Woo-hoo!!!!

AWESOME! Today marks the third time I've run Sugarhousex2 in one week, and I was faster today than ever before. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I've never run this route at this pace, EVER! (For the record, it was 7 miles @ 10:49mpm pace, and because I LOST two pounds since this time last week, I only burned 960 calories - it's a trade I'll take any day!) Carol is still on vacation, and I do miss her company and conversation when I run. I never thought I would like having a running partner, but she rocks. Oh - by the way, it was a good 10* warmer today than the last two days (a whopping 32*). It felt GREAT!

Frozen - literally!

Carol is still on vacation, so I'm on my own. I did the Liberty loop with only one lap at the park. I toyed with the idea of doing two laps, but decided to save my energy for tomorrow when I think I will run to the capital. So, I completed 4.5 miles @ 11:13mpm pace. I also burned 624 calories. It was COLD, though. When I got done, the sweat on my hair had frozen!

Sugarhouse again, and faster!

My ears are frozen to tiny little nubbins because I forgot my hat. It barely felt every degree of the 21* that the weather channel indicates. However, it was a good run. I did the Sugarhouse loop with two laps at the park after a lot of hemming and hawing and finally talking myself into the second lap. I was glad that I did because the sky above the Wasatch was just starting to change colors as the sun was rising. That's a sight worth the extra 1.5 miles, for sure. The return run from Sugarhouse was pretty fast. I was very pleased with it. Overall, I did 7 miles at a 10:54mpm pace! Woo-hoo! I also burned 971 calories. That's a good start to any week.

Sugarhouse for the first time in a while

Carol took a rest day, so I was on my own. I ran from work to Sugarhouse and back with two laps at the park for a total of 7 miles @ 11:09mpm (yay!). I didn't look at my watch at all until I had about a mile to go. I'm not sure if it helped or not. I hemmed and hawed about doing one or two laps and finally talked myself into two laps because Carol is doing 9 miles tomorrow. If she can run 9, I can certainly run 7. I'm happy that I did it. I run up all of the hills (but took my walk breaks immediately at the top of the hills). I really wanted to walk up the 3rd hill, but all of the Army recruits had just finished their runs and were leaving the park. I couldn't walk up the hill while they were all driving past me! So, today's run was basically motivated by the Army and Carol (who can push me even when she's not around!). It was a good run, and a good start to the day since I burned 971 calories!

Oh, and as I was running back, I passed the Goodyear store. They were open already and changing tires which means that people were sitting in the waiting area which looks right onto the sidewalk. I got a really good chuckle when I noticed a big, burley guy reading a Highlights magazine!

blah...

I just felt yucky today. No energy and no fun. Carol was happy and motivating, as usual. I could learn a thing or two from her (more than the things I've already learned). We did the Liberty loop with one lap = 4.5 miles @ 11:16mpm pace. I also burned 624 calories.

The street, the dip, and the light."

Our run was a bit slower today: 4.5 miles @ 11:27mpm (621 calories). I think that I really slowed us down on our lap around the park. I felt like I didn't have any push from my inner thighs - a leftover fatigue from yesterday's uphill run, I think. At the end of these Libery Park runs, I always look forward to the end where Carol says "The street, the dip, and the light." Those are the last three landmarks that she looks for. They are equidistant from each other, and it breaks the end of the run up into small segments that seem very manageable. We've even started to sprint them which is unheard of for me - a sprint at the end of a run! When she says it, there is a lilt in her voice that really lifts my mood no matter how good or bad the run has been. She is very fun to run with!

back out on the roads - everyone is well again

Carol and I ran up to Westminster from work. 4.6 miles @ 11:01 pace. We both felt horrible on the way up (that's what happens when I don't run for a whole week!). We were slapping the pavement, and just generally yuck. The run back was nice because there was about a mile of decent downhill. Happy with the final time, and it was good to get back out on the roads...

burned 638 calories

lay down and die - it would be faster

This was the first run of 2010 that included the boys and the jog stroller (which represents at least 85 pounds being pushed in front of me - just typing that makes me feel cool - and slow). Holy cats! It was hard (as evidenced by my 12:47mpm pace for a meager 3.6 miles). I thought that I would rather fall down on the pavement and die - which would have been convenient since we were doing laps in the cemetary. (I chose the cemetary in case it got too cold for the boys who, in addition to their regular clothes, were wearing snow boots, snow pants, sweaters, coats, hats, and a blanket - just in case.) Lizzy was happy though because I've been running almost exclusively at work, so she hasn't been out for a run since, I don't even know when.

I think that I'm happy that I got the miles in even though it was HARD, HARD, HARD!!! (and here is another gratuitous parenthetical phrase just for fun)

aaaahhh.... much better

Today was everything that yesterday was not. 5.85 miles @ 11:30mpm, but both Carol and I felt GREAT today. No whining, minimal walk breaks, good attitudes. Much better day.

UG! Carol and I ran the Liberty loop at lunch today. We were both just very BLAH! about the whole thing. We both struggled. We walked, we bitched, we moaned, and ended up running 4.5 miles @ 11:16mpm. We both expected 14 minute miles, so we were overjoyed with our time!

lamp post fartleks

I ran alone today to Liberty. (There were a lot of dogs and their people out this morning.) In response to Carol's 3rd place finish (in her age group) at the Winter Series 5K over the weekend, I decided to do some speedwork. Well, my version of speedwork. So, I did the first mile at a standard pace, and then I spent the next 3.5 miles doing lamp post fartleks. It wasn't horrible! I only walked once at about the 1/2 way point when the wood chip path was iced over. Otherwise, I tried to really push myself. At about 3.5 miles, I felt like I was flagging, but it quickly passed and the last 3/4 of a mile was really good. 4.5 total miles @ 10:41mpm pace. I was very proud of myself until I got back to work and really had to suck it in to button up my pants. The three homemade (white flour, of course) rolls that I had last night definitely didn't help....

icy and slippery

It was icy this morning, so Carol and I ran cautiously and a little bit slower than normal. We did one lap at Liberty plus a quick run to the store to buy a get-well card that I should have picked up over the weekend. We also added a 1/2 lap around the campus here at work to put in just a bit more mileage. We had intended to do a full lap at work, but it was more slippery here than out of the roads, so we finally gave it up. 5.8 miles @ 11:44mpm. Not great, but happy to have miles to log.