Last night I didn’t get enough sleep… probably 6 hours and I started to notice a hip injury that I had before in my sleep. I had to go to PT before for this injury so I am on extra caution. I ended up just doing 4 miles today of our 16 mile day and felt a little bad about it, but I really want to finish. I did 10 squats at every stop (we stop often to drop off runners) to get my glutes strengthen and hopefully fix this injury. I also dedicated today to my gram and we made it to Ely, NV. Today an alumni came with us from 2021 (someone on Bree’s team) and she was so nice. She did some driving for us and showed us around town. We also had a rider join us, James, and he is also so great! I ran my two sets of runs today with James and one with the alumni so it was really nice to get to know them more. After the miles were done for today, we drove through an old mining town and it was so interesting! It felt like the real wild west! We stopped at an ice cream place and I got a huge vanilla waffle cone (apparently its national vanilla ice cream day!). It was so delicious and I was so happy! I also walked up through town to a bathroom to look around and on the way back I saw an old mining cabin (photo below). I love museums so it was cool to just see it. There’s also some history from the ice cream place and I took a photo of it if you’re interested too! They even had boarded up mines in town which was really interesting. After that we went to a thrift store and everything was $1! It was cool and everyone in town was so kind. The alumni knew everyone because she works for the paper so it was really neat getting to see it from that perspective. Then, we went to a local church in that town and they made us lunch! We had sandwiches, applesauce, and lemonade for lunch and it was delicious. It was nice to be able to talk with the ladies that prepared the lunch for us as well. We then took the lunch to the riders so they could eat too! After that we headed to the host to drop off our bags and went to an aquatic center for showers. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo but it was what you would expect and nice and warm. I also hand washed my clothes while I was there and took advantage of the bathing suit dryer to get my clothes close to dry. Then we finally made it back to the host for good and I set up my sleeping spot in such a cozy spot – I am so excited for bed! We have dinner with the church now (so I’m typing quick) and they already seem so kind. I ate some cheese and crackers earlier and now I’m ready for the big meal! They also have been giving us so many donations. It was a good night and I am more than ready to get to sleep!! Quick note from after dinner - an ultra biker came to talk with us and encourage us and he did 930 miles in 3 days from California to Colorado. His next goal is what we're doing, but in 13 days! It was inspiring.
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Today was an unplanned rest day in Vegas! We didn’t originally plan to go to Vegas, but since we were close, we figured why not (and also because the van needed to be fixed). I slept in until 8am today, but because of the time change yesterday, it felt more like 9am. After waking up slowly, I went to breakfast with some friends at the pyramid café. After that, I had a lot of director things to do with the van. I was on the phone pretty much all day, but we got it figured out so it was worth it. I was on the phone with Ulman, Firestone, and Enterprise trying to figure out not one but two van situations. This morning after breakfast, I drove to Firestone to drop off our van to get the problem fixed... hopefully. We got a ride back so we were able to go back to the hotel and go swimming. When I got back, I enjoyed cooling off in the pool (also for an excuse to take a quick break from phone calls). I was in the pool for about a half hour and then later went to exchange the current ride van with another van (because their current one was temporary and wasn’t able to rack their bikes). Thankfully that was successful and after moving everything out of the one van into the other we were done with one van. After that we went to find some dinner while we waited for the other van to be finished. I got some chick-fil-a! Then we were finally able to pick up the van! The person who worked on the van was so nice and he even stayed a couple of minutes after closing to let us pick up the van. Then we went back to the hotel and picked everyone up to head back to our campsite. The beginning of the ride home was crazy – similar to our ride here, but a little more nerve racking with the weather. The person at the firestone told me a monsoon was coming and yes indeed we drove though it. The lightening was on top of us with wind pushing our car off the road and making it sound like the window was opened. To add to it, we had some crazy crazy rain. Both times in this van, the drivers told me that it was the heaviest rain they ever drove in. They both did really well driving in the rain and I felt very confident in them. We got back to the campsite around 9:30 and I immediately set up my sleeping pad and went to sleep for another day tomorrow. Yesterday we had a route change so we could take a rest day today in Las Vegas! We ended up running a little more with 14 miles, but it was my navigation day so I only ran half and helped out in the van for the rest of the day. It worked out because there was a lot of director things that I had to work out with our van slightly falling apart and the host was a little confused with our change in plans. The run was really good and I always enjoy a light mile day. The van started to not sound too good the day before and we didn’t realize the great problem until we were on a Nevada road and realized the wheel was about to fall off. We passed some riders at the same time I stuck my head out the window and realized we needed to pull off! Thankfully the road wasn’t too busy and after about 10 minutes of looking for the tools, we found the wrench. Some people worked on the car a bit to see what the problem was – not good – so we called road side service and they were not helpful. Thankfully the team was able to tighten the bolts on the wheel and we felt it was safe to drive to the appointment we made for the following day in Las Vegas. I also talked to my step dad, Brian, the whole time who helped us through the situation. We stopped at a gas station after driving about 20 miles to check out it and it seemed better and I also got some hot pockets. It was a little sketchy how they were already made and just in a dish, but worth it. On the way to that gas station, we made it to the Nevada boarder and the last time zone change! We were in contact with Ulman throughout the day and made the best decision with what we had. The only Firestones in the area for a long time were Vegas… so to Vegas we went. After the runs and rides, we left our stuff at a campsite (with some people who didn’t want to go to Vegas) and headed to Vegas with a small bag. I went for the van and for a bed – that was about it since I was just there! On the way to Vegas we drove through insane rain (with our wheel slightly unstable). We had to stop every once in awhile to tighten the bolts, but thank goodness we made it to Vegas around 9pm. Since our van is so high, I didn’t want to deal with crazy garage parking so I just split the valet parking with my co-director so we could go to bed. Shortly after I made it to my beautiful hotel room (it was this or a tent for that night), I took a wonderful shower and then went right to bed! We stayed at the pyramid hotel – next to the one I stayed at just 2 weeks before starting this trip and it was really nice. I was so happy to be in Vegas again – I didn’t realize how much I just really like Vegas (and yeah definitely not for the reason everyone else likes Vegas haha). This blog is a little late because I was so tired to write that day and then because wifi was tough the following night! Today was a tough day physically and I’m not quite sure why! The legs felt like bricks today, but we did it. We had 9 miles today and made it to Cedar City, UT. I dedicated today to Bonnie, Bree’s mom. During my run, I ran with Mary, Dan, and Sydney. We drove the beginning of our route today rather than the end to get over a big mountain. We saw some pretty crazy things. First was a huge dried-up lake. It showed water on the map, but it was completely dried up and crazy to see. Then, we saw a bunch of sheep and they were being herded by horses! Lastly, we saw lava flows from a cinder cone. That was really interesting – check out the photo below for more. For lunch, we got Chipotle donated. Chipotle isn’t my favorite restaurant so it was okay, but I got some diet coke so that was good! Later, I got some Applebees to fill me up so I was well fed today. After eating some lunch, some riders needed to be picked up with a storm so two people took our van to help out and the rest of us stayed back to help find lunch for the riders. Unfortunately we were unsuccessful after calling over ten locations, but it worked out in the end. We made a quick stop to Walmart and then came back and relaxed. Someone is bringing pizza for us tonight so we will get to meet with him and enjoy some dinner. Tonight we’re at a church so I think I will sleep in the quiet sanctuary tonight. The worship band is coming to practice at 7pm so once they’re out, we’re able to set up and go to sleep! Today is a rest day and I am oh so happy! Today I tried to sleep in, but a group of people left to hike at 4 and then another group at 7, so it was hard to sleep in the morning. I ended up getting up around 7:45 and then did a quick load of laundry – both my clothes and Ollie the dinosaur. A group of five of us went to breakfast at a little coffee shop, which took a long time, but it was good. I got a ham and cheese croissant and iced tea (although they gave it to me hot and I had to make it iced myself :/). After that, we drove through Zion national park and it was really cool to see. There was a tunnel that we went through too which was really interesting. At the bottom of the park, there was a little souvenir area and I got a hat and a pin! I spent more than I would have liked on the hat, but I haven’t gotten anything big like that yet so I figured it was worth it. After the park, we went to the grocery store to pick up some lunch and I got some boxed mac and cheese. It was delicious. (The air bnb has a kitchen so I could make it). Now, I’m in my bed again catching up on my blogs :) For dinner it sounds like we’re having a team homemade dinner again and then some people will be heading back out to some national parks. I’m looking forward to some me time and getting some extra rest to get started again tomorrow. Yesterday I was so so tired so I didn’t get to post. We ran 8 miles yesterday and I got to run with Mary. We made it to Orderville, UT (which is 15 mins from Zion). The run yesterday was really great and was on a lot of trails, which made it nice. At the beginning of our trip, the route took us through Bryce Canyon and we went the wrong way because a sign said only service vehicles. We didn’t think much of it, but ended up getting pulled over by a park ranger. He gave us a warning and we turned around to do a back up route instead. The route worked out well even though we had a little detour in the beginning. For lunch, we went to a Subway again and they said they would be able to donate sandwiches, but then changed their mind. A couple of us went back anyway because we needed some food and the manager gave us a discount. We are currently staying in an air bnb that was donated by a parent of someone on the team. There is a guest house and a main house. It has an open concept so it isn’t very quiet. Once we got back to the air bnb, I took a nap and rested. It was raining and we all got there pretty early so people just hung out and took it easy for the evening. For dinner, some people made spaghetti and meatballs and it was really good! I enjoyed it. I got to sleep in a cozy bed and got some good sleep. I woke up a little bit throughout the night, but overall it was really good. Today was a good day. I dedicated today to my grandma and someone named Spencer. Spencer was someone who was impacted by Ulman and was able to stay at Ulman House for close to 100 nights. He sadly passed away in 2020 and his story was written by his mom and was so impactful. I ran today with Dan and we had a good 7 miles together. The weather was great today and there was even a cool breeze. At one point Dan and I ran up a part of a mountain that was about 800 feet and then we got the joy of running down a 12% grade for half a mile! We ended up hitting a 6:45 pace as we just floated down the hill with no effort – it was so fun! We laughed as we ran down the hill too. After that we had lunch at, you guessed it, Subway again. They donated foot longs for us and I ate a whole meatball sandwich – I didn’t realize how hungry I was. Then we went to our campsite for the night and some people found that they wanted to see if we could get a place indoors to stay and they were successful. Best Western donated 4 rooms with 2 king beds each so some people will sleep there and some will camp (if they want!) I secured the end of a king bed so I am looking forward to that. When we got to the campsite, I walked around a bit and of course checked out the gift shop. This campsite is huge and is the closest one to Bryce Canyon. I was going to go in the hot tub, but it was SO crowded so I decided to come back instead and shower. Some people are about to head to Bryce Canyon now, but I’m going to stay back and eat some dinner and then go to bed to take advantage of the beds. The hammock sleep was great! I hope to do it again soon :) Today was a good driving day! I’ll be back to running tomorrow and I’m looking forward to getting back to it. The views towards the end of today were beautiful and not at all expected! The team ran 11 miles and I did the shuttling. Some people dedicated their day to gram today for their rides :) We also saw lots of free range cattle on the roads today which was really cool. We got the runs in before lunch and were able to see some riders at lunch time. We stopped at a restaurant, and I got a chicken sandwich (my favorite!) and a teammate’s mom donated lunch to us so we didn't have to pay. I also got some matcha from the coffee store that was right next door for the ride to the host and it was well worth it. After lunch, we drove the scenic route and stopped for some photos. Our host tonight is really great. We’re at a high school and I set up my sleeping pad on some carpeted stairs – see below. It feels very cozy and I got a little fan that I set up too :) Tonight, we’re going to a local restaurant for dinner because they donated this evening. I’m already set for bed so when we come back I can go right to sleep! I think we’ll also do some stretching as well before we head out! I do a mini stretching class for some people and they seem to enjoy it because they ask for it often! This morning I woke up at 4am and didn’t feel well. I think it was because I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night and also realized I probably didn’t eat enough dinner the night before. I decided to take it easy in the van and rest and try and sleep today. It worked out well and I think not running was probably the best decision with how I’m feeling. I’m not concerned though, so no worries! The sites were cool today from what I saw and for lunch we got Subway donated again. I got a meatball sub today because I felt like I needed more than just a deli sandwich. We also stopped at a cool gas station that was in a rock – see the photo below! Then, we went to Cassidy Arch. I was very excited about this! The arch was so cool, but towards the end a storm started to come, and it made me really anxious. Thankfully we all made it back down and out okay and it was a great experience! It was in total a 3.5 mile hike with over 700 feet of elevation, so I still got a little workout in today. After the arch, we went around town and asked for some dinner donations. We got to talk with a lot of the community today which was really great. I love hearing people’s stories and sharing what we do. We got pizza and burgers donated and the burger was delicious. The burgers were donated from a food truck and they also donated $100! They were so kind. Tonight, we’re staying at a campsite and its really nice. They have a gift shop and I took some alone time to walk around (and got gram and mom a gift!). I also got to talk to the woman at the shop and she grew up in York, PA (which is 20 mins from where I’m moving) so that was really cool. I enjoyed talking to them there. I also got some evening tea :) I set up my hammock for sleep tonight so we’ll see how that goes! I’m a little nervous if it will be comfortable or not, but someone shared it would be cooler so that would be nice. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes! The shower tonight was nice! I didn’t get a photo but it wasn’t anything special. I also wanted to give a huge shout out to my gram! She had her last round of chemo yesterday and got to ring the bell! She is the best! I’m so proud and can’t wait to give her a huge hug in California! Another dedication day is coming soon. Today was an unplanned rest day. A lot of the team wanted to skydive so the decision was made to take this morning to do that. I didn’t feel the need to do that so instead I stayed back and helped clean up the air bnb and then spent some time resting and being in town.
I went to breakfast this morning with Rose, Glenn, James, and Mike (all riders) and then we walked around some stores and coffee shops. I got some gifts for family and bought a stuffed dinosaur for 25 cents because why not! I named the dino Ollie. While in town we went to an ice cream place and I got frozen strawberry lemonade. Then we went to a restaurant for lunch and I got some spinach and artichoke dip. Shortly after that, we got picked up and drove an hour to the host. Soon we’ll be getting dinner and then I hope to go to bed soon because I am so tired today! I don’t have many pictures from today, but it was a good day! |
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August 2022
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