track 2011

Right now I'm in Eugene, Oregon for the last meet of the year. Maybe I'm just getting older and more sentimental but I've really been thinking and reflecting about this track season. This year like all years has had some ups and downs and twists and turns. It's amazing to look back and realize how much I've learned and how blessed I am to just be able to travel around with my best friends and do something I love. I only have one more season left and I realize that more than getting PRs and winning every race it's about the memories and friendships you make that will last. (Totally cheesy I know but I really believe that) Three years down...one more to go.
Justin Bieber "Baby" was my anthem this year. I listened to that song before every race. That's a lot of races probably like 15 but I'm telling you right now...it never got old. Love JB.

JUNIORS (plus Katie Palmer). Our class is seriously the bomb. We have serious Junior pride and maybe it's because Tom Holmoe the athletic director himself told us last year we had the best skit at XC camp that he's ever seen. I didn't say it....he did. Oh and I will always be able to tell pictures from the middle of Junior year track because I took this gray headband from Lacey and wore it every single day for two maybe three weeks straight and it was hilarious because it was her favorite. I mostly wore it just to spite her.

This year for the first time I had to cross train for a week because of a slight injury I had in my back/bum area and I also got an iron IV. Yes this whole bag of fluid was dumped into my body. I learned a lot from this whole experience and it made me super thankful for when I'm healthy and made me have more compassion for girls that have been injured since September. It's not fun but aqua jogging for one day was actually pretty entertaining but it was one day.

My mom and I cheering at the meet. The man in front of us kept plugging his ears because I was cheering so loud and when my teammate would come around the turn he would plug his ear in anticipation. It was super funny.

Before the mile at Idaho State. First indoor race. Wooden track. Family drove up. 5 1/2 months later and the season is now over. Time flies eh?

Most of the time we stay at really nice hotels like the Marriott or the Double Tree (FREE COOKIES every time you walk in. Yeah it's the bomb) but here in Eugene we are staying at the Shiloh Inn. These are our keys. Need I say more?

This picture was taken freshman year in Laramie, Wyoming.

Almost a full two years later in Albuquerque. Look how far we've come.

The New York meet is the bomb (hence why I did a whole blog post about it). Some of the reasons: family, hotel four blocks away from Times Square, subway rides, bagels, broadway, thriving in my home town, etc etc)

The quad. We've seen each other cry, laugh, win, puke, lose, trip, scream, get heartbroken, giddy with excitement, in immense physical pain, dance at practice and locker room and at lifting, eat, get made fun of by another member, and the list could go on. We are like siblings and my season would not be the same without these three girls.

The BACON BAR. It's a maple bar with bacon on the top. Voodoo donuts is the place to be in Eugene and Alec, Randi, and Chloe took us there. Looks weird? Well it's actually to DIE for. So good.

Penn Relays. 4x800 on Saturday afternoon with 48,531 fans watching. Finally some respect for our sport. It was out of control. The only problem is it makes all other meets look sissy comparatively. Oh and literally hundreds of Jamaicans were chanting my name as I ran because my parents and grandparents were in the stands and the Jamaicans just wanted somebody to cheer for so hundreds started yelling SARAH SARAH SARAH and you could hear them on the other side of the stadium. Best. Thing. Ever.

Mt. Sac. All making bingo cards for one of our team meetings. Kari and I got a pedicure after we went to the beach and it was cold in Provo. Woo hoo.

I've had the great blessing to have family come to so many of my meets. Here in Oregon my cousin Alec and his wife Randi and precious little girl Chloe came. My parents and grandparents have come to many meets. Jayne got to come to Stanford this year. Matthew came and watched me at BYU as well as my aunt Camille and Gary who drove down to watch me run a 4x4oo in the rain. My Edwards grandparents also came to a few meets in Provo and Annie and her family were in New York. Oh and Kelli my cousin/roomie came and watched at BYU. Love all these people and it really means a lot to me.

Our cool downs consist of a lot of stopping and taking pictures as can be seen by this but I mean it's all about the journey not the destination? That's what I keep telling myself when I'm too tired and try and think of a way to make a run more pleasant.


IN CONCLUSION: Track is almost over and after I go race the 4x400 in a few hours I will get a two week break which my body is really wanting right now especially my left hamstring. I'm really lucky to be here and I love my team and coaches a lot. I've learned a lot running wise and a lot in life as well. I just am very grateful.

seven things

Alexandra Snarr Wright is my dear friend and she has an awesome blog. I love it. I love it so much in fact that the other day I was reading a post she has just put up where she was required to say seven facts about herself. This is one of those fun blog chains and I was tagged so to speak so here are seven random facts about yours truly:

1. My three favorite foods are chocolate ice cream, mashed potatoes, and french toast

2. I have to have short nails. Even when there is just a bit of white I hate it

3. I have a life goals list of 101 things to do before I die two of which include milking a cow and eating only popsicles for one entire day. As of right now I've accomplished 14/101

4. I've always been obsessed with the name Emma

5. I go to bed at eleven wake up at eight. (This is the requirement and when it's disturbed I'm likely to get a wee bit cranky)

6. Kelly Clarkson's "Behind These Hazel Eyes" is the go-to song and is 98% of the time stuck in my head

7. When I read I bring the book literally a foot away from my face which has not got to be good for the old eyeballs

3 times

This weekend I went home three times and it was awesome. Yes I could've saved gas and not driven the hour long drive on the I-15 6 times but it was well worth it. Saturday we went to the Real game and had the first pool party of the year. This was then followed by one of my best friend from home Ashley's wedding to her sweetheart Feller. It was such a fun wedding and it was great to see them, take pictures in the photo booth, and dance a Mexican wedding dance. Sunday was Mother's Day so of course we came up to celebrate the best mom in the whole wide world. She is such an example to me of genuine kindness, willingness, and love for life. I love her a lot. Monday Jayne starred in the dinner theatre at Woods Cross. This was the best dinner theatre yet and Jayne killed it. She looked awesome dancing and she blew everyone away when she had this little solo part. It was a great weekend. Love weekends. Love my family. Love home. Love the NSL. Love.

Our seats were by some crazy fans but it was slightly entertaining to see what they were going to yell next. It was fun Ash, Jen, and Maddie could all come and to top it all off we won.

Woo hoo.

Shout out to my mama for Mother's Day! As can be seen in this picture my mom is so supportive and pretty much just the best mom all around. She's practically perfect in every way

Jayne and her posse.

It appears as though Matthew is putting up his finger to say that Jayne is number one. Well put Matthew. It's a fact...Jayne was the best one there!

This year was the one year where I was close enough to possibly get chosen to come on the stage and dance for one of the numbers. Three rows back and on the aisle. Sadly this did not happen but at least I picked up one of the roses they threw out to the crowd. (Ok so I didn't actually catch the rose but because I was motivated I reached and picked it up as it lay in the aisle but it made me feel better for lack of the lime light on stage.)

Jayne was teaching me how to do one of the dance moves from the show. I think I could now be in the show because of how well I caught on to that thing.

Jayne's ADORING public.

It would be surprising (or not) on how comfortable and willing Jayne and Matthew Zimmerman were to do this engagement shot I posed for them.

Beautiful Jayne

Jayne had senior ball the other day and I just thought she looked BEAUTIFUL. Like seriously stunning. So as the proud sister that I am I needed to post these pictures. I'm just saying I never looked that pretty at any of my dances and that's a fact. My mom made the dress and Jayne's date only had to wait for 20 minutes upstairs while my mom finished it up. I know that feeling Jayne I know the feeling haha