Reality

On my 2nd run, of the day, today I was brought back to reality.

This week, and for the last little bit I was thinking I am a good runner. I am good at weight lifting.  I am a great athlete. I've been a competitor for a long time, and done quite a variety of sports. This mornings run was freezing cold, but I felt great. No watch, no GPS just me and my Vibrams (and clothes of coarse) out for a run. It was awesome. After class today I decided to go for another, I didn't get quite enough in this morning. I was craving a little more. 

So, after getting home I got ready for my run. While I was getting ready I was thinking about things I wish I had done in my life up to this point. One of my thoughts was that I wish I would have run Cross Country in College.  You know, I was feeling I was good enough to actually do it. My last couple of half marathons I had either gotten 2nd or 1st place, so yeah that means I am good right? 

Well, while on this run, it was short, but my knees hurt a little so I switched up my running style and felt better. As I was on the last mile and a half stretch back home I was feeling real good. I hit a light about a mile from home and behind me comes two U of U cross country runners (you could just tell). When the light turns green we go, and they just bound ahead. Yeah I expect them to be fast, but it made me realize how slow I am. 

I did catch up to them at the next light, which made me feel awkward. Here they were in a t-shirt and short shorts, and there I was in a black long sleeve shirt with gloves, and running tights I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb! 

Oh wow, my dreams were crushed in those few minutes between lights (just with in a mile). 

I realized that I am just an average person. Just someone who is obsessed with running. Being obsessed don't mean you are good, it just means you really like it. I thought that because I work at Salt Lake Running Co it actually made me a good runner, but unfortunately it doesn't. It just means that I live running. 

Just because I am a pacer for the Halloween Half this weekend doesn't mean I am a good runner, it just means I got lucky to know the person who was in charge.

Reality is that I am just average. I am not a fast runner, I can just go long distances. I am never going to be a College athlete. I will always just be someone that likes to work out and who will always be asked the question "Are you a runner?" Instead of them recognizing that I am a runner by looking at me, and the fact that I do work at Salt Lake Running Co. 

I will always wish that I could be good, or awesome at something., but until I one day actually achieve that I will be out on the road chasing it down. 

Fall Update

This school year has been crazy. It's such a fabulously exciting time or year as well as life in general. Nathan is applying for Graduate School for next fall, awaiting his GRE score, and is still working hard in the Trede Lab at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. He is busy, but having a great time, and learning a lot through his work. He is doing so much valuable work not only for the things they are researching and discovering, but also for his own skills and talent in that area of research.

As for me, I am in school, half way through my second to last semester of my undergraduate degree. Oh, how I enjoy saying that. I am just so eager to get this chapter done with. I am taking 6 classes to help me to hurry and finish, they are all so interesting, exciting and I am learning a lot. One thing I really like about being at the end is that my classes tend to overlap, it's a great reminder of the things I am learning and allows me to really get it instilled in my brain. Along with my classes I am still working at Salt Lake Running Co, I don't say that negatively, I really do love my job there. I like that I can feel I am making a difference in some peoples lives, and just how much I am learning about running, proper nutrition, injury prevention, and good training. I do love what I do. I also recently got an internship at Orriant, a corporate wellness company. They go to other companies and offer them wellness programs for their employees, to decrease their cost of health insurance, well as work to improve health and moral in the companies. I am going to be working on their Coach Training program and helping to write and publish a Coaching Handbook/Workbook. I will also help write next years Newsletters on different health topics. It's really going to challenge me, and challenge my writing skills, but I am so excited for this opportunity. This is going to work me hard during this already busy time, but it's goint to be amazing!

This year has been surprising to say the least, but super exciting. I love it.

General Conference Part 2

    Since I had wrote about my excitement for conference this weekend I thought I would write about what was experienced. No, I am not going to write about every talk or even every talk that I really enjoyed because that would take me way too long, and I do need to get back to studying for my tests.

   I will start off by saying wow! What a fabulous weekend that was. Seriously, I was thinking about this, when I was younger conference weekend was so boring, and so long. It was fun to sleep all day and play games, but I never really understood much from the talks, unless the Primary General Pres. would speak to the primary kids and would get my attention. While in high school and junior high, I was starting to like it, but again those weekends were just so long. Now the weekend just goes by way too quickly. I was disapointed upon the conclusion of the conference. Man, I have to wait a whole 6 months for this again. It's going to take forever! Oh well, at least we have the Ensign as well as the opportunity to go back through to listen and read the talks from this session.

   I noticed most of the talks quoted or mentioned "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths." This is such a simple, and easy to remember scripture, but honestly I needed that reminder from all who said it. The theme I noticed from Oct 2011 Conference was to Pray, Trust in the Lord, and Follow His will. "Thy will not mine be done". What an inspired conference this was. So many wonderful talks, and reminders that I do need to pray more fervently, and not only just pray, but I need to get up and do. I also need to show more gratitude in my prayers, and ask for forgiveness for my shortcomings always. Scripture study is essential, not just reading it, but studying, pondering and praying about the messages.

   I will say I am so grateful for our Prophet Pres. Monson. He is such a wonderful example. All of our General Authorities are such great examples to us. I know they were all inspired for the talks they gave. I did recieve some answers, some I have a long way to go on, but I do have that reminder of having Faith and Trust in the Lord and through Him anything is possible. I know this is the true church. I am grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. My hope and prayer is that I can be a better example, that I can be more patient with myself and my life, and that I can better myself always.

I am now so excited for April. It's going to be great. Until then I will be working on bettering my patience and faith.