My Dreams. My Loves. My Life.

St. George Half Marathon Results

2012-01-26T19:02:00.006-07:00

Our St. George pacing team

Some readers may remember a few months ago I was offered the amazing opportunity to pace for the American Flyers, and St. George was our first race for the season. I have been quite giddy about pacing this year as it allows me to run races I wouldn't sign up for normally. Take St. George- I wouldn't be inclined to book a hotel room and pay a hefty registration fee to run a primarily uphill course. And let's be real folks, I live in Utah. A state where on any given Saturday you can find at least five races with a 20 mile radius. Why would I travel for a measly 13.1 miles? But as a pacer, our registration fee is waived and for destination races, like St. George, lodging is provided.

Given the mostly uphill course of St. George, I choose to pace 2:20. Pacers have to be able to run at least 20 minutes faster than their pace time so while I was tempted to snag the 2:10 spot, I thought I'd play it safe and take the 2:20. Another eventful thing happened over the race weekend: Utah got its first real snowstorm of the year. I was pretty excited to ski the fresh powder Friday morning (I'm almost half way through my ski challenge!) then head down to sunny St. George. But the joke was on me. While it had been 60 degrees Friday when I arrived, the Saturday morning temperatures plummeted and the rain clouds rolled in. I really can't complain because I truthfully enjoy running in the rain and snow, but oh boy, I was getting chilly after 13 miles! Even though I was sopping wet, I crossed that finish line at exactly 2:18:30! Woohoo!

Our pacing group has already lined up to pace four more races this spring, but sadly one race is the same weekend we'll be in Vegas while another race is going on while Troy and I will be soaking up rays in the Florida keys. I am, however, signed up to pace the 2:20 again in the Riverton Half this March. Yay! This is going to be the best running season yet!

Rail Trail Snowshoe 5K Results

2012-01-22T12:57:00.003-07:00

After almost three months of winter produced only about 6 inches of snow the Rail Trail 5K had to nix the snowshoes and hold a regular 5K instead. This course is an out and back--1.55 miles downhill, 1.55 uphill. Even though the snow coverage was too thin for snowshoes or spikes, the entire course was still snow/ice packed. I approached it cautiously since I was pacing a half marathon a week later, and the last thing I want to do is start my racing season off with an injury. It wasn't until half way through the race I realized I forgot to delete the auto pause function on my Garmin. Duh. A few days prior I had been doing sprints, and had my watch programmed to stop when, during my recovery time, my pace was slower than a 10 min/mile. This wasn't a problem for the first part of the race, but at the turn around, where everyone becomes congested, the auto pause kicked in. So even though my watch read 31:00 when I finished, I figure I should round up to the next minute for good measure. It was a great start to my 2012 racing season. Come back tomorrow for the details about my first pacing experience!

**Two Months Until Vegas**
**Three Months Until Florida**

30 Percent

2012-01-08T16:57:00.000-07:00

Today I am 30 days into my 100 days of skiing challenge. I do see the humor in the fact that I chose to log 100 days during the one Utah winter that has produced no snow. When I say no show, I mean we have literally seen only about 4 inches of snow fall this year. It's been so warm that Thursday after skiing, Troy took his paddleboard out on Jordanelle Reservoir. Ha! Now I'm not complaining that I've been coatless and rocking flip flops in January, but it sure has made for an interesting ski season!

2011 Recap, Plus Plans For 2012

2012-01-07T09:06:00.005-07:00

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all are diligently plugging away on those resolutions. So what does 2012 have in store for me and Troy? Here's the scoop:

Travel: 2011 was a good year for travel. By year's end, we had gone to Vegas, Disneyworld, Boston, and Mexico. We spent 10 days camping in Range Creek, a weekend in Capitol Reef, and a few small camping trips closer to home. Our plans for 2012 include a March trip to Vegas, a week of April spent in the Florida Keys, and though we haven't worked out all the kinks yet, we are planning to travel to South America this fall for our annual international trip. We will again accompany the University of Utah's archaeology team into Range Creek. Our camping trips are planned on a monthly basis.

Learning German: I began taking German lessons at the U last August, and I must say, it's going really well! Though I'm still far from fluent, if you'd like to small talk about the weather or ask for directions, I'm your gal. ;) I take classes two days a week on campus, and two days a week online. I will continue studying German in 2012.

Running: 2011 was also a good year for races. I ended up with a total of 19 races completed (3 5ks, 5 10Ks, 7 half marathons, 4 full marathons). My best half time was 2:01, and my best marathon time was 5:10. My main focus for 2012 is to lower my marathon finish time to at least 4:30. I also want to get my half finish under 1:50. I plan on completing my first 50K this year, and up the number of races completed. I am also pacing my first half marathon in just two weeks!

Martial Arts: At the end of 2011, I was three belts into my Taekwondo training. At the Utah Open I competed with the University of Utah's team, and placed first in forms and second in sparring. This year I will continue diligently training in Taekwondo, and will be adding Muay Thai to my cross training. Muay Thai counts as my new hobby for the year. :) If that's not enough, I'm also still boxing on a weekly basis. My goal for 2012 is to train at least five days a week (2 days Taekwondo, 1-2 days boxing, 1-2 days of Muay Thai). I'll be a ninja in no time! :)

Volunteer Work: 2011 brought 10 foster dogs into our home. Troy and I are now starting our third year fostering for Friends Of Animals, and hopefully we'll be able to house even more pups this year. Though I already do in-house volunteer work for FOA, my goal is to schedule it on a more consistent basis. I will spend at least one day a week volunteering in our local animal shelter.

Since we're only a week into this new year that pretty much wraps up our plans at this time. I'm excited to see what else this year has in store!

Foster Care: Year Two

2011-12-28T13:51:00.002-07:00

Troy and I are wrapping up our second year fostering dogs for Friends Of Animals so here's the recap of pups that have come and gone in 2011.

Drake (Black Lab)

Most readers of this blog already know about Drake. Drake came into our lives last December as a dog who needed long-term fostering. At the age of 3, he had been diagnosed with progressed bone cancer, and was no longer a suitable candidate for adoption. We couldn't stand the thought of this poor boy bouncing between foster homes in his frail condition so we asked to adopt him. FOA was so kind to waive the adoption fee, and turned Drake's papers over to us for keepsakes. We had Drake for over three months before he passed away in March.

Though we knew Drake wouldn't be with us for long, his passing was hard. Troy and I took a brief hiatus from fostering for a few months while we focused on traveling. Come late summer we were ready to pick up another pup.

Penny (German Pointer)

Penny was also a long-term fostering case. This young dog had been running as a stray when she was hit by a car, and broke her front leg. She needed a foster home for several weeks until the cast could come off, and she could return to the shelter.

Besides Drake and Penny, all our other dogs were short-term fosters, and stayed with us just until they could find a home. The average turnaround time for our short-term fosters has been about two weeks.

Lola (Miniature Pincher)

Melody (Cocker Spaniel)

Pluto (Cocker Spaniel)

Porsche (Pit Bull/Lab).

Porsche had a heartbreaking past. While most of the dogs are strays that have been picked up by various shelters before making their way to FOA, Porsche came to FOA after being involved in an animal cruelty/neglect case. She had scars reflecting past beatings, and even though she had been removed from the violent situation, any fast movement would make her hunker down and cry. Luckily this sweet girl found a home quickly because Troy and I were seriously tempted to add her to our permanent family. ;)

Taz (Pekingese)

Colonel (Terrier Mix)

Vigo (Schnauzer/Poodle)

Pilgrim (Chihuahua)

Trying to update my blog with Pilgrim snoozing on my arm. ;)

Here's looking forward to another great year filled with many fur-kids!

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

2011-12-15T20:22:00.002-07:00

Our last stop on our Mexican cruise was Cabo. When I did this cruise about seven years ago, I remember Cabo being my favorite of the three stops so I was thrilled that we got not one, but two days to soak up the sun in Cabo.

Beautiful beaches. We followed the same itinerary as Puerto Vallarta. All we did is play on the beach all day!

Boat ride and snorkeling on day one.

Jet skiing, playing in the surf, and building sandcastles with the little ones on day two. It was definitely a relaxing vacation!

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

2011-12-14T10:42:00.003-07:00

The week of Halloween the entire Madsen crew set sail on a Mexican cruise. Now Troy and I have done this same cruise before, but not together. Troy went on a Mexican getaway shortly after returning from his mission, while I picked this cruise as a celebration for my upcoming 19th birthday. I can't speak for Troy, but the first time around, I did a ton of sight seeing. I took cab tours around the outskirts of town, and used entire days trekking through town on foot. This go around I just wanted to relax. Troy and I spent all our time in Puerto Vallarta lounging on the beach and snorkeling.

Beach time!

The city from the ship

Birthday Girls!

2011-12-09T16:26:00.003-07:00

Lucy Desi

Our old pups just got a year older. The Corgs are now 14!

2011 Running Review

2011-12-04T00:01:00.001-07:00

Yesterday's 5K will more than likely be my last race for 2011. The Utah racing scene is pretty sparse for the next few weeks, and with the upcoming holiday and all the time I've been spending on the slopes, it doesn't break my heart to hold off until the snowshoe races kick off in January. So how did I do in 2011? Here's the final tally:

three 5Ks
five 10Ks
seven half marathons
four full marathons

I absolutely loved every experience, even though some races were better than others, and plan to do all these same races again next year with the exception of the 4th of July Half and the SoJo Marathon. I do, however, plan to increase the number of races I complete next year, and push my limits with my first ultra marathon in April!

Girls On The Run 5K Results, Plus Some Good News

2011-12-03T15:25:00.001-07:00

This morning I ran the Girls on the Run 5K, but before I get to the main event, let me give you a little background. Girls on the Run is a non-profit organization geared towards preteen girls. Their mission is to "develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running." I became involved as a running buddy for GOTR this summer. One of the local training sites just so happens to be the elementary school I worked at for the past two years so I was thrilled about the opportunity to still be involved with these students I love so much.

I was assigned as a running buddy for eight-year-old Hannah, a former student of mine. We did a few training runs over the past few weeks, and today was the big day. The race was held in Sugarhouse Park, which is pretty hilly, and today was quite icy. This didn't stop Hannah. She was going all out, just like she had done in our training runs, and tackled those hills without problem. We went just over two miles before she took her first walking break, and we crossed that finish in 42 minutes! It was such an amazing time, and I really can't wait to begin training again for the April race.

And on the topic of running, here's a little good news. This week I was offered the opportunity to be a race pacer for American Flyers. Woohoo! Free race entry? Yes please! My first pacing experience will be the St. George Half Marathon in January!

Winter Playlist

2011-12-02T06:07:00.003-07:00

It's time to break out those Yaktrax, and get ready for some winter running!

Bulletproof - La Roux
Hook Me Up - The Veronicas
Like A G6 - Far East Movement
I Got It From My Mama - Will.i.am
Lollipop - Mika
We'll Be Alright - Travis McCoy
We No Speak Americano - Yolanda Be Cool
Sexy and I Know It - LMFAO
Please Don't Go - Mike Posner
How You Like Me Now - The Heavy

6 Down, 94 To Go

2011-12-01T09:05:00.001-07:00

Our winter challenge has begun! This year Troy and I are going to log 100 days of skiing, and so far we're ahead of schedule. The resort has been open for seven days; I've skied six of those days. We'll be hitting those triple digits in no time!

Utah Open

2011-11-23T00:01:00.001-07:00

First place in forms and second place in sparring. Not too shabby for my first tournament!

South Jordan Marathon Results

2011-11-22T20:55:00.001-07:00

Four weeks after San Rafael I took on the South Jordan Marathon. I'm sure any reader of this blog already knows my dislike of running through towns, but for some reason I always think if I just try another route, another town, or another season I'll learn to love pounding pavement. I have this vision of being one of those runners who can easily transition from pavement to trail to snow, but atlas, the truth remains: I hate running through cities. I have a hard time judging distance as I'm winding around city blocks, and this is frustrating to me. So out of the four marathons I've ran this year, this is the only course I don't plan to do again next year.

The one perk of this race is the aid stations. They had the most well stocked and best organized stations I've ever seen, but unfortunately that's not enough of a reason to tackle strong head winds, and less than scenic views of South Jordan again next year. I'm glad I gave this race a shot, but I'll be sticking to the canyons and trails from here on out.

Welcome, Fall!

2011-10-16T19:34:00.001-06:00

The moose have been spending almost every day outside our back door. Fall is definitely here.

DIrty Dash 10K Results

2011-09-28T16:24:00.001-06:00

Oh yes, it's that time of year again -- time for the Dirty Dash! I ran the inaugural Dirty Dash last year, and had so much fun, I dragged Jordan along with me this year for a sloppy 6.2 mile run. I didn't think it was possible to top last year's festivities, but with a handful of new obstacles and oodles of more mud, we had a ridiculously good time. After the race, Jordan was hooked. We promptly lined up a time to run it again the following weekend (it's a two weekend event in Utah). I've created a monster. :) So in two year's time, I've now ran the Dirty Dash three times. I think that earns me pro status. :)

Little Grand Canyon Marathon Results

2011-09-20T13:39:00.003-06:00

Fifth marathon completed! This Runner's World-featured course climbs a few hundred feet in the first two miles, and the rest of the marathon is a very gradual descent. So gradual, in fact, the last 24 miles fall just over 400 feet. And the best part of all -- the entire course is held on the dirt paths through the San Rafael Swell.

One of the three water crossings. I love the unpredictability of trail running!

Pictographs at mile 24

Even with the flat course, mud, and tip-toeing over several cattle crossings, I finished the 26.2 miles in 5:10--good enough for first place in my age division!

**Next full marathon in one month!**

**Mexico in five weeks!**

Swiss Days 10K

2011-09-03T10:18:00.000-06:00

It has officially switched over to fall here in Utah, and today, with a little nip in the air, I ran the Swiss Days 10K. The extra early start time allowed me to catch one of my favorite sights -- the sun rising over the gorgeous Park City mountains. The course was three miles of climbing, and three miles of downhill. I felt I was running slower than usual since I had left my handy dandy pacing watch at home, but I finished in 1:01.

**Next marathon in one week**

**Last 2011 marathon in one month**

**Mexico in two months**

Running For The Children 10K Results

2011-08-29T12:22:00.000-06:00

This is the first time participating in the St. Jude's 10K. It's a pretty flat course -- 1.5 loops around Liberty Park, down and back on 600 east, and an extra half loop around the park to finish. I approached this run at a very comfortable pace. By the time we started, the temps were already creeping above 80 degrees, and I, being a cool-weather gal, don't like to run in temperatures above 70. I ended up finishing the 6.2 miles in 1:01 (9.5 min/mile).

**Two weeks until my next full marathon**

Goal List

2011-08-15T15:46:00.006-06:00

In Progress:
*Continue to actively serve in my church. I've been working as the ward's librarian for the past eighteen months, and just this week was called as the teacher for the primary's valiant class.

*Travel outside of the continental USA every year. Troy and I are now on our fifth year of this goal. This year we will be going to Mexico in October!

*Read a new book every month. I implemented this goal almost two years ago, and have been diligent to complete the task since that time. I added a bookshelf widget to this blog to help keep track of what books I've read, but unlike my reading, I've been less diligent about keeping my widget updated. :)

*Take on a new hobby every year. I began training in martial arts earlier this year, and will begin fencing lessons in two weeks!

*Learn German. I've always loved German, and have frequently listened to German lessons while driving for the past few years. I feel I have a pretty good understanding of the basics, but would like to become more fluent. My formal German lessons begin in two weeks!

*Continue to support and serve with local organizations. Troy and I have been continuously fostering dogs for Friends Of Animals, as well as doing in-house volunteer work for them, for over two years. We are both also volunteering for the upcoming Sundance Film Festival.

*Continue investing X amount into my personal account.

*Continue my fitness goals of exercising at least one hour every day.

Short-Term Goals:
*Start sparring in boxing. I began boxing at the beginning of this year, and I absolutely love it. At least twice a week, I do either a bag workout or a controlled spar with the instructors, but next year I want to get in the ring, and actually take on an opponent.

*Run a sub two-hour half marathon. Any frequent reader of this blog knows I've been on quite the racing spree this year. Just in 2011 I've completed two 5Ks, one 10K, six half marathons, and two full marathons. My latest half marathon finish time was 2:01. I should be able to scratch this goal off my list very soon. :)

*Run an ultra marathon. My first 50K is scheduled for next April!

*Ski 100 days this winter. Troy and I are actually doing this goal together. I typically ski about 30 days each winter, but with the amazing opportunities I've recently been presented, I have the privilege to ski much more this year!

Long-Term Goals:
My "to do before 30" list. ;)

*Qualify and run the Boston Marathon

*Finish my black belt in my martial arts practice (will be completed by 2013)

Timpanogos Half Marathon Results

2011-08-06T10:26:00.000-06:00

Last weekend I ran the Timpanogos Half Marathon. Since this is primarily a downhill course, I set out to beat my current downhill best of 2:05. Everything about this race was absolutely fabulous, and I finished in 2:01. My year's goal is within my reach!

**Next half marathon in 7 days**
**Next full marathon in 1 month**

Deseret News 10K Results

2011-08-05T10:06:00.002-06:00

For my fourth 10K, I ran the Deseret News race. Last year I ran this same 10K and finished in 1:03 so my goal for this year's run was to finish sub 1:00. This is such a fun course that follows the 24th of July parade route. I met my goal-- finishing the course in 58 minutes. Woohoo!

Murdock Peak

2011-08-05T09:53:00.000-06:00

Some pics from our eight-hour adventure up to Murdock Peak:

Almost to the peak!

On the top of Murdock. From there, we dropped down the other side of the mountain to Canyons Resort, and caught Mid-Mountain back to our house.

Beautiful views on top!

At just under 10,000 feet, Murdock Peak offers views of eight different resorts.

**Next half marathon in one week**

**Taekwondo belt test tomorrow**

5K9 Results

2011-07-31T23:56:00.003-06:00

My second 5K this year was the Friends of Animals 5K9 run. I have always wanted to run this race, as FOA is an organization very dear to me, but the past two years Troy and I have managed to be out of town the weekend of the race. This year I was finally able to make it.

I approached the race as a leisurely run. We had just returned from almost two weeks of vacation so I wasn't planning on attempting to set a PR. I ran at an easy, comfortable pace, and stopped to chat with some FOA workers manning the aid station. Even with my super lax approach, I still finished in 28 minutes. Not too shabby for almost three full weeks of no running. :)

** Next full marathon in 6 weeks**
**Three months until Mexico!**

Range Creek, UT

2011-07-31T19:00:00.003-06:00

Last year Troy got a gig as the medical director for the University of Utah's archeology group. Essentially he stocks their base camp medical supplies and ensures AirMed has the coordinates for potential landing spots in Range Creek. In return, we get to tag along on their archeology digs. During the summer, the U's team spends a total of 40 days in Range Creek (10 days in the canyon, 3 days out). We joined them this year for their third session. Because of the type of work we participated in, I can't publish most of my photos, but here a few pics of our ten-day camping trip.

Locomotive Rock

Out on one of our many 7 hour hikes

A view of the camp from afar

Beautiful views everywhere!

What we called home for 10 days

It was an amazing time spent studying pictographs, excavating granaries, and screening dirt for artifacts. I'm already excited to go back next year!

Freedom Half Marathon Results

2011-07-27T14:31:00.002-06:00

I was feeling so good about my American Fork Half Marathon PR, I decided to sign up for the SLC Freedom Half Marathon the following Saturday. This is a primarily uphill course so I set out to beat my previous uphill half marathon time of 2:27.

The course started just above Hogle Zoo, and cut across to Research Park at the University of Utah. We climbed the streets of Research Park to just behind University Hospital, and then the single track Bonneville Shoreline Trail carried us up and over the mountain directly behind the U. Our last three miles were a gradually downhill to our finish line at the state capitol.

Course wise, this was most my difficult half marathon to date. And running it on the 4th of July, when the Salt Lake temperatures are in the mid 90s, didn't help with the hills. I enjoyed the challenge, but my one complaint would be the aid stations. The race only offered water at each station, which is fine with me since I don't take Gu or drink Gatorade, but the station at mile 8, right as we were heading onto the trail to tackle our steepest climb, ran out of water. I think if you're only offering one provision to runners, you should have plenty of it. :) I did end up beating my previous uphill half marathon with a finish of 2:26.

Eight Already?

2011-06-28T10:57:00.000-06:00

Where does the time go? My oldest nephew, Austin, will soon be getting his driver's license, Cameron is half way through junior high, and the youngest, Mackensie, was baptized this past weekend. I can't believe how big everyone is getting! I was so happy my sister and brother-in-law were able to arrange for her baptism to be held in Price instead of Great Falls, Montana, so both families could share in her special day.

American Fork Half Marathon Results

2011-06-27T14:28:00.000-06:00

My last race in June was the inaugural AF half marathon. Let me first say, with each race I have a goal of simply beating my previous time. To date, I had a downhill half marathon PR of 2:24, and an uphill PR of 2:27. Given that about nine miles of this race was downhill, I set out to beat 2:24. Luckily, AF provided pacers every five minutes up to 2:30 so I found the 2:20 runner, clad in a neon green running vest, and told myself I just have to stay ahead of her.

Shortly after the gun fired, I found myself shoulder to shoulder with the 2:15 pacer. As I continued to find my cadence, I pulled ahead and caught the 2:10. A mile in, when I finally had my ideal pace, I was running next to the 2:00 runner! We were even pacing fast for a 2 hour finish, and ended up running the first nine miles at a steady 8.5 min/mile. For the last four miles, the course flatted out and we encountered a few gentle, rolling hills. I backed off my pace a bit, and crossed that finish line in 2:05 (9.3 min/mile). So even with walking through three aid stations, I still shaved 19 minutes off my previous time. Yay!

Next half marathon in one week!

Utah Valley Marathon Results

2011-06-27T14:10:00.000-06:00

My fourth marathon went pretty well. There were a few hiccups along the way, which I will get into in a minute, but I still finished in 5:20 (5 minutes faster than Salt Lake).

Issue one: I ate too early. As is common with most marathons, Utah Valley requires runners to park at the finish line, and catch a shuttle to the start. So my morning timeline went like this: leave house at 2:15, catch shuttle in Provo at 3:30, and wait around for 6:00 start time. I ate my usual peanut butter sandwiches as I drove down to Provo, but as I rode the shuttle to the start, I realized I really should have brought some additional food with me because by the time we actually started running, it had been four hours since I had breakfast. So even though my usual meal will hold me over until the marathon is almost over, I was feeling some hunger pains set in around mile 8.

Issue two: Ibuprofen. I've heard the saying "never try anything new on race day" at least a million times. Typically I am good about this. I've found what works for me, and I don't venture far from my routine. But two days before the marathon I had a two-hour sparring session in Taekwondo. Come race day, I could still feel the post-workout tightness in my quads and hamstrings. Determined to not let that throw my race, at one of the mid-way aid stations, I popped a Ibuprofen. Big mistake. Around mile 19-20, I started to get queazy. That Ibuprofen, in conjunction with race day nerves and lack of sleep, did not settle well. The feeling eventually went away around mile 24/25, and I was able to finish strong, but the unplanned walking breaks due to nausea hurt my time.

Besides these two mishaps, I really enjoyed this race. The course is fantastic, and I will definitely plan on running it again. My next full marathon is in less than a month!

Three Years Since Saying "I Do"

2011-06-20T00:43:00.000-06:00

Happy anniversary to my sweet hubby, Troy.

Boston, MA

2011-06-20T00:36:00.000-06:00

Some pics of our six-day trip out east:

Red Sox vs. White Sox

USS Constitution

Bunker Hill

Mmmm... oysters

Even Paul Revere was rooting for the Bruines!

Capitol Reef National Park

2011-05-24T13:18:00.000-06:00

Our three-day camping trip in Capitol Reef:

We set up camp in the neighboring Dixie National Forest. Somehow we lucked out, and were the only two people in the entire campground!

Hiking out to Cassidy Arch

We braved the height, and climbed out onto the arch. The little speck in the photo is me. It was a LONG way down!

Troy with the Pyramid in the background

Entering the slot canyon

This canyon was really tight. During this section, our feet didn't even touch the ground!

Troy enjoying the shade of Hickman Bridge

Hickman Bridge

This trip really made me excited for our upcoming adventures, including our anniversary backpacking trip and our 10-day camping trip in Range Creek!

26th Birthday

2011-05-24T12:20:00.004-06:00

"What do you want to do for your birthday?" Why does Troy even bother to ask? For my last four birthdays I've said the same thing: go camping. Since my birthday fell on a Friday this year, we celebrating Thursday evening as to not take any time away from our weekend camping trip. So here's the tale of my birthday eve:

I came to from the gym to find the house had been set to birthday mode. Balloons and banners everywhere!

All dressed up for our dinner at The Mustang on Park City's Main street.

Blowing out the candles on my birthday cupcakes. I wanted to do minimal damage on the waistline. ;)

For a week or two before my big day, I kept dropping some less than subtle hints that by the time my birthday rolled around, my boxing pass would be used up. Troy obviously picked up the hints. He created a boxer scavenger hunt. Each clue had a quote or reference to that particular boxer leading me a step closer to my gift. It was adorable! And I got that renewed pass I was hoping for. :)

Thanks to everyone for all the birthday calls, texts, emails and posts! It was a fabulous day!

Good News From Stott

2011-05-09T14:58:00.001-06:00

Before I share my good news, let me give a little background. Almost two years ago, I certified in basic/intermediate mat Pilates. Since then, I have completed all my courses, finished all my hours, and was finally feeling confident enough to go for the full certification. But with Stott Pilates, the tests are cumulative. So even though I was already partially certified in mat work, I had to retake my basic/intermediate mat exam when I took my full test. Today I received the news that I passed my test! I am now certified in basic/intermediate/advanced mat as well as basic/intermediate/advanced reformer. That now makes three resolutions I've completed this year. Only seven more goals to go, and they're all within sight! :)

Provo City Half Marathon Results

2011-05-08T11:56:00.001-06:00

I did something out of the ordinary: I picked a course with no downhill. The Provo course is mostly flat with about 90 feet gain. Mentally, I was having a hard time keeping positive. It was one of those mornings when your mind wants to through a tantrum. But I was able to eventually shake the bad thoughts, and finish in 2:27. Yay! I'm feeling better about my hill running, and I'm excited to tackle my next full marathon in less than a month!

SLC Marathon Results

2011-04-17T19:32:00.002-06:00

I completed my third marathon yesterday! I picked Salt Lake because it is not only held very early in the race season, but it provided fewer descents and more hills than my previous two marathons (I was looking for a challenge). The race was perfect--cool temperatures with overcast skies all day. I loved the course and ended up finishing in 5:25! I know I'm still slow, but I can tell I am getting so much stronger in my form as well as endurance. And unlike my past races, where I have completely hit the wall at mile 18/19, I didn't even feel the fatigue set in until mile 24! This was so much more important to me than my time.

Since I began running five years ago, I've gone into races with a trail and error approach. I've learned over the years that Gu does not sit well with me. In a matter of moments after consuming it, I feel I have a brick sitting under my ribcage. If I drink Gatorade too early in the race, I get the same feeling like my stomach is so tender I can't sit up straight. So for Salt Lake, I tried something different. After eating my peanut butter sandwich for breakfast, I consumed nothing but water during the first 20 miles. I've already had some people argue that I shouldn't have done that for numerous reasons, but honestly, I've never felt better during a race. It wasn't until mile 22 that I drank some Gatorade. I could tell I was getting hungry, and needed something a little more substantial. And I figured at that point, if it did make my stomach hurt, I could handle it for four more miles. Luckily, at that point, it didn't bother me.

What I have also learned about myself while racing is that I do much better without music. I know I make playlist suggestions on here, and truthfully I do enjoy my Ipod to break up the tedium of the treadmill, but while outdoors, I prefer to run without the distraction. I was thrilled by this discovery too. I've always thought music is a crutch, but I used it in the past because, let's be honest, 26 miles is a long time to be stuck with nothing but your thoughts. But after running two marathons now without music, I am proud to say I can keep my mind off the pain and focus positively on the goal at hand.

I love making these new discoveries about myself, and finally getting to the point where I feel I am having more positive outcomes from my experiments than errors. ;) Only three more weeks until my next half and seven more weeks until my next full!

Adoption 5K

2011-04-16T20:14:00.002-06:00

I ran my first official 5K of the season last Saturday. I originally picked this race because it was a trail run, and I prefer pounding dirt or pavement any day. But, true to form, Salt Lake weather threw us a fast one. A day before the race, the snow started falling. And it continued to fall for over two days. When all was said and done, we had almost two new feet of powder--great for skiing, but tough for a trail run. The poor race organizers successfully scrambled to make a new, road-based course. I approached the race cautiously-- I feared I would slip on the snowy sidewalks and hurt myself a week before my marathon. So I finished the course in 29 minutes (2 minutes slower than I had planned), but better safe than sorry, right?

Orlando, FL

2011-03-30T14:01:00.004-06:00

Hey all! We just back from our week in the sunshine state. We leisurely strolled around a different Disney park each day, plus dedicated a few days to lounging at the beach.

Hollywood Studios

Animal Kingdom

The best safari guide a gal could ask for!

Epcot

A Quick Hello

2011-03-23T12:34:00.003-06:00

Sorry folks, I know my blog has been pretty quiet the past few weeks. Spring break started for my work this week (Woohoo!) so Troy and I have been making the most of my two weeks off. We've been hitting the gym and going dancing. Last night we headed out for a nice dinner and the Bon Jovi concert, and today we're off for vacation. So come back next week for an updated post about our time on the beach. Take care, everyone!

Gone

2011-03-12T13:36:00.001-07:00

Less than a week after we adopted Drake, he passed away. With his tail wagging, Troy put on Drake's leash to take him for his morning walk. He made it to the garage and collapsed. Troy scooped him up, but it was too late, and he passed away in Troy's arms.

We've known this day was coming for almost 11 weeks now, but no matter how much I believed I was prepared for this inevitable event, it still shocked me. It's hard to grasp that our happy boy could succumb to his illness that quickly. I'm trying to look at the positive sides: after being in the shelter for four months, he had a family for his last few months, and he passed away naturally. We loved Drake and as hard as it was to see him go, we're trying to find comfort in the idea that now he is no longer suffering.

Obama Who?

2011-03-11T16:57:00.004-07:00

Isaiah is more on the ball than his fellow preschoolers. He frequently announces to the teachers what day of the week it is and that he only has X amount of days until it's time for PE again. So when he came to class last week, he was prepared. He dressed in a full warm up suit and when he entered class, removed his getup to reveal a Utah Jazz ensemble.

After class, as I was placing stickers on the kids' hands, I ask, "Do you know whose jersey you're wearing?" (25 isn't a Jazz jersey you see often)

"No," he replies frankly.

"It's Jefferson's jersey. You're wearing the same number as Al Jefferson." I inform him. "Do you have a favorite Jazz player?"

In his best sports announcer voice, he cries, "DERRRRONNNN WILLIAMS!" But he quickly adds, "He's not there anymore though."

"Oh yeah?" I say, impressed with his knowledge of the recent NBA trade. "Where did he go?"

Without missing a beat, he says, "To be President."

Drake Has A New Last Name

2011-03-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

We made it official: Drake is now a Madsen too. Even though we've already been taking care of him for almost three months, we wanted to adopt him before he passes away. His cancer is progressing quickly; honestly there have been a few days this week I doubted he'd make it through the night, but today has been a good day for Drake. He's hopping around again, and he was so excited for the car ride to get his new tag and collar. We love our sweet boy!

Vegetarian Chili Recipe

2011-02-28T21:47:00.000-07:00

With a demanding race season quickly approaching, I've shifted my focus more on diet. My rule of thumb: if you can't name all the ingredients, don't eat it. When you really think about it, this is no easy task. I've been branching out and trying new vegetarian/pescetarian dishes. Here's one I recently made, and loved, so I thought I'd share.

Mix the following ingredients in slow cooker:

1 (19 oz) can black bean soup
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16 oz) can vegetarian baked beans
1 (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes in puree
1 (15 oz) can kennel corn, drained
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil

Cook on high for at least 2 hours.

This is obviously a super simple dish - I had it mixed and cooking in about 10 minutes. The portions were just right too. After I had my small serving in a mug and Troy had two bowls (he's a good eater :) we had only enough left over for both of our lunches.

Playlist: Spring Edition

2011-02-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

Alright guys and gals, my race season kicks off in less than three weeks (woohoo!). So, in honor of my favorite time of the year, here's 10 more tracks to freshen up your playlist.

"Evacuate The Dance Floor" - Cascada
"Telephone" - Lady Gaga
"Marry You" - Bruno Mars
"Forget You" - Cee Lo Green
"Like A G6" - Far East Movement
"Took The Night" - Chelley
"Should I Stay Or Should I Go" - The Clash
"Club Can't Handle Me" - Flo Rida
"Shut It Down" - Pitbull
"Tonight" - Enrique Iglesias

...Naming Them One By One...

2011-02-26T20:05:00.002-07:00

*I live in an amazing place that provides me with endless opportunities to engage in various outdoor activities. I've decided there's really no other place that would allow me to do as much outdoors as I do here. I ski (downhill and back country) several times a week during the winter. During the summer, I backpack, hike and camp almost every day and am constantly improving my mountain biking skills on the challenging terrain.

Besides the outdoor aspect, living in Park City allows me to attend several films at Sundance, purchase season tickets to both college football and Jazz basketball and actively volunteer with the organizations that are dearest to me.

* I am thankful for my calling in the Church. It's been almost a year since I was called as the ward librarian, and I have had the most amazing time! It has helped me meet everyone in our ward and I can't believe I'm going to say it, but three hours has never gone by so fast!

* I am thankful for the opportunity to travel. I've been a little antsy lately for another adventure, but that's when I take a step back and realize how much I've done already. I've already been all around the continental US, Alaska, two trips to Hawaii (Oahu and Kauai), two trips to different Mexican cities, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Sicily and Africa. Not too shabby for a 25 year old. And with three big trips already planned this year, I have plenty of opportunities to add to that list. Next adventure in just 3 weeks!

*I am thankful for my husband. I know I say this in every gratitude list, but I can't say it enough. It's such a wonderful thing to have that deep connection with someone. I love having someone who I can go on a romantic date with one night and the next night we hit up the gym together.

*I am thankful for the desire to continually improve myself. I have some VERY exciting and extensive goals planned for 2011! And when I get back from vacation, I will let you all in on some of the happenings. :)

And Then There Were Nine

2011-02-08T20:31:00.002-07:00

First marathon of the season in just ten weeks.

36

2011-02-04T18:03:00.000-07:00

There's a birthday in the house! My hubby turned the big 3-6 yesterday. Yikes, he's getting old! :) Happy birthday, sweetie and I'm so happy to share with you your special day.

Las Vegas, NV

2011-02-04T16:09:00.002-07:00

We wrapped up our Sundance experience for the year at 1 AM on Sunday. Four hours later, I was in my car for a quick trip down to Vegas. My great aunt Gwen was celebrating her 98th birthday and that's something I refuse to miss.

Gayle with her mom, and birthday girl, Gwen

Very blurry photo of me and my mom

Mom reuniting with the cousins

Me with the second cousins

Can't wait for the 99th celebration!

Foster Care: Months 8-12

2011-01-11T21:29:00.004-07:00

January concludes our first year of doggy foster care! Here are some pictures of the latest pups to come through the Madsen house.

Billy (Terrier mix)

Wishbone (Longhaired Dachshund)

Donner (Border Collie)

Toby (Terrier mix) curled up on Troy's lap. :)

Pilot (Terrier/Dachshund)

Blitzen (Boxer/Beagle)

Drake (Labrador)

Shortly after he was brought to the shelter, the crew at Friends of Animals learned Drake has progressive bone cancer. The life expectancy for a dog in his condition is not long so he couldn't be adopted. We currently have Drake and will keep him until he passes or his pain becomes unmanageable. Luckily, for now, he is still happy and even though he has a noticeable limp, he enjoys running around the dog run and playing with our other dogs. Knowing his condition will continue to deteriorate is hard, especially since I just witnessed our family dog, Maya, die after a long battle with cancer less than two months ago, but we're happy he finally has a permanent home.

Back Country

2010-12-28T18:35:00.001-07:00

Today, Troy and I were able to venture out for our first backcountry skiing experience of the winter. We headed up towards Summit Park Peak, just behind our house.

Me climbing the mountain on my snazzy AT skis.

Breaking trail. Why is Troy always behind me? :)

We made it!

Demonstrating my mad skills at removing skins.

Me enjoying the rewards of our climb.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-27T22:00:00.002-07:00

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you all had a happy and safe weekend.

Our festivities started Thursday when Ben, Melanie, Ted, Jordan, Troy and I all met up to go skiing. This was only Jordan's second day of skiing and he was ridiculously excited to hit the slopes. On his first trip down the hill, not even half way down the run, he tumbled and smacked his leg on his popped off ski. He tried to brush it off as no big deal, but as he stood up, he said, "I feel blood running down my leg." He pulled his pant leg up and sure enough, there was a gaping wound all the way down to the tibia! After we made our way down the run, Troy took him home, put 5 stitches in his leg, and had Jordan back on the slopes in less than an hour. One of the many perks of always having a doctor around. :)

Jordan on the Orange Bubble lift after returning from his injury. What a trooper!

Troy and I riding up the mountain.

Me getting ready to shred it. :)

The following day Troy and I drove to Price to spend time with the family.

My nephew Cameron's exasperated look as we wait for grandma and grandpa to play games with us. Cameron is such a goof. :)

I can't believe Austin is old enough for his learner's permit. Man, I feel so old!

Christmas morning in the Strate house.

Give us a smile, Buster!

Mackensie obviously enjoyed her gifts. :)

And speaking of gifts...

My fabulous husband got me a new pair of Vibrams for Christmas. I love, love, love them! Yep, I'm wearing them right now. With that being said, it's time for another run. Take care, readers!

Ready To Go

2010-12-18T23:30:00.000-07:00

The new year is quickly approaching, and this time I'm ahead of the game. My 2011 goals, deadlines and travels are laid out and I'm already plugging away. So stayed tuned readers! Details will be coming soon. :)

Saying Goodbye

2010-12-09T23:23:00.000-07:00

Today our little Maya passed away, just a month shy of her ninth birthday. We are going to miss her dearly.

9th and 9th

2010-11-29T23:26:00.001-07:00

Haven't checked out the best Pilates studio in town yet? 9th and 9th Pilates offers over 30 classes a week to meet your needs. For all my fellow early birds out there, I teach 6 AM and 7 AM classes during the week to start your day off right. So what are you waiting for? Check us out now at 9th and 9th Pilates.

Punch Line

2010-11-28T21:38:00.004-07:00

"Why did the chicken cross the road?" inquires Duncan as he flips his Laffy Taffy wrapper over to peek at the answer. I admit my defeat with a shrug and the kindergarten class squeals with delight that Duncan has outwitted me.

Of course this creates a flurry of spinoffs. Suddenly I am bombarded with questions as to why the turkey, the skeleton, the rabbit, etc. are making their way across the road.

And then I feel another little tug at my jacket. It's Max.

"Knock, knock" he says, already chuckling at his own joke.

"Who's there?"

His face goes blank; I can tell he's lost his train of thought. After a few seconds of wracking his brain for the answer, he shouts, "BANANA I DIDN'T SAY ORANGE!"

Sometimes the mistakes are funnier than the jokes. :)

1,125

2010-11-27T23:57:00.004-07:00

Over three years together and not a single day spent apart.

Playlist: Pilates Edition

2010-11-24T23:15:00.001-07:00

I've had some requests lately for Pilates music so I pulled a few tunes from some of my most-used playlists. I hope this helps!

"Lucky" - Jason Mraz
"You Are My Sunshine" - Ray Charles
"40 Day Dream" - Edward Sharpe
"Shahdaroba" - Roy Obison
"Take Another Little Piece Of My Heart" - Dusty Springfield
"Vienna" - Billy Joel
"Le Temps Perdu" - Carla Bruni
"Feelin' Alright" - Joe Cocker
"Home" - Edward Sharpe
"Midnight Train To Georgia" - Gladys Knight
"Will The Circle Be Unbroken" - Mavis Staples
"Hope" - Jack Johnson
"A Beautiful Mine" - Madder Men
"Fidelity" - Regina Spektor
"Break It To Me Gently" - Brenda Lee

The Dirty Dash Results

2010-11-24T14:40:00.004-07:00

Over the last weekend in September, Utah held it's first mud run and I was not about to pass up 6.2 miles of ewy, gooey awesomeness. During the course of the 10K, runners scrambled up a mountain against the strong current of a snowmaking machine, jumped hay bales, darted through a tire run, scaled walls, slithered through tunnels and gleefully bounced down a hill on what I swear has to be the world's longest water slide. And for our supportive friends and family was a station during the last leg of the run where they could pelt us with water balloons. This obviously isn't the kind of race for setting a new PR, but it was a blast! I pulled a picture from their website to give you a sense of the chaos.

Doesn't this look like fun?

And of course I earned my fair share of injuries. I tore up my shin while jumping over the last wall and the canyoneering shoes I ran in blistered my feet beyond recognition (this was really super considering I was running a marathon 7 days after this race. :) But it was more than worth it.

Now if this has piqued your interest about mud running, there's still a chance to experience it. The Dirty Dash has already lined up a 5K and 10K for next summer. I know I'll definitely be there!

WInter Is Here!

2010-11-12T23:10:00.000-07:00

Here's hoping it will be a powder-filled ski season.

Harnosand, Sweden

2010-10-30T15:29:00.003-06:00

My favorite part of our trip was our visit to Harnosand. This quaint town five hours north of Stockholm was the hometown of Troy's great grandmother. Exactly twenty years early, Troy's dad, Ted, took his grandmother, then 93, back to Harnosand. On the eve of our trip, Ted handed us a scrapbook from his journey. We scanned the photos and decided we were going to find all the buildings she had remembered from her childhood. Armed with several grainy images like the one below, we began our scavenger hunt.

Twenty years later...

Fresh off the bus. I swear I consumed more hot chocolate during this trip than I have in my entire life. :)

Walking around the old buildings

Where Troy's great, great grandfather worked. This was the trickiest building to find since the outside had been completely updated since Ted's visit. We finally had to show our picture to the sweet, old lady working at the visit center. Without hesitation, she was able to direct us to the building just a few blocks away.

The church

During our stay at Harnosand, we successfully found and duplicated all the pictured spots from Ted's visit. We toured the old graveyard looking for family names, but unforunately the centuries of wear on the stones made most of them impossible to read.

Stockholm, Sweden

2010-10-27T22:28:00.002-06:00

Sweden was simply fabulous; there's really no other way to describe it. I have one detailed destination post for tomorrow, but besides that, I've decided I'm not going to indulge all the travels of our two-week Scandinavian stint. But here are a few pictures from our time in Stockholm.

The Vasa Museum. We would highly recommend visiting this museum if you get the chance. It is well worth your time.

I seem to have a lot of waterfront pictures. :)

Walking the town at sunset

Chinese Terracotta exhibit held in an underground WWII Navy site

An elevated front door would be handy for Park City winters!

I tried to tell Troy petting moose isn't a good idea, but he never listens. ;)

Gamla Stan

In the Blue Room, site of the Nobel Prize banquet

archipelago ferry tour

The beautiful fall colors

Loved this old mill

A gorgeous walk on our last day

Adjo

2010-10-08T19:30:00.000-06:00

In a mere 12 hours we will be leaving for Sweden. Check back in two weeks for some exciting tales and pictures of our Scandinavian journey.

Picture Day

2010-09-21T23:38:00.000-06:00

I have a pretty standard look for work: yoga pants, t-shirt and ponytail. So when I arrived last week with my long locks down, one little second grade boy gushed, "You're as beautiful as when you were a young girl on picture day." Hehe.

Birthday Wishes

2010-09-20T00:33:00.001-06:00

September 20th marks two birthdays in the Strate clan. My oldest sister, Barbara, (3rd from the left) is now 35 and my little brother is the big 2-3. Happy birthday you two!

Colorado Springs, CO

2010-09-19T19:11:00.000-06:00

A few pictures from our fabulous weekend in Colorado Springs:

Walking around The Garden of the Gods

Start of the BYU vs. Air Force game

Touchdown BYU!

My fellow Utes are going to hate me for sporting the blue, but I cheer for all Utah teams, even the poor Aggies. :)

It was such an amazing opportunity to catch a game and visit Ben and Melanie, who have recently moved from Ohio to the beautiful mountainous state (yay!). I can't wait till we go back in February!

Wendover, NV

2010-09-18T20:24:00.003-06:00

When the sudden rainstorm foiled our Capitol Reef camping trip, Troy and I took an impromptu journey out to Wendover. The plan was simple: we took $5 into each casino. Once we either lost our money or doubled it, we cashed out and went to the next place. Once we had visited every casino, we had made a whopping $20. It was no camping trip, but it was still a wonderful weekend spent with the hubby.

A quick stop by the Salt Flats

Me showing off our winnings :)

I'm Taking It To The Stage!

2010-09-01T22:17:00.003-06:00

Alright readers, ready or not, here I go.

For some time, a few years, I've been interested in competing in a fitness competition. After much research over the past few months, I've decided I am finally going to set the deadline and go for it! Next year I will be competing at the NPC Utah competition in the bikini division. The exact competition date isn't set yet, but the show will be next May. Honestly I'm a little overwhelmed with the big picture right now, but I figure if nothing else, I will be in wicked great shape. :)

So stayed tuned for tales of my journey as I venture down an unfamiliar, but exciting, path.

Sinner Six Results

2010-08-23T10:48:00.001-06:00

For the first time this year, the Park City Marathon offered a 10K in conjunction with the regular marathon and half marathon. The Sunday morning "Sinner Six" was an awesome run-- part road, part trail, with three miles uphill and three miles down. I finished the route in 1 hour 9 minutes. It was a perfect way to kick off my Sunday!

Our Family's Expanding!

2010-08-14T19:36:00.001-06:00

Meet Desi and Lucy. These two 13-year-old Corgis ended up at the Friends of Animals shelter after their owner passed away. Two weeks later, they ended up at our house in foster care. Obviously the staff at FOA was highly stressing trying to keep the duo together, but it seems if there's one thing someone doesn't want more than a dog with very limited years left, it's two dogs with numbered years to go. It broke my heart when I'd drop them off at the adoption center, crossing my fingers that it would be their day, just to hear the people make remarks such as, "Oh look at these cute dogs! Eww, but they're 13!"

Lucy

Desi

These pups were two of the best foster dogs we've had yet and we are so glad they now have a permanent home.

Fitness Review: Anti-Gravity Yoga

2010-08-11T14:52:00.003-06:00

My newest fitness obsession is Anti-Gravity Yoga. After seven years of practice, it's safe to say I love yoga, but when you add in a hammock for a Circ De Soleil-style twist, you've got yourself a good time! Don't let the picture spook you, the moves are surprisingly easy to get in to, and if you do happen to slip, you typically don't have far to fall. :) So if any of you brave souls out there are up for (no pun intended) an aerial adventure, book your class now at Imagination Place. If you happen to find yourself in the Saturday morning class, I'll be sure to say hello. :)

Tales From A Librarian

2010-08-05T15:01:00.002-06:00

Several months ago I received a calling as our ward's librarian, and I absolutely love it. One of my favorite parts of the calling, well, besides getting out of Relief Society, is the interaction with the children. So even though school is out for the summer, I still have some funny quotes to share. Enjoy.

This darling seven-year-old boy pops by the library immediately after sacrament every week. With his arms reverently folded, he delivers the same line each time: "May I please have a Holy Bible?" Even though I know what he's going to say, I laugh every time he requests a "Holy Bible".

A few weeks ago, another young boy, about six or seven, stopped by the library for some supplies.

"Can I get a scripture?" he asked

"Of course. Which one?" I replied.

He cocked his head and shifted his eyes franticly as he tried to find the answer to my complex question. (Mind you, there are only two books to pick from: Bible or Book of Mormon) After a few seconds, he met my gaze and replied: "The one with Jesus Christ".

Murdock Peak

2010-08-05T14:33:00.008-06:00

Troy and I celebrated Pioneer Day with a little trek of our own to Murdock Peak. We frequently hike the trail leading up to the peak since we can catch it right across the street from our house, but only once a year we actually aim to reach the top. The hike to Murdock Peak is a six-hour adventure that ends at just under 10,000 feet behind The Canyons Ski Resort. So enjoy the photos because it's going to be awhile before we muster the excitement to go at it again. :)

Two hours of hiking down, and still a ways to go.

The aspen grove is my favorite part of the hike.

"Bob Madsen. Pleasant, Ut. Sept. 15, 1937" Troy contacted a family member involved with genealogy, but we still don't know if Bob is related. The funny thing is Troy found this carving on September 17, 2007--almost exactly 70 years to the day.

Tuckered Abby

Random rail near the peak.

Troy breaking trail through the field of wild flowers.

Me enjoying my hiking snack: Sports Beans and Camelbak water

We made it!

Ibantik Lake

2010-07-20T23:07:00.002-06:00

Last week was absolutely gorgeous here in Park City, which made it easy for Troy and I to rack up over 12 hours of hiking across a four-day span. I've realized the Uintas is quickly becoming one of my favorite hiking and camping spots. I love it up there! The hike to Ibantik Lake is pretty easy, with a total of ten miles round trip and just over 2,400 elevation gain.

Troy at the peak

For the life of me, I can't remember the name of this lake, but every time we've walked past it, it always looks so pristine and vibrant.

Me at Ibantik Lake

As we reached the peak again, this mountain goat dashed across our path, and up the rocks just a few yard away. Coming from a town where we see an array of wildlife on a regular basis, it's surprising how infrequently we spot these critters. It was the cherry on our beautiful day. :)

Foster Update: Months 4-7

2010-07-10T19:19:00.008-06:00

After three weeks at our house, the two German Shepherd puppies were put up for adoption and quickly found new homes. Like I mentioned in the previous foster post, Troy and I take two dogs at a time. Here is the latest batch of pups that have come and gone over the past three months.

Turk (Chocolate Lab)

Serena (Yellow Lab)

Lucky (Black Lab)

Radar (Chihuahua)

Buster (long hair Chihuahua)

Poncho (Border Collie)

Millie (Australian Shepherd)

Poncho and Millie hanging out in the laundry room.

Brandi (Bernese Mountain Dog)

Apple (Boxer/Bulldog)

Annabell (Brittney Spaniel/Beagle).

We've had Annabell for just over two weeks and she is definitely going to break my heart when she leaves. She is the sweetest girl and who couldn't love that constant smile? I love that she not-so-subtly hits your arm with her front paw if you stop scratching her. It dawned on me recently that she always brushes you with her left paw. Maybe that's why I love her - she's a "south paw" like me.

June (Boxer/Pit Bull)

We had June in foster care for about a week before she was adopted. Unfortunately, a few days after she was adopted, she was returned to the shelter. So once Brandi found a home, we took June back in. We currently have her along with Annabell.

Laney (Beagle/Black Lab)

This pair needed long term fostering like our German Shepherds. Unfortunately, since we already have two dogs in foster care, plus our own three dogs, we couldn't take them. We just had them for a day until the other fosters could pick them up. They sure were a cute pair though!

Missy (Beagle/Black Lab)

I realized I've never given a description post about Friends of Animals, the organization we foster the dogs through. I started volunteering at their local adoption center a year ago and currently still do work at the adoption center and their recently opened Rescue Ranch near Kamas. But I will dive into more detail in a later post. I promise. :)

Memorial Day Half Marathon Results

2010-07-09T19:23:00.007-06:00

I believe I may be the slowest blogger around, but when the sun is shining, who has time to be sitting in front of a computer? So again, I am posting race results weeks after the event.

I ran this half marathon last year, and obviously enjoyed myself so much, I went back for seconds. The race start was rough. After several failed attempts to fall asleep, I rolled out of bed and plopped down on the couch. There are six beds in our house and of course I fall asleep on the one piece of furniture guaranteed to give you a kinked neck in the morning. I arrived at the race site with merely a few minutes before the race gun shot. After waiting in the long line to gather my bib, the young girl informs me they didn't have me registered for the race. I repressed the urge to blurt out, "Are you kidding? I registered 8 weeks ago!" and managed to politely smile as she directed me to yet another line. The gun fired as I was still stuck behind five people in line. The man behind me aggressively tapped his foot and huffed sarcastic remarks about the slow moving line under his breath. After scribbling my name on a bib, me and Mr. Happy dashed across the dewy grass in an attempt to catch the other runners already a good half mile or more ahead of us.

The frustration of the registration mixup didn't help the dull thumping of my tired head, but I still ran the 13.1 miles and finished in 2 hours 54 minutes. Given the roughly six minute delayed start, my run time was about 2 hours 48 minutes. Obviously much slower than my last half marathon time, but undoubtedly more mentally straining. Here's hoping my next race goes more smoothly!

Playlist: Summer Running Edition

2010-07-01T22:53:00.002-06:00

"This Is Your Life" - The Killers
"Boyz" - M.I.A
"Bad Dreams, Pt. 2" - Lyrics Born
"You Make My Dreams" - Hall & Oates
"I Won't Back Down" - Tom Petty
"Comfort Eagle" - Cake
"Stand By Me" - Playing For Change
"Gold Digger" - Kayne West
"Devil Inside" - INXS
"Long Train Runnin'" - Doobie Brothers

Wall Lake

2010-06-30T20:29:00.000-06:00

Troy and I have decided to mark our wedding anniversary every year with a backpacking trip. So instead of the sweltering heat like last year in Grand Gulch, we headed high into the Uintahs. High enough to trek through snow even on one of the last weekends of June. But, regardless of the comical situations we find ourselves in, we always have an amazing time. Here are some pics from the celebration of our second year of marriage.

Finding a campsite near the frozen lake

I love this picture. Troy drying his shoes and socks after we marched through knee-deep snow.

Enjoying the quiet. The good thing about taking a backpacking trip in the snow is you really don't run into a lot of other folks. :)

Mmm... freeze-dried Mac and Cheese is good!

Phoenix, AZ

2010-06-21T19:46:00.002-06:00

Nothing gets you into the full swing of summer like spending a week in Phoenix. Though the temperatures were well into the triple digits, we had a blast hanging by the pool with Cameron, Tammy and kids and catching up with Matt and Monica who, coincidentally, had a conference scheduled in Phoenix the same week. I realized after 5 days in the sunny city, I hadn't even pulled my camera from it's case so thanks to Monica for snapping a few photos of us before we left.

Second Year

2010-06-20T20:59:00.001-06:00

I'd just like to say a quick thank you to my dear husband and best friend, Troy, for an absolutely wonderful two years of marriage. I honestly don't know where the time has gone, but I look forward to many more days, months and years with my sweetie.

Quarter Of A Century

2010-05-31T22:25:00.003-06:00

A little over a week ago, on May 20th, I hit a milestone - my 25th birthday. My twenties are now on the downhill. Eek! I believe this year was the best birthday yet. I know I say that every year, but this year will truly be a hard one to top.

I woke up early to find our living room decorated like this:

Now, I go to bed around midnight and wake up by 5:15 so you can imagine my surprise that Troy actually found the time to do this. Attached to the vase, I found the starting clue for a treasure hunt. The clues chronicled our romance - starting with our first date and ending with our wedding. All around the house were clues leading me to where Troy made me dinner on our second date (he grilled) or the time I legitimately beat him at foosball, but my favorite was the starting clue. It was in reference to breakfast, something along the lines that I would need my energy to find the remaining clues. After Troy rolled out of bed, he made me my favorite breakfast and that's when I noticed the clue already taped to the bottom of my plate. It was really cute and obviously his way of buying time since I am always awake first. :)

The hunt eventually ended with me finding two tickets to the symphony. I love the symphony! This shows how over the top sweet my husband is because he insisted on me having something to open on my birthday even though in March he bought me backcountry skis, boots, skins, beacon, backpack, etc. - basically the works for an early birthday present. Yeah, I was super stoked about that gift. :)

We started off the day with a few rounds of bowling and pool. Bowling was a close game - Troy beat me by exactly two pins so I had to nurse my bruised ego by beating him three out of four games in pool. :)

Bowling was followed by a few hours of shopping (Troy really is a trooper!) then off to a fancy dinner at the Riverhorse on Main. I swear this was the best meal I have ever eaten. Yummy!

After dinner, we went to a movie and topped off our evening with some cake. It was a full day of fun and I feel fortunate to have shared it with such a wonderful man.

Legacy Duathlon Results

2010-05-27T14:18:00.002-06:00

A mere six weeks after the event, I am finally getting around to posting my results. This was my first duathlon so I opted for a shorter distance (2 mile run, 20 mile bike, 2 mile run). The race was fantastic! Being a nut, I decided to pit my heavy mountain bike against all the svelte road bikes (much to Troy's disapproval) for the 20 mile ride. I won't lie - it was rough, but I finished with a total time of 2 hours 21 minutes. So my verdict is duathlons are definitely addictive, and I will undoubtedly race in one again very soon, but next time I will give myself a little more of a competitive edge with a road bike.

Zions National Park, UT

2010-05-23T14:55:00.000-06:00

Zions was our destination choice for our May get-out-of-town trip.

Hiking to the Emerald Pools

The Upper Emerald Pool

Top of Angel's Landing

Don't let the smile fool you, Troy was actually pretty scared. :)

I had to lead the way up and back.

The Narrows

Birthday Girl

2010-05-05T21:38:00.000-06:00

That little lady on the left is 58 today. Happy birthday, mom.

I Married A Bum

2010-05-02T19:31:00.001-06:00

Once five-year-old Rajshon discovered I was married, the questions came flooding in. "Is your husband handsome?" he'd inquire, "Is he strong?" Every day he'd pry a little further in what appears to be a measuring up of his competition. "Does he like Spiderman because I LIKE Spiderman," was last week's question (apparently a fondness of super heros is a deal breaker). But this week was the best conversation I've yet to have with my little wooer:

"Do you know where your husband is?" Rajshon asked during lunch.
"I do. He's at home right now." I responded. (Troy had worked until 3 AM that morning)

His face instantly reflected equal parts disgust and sass as he retorted, "You need to tell him to get a job!"

Yes, apparently my husband is a bum. :)

Run For Relief 5K Results

2010-05-01T23:41:00.001-06:00

After a week on the road, my body was crying out for some exercise. But, as you can imagine, I was not feeling in tip-top shape for a 3 mile run. After my 90-minute yoga class, I headed over for a leisurely run, finishing in 34 minutes. I walked, jogged a little, and walked even more. :) This is the second year I've participated in this charity run and I plan to show up next year... in much better shape, of course. :)

Road Trip: Chaco Canyon, NM

2010-04-23T13:41:00.003-06:00

When one of my clients heard I was heading on a week-long road trip to sites like Mesa Verde, she chimed in, "If you like Mesa Verde, you'll LOVE Chaco Canyon!" "Chaco Canyon?" I thought. "I've never heard of it." As the official trip planner, I hopped on Mapquest and found it was only about 20 miles out of the way, so why not swing by? That may have been one of the best trip-planning decisions I've made. This hidden site of ruins is fabulous!

Located over an hour away from civilization and 16 miles down a washboard road, Chaco Canyon is not easily accessible, but trust me, it's well worth it.

One of several kivas

Kivas in the courtyard of a Great House

Most of these pictures were taken in one Great House. This three-level house spans across three acres and consists of over 600 rooms. And if that's not enough site seeing, Chaco Canyon has roughly 20 Great Houses to explore!

Walking through the courtyard

As you can see, most of the rooms are still intact and accessible to the public. In this section of the house we waked through at least 11 rooms.

The Great Kiva. It's hard to capture the magnitude of the structure, but this kiva is over 60 feet in diameter.

So if you're looking for a great new site, head on over to Chaco Canyon. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. And since Troy and I are already planning our next trip to Chaco in just a month or two, maybe we'll see you there. :)

Road Trip: Carlsbad Caverns, NM

2010-04-11T17:27:00.002-06:00

From Mesa Verde, we drove across New Mexico to Carlsbad Caverns. Now, I had never ventured this far south in the name of visiting a national park before, but it was well worth the drive. We don't have many photos of Carlsbad because, well, obviously we were inside a cave all day.

Wind blown in Texas

I am determined to visit all 50 states before I am 30. I know I may come up a few states shy, but with Carlsbad less than 20 miles from Texas, we had to make a quick swing across the border.

Road Trip: Mesa Verde, CO

2010-04-09T17:12:00.004-06:00

The first leg of our week-long road trip led us to the must-see destination: Mesa Verde.

Spruce Tree House ruins.

Cliff Palace ruins

We took so many pictures of ruins, I started to lose track of which were which. :)

Sonoma/San Francisco, CA

2010-03-23T21:20:00.003-06:00

One of Troy's annual conferences led us to California for the weekend. I had grand ideas of biking through the wine country, but once we arrived, I realized all I really wanted to do for our two days in Sonoma was to catch up on my reading poolside. And that's exactly what I did. While Troy sat in lectures all day, I worked on my tan. Sunday, we headed to San Francisco for two days of sight seeing.

Taking a stroll in the park

Troy, being the most amazing husband, bought us tickets to "Wicked".

It was fabulous!

Completely outing myself as a tourist with a cable car picture

And, of course, I had to see Alcatraz

It was great just being away for a long weekend. There is truly nothing I love more than traveling and I am about to get another taste with our weeklong road trip in exactly seven days!

Monsters, Muscles and Mormons

2010-03-14T15:03:00.000-06:00

"And then the monsters get caught by the net!" five-year-old Cameron exclaims. "But don't be scared, PE teacher, they aren't real monsters." His daily topic of discussion: Scooby Doo. During lunch, class or while just passing in the hall, wide-eyed Cameron loves to reveal the latest happens of his favorite mystery-solving, crime-fighting team. After months of story telling, he finally asked, "PE teacher, have you ever seen Scooby Doo?" He huffs with disappointment after I shamefully admit I've yet to witness the sheer awesomeness of Scooby Doo. "Ok," he says frankly. "This is what you're going to do." And with one long inhale, he states, "You'll go this way (pointing south) and take a left until you see Edison Street. Go to the house with the red door. You'll knock on the door. I'll answer and say 'Hey, it's PE teacher!' then we'll watch the show." I love that when he said, "Hey, it's PE teacher!", he threw his hands in the air like he was pleasantly surprised by my unannounced visit.

In between my 8-9 PE classes every day, I help the kindergarten classes in the lunch room. While kneeling to tie a child's shoe, I feel a little tap on my shoulder. I turn to see Sumaine, his brow furrowed with concern no five year old should understand. "PE teacher, why are you so happy?" I slightly giggle and respond, "Because you guys are so awesome." He continues to look solemnly into my eyes, then with a nod of his head, he goes on his way. The next day, he approaches me again. Again with a concerned look, he delivers the diagnosis. "If you keep smiling so much, your face is going to freeze." "Uh Oh!" I gasp. "Should I be more mean?" "No! No! No!" he cries. "I just don't want your face to freeze."

I was leading the preschoolers through their weekly yoga break. When I introduced the newest pose I would be adding to their repertoire called the "warrior", Duncan's eyes lit up with excitement. "I know this one! I know this one!" he yelled. "It's from Helaman. Helaman has the warriors." It took me a second to realize what he was talking about (I have many students with Book of Mormon/Bible names), but I burst into laughter when I realized he was referencing the 2,000 stripling warriors. Obviously someone paid attention in Primary.

Foster Update: Months 1-3

2010-03-13T20:45:00.006-07:00

It didn't take long for Tyson to get adopted. Frankly we were surprised he made it eight days at our house before finding a permanent home. Since he left, a handful of dogs have come and gone. Here's a few pictures of the sweet canines who have blessed us with their presence over the past two months.

Baxter (Shih Tzu mix)

Dawson (eight-week-old Border Collie)

Titan (Standard Poodle) with his mini-me, Spring

Tank (Corgi)

Koda (Great Pyrenees/Border Collie) in front and Lily (Black Lab) on the right.

And our anonymous puppies. These two came into the shelter at only four weeks old so we volunteered to house them for three weeks before they were eligible for adoption. The three week waiting period has ended, but they are still awaiting a home.

Troy and I are loving the foster system, though with each dog it is difficult to turn them over to the owner. I am excited once we receive the news the dogs have been adopted, but without fail, I feel the pang of sorrow in my heart knowing I won't see them again. It doesn't take long for them to feel like your own children.

We have managed to take two dogs at a time and our downstairs is running with the efficiency of a kennel. The shelves are stocked with dry food, wet food for the underweight dogs, toys, collars, etc. and the washer is always working to keep the blankets and dog beds clean. Though it can be stressful at times (especially with puppies who aren't house broken), I absolutely love having these visitors in our home.

Eight Hundred and Seventy Four...

2010-03-01T06:00:00.001-07:00

days together and not a single one spent apart. Over two years with my baby and I still can't get enough of him. Here's hoping for many more days, months and years together.

Moab, UT

2010-02-28T17:42:00.000-07:00

For our monthly get-out-of-town trip we spent three days in Moab. First, let me say it has been a weird winter. The rest of the state has been plagued with snow while I have been sporting flip flops for weeks. I don't know how we, at 7,000 feet, have missed 90% of the snow. So Moab, like the rest of Utah, was getting dumped on when we arrived. Some people would have been bummed about the snow, but for us, it just adds to the excitement.

This was truly a rarity: being alone at Delicate Arch.

After a few hikes at Arches, we drove over to Canyonlands. Neither Troy or I had done any hiking in Canyonlands. Sure, both of us have visited Dead Horse Point a handful of times, but somehow we always missed actually hiking in Canyonlands. With the snow coming down heavier by the minute, we chose an easier, half mile hike out to Mesa Arch. With my soaked tennis shoes, I attempted to break the trail. I could see a faint outline of where hikers must have been a day or so before. After about fifteen minutes of wandering through the snowy wilderness, I started laughing to myself, "With my luck, these are actually deer tracks I'm following." Thankfully, the path led us to the arch.

This arch literally marks the end of the mesa. Right behind Troy is a several hundred foot drop.

Next I led the hubby to Upheaval Dome.

It was definitely a well-spent weekend.

Playlist: Zumba Edition

2010-02-24T23:12:00.000-07:00

Since I have been teaching Zumba-based classes for almost two months, I thought I'd put together ten of my favorite dance songs.

"Que Te Pica" - Notch

"Latinos" - Proyecto Uno

"Rompe" - Daddy Yankee

"Boom Boom" - Kumbia Kings

"Calabria" - Enur

"Drop It On Me" - Ricky Martin

"Abusadora" - Merengue All Stars

"Fuego" - Kumbia Kings

"Arrasando" - Thaila

"Ain't Nothing Wrong With That" - Robert Randolph

Happy Birthday, Troy!

2010-02-07T14:13:00.003-07:00

February 3rd was Troy's 35th b-day. I got up early, like I did last year, to decorate the house with streamers, banners and balloons. After the birthday boy rolled out of bed, I made him breakfast and we spent the day skiing. And then the real birthday fun began. We went to dinner at his favorite Indian place and I surprised him with center court, 5th row tickets for that evening's Jazz game.

"Are you kidding me?" Troy exclaimed. "This is the best present ever!" I knew he'd be excited, but I can honestly say I've never seen him that giddy. Troy wanted to soak up every minute possible in his courtside seats so we arrived at the stadium as soon as the doors open.

Watching the boys warm up.

The Jazz didn't disappoint. They are now on an eight-game winning streak.

Us waiting for the post-game interview with AK.

And it wouldn't be a birthday without cake. I'll have you all know, Troy insisted on keeping the decorations up all week. He really is a kid at heart. ;)

Happy Birthday, honey!

Sundance 2010

2010-02-01T23:09:00.003-07:00

A few pics from this year's festival

Waiting outside the Egyptian at midnight

Adrian Grenier discussing his documentary "Teenage Paparrazo".

Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody at the premier of "Splice".

Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Joan Jett and Cherie Currie at "The Runaways".

It was a great year for Sundance! Admittedly I wanted to go solely to see Adrien Brody because, well, yum. He really is my one and only celebrity crush. Besides the films mentioned above, we saw three other flicks, all of which were so much fun. Can't wait for next year!

Meet Tyson

2010-01-16T18:11:00.004-07:00

It didn't take much for me to persuade Troy to become foster parents. In fact, I hadn't even finished stating the idea before he whole-heartedly agreed. I began doing volunteer work with Friends of Animals several months ago and after seeing the need for foster owners, Tyson entered our lives. Tyson is a four-year-old Boxer. His massive head teeters on his malnourished frame. He was found abandoned and dying in a snow bank. In the rehabilitative animal shelter, he lost part of his ear in a scuffle with another dog (sound familiar?). So this sweet boy will be part of the Madsen crew for awhile. If Park City didn't have a three dog maximum law, we would adopt him, but for now, we are showering him with love, walks and treats until he finds his permanent home.

9th and 9th

2010-01-11T17:09:00.002-07:00

For any of you local readers looking for a great workout, join me at 9th and 9th Pilates.

International 2010: Sweden & Denmark

2010-01-02T14:28:00.004-07:00

When we got married, Troy and I vowed to take at least one trip outside of the continental USA every year and by golly, I am going to make sure he holds to his word. :) We limited it down to three choices for 2010: Sweden, Australia or Korea. Upon further research, we found a conference in Denmark a day after the Swedish conference and with round trip tickets from Stockholm to Copenhagen for just $50, why not do both? We will fly into Sweden around October 8th and stay until the 15th. Then we'll hop on a quick one-hour flight for about a week of fun in Denmark. Do I really have to say I am excited for this trip? I am going to be a world traveler in no time!

Homecoming

2010-01-01T19:29:00.001-07:00

I am pleased to announce that after a long, two-year wait, my little brother has arrived safely home from Australia. That's the best Christmas present a gal could ask for!