Trip to Minneapolis!

Today, I have for you a review of my trip to Minneapolis with Jeff about a week ago, but FIRST--

I understand some people have had issues getting my blog to "show up" on their RSS feeds, such as Feedly or BlogLovin'. I think I finally have the tech side of this figured out so you could find Prairie Sun Life on your blog feeds. Try copy/pasting this link: http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThePrairieSunLife   It seems to be working so far. If you continue to have trouble, please let me know! I don't want to miss anyone!

Now, on to the Minneapolis trip!

As I mentioned in my most recent Weekly Review post, Jeff and I traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota for the National Farmers Union Convention. The Convention was held March 4-8 at the Radisson Blu- Mall of America hotel and convention center. We had a nice trip getting together with Farmers Union friends and colleagues. We also saw a lot of the Mall of America, and I had a chance to meet up with a blogging friend, Jessie. Read on for the details!

The convention was held at the Radisson Blu- MOA. This was a really nice hotel, and very modern in aesthetic. It was also attached to the Mall via skyway. It was a nice host site in that it was big enough and had many nice amenities. Personally, I would have actually preferred not to be attached to MOA and to have had more opportunity to be outside. The Mall of America "experience" wore off quickly. It is still just a mall...

My friend Tom lounges in one of these suspended pods they had in the lobby of the hotel. Very modern, indeed!

Anyway, the committee that I am on- Next Generation Advisory Council- presented our Strategic Plan to the NFU Board of Directors on Saturday morning. We have spent about a year working on this and had some really great suggestions for moving NFU forward with the "next generation" of farmers, ranchers, and consumers. Our ideas fell into three main themes: Membership, Leadership, and Mentorship. As a Council, we were all very pleased to see and experience positive reactions from the Board after our presentation.

I wore this necklace that I made for my presentation. Each tab has one of the brands that have been used on our family farm over time. I wanted a reminder to myself that it's not without respect to the past that we move forward.

I had a few other meetings throughout the weekend and enjoyed some of the keynote speakers and fundraising events before flying out on Monday. Jeff was elected as a Delegate to represent Montana Farmers Union, so he stayed on for the policy portion of the Convention. It sounds like there were a lot of differing opinions about policy and proposed changes. Ultimately, one thing I really love about Farmers Union on a State and National level is that we as members have the opportunity to argue policy and use a truly democratic process to build our position and give voice to the whole. I am really glad Jeff had the opportunity to serve as a Delegate and represent our State. I know he did a good job, even if I wasn't there to see it in person.

There were many speakers at Convention that addressed the gathering before policy began. I was sure to catch Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack speak. I may break down some of what he spoke about in a separate post because there was a lot that is very relevant to Agriculture, obviously. I always enjoy hearing what Secretary Vilsack has to say and I appreciate the work he has done as our Secretary of Ag.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addresses the Convention.

A major highlight of the trip for me was simply gathering and getting together with some of our Farmers Union friends, from near and far. A group of us shared several meals and lots of free time together and it was just wonderful to be together. Several times I remarked that I hadn't laughed that much in a long, long time. To me, that's another aspect of what makes Farmers Union special- you become family with these people over time. I know that, even though some of my friends live in separate states, they will be there for me for years to come, and vice versa.

Two of our close friends, Bryan and Jennifer, are from Minnesota and took us out to some fun Minneapolis restaurants while we were there. One being Spoon and Stable, which was sort of a fine dining restaurant with innovative menu. We sampled a wide variety of dishes from their menu and shared them all among the table. My favorite out of everything was a dessert item called Honey and Cream Cake-- sooooooo good! Some of their menu can be pricey, but you could always go just for dessert and drinks if you're in the area. Make sure you call ahead for a reservation, though!

The other restaurant they took us to was a Thai restaurant called Sen Yai Sen Lek. This restaurant is part of the Minnesota Cooks: Food From The Farm collective. The Thai food was really good-- exactly what one wants from a Thai restaurant. We shared some spring rolls and each ordered our own lunch plates. I had a dish called Pad Bai Gra Prow with chicken. It was like a Thai spiced ground chicken with vegetables over rice, and the entire thing was topped with a fried egg. Soooooo delicious! This restaurant was also very affordable. I'd highly recommend it if you are in the Cities and hankering for some Thai! Plus, you know that anything from the Minnesota Cooks group is going to be really good farm to table food.

Another major highlight of the trip for me was meeting a fellow blogger- Jessie from The Right Fits. We have been following each others blogs for a long time, so it was really great to meet in person! Jessie is also a runner (she runs much more than I do!) and has a vizsla!! We met up for a walk near downtown Minneapolis, together with her dog Matilda the vizsla. It was so great to meet, get to know one another, get some exercise, get out of MOA, learn about and see Minneapolis from a local, and to see a beautiful Vizsla!!! Thanks, Jessie, for the meet up! You are the embodiment of "Minnesota Nice!" Readers, if you like reading about running, the Twin Cities, and/or Vizslas, definitely check out The Right Fits! Jessie does a really wonderful job!

Matilda, Jessie, and me over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis!
Thanks, Jessie, for sharing this photo with me!

While Harvey couldn't come to Minneapolis to meet Jessie and Matilda, he did send his love in the form of a gift. Harvey picked out a toy from his favorite made in Montana dog toy company- West Paw Designs. It's a grizzly bear. I delivered it to Matilda when I saw her. It looks like she likes it!

Matilda enjoys her new dog toy, from Harvey.
Photo credit to Jessie from The Right Fits. 

Well, it was a really great trip to Minneapolis and I hope to make it back there sometime soon. It's an easy city to fly to from Great Falls as we actually have a direct flight! I hope you enjoyed reading a little bit about what we did on our trip. Have you ever traveled to the Twin Cities?

Weekly Review 2/28 - 3/5 and Giveaway Results!

Thanks to everyone who read my previous post, my 400th blog post! Today, I'll be announcing the winner of the Giveaway that I did. But first, I want to write about the week that was in another Weekly Review blog post!

Fitness
This past week was a bit of a slowdown as it was bookended with travel. It can be very difficult to get in time for fitness when traveling, but I did make an attempt a few times. I focused largely on trying to get steps on my pedometer this week.

Shape Up Montana continues. Our team is ranked 27 out of almost 250 teams, so I feel really good about that. The teams I am coordinating at school are really kicking butt, too. Our top team is actually in 3rd place in the overall competition, which is AMAZING, and the other two are 23rd and 24th. I am so proud of all of them for being in the top 25!

Here's how my week actually broke down-
Sunday- Drive home from Bozeman. 3 mile pasture hike with Jeff.

I think pasture hikes are Harvey's favorite form of exercise!

Monday- 20 minutes HIIT, 3 mile treadmill run
Tuesday- 2 mile walk, 20 min yoga
Wednesday- 3 mile treadmill run
Thursday- rest. (travel)
Friday- rest. (travel)
Saturday- 30 minutes core and 15 min elliptical

Wow... what a slow week. Only six miles of running and only 20 minutes of yoga. Lots of walking. That counts for something, too, though I guess. I plan to pick it up a little this next week!

YTD through March 5
Running: 97.95 miles
Walking/Hiking: 25.7 miles
Yoga: 415 min 
CC-Ski: 500 min / 14.1 miles (since I started tracking mileage on 1/17) 
Alpine Ski: 3 days
Mountain bike: 10 miles

Farm
We really started calving in full swing last week. In a 24 hour period on February 29 and March 1, we had eleven calves! During calving, people take turns walking through the corrals and checking on the cows, watching for signs of imminent birth and/or distress. If a cow is in active labor, we usually just keep an eye on her and hope that she can have the calf on her own. If she takes an inordinate amount of time, or of we notice feet are coming out backwards, or anything else that's not right, then we may try to go in and help her out or pull the calf. We have had very few cases where we've had to help pull a calf this year, so that's good.

My time to check the cows has been the first-thing-in-the morning shift. I wake up a little earlier than normal and walk out there between 5:45 and 6:30 a.m. depending on the day. Jeff typically goes out at bedtime and then in the middle of the night between 2 and 3:00 a.m. Jeff and Tom split duties during the day. For the overnight checks, we leave notes to each other if there's something to watch out for or a particular cow who is "thinking about it," as we say.

I find that I actually really like starting my day with this little walk. I also like that I'm looking for new life. It's kind of an uplifting thought and a nice way to bring some optimism into the beginning of the day. My pedometer is also happy to start the day right off with some steps! ;)


Life
Jeff and I were in Minneapolis for the National Farmers Union Convention. I really enjoyed the opportunity to see some close friends I have made in this organization and to get caught up on policy and goings-on. I'll write more about the Convention in a separate post. Otherwise, calving is really the main excitement of our lives right now. Also, for me, Track Season starts very soon!! Less than a week away!

Giveaway Results
ICYMI, the previous post was my 400th blog post and I celebrated with a little giveaway! Congratulations to Adria- you are the randomly selected winner of a copy of Hattie Big Sky! You'll receive your book very soon! :)

Thanks for tuning in, everyone! Check back soon for a post about my trip to Minneapolis! 

400th Blog Post

Celebrating my 400th Blog post with a new name, new look, some self-reflection and a giveaway! Read on!

What does celebration look like?

When you live on a farm, sometimes confetti comes in the form of freshly harvested wheat berries spilling and jumping out the back of the grain truck as it dumps into the augur.

We don't drink a ton of champagne around here, either, but sometimes a light beer at the end of a hard day tastes as good as bubbly. Celebratory balloons are the kind of puffy clouds you see dotting this part of the Big Sky State on a clear day.

The cheering section is comprised of curious cow faces, tongue-out farm dogs, and our farmer family members' crooked grins.

No matter what form it comes in, I'm celebrating my 400th post to this blog.

Yes, this is it. I've been blogging for 4 1/2 years and 400 posts. I started writing as an outlet for sharing about the unique lifestyle of living on a dryland wheat farm and ranch in North-Central Montana. Over the years, and the posts, I've learned a lot about what being here is all about. I've learned about the day-to-day operations of farming and ranching, how everyone contributes, how I contribute, and how we get things done. I've learned about family, legacy, sustainability, and pride. I've learned about the unique ways of small town communities. I've learned what it means to have and to be a neighbor. I've learned about myself- my own strength and ability to adapt. Writing in this blog has been a means to explore all of those topics, and to share them.

I think I've grown a lot as a person over the past four and a half years. Growing up in Iowa, I never would have guessed I'd end up here. At first, it was hard to see my future here. How would I eventually figure out who I am in this place? First off, how do I figure out WHERE I am when all the landscape is so similar- flat and treeless? Now, I see and appreciate the nuance of the land, and I feel like I have found more of who I am and what my role can be in this place. It has taken time, but I think I have found my spirit, my voice, and my identity here. The blog, as an outlet for my thoughts and feelings, has been an invaluable tool in this discovery process.

As for the new name, Prairie Sun Life, and the new look, well, it was about time. I found that I was tired of using canned Blogger themes and I wanted something more representational of this place and also of my spirit. The new name and new URL come from the corporation name that Tom and Carol chose many years ago- Prairie Sun Farms. I've always loved the optimism and cheeriness that name implies. The new name and new look of The Prairie Sun Life are not a complete departure from the old Prairie Ponderings MT, but rather I think build on that foundation and move forward. Just like I've grown and changed, it was time for the blog to grow and change, too. The new graphic, expertly done by my friend Joellyn, embodies exactly the spirit I was hoping for: optimism, cheerfulness, sunshine, and a strong sense of place.

And now, let's talk about YOU. If you're reading this, thanks for coming along on the ride. Sure, there have been ups and downs and long breaks. There have also been high times of many posts. If you've stuck around this long, thanks for continuing to read, learn, and discover along with me what this Prairie Sun Life is all about. If you're new, welcome! Please stay!

I did mention there was a giveaway involved, didn't I? Here's the part where I explain it. Currently, I'm reading a wonderful young-adult fiction book called Hattie Big Sky, by Kirby Larson. It's about a young woman who moves from Iowa to Vida, Montana to homestead in the 19-teens. (Hmm...why do you think this book piqued my interest?!) There is much in this historical fiction piece that I find I can relate to and many passages that stand out, including this one about getting to know the land:

When I first arrived, I thought this country flat and dull. Now, I see each roll and dip, each cutbank and coulee, through fond eyes. (p. 271)

I'm giving away one copy of this book, and YOU could win it! First, you can enter by commenting. I've got three discussion questions below. Answer one of the questions below in the comments section on the blog OR by leaving a comment on Facebook. Second, you can enter the drawing by SHARING the link to this post or to my blog on Facebook. I'll give until Tuesday, March 8 at midnight for the contest and then I'll pick a winner at random and announce on Wednesday, March 9.

Here are the discussion questions-

• What have been some of your favorite blog topics?
• What would you like to see more of on the blog?
• What is a book you really connected with that you would recommend?

Again, comment below or on Facebook to be entered to win a copy of Hattie Big Sky, and/or share this post on Facebook to be entered! 

Thanks everyone for reading, and for celebrating 400 blog posts with me! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go great my cheering section of curious, pregnant cows and their calves! 

Weekly Review January 1-10

One of my "New Years Resolutions" for the blog this year is to do a weekly recap that will come out on Sunday or Monday each week, reviewing the previous week. This is the first installment of that. I didn't do one for the first Monday of January because there we were only three days into the new year. So, in this post, I'm basically reviewing the first nine days of 2016. Each post will review three things: my fitness for the week, what's going on on the farm, and life in general. I hope you enjoy!

First, up...

Fitness January 1-9
The first ten days of January have been very solid, fitness-wise. Jeff and I kicked off the new year with a day of skiing at Whitefish, and I've done quite a bit of Nordic ski around home on the farm. We are SO LUCKY this year to have had great snow for such an extended period of time! Typically, our snow is very dry and blows away. It's been wonderful to be able to ski right out my front door! The dogs love it, too!

Slightly blurry, but this is a photo Jeff took of Harvey, who caught (and ate) a Sharptail Grouse when they were out for a ski.
He's vicious! Prey drive is real.

I also kicked off the #RunLoveChallenge from Oiselle with my partner Wendie. Our goal is to build mileage each week until we can complete 10K distance. The challenge runs through February 14. This week, my "long run" was to do 3.5 miles. I knocked that out on the treadmill on Friday and plan to hit the same distance today. My partner, Wendie, crushed it this week, too! I am so impressed with her. She had a baby about two months ago and is already killing it on the runs!! Amazing. :)

Filling in my #RunLoveChallenge calendar!
Extra hearts on days when I meet or exceed my goal mileage for long run..

Here's the fitness stats for the week:
Fri, 1/1: Resort skiing at Whitefish
Sat, 1/2: 2.2 mile run outside
Sun, 1/3: 160 minutes of cc-ski on the creek on our farm
Mon, 1/4: Rest/30 min yoga
Tues, 1/5: Run 3.2 miles
Wed, 1/6: 20 min walk (1 mile), 30 min core routine
Thurs, 1/7: Complete rest
Fri, 1/8: 30 min walk, 30 min shoveling snow (it counts!!), 3.5 mile treadmill run!
Sat, 1/9: 40 min yoga, 60 min cc-ski through the pasture

2016 Totals:
Walking: 50 min/2.4 miles
Yoga: 70 min
CC-Ski: 220 min (??? miles--need a way to record distance while skiing)
Alpine Ski: 1 day
Running: 6.7 miles

Making tracks in the pasture.
The sun and snow was so beautiful yesterday when I snapped this on my phone!

Not sure if my skiing is my cross-training for running, or the other way around, but either way, I'm going to ski as much as I can while the snow is good! We don't get this kind of snow year very often.

Farming Jan 1-9
This time of year, we're taking it pretty easy. We feed our cows hay bales daily because the snowcover keeps them from foraging. They also get some straw to bed down in. Jeff also has been doing some odds and ends around the farm and organizing things. This is also the time for book work and preparing taxes, and we have many discussions this time of year about what we will plant this spring. It's a constantly evolving plan, factoring in crop prices, availability of contracts, and opportunities that may arise.

Cows munching on hay in the feeding pasture.

One exciting decision is that we are going to be planting several hundred acres as organic farm land this year. Jeff has been working on the application to get the land certified. It is land that is just coming out of CRP and was tilled last fall in preparation for Spring seeding. We're likely to seed spring wheat on those acres this year. We are both excited about trying something different, and the challenges that come from thinking about farming and production in a different way from what we have known and experienced firsthand.

Life Jan 1-9
So far, so good. Last week was my first week back at school. It was a little tough to reorient my mind to school starting after being off for about three weeks, but I did miss the kids that I work with and was looking forward to seeing them. Overall, the first week went very smooth. The overall mood was pretty subdued. In years past, the first week after break and January in general has seen some pretty crazy things go down in the families that we work with, so I'm really hopeful that the smooth start will sail on into February and through the rest of the year. No reason to think that it won't. A few of my kids gave me hugs and told me they missed me over break on that first Monday back, so that rocked! :)

Also, Jeff and I continue to slowly organize in the new house. We've put up a few more photos on the wall and ordered some furniture pieces. We're also beginning to plan in earnest for our kitchen update. We're planning to do some painting and install new countertops for a minor facelift. I'm sure I'll post more on that as we make progress!

Lastly, I'm working with a dear friend of mine, Joellyn, on a new look for this blog. She's an excellent graphic designer and we've been bouncing ideas back and forth. I'm excited to invest in the aesthetics of the blog, and it may even come with a name change... Stay tuned!

This is a sketch I sent to Joellyn. Can't wait to see how things progress! 

How was your first nine or ten days of January? 

Snow's great for skiing, but not for running outdoors!
The treadmill has been my friend lately.

Lately

No where really to start except to acknowledge that it's been about four months since I last did a blog post. Between now and then, well, a lot has happened, both good and bad. There's too much to get into in one post. Suffice to say, for now, that Jeff and I are doing well and we're thankful for all the many, wonderful blessings we encounter on a daily basis.

It's odd, after such a long time off, to think about getting back into this again. Getting back into blogging. Thinking about putting into words everything that's happened between August 30 and now seems more than a little daunting. In due time.

For today, mostly to ease myself back into this process, I'm simply going to write briefly about one thing we have been doing lately: skiing. Specifically, we've been blessed with great snowfall this December--perfect snow for cross-country skiing.

Since Jeff and I purchased cross-country/Nordic skis a few years ago for our Christmas presents to ourselves, we've typically had a few opportunities each winter to use them skiing around our farm and in the road ditches near where we live. This year, I've already had my skis out three times and it's only December! Love it! The skis have been a lovely vehicle for deeper exploration of the pastures of the family farm.

Take a look at a few photos...

 We have to make our own tracks on the farm, but that's OK. It's great exercise and it's so satisfying to ski entirely within the borders of one's own land. My ski-in, ski-out chalet happens to be my own home! Just lacking a hot tub... ;)

Abby photobombed in the background, coming down the hill.

 I love the way snow piles among the sagebrush and other plants out in the pasture, and then the wind manipulates and carves into it. Dunes of sparkling snow.

 Lately has also been somewhat chilly. It hasn't been above freezing on the farm for a few weeks now. Sage Creek, which flows through our pastures, is completely iced up and is also great skiing as the wind has blown snow into the creek bed. I managed another selfie (below). No selfie stick required. Just propped the phone up on a tuft of grass and hit the timer.

 Anyone remember Iggy? He's still with us. He LOVES to go for walks, runs, and skis, especially in the pastures. With his shaggy coat, he was made for winter. He's a happy pup.

Old Ig, as we often call him.

 Jeff and I took turns breaking trail on a nice ski on the creek a few days ago. So peaceful and lovely down in there, protected from the wind.

Happy ski faces! 

I think I'll try to tackle some of the bigger events that have happened this fall one post at a time, including our health, the 5K On the Farm, and the big move. Be patient with me as I ease myself back into this!!!

Until next time, everyone! Let me know if you're still reading....

Thank You, Readers AND a Fitness Update

I haven't written about anything running or fitness-related in a while, so I'll do that a bit in this post.

But first, I want to say THANK YOU to all my blog readers! This past July I had the highest number of page-views EVER in the four years I've been doing this blog! I'm not about making money on the blog, but just about sharing what goes on here on the farm, in my running world, and what life is like in rural America. It means a lot to me that those of you who do read my blog keep coming back for more, and that slowly my traffic is increasing over time! It's an affirmation that the content here is good, and that hopefully people are learning more about what life is like up here on the Northern-Montana prairie. :) Kudos to all of you!

So, what's happening in running and fitness for me lately? Well, kind of a lot! Read on!! :)

I'm still participating in the #1MillionMinutes challenge through FitApproach. I pledged that I'd do 2000 minutes, and I passed that a while ago. As of today, I'm at 2520 minutes. Once I realized I'd easily surpass 2000, I increased my goal to 3000, and I am starting to think I'll hit that pretty easily, too, with only about 3 weeks left in the challenge. It's easy to rack up minutes when you're working hard on the farm. I gave myself credit for lots of activity minutes of building fence earlier this week, for example. Mostly, I get my minutes through taking Harvey for walks, running, and yoga.

Harvey the Vizsla! 

I did discover a cool yoga and workout video website through the #1MillionMinutes challenge called Grokker.com. They have free membership or paid memberships, and I signed up for the free one to give it a try. I really, really like it for their yoga videos. I've done a few now and they have been really good. They have videos on every type of yoga you can think of, or any skill you'd like to work on. They have a ton of other workout videos, too, but I haven't tried any of them yet. No yoga studios near where I live, so online yoga is a great option for me, and Grokker is definitely where it's at on that front!

In case you aren't on Instagram...
I've been working a ton on better planks lately. 

Also pertaining to the #1MillionMinutes challenge, a few weeks ago I did a silly MadLib during the Puritan's Pride week and for doing so, I won a prize. You can read that post by CLICKING HERE. Well, this prize came in the mail a few days ago, and it was not what I expected...

What do I do with these?!

I should say that I really didn't know what to expect the prize to be, and they never said, but I definitely wasn't expecting three tubs of powders! There's a meal replacer protein and vitamin powder in vanilla, a pure whey protein powder in chocolate and some sort of fancy pre-workout enhancer powder in fruit punch flavor. I'm definitely not a protein powder or supplement kind of girl, but I'll try most anything once.  Yesterday I mixed some of the vanilla powder into a fruit smoothie at lunch to try it out. Serving suggestion said two scoops per 16 ounces of liquid, which is close to what I had. The powder doesn't really taste that great, but I was full from just the smoothie until about 3 in the afternoon, when I had a snack. So there's that. I don't see myself altering my diet to eat only smoothies for breakfast or lunch, but now and then it might be fine. Or it will sit on my counter for a while and I'll eventually throw it out. We'll see. If anyone has any great smoothie or protein-powder recipes, please share! haha :)  The only requirement is that it shouldn't taste like feet.

In my running and racing world, well, not a ton has been happening. I'm just running about every other day or every third day. Mixing in lots of yoga and strength exercises, specifically focusing on keeping my core strong. No races in July. After three races, three Saturdays in a row in June, I needed a break and July is too hot to race a ton anyway. I am planning on a race on August 22 in Havre, however! It's called the Get Run'N Maroon and Gold Fun Run. Check out the race flier on this website: 1st Annual Maroon and Gold Fun Run. They're offering 1 Mile, 5K, and 10K. It's the first time they'll be doing this race and proceeds will benefit the new MSU-Northern Cross Country Teams in their VERY FIRST YEAR! Believe me, I am ALL ABOUT supporting Track and Field and Cross Country teams, and I'm definitely all about running and racing! There's actually a 2015 graduate from North Star who is going to compete on the new Northern Cross Country team, so I'm really excited that my race fee will be supporting her! Now, just to decide on 5K or 10K distance... :)


Also, let's not forget about 5k On The Farm, which is the race that Jeff and I are directing and hosting right here on our farm!!! We're offering 1-Mile, 5K, and Virtual Run options. Right now, we have 14 people signed up, with 9 of those as Virtual Run participants! The run is still six weeks away and I expect quite a few more registrations to come in as it gets closer. It has always been a dream of mine to run my own 5K and now I'm doing it! Still can't believe it. :) Proceeds from our run will be going to Montana Farmers Union Foundation, specifically earmarked to education, programming and leadership training for women in agriculture/rural women. Pretty good cause, if you ask me! If you're reading this, and you'd like to sign up for the race or the Virtual Run, just CLICK HERE to go to RunSignUp and sign up online. :)

So, that's what's going on in my fitness world! What's going on in yours? 

• Have you ever tried protein powders? If so, how do you like them?
• What races/fitness activities do you have coming up?
• Have you signed up for 5k On The Farm yet?!?! 

Best and Worst in My Racing History Link-Up

So, Jessie, from over on The Right Fits is doing something on her blog that I have not seen or participated in before. She's doing something called a link up. The theme of her blog is mostly running, but also Vizslas (both two of my favorite things! No wonder I love her blog, right?!) and Twin Cities living. Jessie is on a quest to run a marathon in every state! So inspiring. And her blog is filled with great running stories, fitness advice, running and racing tips, and of course, fitness fashion. It's great!

Anyway, she's doing something called a link up, where she has a bunch of questions posted on her blog. In this case, they relate to running and racing. The idea is that anyone who reads her post can "link up" to the post and also answer all the questions themselves. Kind of creates a cool web of connectivity, likely between people who all have a common interest in reading and writing about running!

So this post is my answers to the questions she posted, as pertaining to the racing I have done. Granted, I don't run marathons, but I have run quite a few 5Ks, so I'll tailor my responses to what I have done. I also added two categories that Jessie didn't have in her original post-- Best Costume Race, and Best Cross-Country Style Race. Hope you all enjoy! And please, check out The Right Fits-- Jessie does a really, really great job! Even if you don't run, you're bound to be inspired by some of her posts. Or, just get excited about her super-cute Vizsla, Matilda!

Here goes nothing!

((Click on the Link Up picture above to go to the Link Up post on The Right Fits!))

Best Finisher's Shirt:

I had to go back through my stack of shirts for this one. First, I'll just say that in general, I prefer a normal cotton or cotton-blend tshirt over the technical shirts that are sometimes given out. It seems like often when I receive a tech tee, it is really poor quality and fits horribly. In that case, what's the point of it being a tech tee anymore? I'm also a huge fan of really corny or cheesy images or slogans, so that also affects my list of favorites. Here are a few photos of some that I like, below. 

Love this one from the Shelby, MT Fun Run 5k a few years ago.
I love it just because it's silly.

This one is one of my oldest tees that I still have. It has stains and holes. I have worn it A TON over the years.
Yes, the coveted long sleeve cotton tee-- my favorite! And, it has a great silhouetted logo. Perfect!
More about the Red Flannel Run will follow!

Worst Finisher's Shirt:

Refer above for my thoughts on t-shirts. Given all of that, the tee from one of my most recent races, Kickin' Assphault, is probably one of the worst. It's absolutely huge. The other thing that doesn't work for me with tech tees is that they don't work as well for making t-shirt quilts. The material melts when ironed, which is a problem. So what's a girl to do with an ill-fitting tech tee?! I'll take suggestions!  Kickin' Assphault offers Half-Marathon and 10K distances and is run in September in Great Falls, MT.

I never took a photo of me wearing this shirt because it's just ridiculous. I have only worn it once to work out in and I had to tie the shoulders and sleeves to my sports bra straps to keep it from flopping all around on my shoulders. Not worth it. Good thing this race had some other good swag (I use that water bottle all the time!) and a finishers medal to make up for it. I would have needed an extra-small or a kids size to make this shirt work. Mine's a medium and it's gargantuan. And yet, other times I've ordered a medium in what I know will be a tech-tee and it's too small. Part of the frustration with tech tees. You never know what type it will be. 

The t-shirt from this year's Shelby Fun Run is sooooo boring.
And it doesn't even mention anywhere that it was for a run! It looks like a tourist tee for Shelby, which isn't really a tourist hot spot, believe me. I don't get it. Hopefully next year they'll step it up.

This is probably my all-time least favorite tee from a run. Another HUGE tech-tee. And it's white (equals major see-through!), and it's already coming apart with loose strings, and the graphic was printed on poorly.... Ugh. Fail. 

Best Finish Line:

Probably Dam-to-Dam in Des Moines, IA. This was from way back in the day and before I started blogging, so I don't think I have any photos. Dam to Dam's featured race is a Half-Marathon that runs from Saylorville Dam to Downtown Des Moines. I'm told it's a really great course and it is certainly one of the most popular halfs to do in Iowa, drawing huge crowds every year. They also offer a 5K, which is an out and back course, starting and finishing downtown, which is what I have participated in a few times. The finish line is always awesome because it's filled with people, but there's still a lot of space, since it ends in a big plaza area. They have great food and beer tickets, and the super-awesome Des Moines Saturday farmers market is up and running by the time you finish running, so you can go over and walk through that, too. 

Image source: www.damtodam.com

Best Overall SWAG/Gear:

IceBreaker in GF is awesome-- they always have a really nice long-sleeve t-shirt (oh, the coveted long-sleeve tee!), a medal for all finishers, and a great sack lunch after the race, along with some great coupons for local businesses in the swag bag, too. I've done the Icebreaker twice, but I don't think I have any blog posts from it. This year, perhaps! Icebreaker is run in late April in Great Falls, MT. They offer 5 mile, 3 mile, and 1 mile options. It's always a fun race to do with friends and family.

After Icebreaker 2012. As you can tell by the photo, it was unseasonably warm. 

Best Crowd Support:

I'm going with Dam to Dam again for this one. The course is lined with local musicians and lots of people cheering. Plus there's just so many people who participate in this race, that the crowd supports each other. I remember talking to people all along the route.  I also would put the Opera Run in Bozeman in this category, thanks to the Opera singers serenading runners along the route. So cool! Opera Run typically offers distances of 10 mile, 5K, and 1 mile kids run.

Funnest Costume Race:
Red Flannel Run in early 2007 with my friend Lee. We made coordinating red flannel costumes out of flannel shirts I had purchased from Salvation Army-- and actually won a prize for best Couples Costume (even though we weren't an actual couple!). We had such a blast at that race! Red Flannel Run is held in February in downtown Des Moines, IA, usually around Valentine's Day. They offer a 5 mile or 3 mile run. 

Back of our costume. If I remember right, it says, "Lee and Katie. Friends 'til Age 93." So far, that's true!
On the hearts on our rears it says Kickin' it for the YMCA, which is who the race benefits.

This one shows the front of our costumes... and a man wearing a kilt.
Yes, that is what he wore for the entire race. No shoes. And no... well, let's just say he felt the breeze freely under his kilt. 

Best Cross-Country Style Race:
I have done a few Cross Country style races, but the one that was definitely the most fun was Living History Farms in West Des Moines, IA. I did it with my friends Nicole and Wade (who are now married! See?! If you run together, you STAY together!) and we had an absolute blast! Nicole and I ran about the same pace for that race and this particular year, it was cool and wet on the course, which traipsed over the meadow and through the woods, over several creeks and through a big mud bog. We stopped and played in the mud for about five minutes or so-- so fun! When I ran this race, only once, I think it was 5 miles. They used to change the distance and the course every year, but it got to be extremely popular, so they upped it to 7 miles just recently to try to actually keep registration down a little bit. It's run through an actual living history museum (where I actually worked one summer in the costume shop, incidentally!) and I think they try to keep the registration somewhat manageable to keep the grounds from being too destroyed. That being said, if you ever get a chance to do this one, you should take it because it is definitely one of the best and most fun! 

Image source: http://www.fitnesssports.com/November_races/LivHistFarms/lhf_index.html

Hottest Race:

For me, the hottest race I can remember ever participating in was Beat The Deadline 5K this past September in Washington D.C. It was about 75 at race time at 8:00 a.m., but 100% humidity. Yes, at "only 75" it could have been worse, but it was the humidity that really got me, since I'm used to running in dry, cool Montana. Ugh. I was dripping before the race even started! But that didn't negate how awesome it was to run that course through the National Mall and among the monuments. Unforgettable. 

Before running Beat The Deadline. Stifling humidity.

Coldest Race:

That was the University of Okoboji Winter Games 5K that I did in about 2005 or something like that. Really, really cold for that race and windy. The race takes place in January and my family had somewhat of a family tradition of participating in it. Even though the weather was horrible, we still ran. At that race, I learned all about running in the wind. It was at my back for the first half of the out-and-back course-- I was flying. Then it was time to turn around and run back with super strong wind gusts. Not fun. We warmed back up with hot chocolate afterwards, but I remember really hoping they would have somehow acquired a hot tub for free use after the race! Anyone interested in this race- it offers a 5K or 10K, in Spirit Lake, IA. 

Running in the Okoboji Games 5K. Just grabbed this pic off my Facebook. The caption on FB says, " i hated my life at this point in time. hardest race i've ever done. ever." So, that was winter of 2007 I believe.

I don't remember this, but apparently I got first place in my age group for this race and my mom got 2nd place in her group. 

Most Beautiful Course:

Possibly the Paw Power 5K this past spring in Missoula. The course started and ended as a trail run through a wooded mountain park. Awesome. Wish I had taken more (any!) photos! Also, the cause was really beautiful, in my opinion. Proceeds went to raise money for the training of service dogs. This past year, they ran just a 5K (actually, they said it measured out to be 3.5 miles, so a little longer), in June in Missoula, MT. I think next year the race date is changing to April or something like that.

Tshirt from Paw Power.

Another really beautiful race that Jeff and I both participated in was the Celebrate the Swan, which offers a variety of races in the Seely-Swan area of Montana, near Condon, including half-marathon, 10K, 5K, 1 mile run/walk events and a couple bike races, in late June. The course follows primarily logging roads through the Mission Mountains Wilderness. It was really beautiful (and hilly!). After we finished and were driving to our friends house after the race, we saw a black bear cross the road not too far from the race route, so if I ever do this one again, I'm probably bringing bear spray!

Hilliest Course:

Kickin' Assphault is again hitting my list for this category. There were some MASSIVE hills on this course! Celebrate the Swan also falls into this category. When I did the 5K, it was uphill the whole way out, and then downhill the whole way back. Made for a pretty awesome negative split at least!

Race That Took the Most Mental Strength:

I think I've explained before that even though I considered the Kickin Asphault to be my first 10K, I had actually run one once before, in about 2006, in Ames (my hometown!), called Midnight Madness. I was not prepared for that race. At. All. It took everything I had just to finish. 

Image source: http://www.amesmidnightmadness.com/

Most Disappointing Finish:

I can't think of anything that I'm still really disappointed with, time-wise. But the race I am most disappointed with in general is this year's Opera Run. Even though I still had a strong finish as the third-place female, I was really disappointed because Harvey was so adamant about NOT running with me! 

Lining up for the start of the Opera Run, sans dog.

Now that I think about it, I was pretty disappointed when I did the 10K of Midnight Madness, too, because of how I performed and that I hadn't trained adequately or run smart. This race is in mid-July in Ames, IA. They used to offer a bike race, along with a 5K and 10K. Now, I think they've ditched the bike race and added a 15K. It's run in the evening, hence the name. More about this race below when you get to Best Finish Line Food.

Best Start Line: 

Icebreaker is up there. They have an awesome race emcee, often someone from a local news station, and I love doing zumba and stretches with the crowd. Something about being in a crowd of people before a race is pretty cool, I think. So many people there together with the same goal.

Image Source: www.icebreakergf.com

Most Organized:

Probably the best organized race I have done is Huffing for Stuffing in Bozeman. It's an annual race, but I've only done it once. It's a big 5K/10K event on Thanksgiving Day, with many, many participants, so they actually set up an expo of sorts ahead of time during packet pick-up. Really fun. And they get the race going efficiently, too, with chip timing and a well-organized starting line area.

Flattest Course:
I've run a lot of flat 5K courses. I did a 5K in Ames that I can't even remember the name of, but it was at Ada Hayden Park, looping around the lakes, and incredibly flat. I had my all-time-best time of 24:something, that's to the course, and that's also when I was at my peak in terms of conditioning. This was always a place I loved to go for walks and runs, so I knew the course well, too. Still, when I visit my family in Ames, I almost always go for a walk here at some point during the visit.

Best Finish Line Food:

Top of this list includes Midnight Madness in Ames and Run For The Roses in Ames. Midnight Madness had spaghetti dinner and beer tickets after the race for no extra charge. I always looked forward to a spaghetti feed and a cool beer after that run, which was usually pretty warm even for being run at night. 

Run for the Roses always used to have a made-to-order omelet after the race! Sooooo good! This is a race run and organized by the Iowa State University Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, to benefit arthritis research. The race offers a 5K and 10K and starts and ends at Ames Middle School. The sorority girls all line up at big tables after the race and cook omelets for finishers. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Sidenote: Other AOII houses also do a Run For the Roses race, like THIS ONE I just did with my Montana family in Bozeman a few weeks ago.

Coolest Medal:
Gonna go with Dawson's Run for this one because it's the only time I've actually won a medal for placing, and not just for finishing when every finisher wins a medal. Yep. I was the first-place female finisher for that race. No website for Dawson's Run. It's a very local race in our community here, held in Joplin, MT, in conjunction with the Joplin Car Show each June around Fathers Day. 

T-shirt from Dawson's Run. There was a photo taken of me with my  medal after the race, but now I can't find it anywhere. :(
Below is some of the medals I have earned. The center medal is for Dawson's Run, for finishing as the 1st Place Female. The outer two are finisher medals from Icebreaker.

Most Emotional Finish:

Again, Kickin Assphault. It was emotional for me because it was really my first 10K and I was just really proud of myself for putting in the time to train and then finish the race. If I get a little teary after a 10K, what would I be like after an even longer race?! 

After finishing the Kickin' Assphault 10K. I got a finisher's medal, which was awesome. 

So, there you have it! If you are a runner, what are some of your best and worst experiences? If you are a runner who also blogs, consider clicking on over to The Right Fits and participating in Jessie's link-up activity, too. :)

Next up in my racing world will include a Thanksgiving Day race either in Bozeman or Great Falls, depending on where Jeff and I are. There's also a Turkey Trot Prediction Run in Bozeman on November 15 I'm thinking about for the 4.4 mile distance. Closest to their prediction wins a turkey to use on Thanksgiving!