he has been on the mountain since 5:30 am running. Then the dreaded question, "How about that 20 miler today Farrah?"

I am dumbfounded. I had no idea what to say except for, "I'm not feeling it today. Late night." He shrugged, waved his arm in a welcoming fashion and said, "Let's head out then. Farrah follow me."

Oh crap balls... here we go. Pain.

Was it really painful? Yep it was. We did speed, then tempo, then hills. A medley of pain. After about mile 8 we hit 3 hills that just tore me apart. Little sister, Big sister and Grandpa. Grandpa can just... diiiie. I hate that freakin' thing.

The home stretch (mile 10,11 and 12), Bruce explains will be a mix up. Down hill at a good strong pace, then 1 mile at 100% to try to break my mile PR (7:29), then a relaxing pace home. I am scared.

To make a long story short, it was an amazing 3 miles. Not at all comfortable but i broke my PR on my mile. 6:50!!! I am very excited.

My Own Calcutta today is a mesh of things...

1. Living in Utah! I am able to get out of bed, drive 10 minutes and take a run in some of the most beautiful mountains in the United States.
2. Having a running mentor. I wouldn't have been able to push myself to that extent without Brucie.
3. Beating my 1 mile PR. I am loving those sixes.

Channeling my inner cavewoman

I've been laying out all my cards for my upcoming marathon and i seem to be missing something.

Cross training. Check
800's. Check
Hills. Check
400 Repeats. Check
Long runs. Check
Short speed runs. Check
Hydration with electrolytes. Check
Sports massage therapy. Check
A rest day. Check
Proper nutrition. Ummm... kinda' check.

You can see where this is going.

I've started researching the Paleo diet (ugh, i hate the D word). After my CrossFit trainers told me they eat Paleo, i started digging around and found out Dean Karnazes also follows the Paleo diet. The research is indisputable, but more importantly it goes back to our natural god given roots. This is what my ancestors ate. Maybe they were onto something.

Below are some interesting facts about Paleo or aka Caveman diet.

-"70 percent of the calories we eat today come from refined sugars, flour and vegetable oils," says Dr. Loren Cordain, author of "The Paleo Diet," a tome of nutritional philosophies affectionately referred to as "The Caveman Diet" by skinny-jeans-wearing devotees. "We're hard-wired as primates to find something that's sweet. We've taken that sweet and put it together with fat and we call it a donut," he says.
I'm never eating another donut again, when it's put like that.



-Paleo is a simple dietary lifestyle that is based on foods being either in or out. In are the Paleolithic Era foods that we ate prior to agriculture and animal husbandry (meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, tree nuts, vegetables, roots, fruit, berries, mushrooms, etc.). Out are Neolithic Era foods that result from agriculture or animal husbandry (grains, dairy, beans/legumes, potatoes, sugar and fake foods).
There goes my Texas Roadhouse Rolls.

-The most vocal are the group that follows the paleo diet to get maximum athletic performance and health. Art DeVany was an early proponent of this. Then this group got a big boost with the publication in 2005 of The Paleo Diet for Athletes: A Nutritional Formula for Peak Athletic Performance by Loren Cordain and Joe Friel. Then the Crossfit: Forging Elite Fitness organization (with its 1,200 affiliates) picked up on it and incorporated the diet into their program. It is also becoming popular among triathletes.
Go CrossFitters!!

-Paleo Chicken recipe... i could so eat this!


Sautéd Orange Chicken with Ginger
---------------------------------
3 pounds chicken legs and/or thighs
pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup orange juice
2 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp dried basil
4 tsp lemon or lime juice (a substitute for vinegar in original recipe)


Season chicken with pepper. In a large fry pan, heat oil over medium heat.
Add chicken and cook, turning, until brown all over, about 10 minutes. Add
garlic and cook for one minute. Pour orange juice over chicken. Add orange
sections, ginger, lemon/lime juice, and basil. Stir well. Cover and simmer
for about 30 minutes, until chicken is tender.
Adapted from _365 Ways to Cook Chicken_ by Cheryl Sedaker

Well, there you have it.

Should i try it for a week or is it just a bunch of neanderthal nonsense??

Blisters, blunders and bombs

After a bit of a high from a satisfying half marathon, i expected roses and tulips the week after. Yeah right!

I used Sunday, as a normal recovery day. It was magical. I ate, i slept, i shmoosed, i vegitated. I had no guilt (as i usually do) and i felt like i deserved the well needed rest. I woke up a little sore but nothing out of the norm. I did have a blister the size of a silver dollar on my left foot but i didn't think much of it. It was painful but i thought with a day rest it should heal just fine. Yeah right!

Monday morning, i felt as if i could take on the world. My CrossFit trainer said i would. When your CF endurance trainer has a 2 day recovery from Iron Man, you listen. You listen good. So far she proved right. I had no soreness and i felt amazing. I got up at 5:45 am at my usual time and trained with my CrossFit class. My CF trainer yelled to the class, "13.1 miles on Saturday and Farrah is as fresh as a daisy." I said, "Yes sir", as i jerked myself down to run the last 400 m of the morning.

Now the horror... the blister from hell!!! As i was running my last 400m it popped... and it hurt. I came wobbeling home, peeled back my wet sock and wailed in horror. I felt as if my left foot had been cut off. Pain when i went to work, pain when i left work, pain when i got home... pain... pain... pain.

"You are going to have to stop runnin' and put your feet up for a while", my mamma said. "Oki doki mamma let me just tell you one thing, thats like telling me i can't breath or can't live. Let me just roll over and die then!" She stares at me as i have lost my marbles. I hate when non-runners...  don't run! I have a marathon in 5 weeks, and i don't have the luxury of putting my feet up. I think, rest and recovery and this thing is healed in a few days.

24 hours is a few days to a runner, right? So i did my 24 hours of rest and hated every minute of it, then sneaked in a CrossFit class this evening and bombed. My blister hurt, my endurance was crap, and i felt as if i didn't even care.

I guess the week after a high can't always be much higher.

My own calcutta today: Accepting an injury (even if it is an embarrassing one like a blister).

What do you use to prevent blisters??? Pleeeease tell.

1:58 Half Marathon

Best race experience eeeever! A big thanks goes to Candice from I Have Run! She was my rabbit, my pacer and she lead me to my goal... under 2:00. Thanks C.

It was a crazy experience. It's kind of like giving birth for the first time. You have to go over every detail in your mind, to secure the thought that it REALLY happened.

Tonight, sitting at my computer, it all feels like a dream. It would be amazing to go over every last detail, but unfortunately i would loose alot of readers after my initial excitement over pooping at 5am.

Sooo, i will spare you the gruesome details and give you some highlights instead.

-Pooping at 5am (so exciting!).

-Getting 2 hours of light sleep due to excitment and nerves.

-Meeting up with C and actually talking to someone i know before a race.

-Leaving C at mile 5 and going to the bathroom.

-Mile 8 Where is the freakin' water station. Havn't had my GU and i need water.

-Mile 10 Just a 5k and i'm home. Can i keep up this pace? I'm dying.

-Mile 11 I have to go pee again!?!?! Crap! Hit the porta and can't go. Mad that i wasted time.

-Mile 12 Really?.. only mile 12... i feel like i've been running since december? That girl is walking, why can't i walk. No... don't walk.

-Mile 12.5 Why did i sign up for a full marathon in June -am i nuts?!?! I am nuts.

-Mile 12.8 I see the holy grail... the finish line...kick it into gear Farrah.

-Mile 12.9 Crap! Where the heck did she come from (curly brunette cruising through on my right).

Mile 13. No you don't girl!! She starts racing me. I start racing her. I hear the crowd through the Justin Timerlake song on my nano. The crowd is cheering.

Adrenaline...adrenaline. I pump my legs as hard as i can. We are neck to neck. I'm thinking, "this is mine". She disapears as i cross the finish line. I can't breath... i am totally gone.

And that my friends is PAIN. But soooo much FUN! Where do i sign up for the next one?

My own calcutta today: Running a half marathon under 2 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanksgiving Point Half Marathon

Here goes nothing! I've never really understood that saying.

It's not nothing... it's 5 months of hard work and sweat about to pay off on a starting line.

It's not nothing... it's an amazing mix of nerves and excitement all at the same time.

It's not nothing... it's thee start of something bigger than myself.

So instead of here goes nothing... here goes something!

Holy krabby patties!



Sooo wish this was my butt

 I've been having a little irritation in my hamstring for the last 2 weeks and decided to contact 'Muscle Works' in Highland, as it was not getting better.

My therapist (Stacy) said i possibly pulled my left hamstring. The culprit: I've been bumping up my intervals, speed work and cross training the last 4 weeks. She also suspects my weak stomach muscles and glutes are to blame. She gave me some special glute exercises to do 15 minutes a day and then told me to take off my pants.

Just kidding.... "please place on these shorts and open the door when you are done" she whispered, as she exited the room.

The next 10 minutes where screamingly unbearable. Is that even a word -screamingly?!?
I shed a tear or two, bit my hand, wailed and i think i might have passed a little gas... sorry Stacy.

Holy krabby patties!!!! I've had deep tissue before but this is nothing like it. I kept saying to myself, never again. I'd rather have this freaky pain in my hamstring, then go back to this devil. I vow silently inside my head i will never return.

10 minutes later i feel no pain in my hamstring.

I have another apointment  on Friday and Wednesday. :)

Diary of a vacationing runner (part 2)

Diary of a vacationing runner continues...

Saturday: After my sprint up the jagged rocks, i end at thee most glorious sight. I've seen it many times before, yet it always stuns the eye. Tourist after tourist cram in to see the emerald falls, but the tourist irritate me, so i seek refruge high on the rocks. I climb up high into the hills and find the perfect rock, full of fresh spring moss and silence.

I meet up with Bob and Theresa 20 minutes later and deligate another route back down the mountain. It's a good choice..a very good choice. We end up seeing a spectacular view of the valley and river below.

After our short 3 mile walk down the mountain, we end at the Grotto trailhead. I waver on the decision of taking the shuttle to the nature center and running back to the hotel (3 miles) or running the whole way back to the hotel (10 miles). B and T suddenly remind me of the time, and suggest i take the 3 mile route. I smile and think, "speed work". I'll practice my negative split and try to run at a hard pace for the first 1.5 miles and then push it to the edge of the earth for the next 1.5 miles.

It fails. I come out to hard, and bomb at the end. I am STILL in Zion, i tell myself, and i am STILL feeling pretty darn good. I pat myself on the back and greet my in-laws.
I arrive in a panting sweaty mess, as they frown and tell me we are behind schedule. I go from wet/smelly/run to car. No time for a shower.


After our Emeralds Pool hike/run

Then from the car to the busseling lobby of the Monte Carlo. Soooo not fun when you look like a drowned rat that just failed at a negative split. At check in, i see to my right a group of girls in short evening dresses, perfect makeup and legs that went up to their necks. I feel very... smelly. I look the other way and think, "you've spent all day by the pool drinking fruity drinks, while i just hiked Zion - so there!" I feel better.

Run log: 9 miles

Sunday:

At 6 am i am fumbling out of bed trying to find my workout clothes. As i trip over my suitcase, i hear the voice of an angel. "Mommy, where are you going?" To run my sweet angel.. to run. Liv asks if she can come with me. I say sure. We sneak out of the room, making sure Bel is safe with my mother and father in law and then take the elevator down to the Monte Carlo gym.

"She can't come in", explains the rude receptionist. I guess you have to be 18 years old to enter the spa. We were headed to the gym, which is through the spa entrance. I try to convince her my little girl will not be bothering anyone, but she goes into a long explanation of rules and policies. I run Liv back up to the room with a smile and turn on cartoons.


Monte Carlo Gym

My medium run went out the window because i lost so much time, so i decided to work on my negative split again. This time it worked. The first 1.5 miles i kept a 9:00 min. pace and then the remaining 1.5 miles i kicked it up to a 8:35 min. pace. Not a world record but i feel like my CrossFit trainer might me onto something.
I was lucky enough to spend the rest of the day swimming with my girls, while my mother and father in-law saw the sights of LasVegas. One of these days i'm going to write a book about going to LasVegas with a handicap child. It will be a 1 page wonder. The one and only page will look something like this:
Advice on taking a down/autistic child to LasVegas....DON'T GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Those of you who have a special needs child know what i'm talkin' about if you've ever been to Vegas with them.


Farrah and Bel

I think i spent more time convincing Bel that she won't fall off of an elevator then seeing the sights. And then the other time, dodging all the stares that come with her melt downs and flip-outs when the noise and crowds got to be too much. I've learned one thing: keep it simple and swim.
Run Log: 3 miles (succesfull negative split)