The kick off to an amazing summer

Holy shmoly I haven't written on my blog since FEBRUARY! I totally suck at blogging. I have done a TON since my last blog post and haven't written a stitch about it. It's alright though because I have an inkling that not very many people even read or know I have a blog. HA.

Ok so guess what? It's SUMMER! I am really pleased with the weather lately, and my tan. I have been waiting for the exciting month of June for a long time. This month is full of exciting things. First weekend was family reunion with all my friends in Salt Lake. I made a pretty big decision and moved from Park City and to the big city of Salt Lake! I am still trying to get used to the city. I've never lived in a city before and I lack the savyness. Hopefully that comes with time. I decided to move to be closer to the social scene and also because I plan on going back to school in the fall. I love PC so much so it has been kind of difficult but I think after I get used to everything I won't be sad that I moved. So I did all that busy stuff and then this weekend is Ragnar! You know that race I was supposed to be training for since Feb. Go ahead, ask me if I am ready. I'm not. If you don't know what Ragnar is let me give ya the low down. Ragnar is a relay race on a team of 12 people. There are Ragnars held all over the U.S. but this one in particular is call the Wastach Back Relay and my team of 12 will be running from Logan to Park City. That's 188 miles in 24 hours people. It's my 4th year participating and every year I tell myself I am going to be in better shape next year and then the next year comes and I am NOT in anywhere near the shape I should be in. So that's cool. I am trying to get in as many running sessions as I can before Friday and I am praying to the running gods above that I will make it through that tough 24 hours. Send good luck vibes my way!

After the race I will be rewarding myself with a Ray Lamontagne and more importantly Brandi Carlile concert! Ahhh I just love them both but I am still dreaming of the day when Brandi Carlile comes and sits on my lap and asks me to be her wife. I just can't wait to hear the sweet sounds of Brandi and Ray. It's gonna be EPIC!

After Ragnar and Brandi, 2 days later my brother comes home from his LDS misson where he has been serving in Tijuana, Mexico. It is so weird that he is going to be coming home in just a few days! I am freaking out about it. This kid is my BFF. We grew up together super close, we did everything together. On one side I feel like it has been years since I have seen him and on the other side I can't even believe it has been 2 years. Time flies! My parents are planning on picking me up and then we will all go and pick up the bro from the airport! I plan on standing there with the cheesy "Welcome Home Elder!" sign and everything. After the airport we will probably go to some place and have a huge dinner with all the family and extended family and I will eat my weight in delicious food. After the welcome home feast I will travel with the whole fam back to the home town of Roosevelt where I will stay for week hanging out with the bro and laying out at the pool. It's like my summer vacation and its gonna be awesome!
Shoot and after all of that excitement June will be over! I just know that this is going to be an amazing summer! I hope you all are enjoying yours as much as I am enjoying mine :)

xoxo
shasta

Inspiration

I'm one month into my marathon training. I still psych myself out on the long weekend runs. The biggest person in my way is myself on those long runs. The hardest part for me is putting my running shoes on and getting out the door. Once I step out of my way and just go it gets a lot easier. I may not be able to run as far as my marathon training schedule says I should run but I am getting there. It may be slowly but I can see myself getting stronger and that is exciting. I found this typography on the internet and it was some great inspiration. I imagine myself getting stronger and my runs getting longer. I am excited for February to be over and and for the weather to get warmer. I am so looking forward to long, scenic trail runs. I am looking forward to being able to call myself a runner and an athelet. I am looking forward to becoming a healthier verson of myself. I am looking forward. 

  -Peace and love my friends. 



February is like a box of chocolate covered cockroaches.

To me the month of February is like an upset stomach that pepto won't fix. The difference between a stomach ache and February is that February lasts 28 days long. I am certain that whoever decided how many days would be in a month, the committee all agreed on making February the shortest month in hopes to help decrease the torture that this second month of the year brings upon people. Even though this is the shortest month of the year it might as well be 128 days long because that is how long this month feels to me. Let me break the months down for you in my opinion.

January: A new year yay! We made it through another year and the new year always means fresh starts and new beginnings. And I am enjoying all the snow to play in. Snowboarding, snow shoeing, skate skiing and so forth.

February: Ok I am sick of my new years resolusions, or I haven't even started any of my new years resolutions, it's the 4th month of winter and I am getting tired of the cold. February also holds the worst holiday of the year, Valentine's Day. The day you can show your "significant other" how much they mean to you by buying them roses and chocolate and taking them out to an expensive dinner. I don't know who decided there needed to be a day especically for telling the person you are into how much they mean to you, but I find it completely asinine. That person should be told and treated that way more than just once a year and I don't find the need for the day of love. Now, I don't know if I have any rights to actually say this because I have never really had a Valentine and who knows, maybe that is why I am so bitter.

March: Hooray we made it through February! And I can smell and feel spring in the air. It is practically as if I had been born again.

April: The air is warm and the trees and flowers are starting to bud. I can see life again!

May: I just wanna get myself outside all day erryday. Feel the warm sun on my face! May is the whipped topping on top of a dessert of summer.

June-August: Summa summa summa tiiimeee! Enough said.

September-November: My personal favorite time of the year, fall. Always a perfect ending to a blissful summer.

December: Christmas and family. Thank the Lord for Christmas in December because if it didn't have presents then December would come in a close second to February.

The reasons stated above are not the only reasons I hate February. Besides me always having a hard time remembering how to spell the month I also am at whits end of winter. I am ready for sunny days and warm weather. Winter is my second favorite month of the year so I know you are wondering why I wouldn't be taking in each day as if it were the last of the season, but I am not. And in Park City there are still the best months of snow to come, March and April. I am tired of running in a gym on a treadmill and want to run outside where I don't have to worry about snow packed sidewalks and trails.
      That being said, I had an amazing day yesterday at The Canyons resort with one of my bests. We went snowboarding in fresh powder and it did improve my seasonal blues. Thank goodness February is more than half over and I have some spring pow pow and a warm Salt Lake to look forward to.

A huge step into the dark

OMG I actually signed up for a marathon. For the past 3 years I have set a goal to run a full marathon but never actually have followed through. Well as of today, February 1, 2011 I have paid my money and have signed up to run 26.2 miles. Now, this isn't just any marathon, it's 26.2 miles of gnarly trail running. That's right folks I lost my mind and signed up for something harder than just a plain ol' marathon. I paid money to run the Triple Trail Challenge.  This triple threat includes a 16 mile race up to Jupiter peak at Park City Mountain resort that goes straight up and and comes right back down and I will be making a total climb of 3,000 ft. Two weeks later I will participate in the Park City half marathon. I plan to be in MUCH better shape for that half than the half I ran last summer where I couldn't walk normal for the following 3 days. And last but certainly not least on September 10 I will be running the Park City Mid Mountain marathon. This includes a full marathon along the tops of the mountains in Park City. Last week I was seriously thinking about if I really wanted to do this race and if I actually could do it. My final thoughts were "I am 23 and in very good health, there is absolutely no reason I could not do this." Plus I get a sweet jacket after finishing which totally gives me braggng rights. So here we go, starting this year off right by reaching high for this giant goal. I challenge each and everyone of you to take a leap of faith and jump into your fears and reach for that goal you never though possible to achieve. If you die at least you die trying!Wish me luck everyone and cheers to becoming a better you!

Works you from head to toe

I did it! I found the best cardio workout you can do in the winter outside! It's called nordic skate skiing and I am OBSESSED!  Nordic cross country skate skiing takes place on very long narrow skis, and poles almost as tall as me. Skate skiing involves a weight transfer onto one ski angled and then the other, supported by the inner edge of the ski on the snow, which looks similar to an ice skater. Not only has this sport shown me how out of shape I am it has also shown me how fun working on my endurance can be. Last winter I tried skate skiing twice and knew I loved it but never bought my own equipment and then winter 2010 turned into summer 2010 in the blink of an eye. A few people I work with skate ski and so I made the decision to get my own gear and get out there and give it a try, because I knew that I would always have people to go with and have people there to give me pointers. My first time out on the ski's I went with my roommates, who are both professional athletes. I fell, and then I fell, and then I fell again, giving my roommates a lot to laugh about. I told them I am a professional faller. However it didn't discourage me, I have been out twice since last week's first time out and I plan on going again today and a few more times this week. The great thing about living in Park City is that everyone like to be out and be active, which makes for a lot of places outdoors to get out and be active. There are more than just one place to go but my personal favorite is a free groomed track with more than 10k of trails to skate on, and the best part is that is is right next door to the hospital where I work. So when I work noon to midnight shifts I just get my gear ready and go for an hour before I work then shower and get ready for work at the hospital. Right now I can't go for very long before I get winded and have to take a little breathing break. But I know the more I go the better my endurance, and booty, will become. I have big goals to be in shape this summer and this new found sport of skate skiing is helping me along just great! So, if you are looking for a fun new way to get outside and a killer workout to boot; look no further than XC-skate skiing!

(2 of my best friends and roommates)

Easy like Sunday morning

   Since I opened my eyes this morning I have been so full of sunshine and happiness. I don't know what it is, woke up on the right side of the bed this morning? Had some kind of amazing dream that I can't remember? Maybe it is my roommate Blair, who is making but  gingerbread in the kitchen and now the whole house smells like we are burning the most delicious candle. Except this is way better than a candle because I get to taste test where the smell is coming from. I can't be sure what it is exactly that made me in such a good mood today but all I can think is that I need to blog it out! I follow a blog on tumblr.com written by an artist by the name of Tristan Prettyman. Have you heard of her? She is so great, so happy about life! Check her out here...

http://icecreamisbetterwithafork.tumblr.com

Anyway I was looking at her blog this morning and I read one of her entries where she asked the question "What is so great about being you?" then goes on to write about actually opening up and realizing what is so great about just being Y O U. She then challenges everyone that reads it to open up and say what they think is so rad about themselves. I feel like today is the day to do just that, right here, sitting on my couch in my pj's with some yummy coffee in hand.
   In all honesty I sincerely love me. I love where I am today. Sure there are things I want to improve on, but who doesn't? We should constantly be working on improving ourselves. But today I am satisfied with myself. I have a great outlook on life and I make people happy, I make people smile. I am a nice person and I would do anything to help a fellow being out. I am proud of the things I have accomplished! I have a career that I love and still have the drive to continue to learn and grow in my profession. I haven't lost sight of my goals, and I love that. I am tidy, I like to keep things clean. Not just physically but mentally as well I am healthy and believe in treating my body right. I only have this body I have now and I plan on keeping it as long as I can. I am active! I don't sit around and stay sedentary. I keep moving. I use what I have been given. I surround myself with good friends and positive people. I have an amazing family and parents. I grew up learning the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. I have been taught how to be an ethical person, and for that, I am so thankful. When I was a kid I don't think this is where I thought I would be, my life is way different than I had imagined. I always had a 5 year plan. A plan with what I wanted to do in school and my career, all of which I have accomplished.. Never really thought about myself socially. Even though it is different that what had anticipated I am not disappointed in the slightest. I know some rad peeps and I plan to keep meeting new and exciting people. Life is an amazing novel. I am in love with the mystery of it, and I can't wait to see what is on the next page. In the words of TP, I've got nothing but love and I'm sending it your way! Like Tristan challenged me, I am challenging all of you out in blogger world. What is so great about being you? Let it out!

Peace, Love and Happiness my friends.

Hello, 2011

       Christmas has come and gone in what feels like a matter of seconds. And so has the last 4 years of my life. I just can't get over how fast time is moving. It's uncomfortable for me and I would love for my life to just slow down for a little while. My brother who has been living in Mexico for the past year and a half is going to be coming home in 6 months. I feel like it was just last summer that he left. And now the new year 2011 is only a few days away. Which means it's time to make my resolutions. I used to be anti new years goals because I never reached any of the goals I set and it just became a big disappointment for me. But now more than anything I want myself to mature and reach goals and become proud of the things I have accomplished. If I could put a title on my year 2010 it would be called "Take the Year Off". I took 2010 to just sit back and relax. I did a whole lot of playing and I did a real good job at it. Now with this new year 2011 I want to set some high goals and actually reach them. I really want to feel that feeling of accomplishment. And feel proud of myself again. So here it goes... My 2011 New Years Resolutions

• Run a full marathon. All 26.2 miles.
• This has been a goal of mine for the past 2 years. I think it's about time to actually make it happen. If my 49 year old mother can run a marathon, then there is no reason for me to not.
• Learn Spanish
• I bought Rosetta Stone, now its time for me to actually learn the language. I have always wanted to know another language and knowing spanish would help me out so much at my job. Also I could speak it with my bro, which would be pretty sweet.
• Save 5,000.
• 5 grand into savings. Pretty self-explanitory. I have a good job, this should be cake. It's all about budgeting. Which is another goal of mine...
• Stick to the budget.
• I need to watch what I am spending my money on. Be more aware of where the $$$ is going. Save it for the more important things.
• Learn the guitar.
• For the past, oh say, 4 years, I have been trying to teach myself how to play the guitar. I don't know why I can't just commit to 20 minutes a day! So I think 2011 should be the year I actually get my music thang on.
• Start my bachelor's program.
• I'm not getting any younger, and the older you get the harder it is to go back to school. As much as I don't want to, I guess I'll just get over it and take out a loan for school.

That's it that's all. And that is actually a lot. I probably won't reach all my goals. I rarely do. However, if I do reach my new years resolutions I feel like 2011 will be a rockin' year.

Happy New Years Everyone!