5 days in UT + pictures = awesome

Everytime I leave Utah I think maybe I shouldn't be leaving. It's home and I love it.

Driving. Driving Driving.
I know it's super vain to post (mediocre) pictures of myself on le blog (even though it's my blog and I can do whatever I want) but, I just wanted you to see my blue hair because I love it. I'm so badass (not really).

My crazy Auntie Lu and Jane. Tongan dances... well there are just not words enough to discribe.
See what I mean? Seriously. Are you seeing this?! I didn't even try to be stealthy in order to get this picture.
My sis and me. We be good posers.
Meeting up with my favorite SuperBonBon. Love. Love. Love.
Bein' all cute and junk in downtown Provo.
Workin' it with the locals.
So much cotton candy! Cotton Candy with PopRocks! Genius!
Conference with the ladies.
Other really good stuff happened but I don't have pictures to prove it.

Dear Utah, you always treat me right. I'm ready to come back.

Goodbye, Vegas. Hello, Utah.

I'm heading up north for a long weekend (me and all the other Mormons making the semiannual pilgrimage). Me, I'm just going home. R&R.

Thought I'd make a mix for the drive. I like driving alone but I need entertainment.

"This is a long drive for someone with nothing to think about"
1. Animal - Neon Trees *New fav band
2. Burden of Tomorrow - Tallest Man On Earth
3. Unloveable - Babybird *Soul wrenching, anyone?
4. We Will Walk - Matisyahu
5. All the Pretty Girls - fun.
6. Middle Distance Runner - Sea Wolf
7. Lasso - Phoenix *Have I mentioned how much I love Phoenix?
8. Float On - Modest Mouse *This song is on almost every single mix I make.
9. Fireflies - Owl City *Guilty pleasure
10. Walking On A Dream - Empire of the Sun
11. Hot Venom - Miniature Tigers
12. Spaceman - The Killers
13. Fire & Rain - Mat Kearney *Crush
14. Selfish Jean - Travis
15. I'm A Machine - Shark Speed
16. 1983 - Neon Trees
17. Rome - Phoenix *Seriously, I really like them!
18. Tik Tok (cover) - Air Raid Anthem *SOOO much better than the original

Most likely I'll just be listening to The Killers "Day & Age" and The Neon Trees "Habits" albums the whole way. I cannot get enough of them this week.

Email me if you want a copy of the mix. I'll send ya a disc.

Day 13 of Gratitude

Today I am grateful for my polynesian heritage. It is such a rich, beautiful culture.
Everyone who ever knew a poly, who ever spent time in the islands or saw one (a poly, not an island) walking down the street feels like, wants to be or thinks they are poly by association. There's a reason for this.

I'm grateful that I don't have to fake being a polynesian or that it's not a culture that I get to experience for one day at PCC. I get to keep it my whole entire life and beyond. Maybe someday I'll take the time to really write a good, hearty post about this topic but for now, I'm just grateful for my heritage. And, that because if it, I can get a really great tan.

Day 10, 11 & 12 of Gratitude

I'm still in Hawaii. And, for now that's all I need to feel grateful.
Sometimes gratitude needs to be simple.

Day 6-9 of Gratitude

I'm in Hawaii. Need I say more?

Booyah.

Race Report: Hobble Creek 1/2 Marathon

Do you even know how much I love going home to Utah? I love it. A lot.

This past weekend I trekked up to run the Hobble Creek 1/2 Marathon as well as for some good times with family and friends. It was a gorgeous weekend which did nothing to tame these ridiculous urges I've been having to move back there.

So, the race was really great. Only negative was having to wait at the start line all by my onesy which I really hate. I always feel so awkward standing there alone with no one to talk to. Anyway... after waiting for the bus for 45 minutes (45 mins of lost sleep...) we headed up the canyon as the sun was rising. I barely had time to visit the Honey Bucket before the races started.

The temperature was just perfect for running and the scenery was beautiful. Utah canyons make me so homesick. The course was nice and downhill for the first 9 miles which I really appreciated. The last few miles went through Mapleton and finally into the city park for the finish. I felt really great for the first 10 miles and was a bit ahead of my projected pace. Right at mile 11 I started getting pretty bad leg cramps and had to stop at one point to stretch them out. I had to do a bit of walking in the last few miles but pushed through the pain and kept running as much as I could in order to hit my goal time.

The good news- I did it! Well... pretty close anyway. I wanted to finish in 2:30 and I crossed the finish line at 2:31:19 and thus setting a new PR. Woot! My sis was there to meet me at the finish line so it was awesome having someone there to celebrate with when I finished. Thanks sis!
*race photo coming soon
I beat my Canyonlands time by 18:33 and my SLC time by a ridiculous 28:41. I've said it before and I'll say it again- I'm pretty sure I'm one of the worlds slowest runners and I'm still ok with that and as long as I'm improving (and not the last to finish) I don't care how long it takes me to finish my races.

The interesting thing about this race is that I don't think I was necessarily more prepared physically than I was for Canyonlands. I've changed up a few things about how I run but I think the main difference this time around was that I was much more mentally prepared. I knew my limits, I knew how hard I could push and I knew that reaching my goal was totally possible. I told myself I could do it. I believed I could do it. And I did it.

And while the thought of turning around and doing that entire race again upon finishing it makes me want to puke, this race was a good motivator for St George. I've only got another month of training so I've got to really kick it in gear and more than anything get on my mental game.

The best part of race day? Lanikai! Seriously the best Hawaiian BBQ ever (and I'm not just saying that because the owners are family friends). Once my post race hunger kicked in I was craving the protein. Yum. If you live in UT or are there visiting do yourself a favor and go eat there.

Utah

I love the Food Network. I haven't watched "The Next Food Network Star" but while at home for the weekend I got to see Utah's own "Kelsey Nixon" on one of the news shows doing a little cooking demonstration.

I hate her. Sorry if you are her or if you are friends with her or if you love her because I'm sure she's a nice gal and all but seriously I cannot stand her stupid face and her stupid voice. Just so... Utah! Blah!

Ok, so I didn't hate her at first. Sure, she annoyed me from the get go but the thing that pushed me over the edge was when she showed us "a really easy way to cut corn off of a cob." Guess how she did it... with a KNIFE! Seriously?! Are there idiots out there who are just pickin' the kernals off the cob one by one with their bare hands? Really, Kelsey?! You showed me how to cut. corn. off. a. cob. with. a. knife... as if no one had ever thought to do that before.

Then I cut my ears and eyeballs off my head just so I wouldn't have to watch her or listen to her anymore.