Grin and "Bear" it: My First 100

When I first heard about the sport of ultra running, I thought it was a joke. I had just started running marathons, and I thought 26.2 miles was the ultimate distance. I didn't realize anything existed beyond that. 

One day I was visiting my parents and commented on a shirt my dad was wearing. It had the Bear 100 logo on the front. I asked him about it. His reply? "Oh, it's a crazy 100 mile race through the mountains that I help out with Ham Radios."

Our conversation went something like this...

Me: so it's a bike race?

Dad: no. It's a foot race. 

Me: oh, so it's a relay?

Dad: no. 

Me: (silence, followed by my jaw dropping) Oh. 

I couldn't understand how someone could run that far, let alone want to. 

Fast forward a few years. My marathon times were getting faster and faster. I could finally run a marathon under 4 hours. I wanted to keep challenging myself, but I wasn't sure I could go any faster. Maybe I should try going farther instead? My thoughts turned to my dad's t-shirt. One hundred miles still seemed way too crazy, but I took some wise advice and signed up for the Antelope Island 50k in 2013. I figured it would give me a taste of ultra running to see how I liked it. The day of the race was my first time on a trail. I absolutely fell in love with it and finished in a respectable 5:49. 

So I proved I could run 50k. The next question was whether or not I could run 50 miles. I signed up for the 50 mile Buffalo Run (also on Antelope Island) in early 2014.  The result: I finished in 10:05 and enjoyed every minute. 

So what was next? My thoughts turned again to my dad's shirt. Could I possibly run that far? I finally decided that the only way to find out was to try. So I set my sights on the 100 mile distance... But not just any 100. It had to be The Bear. 

I registered for the event and began a long summer of what I thought was adequate training. I also registered for El Vaquero Loco (50k) as I thought it would be a good training event in the mountains. The day of El Vaquero Loco finally came. I had never seen such a beautiful course...but it kicked my tail. It took me nearly 9 hours to complete it. I was frustrated. How could I handle 100 miles in the mountains if a 50k beat me up so badly? After speaking with some friends, I came up with a more aggressive training plan. I had 6 weeks to train and 1 week to taper. So, I hit it hard for 6 weeks and hoped it was enough. 

The closer the Bear got, the more nervous I became. I had no pacers, no crew, and didn't know how I was going to pull it off in my own. Then, angels were sent to my rescue. Two friends contacted me and offered to pace me. Larry Adams and Missy Berkel. Not only that, Missy also said she would bring Ann Hilton Stockham along to help pace. I was overwhelmed with gratitude, and my anxiety began to fade. 

Race weekend approached. I attended the pre-race briefing, grabbed a pizza in Logan, then spent the night at my parents house. I woke up feeling unusually calm and ready to get to work. 

The race kicked off promptly at 6:00 a.m.  I kicked on my headlamp and headed out into the darkness. As the mass moved down the street, around the corner, and up the hill, I hung back a bit so I wouldn't get caught too far up the Congo line in a pace I couldn't sustain when we hit the single track up the mountain. 

As the miles clicked off and the first light of morning came, we were treated with beautiful views of the valley below. By the time I made it to the ridge, it brought a few tears to my eyes. I was so thankful for the health and strength I had that allowed me to experience the beautiful mountains this way. 

After playing leapfrog with a guy in a kilt for awhile, I made it to the first aid station at mile 10.5 where I was rewarded with snacks and beverages. After a brief 30 second stop, I was back on the trail again, anxious to cover the next section of the course which I knew would include several miles of downhill through beautiful trees. It did not disappoint. The next section flew by, and before I knew it I had arrived at the Leatham Hollow aid station at mile 19.6. 

By this point, it was getting quite warm. I took a minute to fetch the drop bag I had waiting for me there and drenched myself in sunscreen. Then I topped off my water in my pack, pulled out a ziplock bag, and filled it with snacks from the main aid station table (pumpkin chocolate chip bread, PB&J sandwich, chips, grapes, etc). I checked out of the aid station and followed the dirt road up the canyon to the next aid station 3 miles away. I used the uphill sections to hike and eat my snacks and ran the downhill and the flats. I arrived at the next stop, Richards Hollow, feeling good but hot. A volunteer there gave me a wet wipe to clean the salty sweat off my face and then handed me more sunscreen. It felt so good to have a clean face again. 

The next section of the course was a little over 7 miles. I continued my strategy of eating snacks while hiking uphill and then running the descents, making sure to stay hydrated in the heat. When I arrived at the Cowley Canyon aid station about mile 30, a volunteer topped off my water with ice. It was the best thing ever. I filled my snack bag again and headed out again gulping that cold water. 

The next aid station was Right Hand Fork at mile 36.9, where I looked forward to seeing my crew for the first time. About halfway through this section, the sun finally went behind a cloud. It felt so good not having that hot sun beating down on me that I suddenly found my second wind. I was running, passing people, and generally just enjoying myself. I was greeted at the next stop to cheers from my crew. It was so good to see them. While I went to the bathroom, Missy and Ann topped off my water with ice again and filled my sandwich bag with more snacks. Then they sent me on my way, reminding me to stay hydrated and keep eating. 

I really don't remember much about the next section. I was still on a high from seeing my crew and feeling their energy. When I arrived at the next aid station at mile 45.2, I couldn't believe how good I felt. Missy and Ann were there waiting for me, and Missy was ready to start pacing me. They fetched my drop bag with my night gear and worked on restocking my pack while I changed into a long sleeved shirt. I was not ready to put on any if my other warm gear yet, so Ann packed it up to transport it to the next aid station at Tony Grove. I grabbed my headlamp. Then as we were getting ready to leave, the winds hit, and it started to sprinkle. We threw on our ponchos/garbage sacks and thought we would get drenched, but the rain stopped after about 2 minutes. So we took off our ponchos and continued in our way. 

It was fantastic having Missy accompany me for the next two sections of the course. Although we went through some tough climbs, I barely noticed it as we moved along, chatting, burping, and giggling. Upon arrival at Tony Grove, Missy and Ann went to work organizing my gear while I went to the bathroom. Then they sat me down in a chair and had me change my socks while several others shielded me with a blanket while I took of my running skirt and wiggled into some tights. After a cup of broth and a turkey sandwich, we were back on the trail again. 

The next section from mile 51.8 to 61.5 was fairly uneventful. I began to feel a little sleepy, so Missy cracked open the can of Coke she was carrying and we both took several swallows. It provided a much needed pick-me-up, and after a quick stop in the bushes to go potty and apply some Vaseline to a chaffed bum, we bounced down the trail again giggling and burping. 

When we arrived at Franklin Trailhead at mile 61.5, Ann was waiting. I had kicked my ankle several times and had developed a tiny sore spot, so Missy sat me down in a chair and taped up my ankle while Ann and others fetched food for me. It was like being part of a Nascar pit crew. Then I said goodbye to Missy and took off down the trail with Ann. 

It was during this next section that the rain/mudfest began. About halfway to Logan River at mile 68.8 that the heavens unleashed and the rain started pouring down. Luckily we got our ponchos on just in time. Unfortunately, it really slowed our pace having to deal with the rain and mud. We arrived at the next aid station and took shelter for a few minutes while I enjoyed more broth and a grilled cheese sandwich. At this point, I was still pretty warm and was wearing only tights, a long sleeved shirt, and a plastic poncho. 

We headed back out into the storm and made our way to the next aid station at Beaver Lodge, mile 75.9. I seriously could not believe how good I felt. We arrived shortly after 5:00 a.m. and we're welcomed with cheers from our crew and friends. My next pacer, Larry Adams was waiting with a smile and lots of energy. My crew sat me down and removed my shoes and socks to check for damage. We found a blister on my toe. So Missy went to work cleaning up the blister while Larry washed and dried my feet and Ann fetched more broth and snacks. In no time, I was out the door again. 

Up until this point, I was still pretty warm, and knowing that dawn was coming shortly, I opted not to take a jacket or gloves, as I had not used them all night. (In hindsight, that was a mistake. The constant rain eventually cooled my body, and I got cold.) So far the rain and mud were little more than an annoyance. I had no idea it would get worse...much worse. 

Larry was a great pacer. We're made fantastic time over the next few miles. Then the mud got bad. Really, really bad. It was so ridiculously bad that you just had to laugh it off so you wouldn't get frustrated. By the time we reached the final aid station at mile 92.5, I was really wishing I had not left my gloves and jacket with my crew. I knew I needed to warm my body, so I sat down for a minute by a heater and asked a volunteer if they had a spare garbage sack I could have to wear as an extra layer. They fetched one for me and proceeded to cut a hole in it for my head. As I headed back out in the trail, I could tell it helped immensely. 

Unfortunately the mud was unforgiving and slowed my pace down to a literal crawl. I fell more times than I could count that last stretch as I walked/slid nearly the rest of the way to the finish. 

Yes, I eventually made it to the finish line (a few hours later than I originally thought), but I was greeted with cheers from family and friends. The best feeling ever! Overall, the Bear 100 was a great experience, and I learned a lot about myself. 

#1.  I can do hard things. 

#2.  Having a good attitude will get you through some really tough times.

Many, many, many thanks to my wonderful team and to my family and friends supporting me from home. I could not have done this without you!

 

El Vaquero Loco: A Family Affair

When I first signed up for El Vaquero Loco, I did so for two reasons:
1.  The pictures of the course were stunning.
2.  I figured it would be good training for the Bear 100, which I plan to run in September

The fact that they offered hoodies instead of t-shirts and fed you burgers and huckleberry soda at the finish line were also selling points.  The website specifically said this was a "difficult wilderness race", but I didn't let that scare me away.

We originally planned to leave the kids with Grandma and Grandpa for the night.  As the race approached and we realized it wouldn't be an option, we made plans to take them with us and camp at the starting line at Cottonwood Lake.

The day before the race, we loaded up the plane and flew the quick hour to Afton, Wyoming, where we had a rental car waiting for us.  We unloaded the plane, loaded the car, and drove to the campground about 13 miles away.  After a quick lunch, we set up camp and decided to go for a drive to explore the area.  We drove back to Afton and up a different canyon, where we parked to do a short hike to Intermittent Springs.  The kids enjoyed throwing rocks in the water as we walked along.  It was a great afternoon.

When we finished the hike, we drove back into town and feasted on pizza and breadsticks at Pizza Hut.  Tyler drank two full glasses of pink lemonade, and I began to worry that his diaper would need to be changed before we got back to camp. (I forgot to grab one from the tent before we left.)  We finished dinner and headed to the county fair two blocks away so the kids could experience their first carnival.

Adam had big plans to ride the adult rides with Cory, but we wisely chose to start him off on a kiddie roller coaster with Sadie.  One lap around the circle, and the operator stopped the ride because Adam's eyes were as big as saucers, and he didn't appear to be enjoying himself.  Sadie finished the ride without him.  After that, the only thing he rode was the carousel.  Tyler, on the other hand, fell in love with the bumblebee ride and couldn't get enough of it.  

After spending all our ride tickets, we grabbed a sack of cotton candy and headed for the car with a storm approaching.  As we reached the car, Cory put his hand in his pocket to get the keys and discovered three more tickets.  As we stood there deciding what to do with them, I looked over at Tyler and could see his very full diaper dripping on the asphalt.  I pulled his shorts down, removed the diaper, and we headed to the restroom to wipe his legs off while Cory looked around to see what we could spend those last three tickets on.  Luckily Tyler's shorts were dry.  So, I cleaned his legs up and put the shorts back on without a diaper, and we went to find Cory.  He decided to let Tyler spend the last three tickets on the bumblebee ride.  So a very excited little boy climbed into a bee one last time. After a quick stop at the grocery store, we headed back to camp, where I strapped a diaper on my little boy, and everyone got ready for bed.

Bright and early the next morning, I quietly got ready and ate my breakfast before kissing Cory goodbye and walking to the starting line.  At 6:00 a.m. we were off.  It was light enough to see where we were going, but still dark enough to be a little chilly at the start.  When I came to the first stream crossing about a mile into the race, I carefully stepped on the rocks and I crossed in order to keep my feet out of the icy water.  As I stepped on the last rock, however, my foot slipped just enough to dip my foot partially into the water.  So much for keeping my feet dry....  Another mile or so into the race, I could hear sheep up on the hills to our left.  I looked up and could see a huge herd of sheep with their shepherds and dogs.  It was a pretty cool sight.  Another mile or two, and we hit our first summit around 10,000 feet.  I stopped to take my outer shirt off and enjoy the view.  Absolutely stunning.

As the race progressed, I chatted with other runners along the way and stopped occasionally to take pictures.  The wildflowers were the prettiest I had ever seen, and I was really enjoying myself.  Before I knew it, I was already approaching Corral Creek Lake at mile 7.5.  After a very nasty climb out of the basin the lake sits in back up to 10,000 feet, I began the 8 mile descent to the turn around point at mile 16 (elevation 6,800ish feet).  I couldn't help but think of what a difficult climb it would be on the return trip, but in the meantime, I enjoyed the spectacular views.

As I approached the turnaround point, a fellow runner told me to check out the waterfall on my left.  I turned the corner and looked across the canyon, I suddenly knew exactly where I was.  It was the same waterfall I had hiked to the previous day, only now I was seeing it from the opposite side of the canyon and much higher up.  I continued to follow the trail to the aid station, which then began to drop....right into the parking lot I had parked at the previous day.  Tables were set up with all kinds of goodies.  PB&J sandwiches, Nutella rollups, pumpkin pie, grapes, watermelon, chips, cookies, candy, etc.  I refilled my hydration vest, grabbed a bite to eat, and headed back out on the trail.

The return trip was not easy.  In fact, it was pretty dang tough.  I looked forward to each aid station, where I thanked the volunteers profusely for being there, as they had to backpack or horseback all the supplies in and spend the night in the rain.  I even began to look forward to the stream crossings, where I would wade across, soaking my feet and dipping my hat in the water before putting it back on.  Despite the tough climbs and the muddy spots, my legs held up pretty well until the final 3-4 mile descent, where they really began to feel fatigued.  At last, I could see the finish line, and I could hear my little family cheering for me.  What a good feeling.

Let me just say, the website was not kidding. This really was a difficult wilderness race.  I didn't complete it as fast as I would have liked, but I did finish. Out of 104 finishers, I placed 69th. (Yes, a handful of people dropped out.) And out of 27 female finishers, I placed 15th.

Me, 3 kids, and a dog

I survived the first week of summer vacation! It wasn't easy. It was full of baseball games, a picnic, a trip to the water park, play dates, and more. It was downright chaotic at times, but I made it through with most of my sanity intact. And I did it despite sending Cory back to work and helping Adam watch the neighbor's dog while they were on vacation.

Yes, we have become official dog watchers. When the neighbors approached Adam about it, they said they would pay him $2 a day to do the following:

1. Go over to their house in the morning and let the dog out of the laundry room where she sleeps. 

2. Water the plants on the front porch. 

3.  Go over at night and put the dog in the laundry room to sleep. 

4. (Optional) take the dog for a walk. 

It all sounded so simple. I figured Adam could handle it with my help. So we agreed. It has now been 72 hours since we started. Adam, Sadie, and Tyler are enjoying the dog experience immensely, but I am worn out. The simple tasks we were given are not so simple with three kids in tow. I guess you could say I'm in no hurry to get a dog of our own. 

As instructed, we have walked across the street every morning to let Maggie out of her room. The kids squeal with delight as the dog jumps all over them. With the task complete, I am ready to head home, but the kids follow the dog into the backyard and start playing fetch. Poor Maggie is so confused with three kids running all over the yard, each throwing a different doggie toy. She doesn't know which toy to chase. So instead of coming right home, I spend part of my morning impatiently watching the chaos in the neighbor's backyard. When I am finally able to pull the kids away, we shut the fence and walk out front for Adam to water the flowers before we leave. 

Now, technically we are done with dog responsibilities until bedtime, but on the first day, we ended up back at the neighbors in the afternoon to play fetch. Then we went back again after dinner to take the little dog for a walk (which was quite the ordeal with three kids). Picture Adam holding the leash, Tyler running after him, and Sadie all over the place on her bike getting tangled up in the leash as the dog stopped on every other lawn to sniff and paw the grass. Let's just say that first day wore me out. After we had story time, put the dog and the kids to bed, I was ready to collapse. 

Day number two was easier. We cut out the afternoon game of fetch, but the evening walk was still a bit of a circus.

Day number three was just plain busy. Between the morning trip to the neighbor's, my workout, and an afternoon play date at our house. We were swamped. When the parents came to pick up the friend, they stayed awhile to chat, so we were late having dinner, late for the evening dog walk/game of fetch, and late for the Saturday night bath. As I herded the kids in the house for bath time, the phone rang. So as I'm trying to talk on the phone and get bath water going, kids are stripping off clothes. Then Tyler proceeds to pee all over the floor. I managed to get the mess cleaned up and the kids bathed before hurrying downstairs to fix milk before storytime. 

The evening is finally winding down. All three kids and the dog are now in bed. I guess I'm not the only one who's had a big week. Two kids fell asleep during storytime...

Well, by this time tomorrow, the neighbors will be home, and our dog watching job will be over. I'm glad the kids had the experience of taking care of a pet, but I'm ready to have one less thing on my plate. If the rest of my summer is as busy as this week has been, I may have to start drinking caffeinated soda. :)

Ogden Marathon Recap

This past weekend, I ran the Ogden Marathon for the third time. I just love that course. It is such a beautiful canyon. I won't bore you with every little detail of the race, but here is a brief recap. 

Leading up to the race, I wasn't sure how my body would perform.  For several weeks, I had been doing one long run per week (15-22 miles long), maybe a couple of short runs, and a lot of elliptical workouts.  I felt pretty confident I could handle the distance since it had only been 2 months since my 50-mile ultra, but I was nervous about the speed.  I hadn't been doing speed workouts like I had before my previous marathon.  On top of that, the weather forecast the day of the race was expected to be hot, which isn't great news for me.  I do better in cooler temperatures.  I decided to just do my best and if the heat got to me, I would slow down.

The morning of the race, I woke up at 3:45, got ready, and headed to downtown Ogden with my neighbor to catch the bus to the starting line.  The next few hours were pretty uneventful.  We arrived at the start, got in line for the porta potties, and stood by the fires to keep warm while we ate breakfast.  After the national anthem, I shed my sweat pants and jacket and said wished my neighbor good luck.  Then I lined up with the runners expecting to finish in approximately 4 hours.

The first few miles passed quickly.  I shed my arm warmers at mile 2, and by mile 4 I was already starting to sweat.  It was just about then, that I heard the guy next to me say my name.  I looked over and saw a friend of mine that lives in my neighborhood.  He is an avid runner and has done several 100 mile races.  I expected him to be way ahead of me, so I was thrilled to see that I was keeping up with him.  We chatted for a few minutes, then I pulled ahead...fully expecting to see him around mile 20 or so when I was getting tired and he would be just warming up.  :)

With each aid station that passed, I found myself in a new group of runners.  While others around me stopped for drinks, I was able to keep running thanks to the bottles I had filled on my running belt.  When I hit the halfway mark at 1:50:35, I knew I had a good shot at coming in under 4 hours.  In the previous marathon I ran, I hit the halfway mark at 1:51, and the rest of the race was somewhat flat.  Since I still had the canyon to run through, which was downhill, I knew it would help me keep my speed up.  The only problem was that I was starting to feel some chaffing between my legs.  At mile 15, I finally pulled over long enough to smear Vaseline between my legs to keep them from chaffing more.  A few miles later, I heard an airplane and looked up.  It was Cory and kids going for a ride.  They were flying over the course watching the race. 

As the second half of the marathon progressed, it started getting HOT outside.  I started grabbing drinks at some of the aid stations to keep me hydrated, since the fluids in my bottles were getting low. With only a few miles to go.  I knew for certain I would beat my previous time.  I crossed the finish line at 3:54:42.  After receiving my medal and having my picture taken, I found some shade where I could call Cory and eat a Creamie while watching others cross the finish line.  The friend that I passed around mile 4 came in 30 minutes behind me, while my neighbor came in 45 minutes behind me.

So, in case you're wondering, here are my stats from the race:

I finished 648 out of 2540 overall runners.  I know it doesn't sound all that impressive, but it's the top 25%.
I finished 217 out 1245 female runners.  The sounds slightly more impressive.  It's the top 17%.
Lastly, I finished 68 out of 327 in my division.  The is the top 21%.

So here I am 3 days post marathon.  My legs are recovering and I can finally go up and down stairs again without difficulty.  I was feeling pretty good about myself until I heard that my ultra friend that finished 30 minutes behind me has already logged 34 miles the past three days.  I haven't even attempted running yet.  I guess I have some work to do before I will be ready to run 100 milers like him.  The Bear 100 is only 4 months away, so I better training.

General Conference at the Wolf House

General Conference at the Wolf House is usually a joke.  In the past, I have tried to sit on the couch and listen while kids run in and out of the room screaming.  Obviously I wouldn't get much out of it.  While one child would yell at me to get them a drink, another child would cry over being hit or kicked.  Between breaking up fights and changing diapers, I would get pulled in various directions all over the house and essentially miss most of conference.  This time, however, I was determined to make a change, and I think I may have found the secret to success.  Bribery.

I took a last minute trip to the Dollar Store on Saturday afternoon and spent a few dollars on supplies.  Then, I came home and assembled five "speaker" bags, which I labeled with numbers.  Inside each bag, I placed three items (one for each child).

When it was time for conference to start this morning, I explained to the kids what the bags were for.  As speaker #1 started their talk, I instructed one of the kids to grab the bag with #1 labeled on it.  Inside the bag was a little surprise to keep them busy and quiet for a few minutes.  Then, when speaker #2 got up, we opened the second bag.  And so on.

Here's what I put in the bags...
1.  fruit snacks
2.  a new puzzle for each child
3.  a small treat
4.  playdough (different color for each child)
5.  money (a quarter for each child)

The kids were so excited about opening each bag that they were actually pretty good between bag openings. I was able to listen to most of the Sunday morning session.  I did miss one speaker while helping each child with parts of their puzzle, but overall I am thrilled with how it went.  I turned a dreaded event in our house to something more enjoyable for everyone, and I think the kids will actually look forward to conference in the fall.  Their only complaint was that I didn't quite have enough bags to last the whole session.  :)

Buffalo Run 50-mile Recap

Famous poet T.S. Eliot once wrote, "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."

As I prepared to run the longest race of my life, I did not believe it was too far for me. Never did I question whether or not I would be able to finish. As the day drew closer, however, the odds started to stack up against me. 

Two days before the race, my sinuses started draining. I started pounding vitamins and fluids into my system, and I crossed my fingers that it wouldn't keep me from the starting line. For two days I stressed over it, but the morning of the race I woke up feeling somewhat normal. I got ready, ate breakfast, and headed to the starting line. Unfortunately, I underestimated how long it would take me to get there, and I nearly missed the start of the race. I arrived with 4 minutes to spare! As I stood at the starting line with the other runners, I turned on my GPS watch and waited for the satellites to acquire. As the race director signaled the start of the race, the runners took off and left me still standing there waiting for my watch to aquire. When it finally did, I immediately took off and tried to catch up with the pack. I knew I couldn't take off to fast, or I would wear myself out, but slowly I began to pass runner after runner as we climbed the hill. 

Approximately 4 to 4.5 miles into the race I looked down at my watch with my headlamp to check my average pace and realized that in all the frenzy I forgot to push the start button! Oh well, nothing I could so about it now. I hurried and pushed the start button to track my distance and pace from that point forward. 

As I reached the Elephant Head aid station at mile 5.5, I stopped to locate my drop bag that was to be waiting for me there. I wanted to put my outer jacket and head lamp in the bag so that I wouldn't be carrying them, but I was surprised to find that my drop bag was not there. I must have arrived to late to have it transported. Oh well. Nothing I could so about it now. I tied the jacket around my waist and resumed the course. Five minutes later, I tripped on a rock and fell hard on the trail, bruising my shoulder, my knee, and my pride. Come on! Can't I catch a break? I was beginning to wonder if my bad luck would continue the rest of the race, but fortunately thing started to turn around. 

I finished the first half of the race much faster than I anticipated, in spite of my deliberate efforts not to push myself to hard and my nose running like crazy. The second half of the course took us back past the starting line before continuing on the east side if the island. Lucky for me, I ran right past my car, so I stopped long enough to toss the jacket and headlamp in the car and continued on. 

As the miles continued to click off, I did some quick calculations in my head and began to get a little concerned that I would make it to the ranch before Cory arrived to pace me the last 17 miles. Sure enough, I got to the aid station early and he was nowhere to be found. I took a few minutes to go to the bathroom and grab a quesadilla. Then, while looking around one final time before heading back on the trail, I finally spot Cory.  Just think, if I hadn't of started the race a minute late and hadn't of fallen down, I may have completely missed him. 

Anyway, for the next 17 miles, he was great company. We talked, ran, and enjoyed the time together. The last mile of the race, when I was getting tired and may have slowed down on my own, his encouragement kept me going to the end. We crossed the finish line with cheers and congratulations from complete strangers and friends. 

My final time was 10 hours, 5 minutes, and 34 seconds. It was good enough to make the top half of all competitors, 7th place in my age group, and 11th for overall females. I couldn't be more pleased. 

So now I have proven that I can run 50 miles. The only question that remains is whether or not I can go even farther.  I guess the only way to find out is to try!

Outsmarting a 2-year-old

Kids these days are smart. Real smart. So smart, in fact, that in recent years NBC broadcast a game show called "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader. "

In this game, a single contestant attempted to answer ten questions (plus a final bonus question). Questions were taken from elementary school textbooks, two from each grade level from first to fifth. Each correct answer increased the amount of money the player won, with a maximum cash prize of $1,000,000. Along the way, the player could be assisted by a "classmate", one of five school-age cast members, in answering the questions. Notably, upon getting an answer incorrect or deciding to prematurely end the game, the contestant must state that he or she is "not smarter than a 5th grader."

This is how I have been feeling lately, except it is a 2-year-old I have been up against, and sadly, the 2-year-old has been winning. However, yesterday I had a moment of brilliance which turned the game in my favor. Before I tell you about it, let me begin with some background. 

After Tyler turned 2, I decided it was time to make some changes in his room. I got rid of his crib and changing table, put in a toddler bed, painted the walls, and installed shutters to transform the space to a cute little boy room. I've been very pleased with the results. 

See before. 

See after. 

Although his room turned out great, I've been dealing with a hurdle ever since. Now that Tyler can get out of bed himself, he does. Frequently. Sometimes several times a night. For awhile I tried locking his door. That worked pretty well, until he learned how to unlock it. Then my troubles began again. Finally after weeks of not sleeping much, I had a moment of clarity. I drove straight to Lowe's and bought a new door knob that would be hard for him to open. 

I installed the new door knob yesterday, and I've got to say that last night was the best nights sleep I've had in a long time. I slept so well that it didn't even bother me when Tyler gave me a dirty look this morning when he woke up.

I should be ashamed of myself for being so proud that I outsmarted my toddler, but I'm not. :)