Christmas Breakfast

The gifts are open and now we are having waffles with the new waffle iron. Its a big hit with everyone!
Chris Eyring

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Lettuce makes you faster

Henry eating a ton of lettuce cause we told him it would make him faster. Then I got a big plate of salad and told him I would be faster so he kept shoving it down.
Chris Eyring

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In & Out Burger, Tasty!

I have to admit that is is good food but probably not the best burger I have ever had. I was amazed by the vanilla shake and would get that every time.

Snow Storms!!

I love snow storms!! I love playing in them, watching them and even driving in them. Well I like to drive in them alone because I don't trust other people.

Thirsty?

So my boss asks me to run down to his car and grab a couple of cases of pop. I ask if its like 5 or 6 cases, he said no. But that I should take our cart with me. He failed to mention that it was 45 cases. He loves his Coke Zero.

Mobile Blogging

Test - Blogging from my new phone
I got a new phone last week and hopefull I will blog more since I can post from my phone on the go. I know you are jealous. Yeah I know the picture is not that cool. This is only a test sheesh.

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And I am Back!

I am back to posting something on my blog for what seems like forever but also back to running. I can't remember which one has been on the side line the longest but both need to be back in my life. I went on a 2.5 mile run this morning up past the capitol building in SLC and then up Memory Grove. It was a cool morning without a cloud in the sky. I plan to do some running through the fall and winter months to keep in descent shape and then run the Moab half marathon in the spring.

Check back here in a couple days for posts about my trip to Michigan, the football game and time in Chicago. I also plan to post about the football season, my favorite time of year.

Motivation

I have not been running since my race because of injuries and started back today with a short run that went alright. During my run today I found my self lacking the motivation to train and run for this next half marathon.

I understand that everyone goes through a time when they don't want to get up and run. I know that it has been a while since I have been running and getting back into it could be a problem. But things are a bit different then there where when I started to train for the last marathon.

With in the last month I have started school full time and I spend most of my free time working on that. With that along with other things I find my self pressed for time these days. Lately my normal day consists of this.

6:15 to 6:30 Wake up/eat something - don't like working out on an empty stomach
6:45 to 7:30 Gym
7:30 to 8:45 Real breakfast/make lunch/get ready for work
8:45 Bike to work - with $4 gas these days, I rather not drive
9:00 to about 5:30 Work - some days even later
5:30 to 7:00 Bike home/eat dinner
7:00 to about 11:00 Church Activities/Studying

That is a pretty normal day for me but every now and then things are shaken up a bit. With my evenings I am either doing church things, school or family. If I do not have a scheduled activity, its a school night (just as if I had a class to be at and I have a planned lesson to get done).

What I am asking myself right now, is do I want to commit the time to preparing to run a half marathon at this point? How high is it on my priority list?

What do you think, should I make the time? Should I try to cut something back a bit or try to squeeze it in?

I am not sure quit yet on this. Please let me know your input.

School

Back when I was taking my first classes at the LDS Business College, I heard someone say that the average person changes there degree about 4 times. Well I laughed at that and those people who would do such a thing, well I am not the one laughing now.

Once again I have changed my degree and this had better be the last time. I have gone from business, statistics, psychology and now information technology, I should of just listened in the first place and changed them all right way. But right now I like that degree I am in and feel that it fits me better then any of the other ones.

With that I have also changed the school I am going to. With working full time and wanting to get done with school as quickly as possible I have changed to WGU. What don't know the meaning of that acronym off the top of your head? I just barely found them on the internet and glad that I did. They are a online University that was started a couple years ago by some Governors of the western states, hence the tricky name of Western Governors University.

With this I am able to go at my pace and go to school full time along with work full time. The best part is that I can do all my work online and don't have to work around a class schedule. The difference about them versus other online schools is that they are accredited and I can transfer when I am done.

One draw back is that I have to push myself and make sure I stick to it, so if you see me or are talking with me, ask me how things are going. I am sure things will be moving right along and I will just talk your ear off about really cool computer stuff that I am learning.

Half Marathon Results

Ok, it has been over three weeks from when I ran the Salt Lake City Half Marathon, I think it is about time that I update this and let people know what is going on. I ran it in 1:54:43 seconds and that was with in the time frame that I wanted to finish in, under two hours.

I started out running with some friends of mine, Amy and Kellie, but then I lost them at the first air station as they stopped to get some water. I was doing really well and was keeping a good pace and my IT band was almost never a pain. I was doing well until I got to Liberty Park, about 3 miles left, and I got really tired. Up to this point, because of my IT band injury, I had never ran over eight miles. So the last part of the race was hard for me as I was not really prepared. I had slowed down about this time to take a good drink of water and soon realized that if I stopped my legs would cramp up and I did not know if I could get them going again.

I watched some people drop off and start to walk at this point but knew it was only a bit farther and could not stop. I was able to finish strong and its amazing where the strength comes from when you have all these people cheering around you. I am glad to have it done and am excited for the next race. I have sadly been taking a break for the last couple weeks, not running at all due to my IT band.

Race Week

This week I am going to run the SLC Half Marathon and it will be the first race for me of this distance. I am excited and actually really calm about running the race. I have been dealing with an IT band problem and went to a doctor on Friday to check it out. He gave me a cortisone shot in my knee to help with it, among doing other things, and I should be good for race day.

So I ask you who have raced before your advice on race week. I wanted to get this out earlier but life is busier then you think sometimes. So here are some questions I have for you:

How do you prepare on your race week?
What do you eat?
How much do you like to run?
Do you have any traditions that help you to prepare?
How early do you like to be on race day?
Have any warm up tips to get your body ready?
What do you like to eat the morning of the race?

Anything else that you feel gets you ready, just let me know. Thanks

Snow Shoeing

About a year and a half ago I was introduced to snow shoeing by a ex-roommate, Jake Jensen. My first time was going to Jake's cabin with some friends. I did a bit of working out during that time and figured it couldn't be that bad, of course I had to be a tough guy. Well, towards the end I was praying that it would be over the next hill of snow and I got my trash kick by my friend Jen.

Even though I was hurting the next day, both legs and pride, the lure of being in the mountains while snow blankets and quiets the wilderness, has always brought me back. I have done it in the early hours of the morning with the sun just coming over the hill side and at night with a big storm lingering ever closer. Some of these places I have been to in the summer when the grass is green but when everything is covered in snow it is a different world. There is a quietness to the world around you when you are out there in the winter that you don't get in the summer.

Here are some trips that I have been on this year.

First Snow Shoeing

This was the first time this year that I went snow shoeing and it was a early Saturday morning. Since there was a big storm coming through Friday and Saturday I thought it was a perfect time to go. We were the first up the trail and there was a light snow the whole time. This has to be one of the most beautiful times I have ever been snow shoeing.


Jake's Cabin

This was a trip that was planned months in advance. Jake went off to school in New York but nothing was keeping me from mooching his cabin and I knew he wanted to go anyway. We went up the weekend after the new year and did a little hiking in a snow storm with wind whipping us the whole way up. Once in the cabin with the fire going and warm food in hand, no storm could bother us. It was a perfect situation with a the snow coming down all night and us warm in side, does it get any better? We slept in the next morning and then sledded out. What made this trip so much fun is the wonderful group that went and how much fun we had together.

Hike of Grandeur Peak

This was a fun trip taken later in the year with my two room mates, Matt Hansen and Christian Ward. There was not very much snow on the way up but we had a great time once we got to the top. There was some fresh snow and it appeared as no one had been as far as we had. We were going up the last stretch to the top and when I got to the top, I saw a bunch of foot prints in the snow, ruining my idea that we were the only ones to make it up there. Guess the other side is easier and had less snow for those hiking without snow shoes.

With summer coming around I will change my outdoor activities to camping and hiking but next year I will continue the adventures in the snowy mountains. If you would like to join me let me know. christianeyring@gmail.com

REI Dividend

So a few years back I was introduced to the exciting world of REI and its posh world of outdoor gear. So after joining I got a REI credit card that gives you cash back to be spent at REI. They sure are good giving money back to spend more money at them that gives you money back to then again spend more money... I think you get the picture.

Well every year they send you your dividend to go and spend at REI. So this year I have a couple things in mind that I would like to get but I am having a hard time deciding and I sadly can not get all of them as the budget won't allow it. So I am asking you all to cast your votes in what I should get.

Merrell Guru Shoes

The first option is some shoes that I could wear for my every day work and dating experiences. I got a pair of shoes from there a couple of years ago and I love them and wear them all the time. Now it might sound weird that I like shoes, as I am a guy and we should not be like that, but I like them and they would last me a very long time. So that is the first option.

North Face Convertible Pants

Now I like to go camping, hiking and other outdoor activities and its important to be comfortable. In the past I have always just worn jeans or shorts and have been alright. A couple problems arise with those choices of camping attire. With the jeans I normally only have my good pair that I wear all the time and if its hot they do not well for relieving the heat, unless the are wholly. With shorts, they are great for the heat and are more comfortable then jeans but are bad if it gets cold and are a nightmare with mosquitoes. These pants would offer the comfort, breathable for the heat and turn into shorts, water proof for the rain, warmth for the cold and you can never go wrong with the gusseted crotch for that unrestricted range of motion.

Garmin Forerunner 201

I have started running again this year as you can read in a earlier blog and things are going well. This is something that I would like to keep up and want to run in more races. I have always been a treadmill runner because it is easy and I can set a pace and stick to it. One thing that I would like to do is to be able to have something to set a pace for me when I go running out side. For me to look at a timer and remembering certain markers to figure out my mile time is just not happening. I need to focus on the moving of the legs and all the other random thoughts that pop into my head. With this I can do so much more and then I can track my progress on my computer. How cool would that be?

Let me know what you think and if you have another idea of something that is a must have, let me know. Also remember to be active and enjoy being outdoors, its a great way to escape life for a time and enjoy the moments that make memories for a life time.

Sick!!!

For years I have bragged about never being sick besides my yearly allergies (but those are my genetic blessing). Whenever people would tell me they were sick and I should get away, I would tell them, "I am not worried, I never get sick." They would always respond with, "You better not say that, now you are going to get sick!" Well for the most part that has never caught up to me and its been years since I have been sick.
Well this last week I got the flu along with everyone else that I know. I can see why I avoided it for so long, the relentless cough, the aching body, the sleepless nights and the up set stomach. It took me away from work for a couple days which some people might enjoy but it kind of sucks in my book, I like working. Worst of all it took me out of my training for the half marathon. I plan to start right up this week as though nothing happened but I know it will still effect me in the end. Sickness is so over rated, why do people do it so much?

Training Begins

Today I start training for the Salt Lake City Half Marathon on April 19th. This will be my first time running this distance and I hope this will be the start of many more to come. About over a year ago I had a room mate of mine, Jake Jensen, talk to me about setting a goal for running and how it helps to have a goal to motivate you. Well, as much as I hate to admit it, he is really hard to prove wrong and once I did start running and had set this goal, running was much easier for me.

Injuries: That is what I would use to describe my first attempt at running a half marathon. First it was shin splints and once I got some better shoes those started to go away but I always had a lingering effect from them but that did not stop me. Then about a month before the race I started to have problems with my IT band (see link for more information about IT band injury). This injury would not go away with nothing but rest and the race day came and went.

Since that time I have not set the goal of running a half marathon until a month ago. Some good friends of mine started talking about it and it got me all excited again. So with them I am training for the Salt Lake City Half Marathon but I hope that my goal does not stop there. I plan to run the Ogden Half and then go on to a full marathon. I may not be the fastest runner come April 19th but I will race and I will finish.

Utah vs BYU Basketball

The game was as predicted, a close one. It was a slow pass game that was lead by defense. The lead changed many times throughout the game and neither team could take control. Down the stretch the score was close with BYU making key shots to keep a slim lead and Utah missing shots to pull off the win. With only a couple minutes left Utah had foul shots that could of won the game but they came up short. In the end Utah had a last second shot to go to over time but it came off of the back of the rim. Uta h Loses 52 to 55.

(Image courtesy of ESPN AP Photo/Steve C Wilson)

Utah vs BYU Basketball

This is the first meeting of the two teams in 2008 and both teams are playing good basketball, BYU is winning with offense while Utah with defense. Last year BYU was playing well and won the conference championship but Utah had one of its worst seasons in years. This year Utah is under a new coach, Jim Boylen, and he has put toughness in this team and a never die attitude. This game should be a tough one and come down to the last couple minutes and foul trouble may play a part. Utah looks to take back their home court this year and bring back Utah basketball.

Broken or not?

So last night the prestigious world of Church basketball started for the University 2nd Stake. Ever year they tell you that it is just for fun but we all know it means much more, I mean, just watch how serious the players are and you will know what it is all about. Also it has a small reputation for people getting hurt and such, well I think I just joined that injured group.
As I was driving to the basket I tripped on someones feet, it was not intentional by any means and I was feeling a bit clumsy last night. Later in the game I noticed that it was sore but didn't think anything of it.
When I got home and took my shoes off I noticed that it was a bit swollen and bruised. Now I am not sure if it is broken or I just jammed it pretty bad, as I have broken a toe before and it was not all that painful. My movement is limited and put can put limited pressure on it. Also I am one of those stubborn people that feels if its not serious then I don't need to see a doctor, its just a toe right?
So what would you do in my shoes? See poll.

Boring Answers to Life

I had forgotten that I had created this a long time ago and it has been sitting blank for months now. Well I finally decided to post and get it started.
I am one of those people who is really bad about telling people what is going on in my life. When I do I give these short boring answers and say all I do is work, which is very true, some days. Then I have to follow up with, "My life is more exciting then that, just... can't... think of anything right... now..." Well we all kind of do that and it is pretty boring... so begins my blog!