Marathon Mindset

My sister Jamie signed me up for the St. George marathon for the first weekend in October. My goal when I decided to run it was to qualify for Boston, but that was something I kept very hidden and personal. 

I honestly was scared of my goal. 

Each run when I had a bad moment or mile I would just think to myself, "And you think you can qualify for Boston..." A Boston qualifier for someone my age is 3 hours and 5 minutes. About a 7 minute mile pace for 26.2 miles.

Through out my training from Central Park, the hudson river, to Provo Canyon I tried to strengthen my mind just as much as my legs. Running a marathon is a physical exertion but it vastly more a mental exertion. Anyone who has run one knows what I'm talking about. 

Self doubt...hatred...pain...sorrow...joy...depression...relief...euphoria...are just some of the emotions that well up inside every time I thought about my goal of qualifying for Boston and every run I took.

A positive mindset, attitude, and outlook really changed my running experience.

St. George Marathon was a beast, but also a beauty. Here was my experience hopefully you can take snippets of a physical run and apply it to your life, because it's something that I treasure now as I run, I find moments to connect to life to help me grow as a person.

4:00 a.m. - Alarm (I set two different alarms iphone and alarm clock) Can't be too careful.

- Dress and try to poop (I always lay my clothes out the night before my runs to make it as easy as possible to get out the door and make no excuses not to go)

4:30 a.m. - Hotel Lobby with Jamie.

5:00 a.m. - Fighting off the other snooty runners to get a shuttle to the buses

5:15 a.m. - hour bus ride on the running course (this was depressing as we drove the whole course, also it was extremely awful because I had to go to the bathroom like crazy bad...like dancing to hold it in bad)

- Bathroom, space blanket, bathroom, heater, bathroom, heater, bathroom, line up, bathroom, line up. Yep that is an accurate account of my fixation to be ready haha a little OCD?

7:05 a.m. - We suddenly just started jogging, and I guess that was the start of the race. I started next to the 3:05 pacer. When we began I looked at him and said to myself, "I'm never seeing you again." and I ran ahead. 

We paced through the dark and I felt great. Trying to pace myself I wanted to run faster but had to physically and mentally hold myself back (probably the hardest thing to do...not to just sprint out as fast as you can, but instead to pace, be patient find a groove, find a rhythm, and a balance)

Mile marker 8 - First mile marker I actually noticed, which was cool!

Hilarious people runners are. No reservations as men and women simply slide to the side of the road, drop trow and relive themselves. Haha I simply just had to keep looking forward.

Veyo Hill - a huge crowd at the beginning of the hill that just pumped you up. This was the first time I needed others in my run to give me positive energy and a boost to keep going. (This is a theme that will continue)

Veyo Hill - A sign that made me physically laugh out loud which read, "It's a hill get over it." (Life is full of hills and we need to simply realize they are hard, they will stretch us, but we can't be sad. We just got to laugh, enjoy it and bear down and get over it.

Mile 13 - 22 - Made a running friend named Zach. His goal was to beat 3 hours. I said to him, "I'm going to keep with you for as long as possible." (Now not only a large crowd but a single person who helped give me positive vibes, comments, and a friend to rely on)

- Beautiful snow canyon. Several times I tried to play my favorite running game of "I, Spy." (Always look up and not at your feet. Same for life, look up and forward never down and backward.)

- Aid stations always taking little sips of water and Cliff bar gummies. Never eating or drinking too much, just moderation. 

Mile 22 - Zach pulled ahead, everyone pulled ahead, a guy with no shirt and a gut pulled ahead, a woman pulled ahead. My head went down. I felt dead and was hopeless. I almost started crying and even said to myself, "I'm not going to qualify for Boston..." Then I realized I still hadn't seen the 3:05 pacer, I still had a chance so I hung onto that chance and just gritted my teeth and kept that small hope in me, I can do this still. 

Mile 25.2 - One last turn and I think the finish will be right there...not so. My heart was so sad as I couldn't see the finish.

- Suddenly I saw the orange finish. Breathing audibly (almost grunting) I just pushed as hard as I could. Still no pacer I could do this. 

- Then black...My vision just went black

- Then street and orange finish

- Black...Orange...(Almost passing out, but I was so scared that if I passed out that I wouldn't beat 3:05 I wouldn't let myself, so I would shake my head to keep blood moving)

- Finally I could see the clock at 3 hours as I made my last hundred yards. I made my goal. I couldn't believe it. I crossed the finish line got my medal and tried to walk. Instead a staggered.

26.2 + - Drank chocolate milk like it was my last time ever! Heard my parents cheering and just was so relieved to have them there. 

Complete exhaustion so much so it hurt to breathe. Happiness...Euphoria...

Goal achieved. 3 hours, 1 minute.

(Boston Bound) 

It's not often that I feel like I set a major goal, make mini goals to build to that one goal. I have never done that successfully in my life until now. This marathon is a testament to me that unless we set major goals by also following those major goals, with minor actions we will never achieve to our fullest capabilities. 

Surround yourself with people who will cheer you on, from the big hills, to the blurry miles, and then those at the finish line. We all need people along the whole journey to help us succeed in life. 

Happiness is felt when shared.

(First supporter and sister who put me up to this. Baby Girl how couldn't I run fast with her at the finish?)

I hope you got a taste of the marathon mindset, it really has made me a better person, son, brother, uncle, friend, student, hopeful entrepreneur and priesthood holder. 

So go out and do your marathon run whatever it may be from raising kids, gaining a testimony, going through school, or trying to achieve a personal goal, remember the first miles always suck. 

- Enjoy the journey

Jonny Boy

(Mum's victory present = Fillmore gas station, "Grumpy Cat")

A silly little list of things I learned...

(Heaven is Harlem)

I'm in Utah sitting on my couch recovering from a terrible bout of food poisoning...not fun. But I thought I would close my New York chapter of my life before things get to crazy. My last couple of days in New York were just those moments in life where you are already thinking about what's next but in the same moment your just trying to soak every last bit in.

So I went to Rucker Park with Barrett one last time, we ate some good eats my favorites (Jacob's Soul Food, Schwarma, Dinosaur BBQ) I went back to my favorite spots in the city, Bryant Park, Central Park, Hudson river, and the Highline park. I also tried New York's most celebrated bagel spot just off of Columbia University called, "Absolute Bagels" it's a little spot run by asians and they don't hold back when it comes to cream cheese, I'm not a huge fan of cream cheese and afterwards I definitely wasn't. I think I almost had a equal ratio of Cream Cheese to Bagel which equals not cool.

(Get ya bagel, it's New York...but hold the cream cheese)

(Dino BBQ...two things I love...smoked meats...and Harlem)

Work ended very chill...which I like. They had a little pizza party for us and we (Jane Brady and I) surprised them with some Magnolia's cupcakes. Everyone there was so kind and helpful, every one of them kept saying, "If you need anything don't hesitate to call" It was my mini New York family and I enjoyed working with them a lot. Next week a package I wrote actually will go out on live tv in front of millions of people which I'm pretty excited about.

My last thing I did in New York also happened to be one of my first. Madi and I re lived our first night in the city and went to Highline Park. The place is amazing especially at night, so we just soaked the city and hipster in before parting ways.

(Highline Selfie...Look for Madi to be anchoring quite soon, she killed her internship)

I took the subway to the airport which was a horrible mistake! It took 2 hours and 28 minutes to get to the airport with all my stuff. The trains were so full I literally ran and rammed myself in, I got pushed out of subways, and sweat was pouring just like shaq playing basketball. Luckily I gave myself plenty of time and I was able to make it in time.

Things I learned:

- The city is awesome! I loved living in the city it was so much fun and so alive. Could I do it long term? Probably not, I feel like people get paid well and that's all they focus on is material things. You can't go out into nature to ski, golf, hike, or explore. (You can but it takes an arm and a leg). In Utah it's just out my back door.

- New York City is full of characters...smelly...funky...weird...characters

- Food in New York is a can't miss, go and eat!

- watching tv shows and movies with New York is a 1000 times cooler now cause your like, "I've been there!"

- A city of 8.5 million people you can feel very alone

- The city makes you appreciate nature

- Laundry sucks in the city

- So does grocery shopping

- Loved making new friends every single day

- Working for a large corporation is not for me. The internship was a lot more sitting in a cubicle than I imagined. THAT IS NOT FOR ME. I would go crazy if I did that every day. I like the idea of a smaller start up feel, or something more active, or teaching. I love to be with people way to much!

- I learned that I don't need others for confirmation of my happiness. I think I have relied on others saying or thinking that I was happy, rather I learned to just do the things I really want to do, and just enjoy life simply to enjoy life and not to just to update on a social media website. To live simply for me.

- I love family. I missed them a lot and being far away from them always strangely enough brings me closer to them. From talking with my Pops, to just soaking in my time being an uncle to the best nieces and nephews ever.

- Finally I learned that there are endless possibilities on how you can live your life and work in life. I learned that I want to do something that is never a job to me, I want to just be stoked for life every morning and every monday!

I have been so blessed by this experience. I wouldn't have changed it for anything. I learned so many more things I could go on forever. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter in my life and have seen my joys, sorrows, and growth as well.

Til next time,

- enjoy the journey

Jonny Boy

High stepping Rats, Rucker riots, and a Loudspeaker that caused Languishing

Grossest thing ever happened this week!

I'm running one morning (on garbage day) along 125th in Harlem and the sun is shining, I'm smiling it's great. Suddenly as my right foot lands instead of firm concrete I feel this soft, and crunchy sensation. At the same time I hear a crunch and a huge, "SQUEEEK!"

I had landed on a rat...

I immediately jumped up and started high stepping while yelping, "EW. EW. EW"

An old man setting up his illegal dvd stand saw the whole thing and just burst out laughing. I was mortified and went and cleaned my shoe off with disinfectant. No Rabies for me!

I almost puked that is how gross the sound, feel, and entire moment was. Ah nightmares!

Moving on though it's my last full week in NYC...it is so weird to say that. This place really has become home to me in so many ways from running every morning in central park, exotic food for the extreme foodie in me, beautiful skylines at night, to the myriad of people that come across my path each day I truly love it here. (Granted I was only here for the summer...I've decided winter would be just awful to the bone in the city especially with no skiing).

This week was great as usual moments to never forget.

On tuesday I happened to be walking in Bryant Park downtown after work and I noticed a bunch of video cameras and people. So naturally I went over there and it was CNN doing a story about public speaking and how fearful people are of it. Well this kid choose me to get to know and then give a toast to me in front of everyone in Bryant Park! Haha it was great he toasted all my experiences here in New York that they would live on forever with me and that I would go back to Utah and ski through the memories of New York. It was fantastic and then I got interviewed by CNN afterwards. I'll make sure to post the piece once it's up live! But what better way to end my time in New York than a toast in front of everyone in Bryant Park on CNN!

(Camera's Rollin For CNN)

Thursday I went to the world famous Rucker Park. If you don't know what park it is shame...haha jk it's famous for street ball. This is the park that the Harlem Globe Trotters started, and now it's home to the street ball league EBC. Every night they have games on a outdoor hardwood court, with special guests always there from Kobe Bryant, Stephan Marbury, to Andrew Wiggins. The game was sweet and we even got to see a bit of a fight break out!

(King Kobe at Rucker 2002)

(The court today amidst the high rises)

Friday I went to the north end of the island to the Coisters. It's this relatively unknown museum and gardens up on this huge hill overlooking harlem and the hudson river. The place is like a castle and it was super tucked away. So beautiful and so quiet. It's made of tons of stone and just greenery as far as you can see. It was a very relaxing afternoon.

(Even Male Models come to the Coisters)

Saturday my boy Riley Cooney came to visit! We went all over from the Met museum to see some fine art, to roaming manhattan and then off to my favorite place "Brooklyn!"

(My favorite Van Gogh at the Met)

We went to the famous pizza place called "Spamoni's" famous for their sicilian square pies. The place was so fun and so Brooklyn tons of New Yorkers being loud, eating pizza, and just having that great attitude about life. The place also had the world's loudest loudspeaker to call for orders. No joke it was a perfect set up for a Seinfeld episode, every time Riley or I tried to say something half way through our sentence we were interrupted by some obnoxious teenager on the loudspeaker. It went something like this:

Jon: "So I'm talking to my boss and he goes, you know Jon I think you should...."
****RAMANO PARTY OF FIVE RAMANO YOUR TABLE IS READY!!!***

Jon:"Ouch" (grabbing ear)..."So as I was saying my boss..."
****RAMANO YOUR TABLE IS READY!!!!! RAMANO***


Haha everyone was cursing the loudspeaker, and by the end of our meal Riley and I just laughed our heads off for how hysterical it was. No joke every 30 seconds or so the stupid thing would deathen everyone outside.

(Square Pies what? Sauce on top double what?)

After we went to the East River just in my favorite neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights. The skyline of Manhattan was glowing and we just soaked in the city for probably an hour, it was beautiful! A little piece of my heart will always be in Brooklyn haha (so hipster right?).

Sunday was super chill just got my favorite Korean Nachos again at Broadway Bites with Barrett.

(Yea there is an egg under all that goodness this time)

Just a few short days and I'll be back to Utah, time to soak in my favorite city spots... til next time.

- Enjoy the Journey

Jonny Boy

When Harry met Sally aka "Jonny"

(Only in Harlem will you randomly come across 100 plus Policeman)

(Fox is pretty Patriotic which is pretty cool...)

This week was fantastic! I got to do a lot of incredible things, and overall I just feel extremely blessed. I am in awe of all the blessings that my life has given me and I'm so grateful for the experience I'm having here in New York. The life lessons, work lessons, people lessons, etc it has been such an amazing time for me. Also the amazing friends, coworkers,  and strangers that cross my path has been something I won't forget.

Adventures of the week:

Monday Barrett and I tried to get Dominican food at this place in Harlem. Well problem we both don't speak spanish and no one in the restaurant speaks english. When I tried to order the lady just started laughing at me with her friend. I just pointed at Chicken and said, "Chicken" a bunch. Well she brought out beef and I said, "I got chicken" she tried again with some new dish and who knows what it was but it was delicious.

 (My chicken and something's plate)

Wednesday Laura, Barrett, and I got NYC's highest rated pancakes at Clinton Street Bakery. They were heavenly and came in three types (chocolate chunk, blueberry, and banana walnut). I am a sucker for pancakes and these delighted my taste buds like no other and the maple butter syrup just smoothed me to a food coma!

(Pancake heaven...little fluffy circles of happiness)

(Laura drinking her milkshake and not listening to Barrett tell his stories)

Harrison Richards flew in to see me this weekend from LA...what a guy! We had a blast! We did SO much (actually so much my legs no joke were in serious pain on sunday from all the walking) but I'll highlight just some of my favorite moments of the trip.

(Harrison getting after the famous cronut "take 1" he had to go the next day to get the actual cronut)

 We went to Coney Island and soaked in all things americana nostalgia. We rode the fateful historic wood roller coaster "Cyclone" it was actually pretty smooth and enjoyable til one shot to the manhood that left me moaning the rest of the ride...once was enough for me.

(Coney Island...'Murica...Pre Cyclone smiles)

(photo cred: Harrison...I have wings on the Brooklyn Bridge)

(I'm smarter already just walking around Columbia University)

(Koronets pizza...slices bigger than your body...in fact I'll take a Pizzabag "sleeping bag made out of pizza")

Saturday we saw my first broadway musical. I couldn't just see any old musical with a man...I had to make it somewhat testosterone filled so we saw, "Rocky" the musical. It was awesome the stage was incredible and for the final fight with Apollo creed the ring moved out into the audience. The audience got to go on stage and sit around the ring, there were announcers, big screens, confetti, blood, it was fantastic!

(Yo Adrianne!!!)

(No joke it felt like a real fight...awesome atmosphere...even had red powder that would fly off their faces when they got punched to represent blood)

We went to the Top of the Rock to get an amazing view of the city.

(tons of street theatre...Our favorite is Tic and Tac...twin black guys who tell jokes, do some cool jumping tricks, and con people for lots of money)

Sunday we explored the Natural History museum after church for hours. Harrison's favorite was the giant sloth (a sloth the size of a rhino) and mine was the T-Rex (it's the calvin and hobbes in me).

(T-Rex and a rrrrawrr)

We ate at the famous Dino BBQ in harlem. EPIC meats! It was the man feast to remember. We literally ate every type of meat offered at the restaurant: shrimp, wings, ribs, pulled pork, brisket, chicken and this amazing side we didn't know existed Succatash!

(Plate 2 of just many at Dino's!)

On our way their the subway had tons of problems we had to transfer a ton, help some old ladies with luggage and at one point this crabby old man with a cane freaked out at me because I was going to slow down the stairs. The funny part was we beat him down the stairs, so needless to say we showed him!

(The Metro Transit = A very high tech method of displaying information about broken subways)

The evening ended with a sunset on the Hudson and just solid conversations with Harrison. I am so grateful to have a amazing friend like Harrison to see both coasts of this great country with me, and also to just talk all things deep and wide about the world.

(Photo cred: Harrison)

Truly I am blessed beyond measure...I am loving New York so much right now it has been something that has changed my life, but also hopefully made me a better person.

- Enjoy the Journey
Jonny Boy

The 4th to the New York Island...This land was made for you and me

Excuse me for a long time no posting. To give a little catch up...I actually got to go back to Provo for the 4th of July! The best small town festival was not to be skipped! Before I left I got some extremely spicy chinese food with Barrett. The stuff was so spicy that old Ironside Barrett could not finish his meal! The restaurant is famous for it's hand pulled noodles and was featured on Anthony Bourdain's show "No Reservations". Delicious food but with no water it was a beast!

("George Likes His Chicken Spicy" - George Costanza. Seriously those noodles were killer good and killer hot)

On my way home to Utah I got to sneak into a bar and watch the US World Cup soccer game. Bars are a blast when it comes to sports, everyone just comes together. Also I was finally able to end my quest for a legitimate PRETZEL. I love pretzels, always have since I was a wee chap, and so this was on my bucket list. Everyone in NYC I have asked about getting a solid pretzel has just said, "There is a chain called Auntie Anne's" I was so saddened because we have that in Utah. Luckily this bar came through (I think Auntie Anne's is still better haha).

("These Pretzel's are making me thirsty" - Seinfeld)

Provo was a great little getaway. I got to see my family, friends, fireworks, and food (That is F to the fourth). Best part about being home even though I got sick was just being with my nieces and nephews. Little Elsy is growing up super fast, she is in the phase of beginning to talk and explore. At the Stadium of Fire she was just singing, dancing, and in aww of everything it was magical to watch. 

(Skydivers, singing, and smiles...Little Elsy stole the show for me)

Back in NYC the week just moved on with moments of goodness and also moments of just blah. Work for example is really really slow. We didn't have much to do so we had a lot of time to search the internet or whatever, luckily I found the website stumbleupon.com and that kept me busy. If your really bored use that site!

(The Diamond District. It's two streets where almost 80% of all diamonds found in the US pass through. And Forbes magazine, one day I'll be in that baby) 

Fun things from the week. On monday my main man Coby G. took me out for some mean soup dumplings at this awesome chinese place in the West Village. He is a chopstick maestro we had a contest to see if you could use chopsticks to drink water from a bottle...he won...I almost got soaked haha.

(The man and his weapon)

Tuesday night was Laura's b-day! So she had a bunch of people got to EATALY this awesome open italian shops, and market. Barrett and I got some extremely fancy meats, cheeses, and breads. You just stand at these little tables and in comes the goodness. It was a fun meal.

(The chaos and culinary craft of EATALY)

Thursday was pretty epic. Barrett, Laura, and I went to a golf driving range that is out on a pier down next to Chelsea Market. This place was awesome! The clubhouse was below all these steel frames and the range was like 5 stories high and 15 stalls across. Hundreds of golf balls were just flying out onto this pier. The ball rise right out of the ground, it's effortless, you simply just hit a ball and swing again and another is there to be whacked!

(One of my favorite things I've done in NYC, how's my form?)

Friday Barrett and I went to do a session at the NYC temple. It was so chill I loved it. The workers were extremely nice and we just got to relax, it was very calm compared to Utah temples. Later we went to the Metropolitan museum of Art. The place is gigantic and also a maze. Quiet literally with a map and directions Barrett and I just  felt like little kids in a halloween corn maze. It was almost to the point of laughter of just how hard it is to get around that place. After we went and got cruddy burritos and to celebrate 7/11 some slurpies! 

(Ugliest statue I could find, it's from the pacific somewhere. The next picture is of a knife with a small gun on it as well...the description: "although innovative for the time this weapon was highly ineffective" haha)

 (This painting is huge! Funny story there are cherries hanging from George Washington's belt in the original painting. Well when the Southern Teachers were told that he had "small cherries" the teachers were outraged, so in all the textbooks the have the cherries painted out, the quote from the south is "You can never tell me that my nation's commander has small cherries!")

(Post your sticker to the Met Wall)

 (Barretts new best friend passed out at Bleecker Street)

Saturday I just did me...haha. I went out to the Brooklyn flea market and basked in the unique glow of all things hipster. Everyone there was so hipster it was hilarious. From extremely over priced hose handles, to Organic, raw, chemical-free, and everything else free almond milk the place was a mecca to those who are not your mainstream. It was great.

(Camera straps cause you just can't have the normal one that comes with the camera...gosh)

I went to the U.N. headquarters after that...and in typical fashion they were doing what they do best: nothing. The place was closed down for vacation time for all the workers. As my pops put it, "It's not like anything is going on in the world right now anyways..." haha.

(They could have at least pretended to be working and put all their flags up...)

I continued my art journey with a exploration of MoMa (Museum of Modern Art). This place was really random and fun. From furniture to weird stuff you think your average 3 year old could do to some amazing classics like Starry Night, Picasso's, etc... They had a nice garden I was able to just slow down and soak in for a long time as well.

(Same museum...same amount of space...same amount of skill?)

(Awesome sequence of photos of old lady slipping and loosing her potatoes)

I went to a movies with Barrett and Steve and theaters in NYC...get outta here! We had lazy boy recliners for the film it was fantastic! I would watch any movie in those things.

(Lazy E Boyz!)

Sunday Barrett and I bar hoped 4 bars to try to find a place to watch the World Cup Final. We ended up at Lindy's this old restaurant that let us just hang out without having to pay. The owner was a huge Argentina fan and was blowing steam when they lost. After we got probably the best schwarma I have ever had, even better than in Jerusalem...gasp...I know I said it, but it's true! Just a little place in upper Harlem called, "Falafel Tarboosh"

(Not a viewing party...but this guy was all up in arms about the World Cup...like my view?)

(The Avengers eat schwarma and so do I...How come I can't fly or turn into a buff green man?)

- Enjoy the Journey

Jonny Boy

Classic characters from my walk to work:

(Either has a second brain, or a heck of a lot of hair)

(This dude was snoring so loud I thought it was a truck at first!)

(Future Chippendale?)

(Subway sleeping)