5K

A few weeks ago my dad, the legendary ultra runner Davy Crockett, told me about a racing series this month that he was going to do. It started out with a 5K today, a 10K in two weeks, and in four weeks it'll be a 15K. Now, all these races are pretty optimistic for my actual ability, but after thinking about it, I decided to sign up and convinced my roommate Annalie to sign up with me.

Our reasoning behind this is that we need races to keep us going and to keep us motivated to improve. Like I said in my other post, if I quit now it will be so hard to start again, so I'm just never going to stop. I have to keep it up.

Today was our 5K. I was EXCITED all week for this. I knew I could do it, even if I had to stop to walk here and there, and I knew it would be exciting to run with other people. 

We ran at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City. It was a warm 31 degrees this morning. (Warm for me! We have been running in 19 degree weather some days outdoors. I was happy it was so warm.)

Running was good. For the most part. It was a foggy foggy day and I was breathing a lot harder than normal. I ran pretty well! I stopped a few times for about 30 seconds or so, and then kept going. I ended up finishing about 38 minutes or so. Not too bad. I'll try harder next time.

It was fun. I'm excited for the next race in two weeks! Wahoo!

 

 

Bittersweet and Big

I am so excited to announce that I have accepted a position at Riverton Hospital on the Med/Surg unit. I probably literally danced around a whole bunch the day I found out. I'm so excited to continue in my career and learn more of what being a nurse is about.

I have loved my job at Heritage. Really and truly, most days I would come home and I would think about my patients and really care about my job. At first my job was so stressful and I would come home and just dissolve into tears, wondering if it was worth it. Then it became worth it once I knew what to do and how to do most things.

We had a nursing class reunion a few months after I started my job and I was able to talk with a bunch of people in my class about our jobs. I was THE ONLY ONE who could honestly say that I loved my job. I was so nervous about telling people I worked at a Care Center while they all worked at fancy hospitals. But guess what? I actually loved what I did. I felt so lucky.

Of course I didn't love every day. Some days were too stressful to remember and others were boring. There are things I wish I didn't have to worry about (like water heaters, supply deliveries, putting admits in the computer, answering phones, etc.) but I have learned to figure things out very quickly.

I always thought it would be the end of the world to work at a care center when I was in nursing school. But now I couldn't imagine a better start for my career. I have learned so much, used almost every single skill I've ever learned in school, and I've learned to rely on my team, my knowledge, and really care for patients. I've also learned to handle stress better than I ever have in my life.

What I'll miss most of all are my co-workers. I had the best managers, the most amazing CNAs, and some of the funnest conversations ever. I hope we'll all see each other here and there and I hope we'll work together one day. I met the best people ever. Like LaChelle, Sarah, Rebecca, Valeriia, Andrea, Chad, Jennifer, Greg, Nate, Aubrey, Brandy, Mandy, Lacey, Q, Val, Amy, and so many more that I know I'm forgetting. Amazing people. I can only hope that my new co-workers are half as awesome as these ones were.

I'm sad to leave. But I'm happy also. It's bringing a lot of thoughts and emotions. But all in all, I'm excited for my life. This is a huge change. Huge.

:D And I'm happy.

 

Obsessed

I found an obsession. 

In a million years I didn't think I would ever get obsessed with running. Wait, a billion years. 

Running and I have never been friends. We've been enemies since I can remember. Those mile runs in elementary school around the playground, playing soccer and the coach making us run a few laps around the field, running drills in basketball. "Fun runs" in jr high. So I picked swimming, a sport that didn't require any running. Until high school, when our team captains loved to torture us with runs. 

I think the farthest I ever ran and pushed myself in high school was a quarter mile. It was an "Indian run" that nearly made me throw up. 

I had knee problems in high school with swimming and so I didn't have to run anymore my senior year. I still worked hard at swimming and swam at state. But I was always so sad that I could never run.

My dad became obsessed with running in 2002 or so. His midlife crisis. Suddenly he was a trail runner and ran crazy distances. I thought he was crazy. I would mention it to friends and people I knew and they were amazed. Sometimes I even met people who read his blog and treated him like some sort of running celebrity.

In college I wanted to try running again. I signed up for the ROTC class and quickly learned that is was possible to throw up while you run. It was hard. I was embarrassed. So I bought a gym pass and tried to work out a couple more times a week in preparation for the Friday runs. I still couldn't do it and I knew I would fail the class, so I dropped out. I failed. It was depressing.

During nursing school, Annalie and I took up running for a bit but started out doing too much too soon and so I hurt my knees and stopped running. I had gotten to the point where I could say that I actually liked to run. But then it was too hard to start up again.

This last October, Annalie and I went to the Pony Express Trail 50 and 100 that my dad puts on. It was fun times camping and cheering. But we were sitting at the finish while people older than us were finishing 50 mile runs. It was inspiring to see how accomplished they felt afterwards and to see their determination. 

Annalie and I joked about running 50 next year. And in the middle of our joking it became a reality and the next week we laced up our shoes and headed out the door, running 45 second intervals to get us up to 10 minutes only four weeks later. 

Now that I have some specific goals and races in mind, like a 5K in a week and a half marathon in June. And of course, the 50 in October. I am obsessed with motivation for racing.

I live and breathe motivation. I'm not sure if its because I'm terrified of not accomplishing my goals. I really want this more than I've wanted anything in a long time. And failing is just not an option. I am not going to get this excited about something and start out with this much momentum and then quit or get set back or fail. I cannot do that. It would be the worst thing. 

I want to run. I want to keep running. I want to be a runner for good. This could be the best thing that has ever happened to me. It feels amazing.

So I'm obsessed. I have to be. I'm so happy at my progress and can't wait to keep going.

Dear Mindy

Dear Mindy of January 2012,

Oh hey! How's it been going? Oh yeah, I totally remember.
You were SO ready for 2011 to end. I think it was one of the most stressful years. You ended that year not feeling like yourself and feeling a bit lost.
Well, I'm happy to report that you will become a lot better. In fact, this year is fun. It flies by. But you do a lot and learn a lot and love a lot of experiences.
Work towards your New Year's resolution of going out of the country. But, if you don't succeed, it's going to be okay. You'll do it next year for sure. (I sure hope so, Mindy of 2013.) You sure do try though.
Visit Cyann in February. Take pictures. I know you think you will, but it would be the pits if you came home and realized you only took a few pictures and never got any of you, Annalie, and Cyann together. So, take pictures. Other than that, just enjoy your best friends and their adorable kids.
Go to church. I know you like to sleep, but church is really important. You always have a great testimony, but it helps to keep going to church and trying. Read your scriptures. It'll give you strength because a lot of things in life sucks.
Work takes up most of your thoughts, time, and worries. It's tough some days, and some days you come home wondering why in the world you do what you do. Hang in there, remember to breathe, and find comfort in your co-workers. They are awesome. Welcome change. Don't hold grudges or take things personally. Do what you know you should do and do it your best. You might even learn that so many people depend on and appreciate what you do. And you might even be employee of the month. Don't get discouraged when you think you're not good enough. You are doing the best you can. Love every day even if you don't want to.
Make time for trips. You are going to have a lot of fun exploring the west coast. CA, WY, ID, UT, NM, AZ.... You get around! Be open to new experiences, get excited about going places, and make it a priority. It's important for your sanity.
You buy a car!! You finally figure out you can do it and you make the plunge and buy a very amazing and cute car. It's pretty, it's awesome, and it's your favorite thing ever. Make a good choice.
You move quite a bit this year. Out of Provo, some where not expected, and then to a really good place. Moving gives you the opportunity to start new and bring about change.
Change is good. You become a different person than you were last year. It's a really good thing. The important things about you stay the same, but you're smarter and stronger.
You can handle a lot of things that you didn't think you'd have to handle alone. Find peace in your strength, don't dwell on the things you don't have, and have faith that things will turn out for the better.
Your family is amazing. Take time to get to know them better individually. It will truly add to your happiness.
And when you and Annalie decide that running 50 miles next year is actually not too unrealistic, don't let anyone tell you otherwise and get out there and run! You LOVE running! Miracles happen. And next year, when Mindy of 2013 tells you about the race, you will not be surprised at how it went.
Keep on keeping on, love yourself, take time to go on adventures, and have faith.
2012 was so much better than the year before. And it can only get better from here.

Love,
Mindy of January 2013.