26.

I turned 26 on Saturday. 

I don't really feel like a 26 year old.
But then again, I'm not really sure what a 26 year old is supposed to feel like.

Is there a handbook somewhere?
~~~

I slept in for my birthday. 

Got my hair done. It's not quite finished yet, but I will post pictures once it gets there.
Lounged.
Played Frisbee with Blake and Indiana in the afternoon.
Lounged.
Ate raspberry cheesecake ice cream in a waffle cone.
Lounged.
Went to dinner at India Palace.
Ate some more ice cream...Mango Ice Cream to be specific, which is absolutely exquisite.
And opened gifts.
Blake gave me a new running outfit for my birthday. A dri-fit hat, dri-fit hoodie, and dri-fit running pants.
They're Perfect. Just what I need.
It was a good day.
-Jess.

10 Days and Counting...

I'm running in the Provo Halloween Half Marathon on the 29th of October. 

My first half marathon. The countdown begins.

My goal is to finish 13.1 miles in 2 hours.

Right now, my average mile when done on my own isn't fast enough to finish in my goal time. However, my speed increases by about 1.5 minutes/mile when I'm surrounded by others, so I'm feeling pretty confident in being able to reach my goal. 

I REALLY want to reach my goal, but more importantly, I've been seriously training for about 6 weeks now, and I feel REALLY good about the changes I've definitely made in my body and overall health. 

This running thing has been good to me. (= 

And I love it. 

I look forward to it. On my rest days, I'm restless. I just want to RUN! 

I'm so excited for this race. 

Not quite feeling nervous yet, but I'm sure that will come in good time.

-Jess.

Witches Night.

{Me and my niece, Emaly. Dinner at The Pie.}

{Witchie-Poo, Me, Ema, Paula, and Steph}

~~~

Witches Night came early.

Every year, we ladies get together, dressed in our witches tress, and head out to Gardner Village for Halloween celebrating...My all-time favorite holiday.

I love the costumes, smells, colors, chill of the air; everything about Halloween.
This year, Witches Night came about one week early (at least that's how it felt).
The night was warm. The decorations were nicely done. And the shops were adorable; as usual.
An enjoyable experience, officially welcoming the Halloween season.

Seriously, the best holiday of the year. 

-Jess.

Altra. The Intuition.

An early birthday present.

My new running shoes...Custom fit, props given to Runners Corner

Altra, The Intuition.

Altra's are the closest shoes one can get to the famous "Toe Shoes" without actually going there. 

They use a zero drop platform, meaning the shoes are the same distance off the ground from the heel to the ball of your foot, providing you with a more natural and supportive run. Zero drop platforms allow you to run with better technique and form, providing better posture and alignment of the body, as well as reducing the impact of the run. These shoes have been proven to help reduce injury associated with running such as, shin-splints, Achilles injury, and Neuromas (something I have personally suffered from). 

I could immediately feel the difference in my run after putting these shoes on. They completely adjusted my stride. 

It's a beautiful thing....Life is short...Run Natural.

These shoes are helping me do this.

-Jess.

Love Your Body 10K.

I ran my first 10K on Saturday with my friend, Jenna Deppe.

It's crazy to think I've known this girl since the toddler-years. 

I love her to death, and I'm so happy she invited me along for this run.

Love Your Body 10K For Women. 

I finished 121 out of 279 overall, and 25 out of 59 in my age group.

I completed the race in 1:03:41, averaging 10:15 per mile.

I loved every moment of this race. 

Everyone was so friendly, offering encouragement to each other throughout the run, cheering and applauding at the finish line for one another.

It was so invigorating.

Unfortunately, Blake wasn't able to attend due to his work, but he will be waiting at the finish line on the next one.

I'm running a half-marathon on October 29th. 

My goal is to finish 13.1 miles in 2 hours.

We'll See.

-Jess.

Ready to Run!

Blake picked me up a hydration waist pack tonight.

I'm ready for some running!

Bring it 13.1 miles.

Woo-Whooo!

-Jess.

MOAB.

Blake went on a Moab mountain biking trip this past weekend with his manly-friends {plus one cute wife (=}.

I stayed home...Worked...Did some homework...The usual.

I'm glad he went. He had a good time.

I think its a nice break for him, as I tend to be a bore. 

I'm only teasing...He loves me.

-Jess.