Pat Tillman Run

Elliot and I ran the Pat Tillman Run on Saturday, April 17, 2010. It was 4.2 miles because his football number at ASU was 42. I've never run 4 miles before (I've walked it).

We biked over to ASU because it's just a few miles away and didn't want to deal with the traffic and parking. It was a great warm-up for me as I was huffing it the whole way, but Elliot was going so slow compared to how fast he usually rides!

This was the 5th Annual race and has grown from 5,000 participants to over 28,000! We didn't get our cool race t-shirts (and they were really nice ones) because they were out of our sizes by the time we got to the table. They'll mail them because I refused to get a bigger size.

Pre-Race (Elliot's words, "We haven't even started the race and I already look terrible!")

Elliot and I acted like we knew how to stretch before a big run and then we headed to the starting area. They started us in "corrals" (offensive, right?) according to how fast we run a mile. Elliot started in 9 minutes, so I started with him even though I know I don't run that fast.

Throughout the whole first mile I keep wondering to myself why I pay to do this. Then the mile marker shows up and I realize that I can totally do this. I love mile markers. I got into my groove of running, dodging the glistening loogies on the ground and swerving around runners-turned-sudden-walkers. I got a cup of water thrown on my foot behind me, but that's alright because I'm sure I threw my water on someone else too.

The climb into the ASU football stadium to the finish line at the 42-yard line was the hardest part, but totally exhilarating! I found Elliot fairly easily among the thousands of other people trying to find each other and we rehydrated and found some fruit as we watched thousands of other people cross the finish line.

I'm glad Elliot runs faster than I do. He's sweaty. He's also sleepy.

YAWN! Oh dear, looks like I'm a little sleepy too.

We ran into some other friends (JR & Shae Thulin) from our ward who ran as well. We were going to wait around to hear Pat Tillman's wife speak after everyone finished the race, but I'm glad we didn't because JR & Shae said they waited over 2 hours and she didn't even speak!

Uh oh, Elliot's still sleepy.

Elliot finished in 36 minutes 44 seconds and I finished in 46 minutes 15 seconds. We biked back home which was a nice cooldown, but my legs had had it! I'm so sore! Next up . . . 10K! (Don't pressure me, gosh!)

Ball Challenge-12/19/09

Whenever we make people play our ball challenge, they always ask where we came up with it. So here's the story along with some of our most recent challengers . . .

Several years ago during the Christmas season, apparently I had the giant exercise ball out in the living room. Not sure why, I'm sure it wasn't for exercise. Elliot was sitting on it and then suddenly I saw him rolling backwards straight into our Christmas tree! The man didn't even try to break his fall and it was hilarious to watch!

So then we started timing how long we could balance on the ball and because the fall was the most hilarious part of the whole thing, we decided that breaking the fall was breaking the rules of the game. The Ashby's were our most fierce and frequent challengers and for the most part, I think people enjoy participating. It has become our tradition when we have guests over on a weekend. It's too raucous for our Monday visitors.

This was actually the first game where I wasn't able to balance very well (I blame it entirely on the fact that the ball needed more air). So I tried to redeem myself by balancing with Stella . . . the girl who is impossibly fidgety.

JR Thulin - big guy, BIG FALL!

It is so funny how balancing can be so hard! Mark Ortega was a determined competitor, but his wife Jacque couldn't participate because she's pregnant. Give her a few months and we'll see how she does!

Shae Thulin was working the wings . . . or it could have been the two-armed sprinkler dance.

Mike Ashby reported no injuries, unlike previous challenges where he ripped off a mole and landed with his head perpendicular to his body. That was awesome.

We can always count on Mari Ashby for a good pose before she goes down.

And Max thoroughly enjoyed the whole spectacle.