Baby Steps to a Half Marathon

My friend Jody talked me in to running a 5K this weekend.  I have never run an official 5K race. (unless you want to count a 10K I did about 17 years ago)  She said I needed to do this to prepare for the half marathon in June so that I would know what a race feels like. It was called the Running of the Leopards and it was a race to benefit East High School education programs.  The course was fun and all downhill, except for one teensy part.  Here we are in the bitter cold before the race at about 8:00 am looking perky and happy.

Cortney, Doran, Jody, Me

Then we hopped onto a school bus and got driven 3 miles up the road to a big parking lot across the street from Hogle Zoo.  We nearly froze our buns off!!  We had to find shelter fast from the canyon winds and this shovel was parked a little ways off from the starting line, so we made cover there.  It didn't make us warmer but at least we weren't getting winded on.  

 

Mark is such a trooper.  He got up early to take me to Salt Lake and take photos for us.  He waited patiently at the finish line for me to come through.  I'm not sure of my official time but I think it's about 30:38.  I was very pleased with that because at the gym a few days ago it took me 34:10 on a treadmill.  I realize that going downhill does make a person faster, but I'll admit running on the road was a lot harder. I think the most important thing I learned on this race was it's time for me to start getting some outside running.  

Here I come....with a big ole wave to the hubby.

See those tables behind me?  They filled them up with orange, bananas, and bagels. Such a great refreshment!

 Here we all are looking oh so completely opposite of the first photo taken, except Cortney forgot to look tired.

Oh this one is better :)

The whole experience was a fun one (minus the cold) and I would do it again in a heartbeat.  Thanks Jody for forcing encouraging me to do this with you guys.  It was pretty sweet.

Uh Oh....What Am I In For?

Ok, so I signed up for the Utah Valley Half Marathon which will be happening in June and have been training somewhat.  The intense part of my training starts on April 4th, in which I will follow a very rigid schedule that tells me how far to run and on which days.  Up to this point I have just been working on being able to run straight for 30 minutes.  I'm not going to lie.  It's been no walk in the park.  It's been challenging.  I have enjoyed it for the most part.  I do love a good work-out.  So I'm a little nervous about how I will hold up once my schedule begins.  I'm taking my vitamins and getting good rest and drinking lots of water. My knees are holding up super.  So I think things are going alright.  Well....along comes me and my big ideas.  How come I can't just be content with running one half marathon?  I have never run one and I don't even know if I'm going to hate it or love it?? I went right ahead and signed up for a second one at the end of the Summer with my good friend Jody.  This one is called the Top of Utah Half Marathon and looks very inviting.  I hope I didn't just make a huge mistake.  

My Dearest Porter-1 Year Without You

My dearest sweet boy Porter, where do I even begin? We have been without you for 365 very long days, yet it's as though the year has flown by. I thought today would be an especially hard day without you here and to some extent it was, yet we planned so many things in your honor, to remember YOU, and so I actually felt like you were with us a lot throughout the day. I felt YOUR loving arms around us, remembering us too.

We started our morning out by visiting your grave and taking fresh flowers.  I don't know if you even like flowers but I know you love nature and so flowers it is.  Kali is going to make something out of fake stuff so you can always have something pretty on your headstone that the deer won't eat.

Miles had a good time crawling around your headstone and even wanted to attack your flowers, instead he found a pinwheel on the grave a few over and had fun with that for a little while.  Someday he will understand who Uncle Porter is and we will tell him stories about you and how much you love him.  You would be so proud of little Miles.  He is finally starting to walk and is truckin' all over the place.  You would have a blast with him.

Immediately after visiting your grave we went up to the mountain you hiked and went to visit the spot you fell to, and to see your special memorial rock.  We were so happy it was still there.  I'm so glad there are decent people in this world who wouldn't take your memorial rock and throw it off somewhere.  Daddy took a little hand shovel to fix it up a little bit.  He also added some grass that was growing a little ways off around your rock to help hold it in place through the rain, snow, and sleet.  

As we were hiking we were discussing the events of the day a year ago and talking about how me and daddy found you and the events leading up to it in greater detail.  It was very painful to talk about and many tears were flowing.  We all have our own memories and questions and thoughts about this day and I think talking about them helps the healing process, as painful as it is.

Of course your cute little nephew was with us and he just enjoyed being with everyone and playing in the dirt. He still has no clue what is going on but trust me, I will tell him all about you and he will know one day what a great young man you are.

 

After we finished hiking back down to the trail head we were standing in the parking lot talking and looked up the trail to see someone all alone coming down.   Somebody said "Isn't that Brian Farnworth?" We were so surprised to see one of your very best friends just finishing the hike as well.  He had gone all the way to the top of the cliff and sat up there thinking about you on this special day and had bypassed us so as to let us have our moments together.   We were so touched by this tender action that me and Kali cried again.  Brian knows firsthand what death of a loved one feels like with losing his own mother to cancer 4 years ago. 

Brian Farnworth

We then came home after an absolutely beautiful day outside and the weather being so delightful so as to be able to have this experience together.  I can't help but think that maybe you had a hand in helping that happen.  Did you pull some strings for us up there?

 We had plans to go out to lunch together as a family but the boys wanted to come home and shower and clean up, which turned out perfect because your friends, Will Petersen, Sarah Weisenberger, her sweet baby Atty, and Jessica came by to visit.

Will was another of your very best friends.  We haven't seen him since you passed away and we were so delighted to see him again.  You two used to play music together for hours, and even write funny songs.  Will always loved your instruments, which you were very particular about people touching, especially since you worked so hard to earn your own money to buy them.  I'm pretty sure you would have been honored to have Will holding your bass today.  There's probably fingerprints on it now and I'm sure you don't even mind. 

We watched some videos of you on the computer and showed Will, Sarah, and Jessica the song you wrote and sang as a demo for someone else to sing, yet it's our very favorite of anything you've written or played.  There were some tears and hugs and again we felt your presence.  I'm so glad your friends stopped by today to remember you and share their love with us.  

We then headed out to lunch together.  We went to Mimi's Cafe.  I'm not sure why we picked that place.  It probably wouldn't have been your number one choice but it seemed like a good pick for the day.     

We came home to find a sweet note from the RS President and a little Willow Tree statue.  Also some messages on the answer machine, and texts from dear friends letting us know they are thinking about you and our family today.  We then changed our clothes and headed out to American Fork to the Timpanogos Temple.  It was the crowning event to a special day already.  I love so much being in the temple with my family.    

On the way home Cooper and daddy wanted chocolate shakes so we swung by the drive-thru and got one for them.  I know you would have ordered a large one for yourself.

We came home to relax and unwind and realized we didn't want to leave certain flowers at the grave or the deer would have them gone by morning, so we headed back up there.  I was so astonished at the sight of your grave.  So many people love you Porter.  You thought you didn't have many friends yet so many of them continue to remember you and share feelings of you and how you have blessed their lives.  

When we got home Grandma and Grandpa came to visit.  They brought a big basket filled with all the makings for one of your favorite meals:  Pot roast, carrots, potatoes, and onions.  We will be having a special Sunday dinner tomorrow in your honor.  You certainly loved eating at Grandma's house and always loved the food she made you.  She always bragged that you were one of the very best grand kids at eating her food.

Two more surprise visitors came to the door, one being Elspeth Young who created the beautiful pastel of you when you passed away.  She brought a beautiful bird's nest with an egg she had painted and a simple note that said "remembering Porter, Love the Young Family"  It's sad to me that it takes the death of a loved one to get to know people better.  We feel blessed to know their family though now.  Then a while later a very sweet lady, Peggy Usher, whom I know from our old Stake showed up with a cake and some ice cream and a sweet note saying she was thinking of our family.  I am so humbled and grateful for so many people who continue to show their love.  I am reminded of the scripture that says "When ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto Me."   

It's truly been a special day and I hope you got to be a part of every minute with us Porter.  I know you are busy up there but I hope you get time once in awhile to still be with us too.  We love you more than anything and look forward to our time together again♥♥♥♥

Photos of Porter This Week-Day 5

Oh the good old days of elementary school...It's always fun to look at kids grade school pictures and see how they grow through the years. Here are only a few of Porter from 2nd grade to7th grade. 

The rest of the photos are of Porter and his siblings.  They loved him so much!! ♥

There are many more I want to add but will do so later, with explanations of some of the photos.  Enjoy

I love you Porter♥

Photos of Porter This Week-Day 4

As I sit here contemplating what to share about Porter today, and while listening to Porter's favorite band Keane, I am reminded of his intense desire to be a bassist for that band.  In the earlier days of Keane they apparently didn't have one and Porter vowed he would someday be a part of that band.  It seems he ate, drank, and slept Keane.  We listened to Keane non-stop.  Not by our choice of course.  If Keane wasn't blaring from the computer speakers then it was coming from Porter's instruments he would play.  Or if you happened to drive Porter's car then immediately that's the first thing you heard when you started it up.  I'll admit I wasn't a huge fan of Keane, possibly because I heard it ALL the time.  Now that he's gone it's so different.  I can't get enough of their music and it's all I want to listen to, especially as I sit here at the computer.  I've even gone so far as to load Keane on my ipod, and enjoy listening to them during my workouts.  It's interesting to me how I cling to things now that he loved.  I guess it's one way to feel closer to him still.
 
Porter was so excited to be able to attend a Keane concert with a good buddy of his, Brian, back in May of 2009.  It was something he had wanted to do for many, many years.  He had super good seats and had a blast finally getting to see his favorite band of all time in person.  I'm so glad this was another one of his dreams fulfilled.   

You're leaving so soon

Never had a chance to bloom

-Keane-