Friday, December 30, 2011

Strange weather!

The pace was awesome - probably because Carol and I had so much to catch up on since we haven't seen each other for a week! We ran the downtown loop. I was wearing short sleeves and she was in shorts. I was wishing for my shorts by the end. It is the 30th of December, and it's 48* at the start of our run? Crazy. (It's supposed to reach 60* by this afternoon.) We'll get hit soon enough. The new shoes are absolutely wonderful. Wonderful! (But, compared to the 700 mile shoes that I'm coming off of, just about anything would be an improvement.) Best gift the not-legal-in-laws have ever given me!
Stats: 5.46 miles in 58:30 for a 10:43mpm pace

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

boys, jogger, 100+

I took the boys in the jogger today. It was the first that they had been out of the house for days since they have been sick with fevers, coughs, and overall miserable-ness. This wasn't a fast run, but I didn't expect it too. When they are in the jogger, I'm pushing over 100 pounds, so I'm just happy to be out and sweating. I haven't been for a run in a week, either, because nobody has been sleeping well, I had last minute holiday stuff to do, and I just didn't have it in me to fit it in to my schedule. For some reason, I don't much care right now. I missed my goal of 1000 miles in the year, but I'm blaming grad school for that. Considering everything that has happened this year, I think that I did just fine.
Stats: 3.22 miles in 38-ish for a 11:49mpm pace (in my new kicks, by the way - that was a surprise christmas present!)

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

27* in shorts!

OK - our weight class was SO FREAKIN' HARD this morning. SO HARD! Our instructor (who is, literally, a grandma of 11) kicked our butts - well, actually, our quads, hammies, inner thighs, and glutes - harsh! So, we were going to be happy with a 15mpm pace if that's what happened! Instead, maybe we were just really warmed up or we had lost the ability to feel pain or something because we rocked this morning. The weight class was in a different room which was VERY hot, so we even did our mileage this morning in shorts. Yup - 27* in shorts...
Stats: 3.4 miles in 36:40 for a 10:48mpm pace

Friday, December 16, 2011

Grazing Day

It's GRAZING DAY in our department today, so I ran a bit extra to burn off the calories before I eat them. Yummy goodies like brownies, baklava, tiramisu, cookies, chips/salsa, dips, breads, sandwiches, cheese balls... Really, everything under the sun! I LOVE THIS DAY - it helps me maintain my (plump) girlish figure! Seriously, there's just such a sense of family when everyone is gathered around a huge (3 conference rooms) potluck. Anyway, back to my run. I did two laps of Sugarhouse Park plus the distance up and back. I was the ONLY person in the park until the last 1/2 mile of my run. It was quiet and chilly and beautiful.
Stats: 7 miles in 1:12:26 for a 10:21mpm pace

Monday, December 12, 2011

Felt free

This was a really good run. I did two laps in Sugarhouse Park and then back to work after back-to-back doctor appointments. The second was with my dermatologist where he let me know that all of my freckles are still in check. Yay! The first was with an ENT who basically told me that there is a 90% chance that I was misdiagnosed with Meniere's 10-12 years ago and that I probably have patulous eustachian tube problems. I need to do a bunch more research on this, but I felt "free" during my run. Not that Meniere's is a death sentence, but the eventual loss of hearing, and the progressive worsening of episodes, and the like are just not good for the spirit! To have these possibly removed from my future is a true psychological lightening of my load. More tests (during episodes) will be needed, but it got me to thinking. More on that to come.
Stats: 5.68 miles in 56:22 for a 10:06mpm pace

Friday, December 9, 2011

nice and easy

This was just a nice easy run. Carol and I talked and chatted the entire time over everything and nothing at once. The temperatures were brisk (yes, I'm finally used to winter), and I think that I was just happy to be out before the first red burn is declared for the season (expected this weekend or early next week).
Stats: 5.17 miles in 57:50 for a 11:12mpm pace

Thursday, December 8, 2011

decidedly UNscenic

Well, this was a bleck run. I had to run back to my mechanic to pick something up (yes, the POS is finally fixed - for now!), so we ran through the industrial section of SoSaLa. Um, blah. Yoga was fun, though. I'll just use that as my boost for the day because the run just didn't do much for me, and Carol was feeling pukey the whole time. Just not a party for today....
Stats: 3.37 miles in 36:09 for a 10:44mpm pace

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

release

This was a good cathartic run. We kept our pace consistent no matter what we were talking about, and there was a good amount of talking. You know when all of the little thigns just seem to pile up to the point where you are about to go nuts? Just getting them off your chest makes everything seem a bit better. That's what Carol and I use these morning runs for on a semi-regular basis. One of us needs to blow off some steam, and the other one listens and listens and listens if necessary. That's what friends do; some do it over a cup of coffee, but we do it while running. (Besides, I hate coffee.....)
Stats: 5.46 miles in 58:38 for a 10:45mpm pace

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Mammo, done!

So, after a morning of squats and tricep dips while waiting for my mammogram (oh! the joy!), I ran from the hospital to work. I've gotta get here somehow, right? I was very, very happy to have both my running tights and some pants on because my lower section is only mildly cold. I did, however, forget my ear warmers, so they are still plenty tingley. Run? Check! Some strength exercises? Check! Boobs squished? Check!
Stats: 4.72 miles in 48:05 for a 10:12mpm pace

Monday, December 5, 2011

Gotta get some miles in!

It was much too cold to run this morning, so I grabbed a few miles when I had no meetings this afternoon. Truth be told, I had plenty of work to do, but I had to choose and I chose workOUT considering the ridiculous amount of crap that I ate over the weekend. This sounds stupid, but weekends SUCK at least in terms of healthy behavior (for me). I need to change that. Baby step #1, right?
Stats: 3 miles in 31:26 for a 10:29mpm pace

Friday, December 2, 2011

News worthy (?)

We wimped out of our run yesterday after yoga because the winds were ridiculous. (80-100mph just one county north of here!) Since the winds were coming from the northeast, it brought along lots of COLD AIR! I'm headed off to get some hot tea in just a minute to try to warm up! We ran downtown because we haven't done that route for a couple of weeks, and we were on the news (KUTV)! They were broadcasting outside like they often do when we ran past. I'm sure that we were so fast that we were just a blur in the background, though. (Yeah, right.)
Stats: 5.46 miles in 57:21 for a 10:31mpm pace

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

2-a-days

Run 1 of 2. Since the POS-Honda is still being worked on, we are a 1-car family. My carpool is happy to pick me up at the house, but it makes me feel guilty. So, yesterday I brought clothes and food for the rest of the week so that I could run to meet my carpool. It worked out well this morning. I already have 3.81 miles done for the day. Carol and I are about to go out again.
3.81 milesin 41:26 for a 10:53mpm pace

Run 2 of 2 for the day. At the end of the run, I really had to struggle to keep up with Carol. This is the most mileage I've had in one day since probably June (pathetic), so I was tired towards the end. This was, however, a good run. We did Sugarhouse, and the hills were about as exciting as I expected them to be. We were the ONLY people in the park, and there was a slight foggy mist that gave the whole place a very serene feeling.
Stats: 5.6 miles in 1:02:38 for an 11:12mpm pace

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Noodles have got nothin' on me!

As always, the run after weight class was weird. NOODLE legs, big time for the first 1/2 mile. Then, they were too dead and cold (shorts in 28* weather) that I didn't even notice anymore. I think that both of us were just running in cadence to our breathing - which, after weight class is always heavier because she kicks our butts. We just did three short miles because, well, we have bills to pay and therefore work to do, but they were a good three miles!
Stats: 3.1 miles in 32:41 for a 10:33mpm pace
Take THAT, noodles-with-feet!
PS - I weighed myself this morning and was shocked to find out that I didn't gain any weight over the 4-day weekend where I was, apparently, VERY thankful for chocolate-beet cookies with white chocolate chunks.

Monday, November 28, 2011

She's NOT a complete dufus!

Well, this was Sadie's first run. She's about 18 months now, and I know that I should have taken her out long before this, but she's a freakin' spaz. I expected to be tripped up every ten steps, but she did GREAT. She really did. I am so pleased. I had to be back home before 7am to help get everyone ready and out the door before 8am, so I cut my normal route short. I think that Sade was grateful for that. I now have a good reason to get out on the weekends. The only bad part of the run was leaving poor ol' Lizzy behind. She's just getting too old for a run. I promised to take her out for a walk tonight when we get home, but I felt horrible shutting the door in her face. She used to love running. She probably still would, but it's the pain and stiffness post-run that I worry most about with her. She is, after all, 12 years old - maybe 13.
Stats: 3.66 miles in approximately 41:00 minutes (didn't have my running watch, just my phone) for an 11:13mpm pace

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

I'm going to be stiff(er) tomorrow

Yesterday's weight class started out with walking lunges and straddle lunges, and I've been feeling them since Luci (short for Lucifer, aka Carolyn) said "go". So, what else would I choose but the hills of Sugarhouse park? I'm going to need some yoga tomorrow morning..... It was a solo run, and it was awesome. Chilly, but the sun was just lighting the sky. I dunno, but it was just really nice!
Stats: 5.5 miles in 57:39 for a 10:20mpm pace

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Dead legs? No problem.

Wow - give me another weight class like that! My legs were so dead that they didn't realize that they should be tired on the run! The first 1/2 mile was complete spaghetti legs, and then it felt like we were just struggling to finish. Apparently, we were struggling to finish faster than our usual post-weight class run!
Stats: 3.1 miles in 33:09 for a 10:42mpm pace

Friday, November 18, 2011

Ahhhhhh..... 50*!

Even though it was windy this morning, it was also 50*! In the morning! In the middle of November! I had to ignore the wind and take advantage of short-sleeve weather. Carol and I did the outside Liberty loop with a little extra added in at the end. We didn't talk a lot because, well, not much is happening right now. Not much to talk about, and she is still battling a cold. (She does sound much better today, and ther achilles didn't bother her nearly as much as it did yesterday.)
Stats: 5.52 miles in 1:01:10 for an 11:05mpm pace

Thursday, November 17, 2011

working out stiff legs

I was STIFF and sore this morning. Instead of stretching everything out, yoga work was concentrated on quads, glutes, and hams today, so they were tired when we got out the door for a short run. About 1/2 block into the run, Carol begged off due to a nagging pain in the achilles tendon. Runs smart, that woman. So, I continued on to the edge of Liberty and back to work for a short run just to get some miles in before work started.
Stats: 3.1 miles in 32:38 for a 10:32mpm pace

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Chit Chat

There was nothing remarkable about this run although we had plenty to remark on (talk about) the entire time. It was just a good day to catch up on everything that is going on in each of our lives. We were a smidge slower because Carol is still recovering from her chest cold and has some times when it's hard for her to catch her breath. Well, that and I just got tired at the end of the run.... In all, it was a good run up to East High and back.
Stats: 7.21 miles in 1:21:14 for an 11:17mpm pace

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Pants are meant to be around your waist, not your butt.

Due to drama and tears at my desk this morning (not mine), we didn't have time to run after lift class. That's probably a good thing since our legs were rather trashed. So, after a day of sitting at my cubicle and doing nothing but WORK, I decided to get out the door for an afternoon run. Knowing that my carpool would be here shortly, I ran pretty hard. I only took one real break and that was to clear a photo off of my phone so that i could take a picture of a girl with some serious butt crack. Yes. I was going to post to the Facebook. She realized that half of her ass was showing before I had a chance to snap the picture. If it hadn't been for that, I would have had a sub-10 pace. Oh well. It was worth a try.
Stats: 3.12 miles in 31:16 for a 10:02mpm pace

Monday, November 14, 2011

Sick? Who's sick?

Today was surprisingly warm (39*), so I took off half of the clothes that I was wearing before we ran downtown. Carol has been battling a horrible cold, so we did a bunch of walk breaks. I'll tell you, she runs as fast when she is sick when I do when I am well. She's amazing!
Stats: 5.46 miles in 57:33 for a 10:33mpm pace

Friday, November 11, 2011

Oooooo, baby!

According to weather.com, it was "30* feels like 22*" when I started my run this morning. I even had to wear two pairs of pants! I was able to take off my gloves at mile 2, and I finally got just warm enough to unzip my jacket about 3", but other than that, I stayed bundled (and I'm still cold!). I did Sugarhouse today, but I think that I started out too fast because I lost all of my steam on the hills. I ran up them, but walked a bit too much at the top. Too little water yesterday was probably part of the problem. I still managed to power out a decent pace.
Stats: 5.5 miles in 57:57 for a 10:33mpm pace

Thursday, November 10, 2011

AAANNNDDD..... she biffs it.

Even WITH my big biff and a lot of walk breaks and really heavy, cold legs, we managed to maintain a really good pace for the entire run on the Liberty route. Yes, so it begins: months of runs in Liberty Park because the roads/sidewalks there are almost always snow and ice free. Boring! However, if I continue to trip over 1/4" cracks in the road, there will be excitement. The kids waiting for the school bus across the street were entertained, I'm sure, but to their credit, not one of them laughed out loud or pointed or made crappy remarks. At least, not while I was in ear shot. I had so much momentum that I skidded in two different places on my right knee (ripping my pants) and didn't come to a total stop until my cheekbone actually hit (barely bumped, actually) the road. Oh, it was a good one, for sure. When I looked for the boulder that I surely had tripped over, all I found was an itty bitty crack in the road. Maybe someone moved the boulder? Maybe Carol pushed me? (Maybe I should just pick up my cloddy feet?)
Stats: 4.5 miles in 47:50 for a 10:38mpm pace

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Brrr...

Boy, it has gotten cold fast! 26* today at run time, but I'm loving it. No ice on the road yet, so no worries for us! Carol has been sick for 4 days, but you would never know. We just ran a sub-11 for more than 5 miles. She's amazing.
Stats: 5.44 miles in 59:23 for a 10:55mpm pace

Monday, November 7, 2011

Disbelief

Even from my own spouse. Yes. I ran this morning. It was only 32*, for the love. Last year, we ran in everything down to 6*. (I thought it was 16*, but Carol recently corrected me.) I'm going to keep running in the winter. Frankly, I almost like it better than spring or fall running, and I like it a LOT more than July/August running. It's beautiful. It's exhilirating. It's quiet(ish). It's a challenge. It almost burns off all of the sugar from this time of year.
Stats: 5.5 miles in 58:07 for a 10:34mpm pace

Friday, November 4, 2011

The Capitol Hill hill sucks - or I need to run it more

Well, this run was just a mish-mash of routes brought on by the fact that I don't think neither Carol nor I wanted to actually work today. We ran up to the capitol (and I use the term "ran" loosely - it was a harsh hill) and around that area a bit. The last two miles were very long, and we were convinced that we were slower than cold tar. However, the time was respectable - especially considering the long walk that we took on the last half of the hill to the capitol.
Stats: 7.05 miles in 1:18:26 for an 11:08mpm pace

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Regardless of what the calendar says (or my dentist or the phlebotomist)

It's here. Winter, that is. I don't care that the calendar still puts it a month and a half out, it's friggin' cold. My legs just did not want to run in the 30* temperatures this morning. The miles seemed long and slow. (I actually wasn't supposed to be running this morning at all due to some dental work yesterday, but whatever. It's like blood donation. I am part of the 20%, not the 80%. At least, that's what I've decided. If my mouth is bleeding later, then I will regret this decision but not until then.) Even though the miles seemed to last forever, I'm glad that we went and got our blood pumping. It will make the rest of the day go that much faster, and I will appreciate my hot chocolate even more!
Stats: 4.52 miles in 49:26 for a 10:57mpm pace

Saturday, October 29, 2011

I hate that friggin car

In a rare weekend run, I took the long route from the house to Goodyear to pick up our piece of crap car. I hate that thing. There is a chance that I ran with a decent pace because the hate was fueling my legs. I can't wait to sell it. I hate it. And, yes. I know that I just used hate three times in three sentences. The boys and I have been talking about what "hate" means because they saw or heard it somewhere and now Meatball says it. (I know. Get used to it, right?) What I've told them is that "hate" means that you wish something were dead and that it would never come back. That's why we don't say it when it comes to people. However, for this car, I believe that it's safe to use the term.
Stats: 4 miles in 41:50 for a 10:28mpm pace

Friday, October 28, 2011

Tourists

Brrrrr!!! My fingers never warmed up today. That's pretty cold. Otherwise, it was a great run! We got a good hill in, decent distance, and had enough to talk about for the entire run. AND, I always feel like such a bad ass when we pass people who are all bundled up and look like they would rather die than walk in the cold weather. We had a nice little patch down by the Salt Palace when we passed a few groups of visitors from an Asian country (probably Japan). By the way they were dressed and the location, they are all probably here for some kind of convention, but that's not my point. They were all so very nice - it was almost a chorus of "Good Morning" from each group! The locals are never that happy or friendly!
Stats: 6.68 miles in 1:13:23 for an 11:00mpm pace

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Pants. Pants!

I actually had to wear pants this morning, and my bum is still cold almost an hour after my run! Yes - it was 33* when I left the house, and only about 35* or 36* when I went for my run. I know now that I have to make my Wednesday runs a bit longer than other days because it's the ony day I can do it (except for the weekends when I could go really long if I would get my butt out of bed). So, although I only wanted to do one lap of Sugarhouse this morning, I made myself do two. My legs were tired after yesterday's weight workout, and I had to really concentrate on keeping my pace for the last mile. I'm happy to report that I was successful.
Stats: 7 miles in 1:13:56 for a 10:34mpm pace

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Mixed up routine; not pretty results

It's official. Our weight lifting instructor hates us.
Because I carpool, and she wanted to sleep in, we ran after weight class today. We usually do a quick three miles before class, and then we're done. Today we did three miles NON-quickly, and it seemed that we would NEVER get done. Seriously, this run took at least 18 hours. My inner thigh/groin muscles did NOT want to lift my legs, and I'm lucky that I didn't trip on the many uneven cracks in the sidewalk. My shoulders and pecs are so tired that I wanted to just let my arms flop around by my sides. Waaaaa, waaaaa, waaaaa!
Stats: 3.06 miles in 34:36 for an 11:19mpm pace

Monday, October 24, 2011

LOVE Mondays! (At least the running part)

Does it sound crazy when I say that I love Monday morning running? There's always so much to talk about that the run seems to fly by. Today, we covered job promotions (or in my case, not), spouses, current events, spouses, pacing, health, progress in our push-up/sit-up challenge, spouses, holidays, costumes, and spouses - not necessarily in that order. Monday morning is the time that I get an un-biased opinion, an open set of ears, calm to temper my anger/passion, and a good dose of reality. Greatest running partner ever.
Stats: 5.08 miles in 55 minutes for a 10:50mpm pace

Friday, October 21, 2011

Much better

Now, THAT's more like it! As much as I didn't want to run this morning (and neither did Carol), we hammered out the downtown loop anyway. At the halfway point, I commented to Carol that we would probably be the same pace or a bit slower than the last time we did this loop. Here's the thing: do NOT tell Carol you're about to be slower as it just causes her to speed up! We definitely ran a negative split. I would have been happy to just meander around blissfully unaware that my pace was sucking pond water, but not her! She rocks! AND, she keeps me on my toes - literally.
Stats: 5.46 miles in 58:28 for a 10:43mpm pace

Thursday, October 20, 2011

You would think...

I only had time to do a fast run before yoga, so I donned my jacket and headed out the door. Yesterday with a long-sleeved technical and a jacket, I was roasting before two miles. So, this morning I had a short-sleeved technical and the jacket. At the halfway point, I had to take off the jacket again. This took forever because I had my watch on top of my jacket sleeve and my pepper spray (running alone), so I lost some valuable time. (Yes, I run for time all of the time. I know that I'm supposed to just go to "go," but I'm addicted to my watch.) I felt great for about 3/4 mile, then I was cold again. I didn't have the time to waste to put the jacket back on. You would think that with 29 extra pounds of body fat, I wouldn't have this problem...
Stats: 3.1 miles in 34:38 for an 11:11mpm pace

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

I may have to let go of my shorts...

Well, I was just trying to get three miles in. I didn't have a particular route in mind, so I just wove in and out of streets around the workplace since I was running on my own. It was cold! Remember last week when I said that I wasn't going to give up my shorts yet? I may have been mistaken about that. It really was cold. I warmed up quite a bit (especially my pecs/shoulders/abs) after our weight workout. I've got a full day of joy and fun ahead of me in the form of testing, meetings, and process improvements. It's a glamorous life!
Stats: 3.09 miles in 33:22 for a 10:48mpm pace

Monday, October 17, 2011

Blame it on the screwdrivers

After being lazy all weekend, this run felt pretty good to me. Carol, as usual, is a machine. She ran a 1/2 on Saturday and then hiked in the snow and mud at Brighton for a few hours. She rocks. My weekend consisted of sugar, fast food, bloody marys, and screwdrivers. Yeah. Not exactly the picture of health and fitness. All of that crappy food is surely to blame for the fact that I forgot my regular bra today. No biggie - I have an extra in my drawer, right? Wrong. I forgot to replace it the last time I did this, so it's stinky jog bra all day long. Luckily, I don't have many meetings, and I can spend my day in solitude stinking myself out at my cubicle.
Stats: 5.21 miles in 58:48 for an 11:18mpm pace

Friday, October 14, 2011

Damn candy corn

Well, I had to make up for yesterday somehow! So, I ran the Sugarhouse loop so that I would have to run hills. I really pushed for a negative split, and managed a sub-11 pace overall. I also froze my butt off. It's time for long-sleeved shirts. I'm not going to give up on my shorts quite yet, but the short-sleeves are a thing of the past as long as I'm running this early in the morning. I also decided that I'm tired of being the fattest person in yoga/lift/start line of any race. I'm just sick of it. And, I know that it's the sugar. When I start to eat sugar, I don't stop at just one bite. I have to eat the whole bowl of candy or the whole candy bar or the whole whatever. Damn candy corn.....
Stats: 5.5 miles in 59:36 for a 10:51mpm pace

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Quit your yammering!

Shut it! I talked for the entire run about the schools that we visited yesterday with the boys (trying to figure out where they will go to school next year). It toally slowed us down! I even had a rest day yesterday, so I should have been able to do MUCH better! Bless Carol for listening to me; she should have given me a kick in the butt instead!
Stats: 3.04 miles in 35:21 for an 11:38mpm pace

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

continued progress

This run was not as fast as yesterday's run, but that's probably a good thing. We still had some energy for the butt whoopin' that we got in our lift class. Luci (aka Carolyn, aka Lucifer) is a really good trainer. She's fun, too, which is saying something for this type of class. We are wishing her luck at the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco this weekend!
Stats: 3.25 miles in 36:09 for an 11:08mpm pace

As a side note, my BMI is down one point and my body fat is down 1.5% from where they were on 6/15/11. That makes me happy. I can also see my biceps when I flex, and if I do it just right, I can see some muscles in my back.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Chilly

This was a chilly but nice run on the downtown loop. We both had a lot to talk about, so the miles passed quickly. I'm glad that I have this outlet for my frustrations. Right now, Carol has a LOT going on, so I'm happy that I can be there for her.
Stats: 5.46 miles in 58:07 for a 10:39mpm pace

Friday, October 7, 2011

had to break out the long sleeves!

It rained and snowed (SNOWED!) all day yesterday, so I didn't run. Carol and I only did yoga, and decided that running in a downpour would not be as much fun as running in some sprinkles like we did earlier in the week. This morning, the temps had plummeted (should be even colder tonight!), so I work my first long-sleeved tech shirt of the season. We both still wore shorts, although much colder than today's 40*, and I'll have to break out the tights. We ran in Sugarhouse this morning, and it was crowded! The ROTC folks were out, and all of them seemed to be doing fast paces. We joked about drafting off a couple of them, but we just weren't fast enough! It was a nice (but cold) run.
Stats: 5.5 miles in 1:02:41 for an 11:24mpm pace

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Friggin' cheese curd....

Carol and I did a loop this morning that included road that we rarely run on. It was an exercise in concentration for me because I am suffering a cheese-induced "episode" of the spins. (Yes. Cheese. I didn't really think about it because, well, it's just cheese. I bought some curd last week when I was in Logan. I know that cheese has salt, and I know that curd has more salt. To make matters worse, I bought a bag of smoked curd! HELLO? It's not like I think about cheese's salt content because, really, who has more than just a couple of slices on a sandwich from time to time, right? But when it's curd, and it's so easy to eat, and the kids love to snack on it... Well, then this is what you get: nausea, hearing loss in one ear, sleeping upright in a recliner, overall miserableness.) Anyway, I had to REALLY focus and concentrate on not falling down while running. Is road running the smartest off-kilter activity I could find? Well, no, but whatever. I sweat a lot, so it helps to flush the salt out of my system, and we need the miles. So, I just watched the white line of the bike lane and tried not to get run over. It was a thrill. Carol was watching out for me the entire time.
Stats: 5.75 miles in 1:04:57 for an 11:18mpm pace

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Rainy run

Carol is back from vacation! Yay! She had a great time, but I'm happy to have her back. Runs seem to fly by when we can chat. We ran in the rain today - the first time in a LONG time. It was actually nice except we had to slow a bit because Carol couldn't see through her rainy glasses. It was good to be out. I haven't run since last Friday because I slammed my bad to into the floor on Saturday night and it was swollen and immovable for almost two days. I'm dreading that surgery which will probably be sooner than later.
Stats: 3.5 miles in 39:14 for an 11:13mpm pace (with dull pain shooting up the top of my foot the entire time)

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Brisk

I haven't run Liberty for a while (because I know that we'll get plenty of laps there once winter descends), but I needed a short, safe loop for a solo run. It was a good run - there were lots of 20-something girls out with dogs - I think that they're all students who have returned for fall classes. The air was brisk, and I tried to match with my pace. I did OK. I had to be back and get ready in time to leave for a conference in Logan, so I only did one lap.
Stats: 4.5 miles in 47:43 for a 10:37mpm pace

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

forgetful

This was a nice run - short because I have my last UK training today. Yay! I just ran to Liberty and back carrying my pepper spray (which I forgot yesterday) but dressed in all dark colors - of course I forgot my reflector vest today. Sometimes, it's a wonder that I actually get from home to work in one piece - there is just too much going on for my teeny little brain!
Stats: 3.1 miles in 33:30 for a 10:49mpm pace

Monday, September 26, 2011

speech "writing"

Carol is on vacation this entire week. I hope that she is having a GREAT time while the rest of us are slogging it out at work. I have a very busy morning, and without Carol to run with I was VERY tempted to skip the run. However, I (rightly) decided to go for a 4-miler. I managed to run the entire time (ZERO walk breaks!) and composed the basic speech that I need to give in just 2 hours to celebrate a co-worker and friend. So, not a wasted time at all!
Stats: 4.06 miles in 42:47 for a 10:33mpm pace

Thursday, September 22, 2011

I'm getting tired of short runs (who really says/admits that?)

These quickie runs are getting old. This was another short run so that I could be back in time for yoga. No, I'm not giving up yoga. I actually held a very messy version of crow pose this morning for about 30 seconds! Then, I fell on my head. I only have one more UK training next week, then I should only have two short runs per week. The plan is to do 5, 3, 5, 3, 5+ Monday-Friday. Can't wait! I'm still on target for 1000 miles (barely) this year.
Stats: 3.1 miles in 33:19 for 10:45mpm pace

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Venting, bitching, letting it go = consistent pace!

This was a very easy run for me because I was bitching the entire time. (Yesterday was quite a day at work.) Apparently, getting things off of my chest is a good way for me to maintain a decent pace! Who knew?!?! We just ran up to 11th East in Sugarhouse and looped around to 17th South before coming back to work. It was quick, easy, and it wasn't a normal route (yay! those are getting SO BORING).
Stats: 4.06 miles in 44:31 for a 10:58mpm pace

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Already need a new 3-mile route!

Just another quick and easy run before yet another training session with the UK. Luckily, these sessions are almost over. I was actually jealous of Carol as she walked off to be tortured in lift class!
Stats: 3.07 miles in 34:05 for a 11:07mpm pace

Sunday, September 18, 2011

A Sunday run? Weird!

A rare Sunday run (lately) was just what I needed! The boys spent the night at dad's house, so I got up and ran most of the way out there this morning. I would have run the entire distance, but Bub just couldn't wait to pick them up any longer, so she met me at the church. I happily opted to forego the last mile in order to hear the squeals and screams of "Mommy!" that we get when we pick them up. They had a good time, and I had a good run. (Bub and I had fun last night, too. We watched the Utes kick the snot out of BYU. 54-10. It was awesome!)
Stats: 5.8 miles in 59:01 for a 10:11mpm pace

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Mindless, because our minds were too stressed!

This run was just a straight shot down Main Street and back so that Carol and I would be back in time for yoga. We (at least, I) didn't even think about this run just being a straight line. Last night was pretty stressful for both of us, so we just took turns ranting and listening. Nobody listens like Carol (except maybe Lish, and I'm not just saying that because she reads this). Yoga was really good today; it was very calming after having the opportunity to release the stress from last night on our run. Oooohhhhhmmmmm.... It took me 45 minutes of stretching, balancing, twisting, and straining before I finally relaxed right at the end of class. Oh, and a group of us are starting lunchtime yoga on Fridays. We won't have an instructor, but we will have DVDs. It's gotta be good, right?
Stats: 3.21 miles in 36:01 for an 11:14mpm pace
(slower than I wanted, but better than it felt)

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

another quickie

This was really nothing exceptional at all. Carol and I did the Liberty loop because I had training with the UK again today (which they scheduled about three minutes after I walked out the door - dang - could have run longer!). We had more sidewalk running than normal because we ran along 7th East, and it was poorly lit, so we both were running a tad slower than we wanted. I felt like we could have pushed the pace, but one of us surely would have fallen. Oh well. It's in the books now.
Stats: 4.49 miles in 50:33 for an 11:16mpm pace

Monday, September 12, 2011

Git 'er done!

This was quick and easy. I didn't realize that I had UK training again this morning until we were just walking out the door. We just did a quick SoSaLa loop - hardly even got out of the Tanner neighborhood!
Stats: 2.96 miles in 32:45 for a 11:04mpm pace

Saturday, September 10, 2011

10k PR!!!

Since I have only ever run one other official 10k, this is a definite PR for me! The race was down Tooele's Middle Canyon - a pretty course that was definitely downhill. Carol and I ran it together, and every mile was a sub-10 pace. The last mile was a bit slower because it had an official uphill and she was battling some nausea, but it was a great run for both of us!
Stats: 6.2 miles in 59:23 for a 9:35mpm pace
YAY!

Friday, September 9, 2011

nice downtown run

This was a really nice run. Carol had done a 45 minute cardio/weight class right before, so she was tired, but you can't tell it from our time! We did the downtown route and got plenty of red-light breaks since we left an hour later than normal. The weather was really nice, and the conversation was awesome.
Stats: 5.46 miles in 59:07 for a 10:50mpm pace

Thursday, September 8, 2011

thank goodness for yoga (can't believe I'm saying that)

This was just another quick run that we fit in before yoga. We were still super stiff and sore from Tuesday's weight workout, and yesterday's run just made that stiffness 5x worse! So, we weren't terribly fast. We were looking forward to yoga, and it didn't disappoint. There is still some soreness, but the stiffness has basically been stretched away. I love yoga. Too bad I look like an ox mimicing a snake...
Stats: 3.1 miles in 34:50 for a 11:15mpm pace

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

nice to just get out there

Carol and I ran Sugarhouse Park for the first time in weeks. It was a good run. We're both suffering from stiff tushies weight class yesterday, but I'll be doing some afternoon yoga/stretching to hopefully remedy that particular situation. We did a lot of chatting, and we purposely chose to go slowly since she hadn't run for a week. We powered up each of the three hills without bitching, so that's always a good run! the pace wasn't blistering fast, but we weren't looking for that. Maybe tomorrow before yoga...
Stats: 5.6 miles in 1:04:15 for an 11:29mpm pace

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Another quickie - I'm going to get sick of this route fast if this keeps up!

I ran today AFTER weight class, and I could feel it the entire time. My legs were wobbly, but I had limited time again. I really had to kick out the 3 miles and be back in time for a meeting. I will say that I am sporting a ponytail, but at least I managed to get sponged off and put some make-up on. I am presentable.
Stats: 3.1 miles in 32:03 for a 10:21mpm pace

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh.......

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh..... 63*! It was heavenly! I ran another quick three-ish miler so that I could get back for yoga. At these temperatures, though, I could have run ten without bitching even once! I ran on different streets than normal because I'm so sick of the regular routes. However, that meant that the streets were darker than the usual well-lit streets, and I felt like I was going to take a tumble at any moment. Luckily, I finished without injury. Then, in yoga class, we attempted to do a "standing L" pose. Let's just say that I have a lot of work to do. I DID manage to get up on the wall. After that, not so "L"-ish.
Stats: 3.17 miles in 33:16 for a 10:30mpm pace

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

I don't know what you're talking about.

Another short, solo run today. Carol is off for the rest of the week, and I had a 7am training with our UK team. So, I did the same route as yesterday but in reverse. For the first few steps, I could feel the weight lifting from yesterday in my chest in the form of sore pecs! After that, I just wanted to keep the same pace as yesterday. Upon returning, I weighed myself, and I'm UP a pound. &$#@. I'm blaming that one on water gain and PMS because I'm too moody to take responsibility for that pound on my own based on my actions last night (a bowl of popcorn, lightly salted, and late-night fresh-from-the-oven cookies with milk). What? No, I don't know what my problem is! Fuuuuh....
Stats: 3.15 miles in 33:25 for a 10:37mpm pace

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Issues, people.

I did a quick run around SoSaLa today because I wanted to be back in time for weight class. (It's been two weeks since my last official ass kickin', and I'm going to feel those weights in my upper body later on!) For my run, I only had 40 minutes maximum so I just ran from work to Liberty and back to work with an extra block added in so that I wasn't running less than three miles. It was a good run, but I'm tired or lugging this weight (that I gained back) around. WHY do I have these issues? It's not that I'm stupid - I know exactly what I need to do. It's just the doing that is hard.
Stats: 3.15 miles in 33:46 for a 10:44mpm pace

Monday, August 29, 2011

I have issues...

This was a good run, but it would have been better if I wasn't so damn fat! I lost some weight a few weeks ago, but I've gained half of it back, and I can tell. My relationship with food is so destructive, and there are some serious self image issues along with some mental crap, for sure. I really need to get my shit together.

Anyway, this was a good run for a few reasons. It was in the mid-60s (yay)! Great company (of course). Not an entirely regular route (nice change).
Stats: 6.63 miles in 1:14:31 for a 11:15mpm pace

Friday, August 26, 2011

Holy heat!

Man! It's been a week since I have gone for a run, and I could certainly feel it! But, I spent that week off doing so much fun stuff (swimming, camping, beet bottling, etc.) that I don't really care that I haven't run. Well, I DO care that it puts me that much further from my goal of 1000 miles this year, but whatever. I'm still going to make it. Probably.

Anyway, Carol and I did the downtown loop today in 80* weather at 7am. Grief! Who turned on the furnace? We walked a LOT, so I would have expected out pace to fully SUCK, but it didn't! Yay! AND, we got a LOT of talking in. It was great to get caught up since I had been out on vacation for a week.

Stats: 5.46 miles in 1:00:45 for a 11:08mpm pace.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Tooele run, for a change!

This was a nice run with minimal walk breaks (four, actually). I rarely run in Tooele anymore, so this was a good change. I got up plenty early and ran before anyone was awake. I made it home before the sun came up, and Bub was just sitting down to her coffee. Now, time for a bath and getting ready for the boys' first soccer game. Based on their first practice, this should be very interesting!
Stats: 4.58 miles in 51:15 for a 11:12mpm pace

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Really, I have been running

I've just not been posting! Here's a catch-up:

8/9:
I ran around the Cottonwood Heights area where the in-laws live. We had spent the night at their house because Granny was having surgery, and Bub was going with her. We didn't want to get the boys up at 5:15 to get into town in time for the pre-op, so we just slept over. It was a good run, and I followed it with strength training (lunges, crunches, push-ups, curls) in Granny's basement.
She is doing well, but could be a bit better. Her tremors have pretty much stopped in her right hand/arm for the first time in 70 years. She has a follow-up surgery next week to hook up the pacemaker-type thing. I don't understand why the surgeon only did one of her extremities. She has one steady hand and one shaky hand and two shaky legs. It makes no sense to me. She, however, is happy that she did it.
stats: 3.4 miles in 36:05 for a 10:37mpm pace

8/11:
Nice and easy before yoga.
Stats: 3 miles in 33 minutes for an 11mpm pace

8/12:
My intention was to run before coming in to work since I was coming in a bit later than usual. Instead, I slept in. Then, I got up, ate, showered, got dressed, got the boys in the car, and realized that I would still be getting to work at 6:30am - enough time to run. Yay - sort of. I really didn't want to. It was nice to sleep in and be lazy! But, I grabbed my running clothes anyway. I changed as soon as I got to work and got on the roads as quickly as possible so that I couldn't change my mind. 6 miles later, I'm very happy that I did it. It was 63*-65* the whole time, and I felt really good. I pushed the hills, avoided walk breaks, and had a great pace to show for it!
Stats: 6 miles in 1:03:29 for a 10:35mpm pace

8/15:
This was not a difficult run. It was short because I had to do a training with the UK folks at 7am, so we had to be back and cleaned up quickly. We just did a short loop in SoSaLa. The time went by quickly because of the good conversation. Nothing too exciting by way of running, though!
Stats: 3.63 miles in 40:13 for a 11:05mpm pace

8/17:
Carol was off work today, so I had a solo run. With a training session for UK employees scheduled at 7am, I had only 50 minutes to run and 15 to get ready. Let's just say that right now, I'm only 1/2 ready for the day. My hair is a mess! Anyway, I decided to only do the Liberty loop. When I got there, I started thinking ahead to the 10k that I plan to do in September. It's half dirt/road and half paved, so I thought that I should run the wood chip path at the park. Well, it's obviously been a long time since I did that! It was harder than it should have been. Shows what I need to work on, right?
Stats: 4.5 miles in 47:06 for a 10:28mpm pace

Monday, August 8, 2011

Seriously, I'm lucky that she tolerates me

This run started out faster than we expected or should have. After we got our wits about us, we slowed down a bit and settled into a conversational pace. It was a good run with a walk break every couple of blocks. We don't usually do that, but today it felt right. Even with all of the walk breaks, we had a very respectable pace.
All of that said, it's amazing that Carol is willing to run with me. When I went to get cleaned up and change my clothes in the restroom, I noticed for the first time what I was actually wearing. It wasn't pretty.
Very faded lime green visor with salty sweat marks
Red baggy and long singlet with navy at the neck and arms
Black shorts
Blue/Turquoise socks with yellow saxophones
White shoes with red trim
I'm of the firm belief that black goes with everything and ties things together. However, it's not MAGIC! I looked like I had just climbed out of the donation bin at the local DI. Carol is a saint.
Stats: 5.46 miles in 58:50 for a 10:47mpm pace

Friday, August 5, 2011

co-dependent...

Well, that was a better run than I thought it would be! I ran solo today, and it was like being the most codependent person in the world just getting out the door! Waaaaa, waaaaa, waaaaa - I wish Carol was here - I don't want to run, waaaaa, waaaaa. I just didn't want to get out the door. But, I did it anyway, and it was fine. I ran Sugarhouse Park for the first time in a while, and didn't do too badly. Then, on the way down I decided not to walk or stop unless the lights forced me to. Well, they didn't. So I ran the entire section PLUS a little addition so that I could get to six miles. I am happy with everything overall.
Stats: 6 miles in 1:05:09 for a 10:52mpm pace

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

nice run - lots of talk time

73% humidity, but it didn't feel like it! The temps were in the mid-60s, and it was a nice change. Carol and I just did a big SoSaLa loop with a long sustained hill (on 13th east) and a quick down (on 8th south). We were just concerned about getting the miles in so that we can do a fall 1/2 without barfing or bonking. It was a good run where we were able to talk a lot. We probably could have pushed the pace a bit, but I don't think that either of us really wanted to.
Stats: 7.23 miles in 1:21:49 for a 11:19mpm pace

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Boring! I need new routes.

Ah, ONLY 73% humidity! I ran solo before weight class this morning. I didn't have much time, so I just did what I could. The run was basically just up 21st south and back down. I was hoping to get up to 13th east, but I ran out of minutes. I had to turn around at 11th east. It was boring, but at least it was only 65* and the humidity had dropped considerably from yesterday.
Stats: 3.12 miles in 34:42 for a 11:08mpm pace

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Corporate Games 5k

I ran as part of a team for the O. C. Tanner Corporate Games 5k. It was a 3-lap course around Cottonwood Complex. There were two hills on each lap, and they got harder and harder. I had a little problem during the race, but I still managed to finish in a respectable time.

Here we (me, Carol, Eric) are milling around at the start of the race:



The BEST part of the race was having it be short enough, and start at a late enough time, that the boys could be there for the whole thing. Bub had them at the 1/2 way point of the first lap where they cheered "Go, Mommy!" and "Yay!" and they were just generally adorable. Then, they crossed the grass and stood at the start line which we had to cross a couple more times. They waited there and gave me high-fives when I passed. Then, they cheered for Carol and high-fived her, too. When they realized that slapping hands was so much fun, they started to high-five anyone that wanted! They loved it. As a runner, I love it when kids do that. As their mom, it was about the cutest damn thing, EVER.

Here we are getting ready to go up the first steep hill (that girl next to me is the one I really wanted to beat - sadly, it didn't work out that way):


And, here we are at the top of the little hill. Is it me, or does Carol look REALLY strong here?




Then came the finish line, and I was feeling really wiped out. I was mad at myself because I really wanted to pass this one girl, but I wasn't able to do it. (Grrrr....) But, when I crossed the finish line I got congratulations from my co-workers and what not, but the best part of the ENTIRE DAY was when one of the boys shouted "Mommy, you're the best runner ever!" I got all teary-eyed and blubbery. It was awesome.

I hope to have some pictures soon.
Stats: 3.1 miles in 31:33 for a 10:11mpm pace

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Fall down, go boom...

Well, this wasn't a really difficult run, but it was made a smidge harder because of the soreness from yesterday's weight workout. Everything is sore. Glutes, hams, quads, delts, chest, UG! The only thing not sore are my calves. Then, at about mile 4, I tripped and really biffed it hard. I scuffed up my palms and my right knee, so now it hurts, too! I know, I know - waaaa, waaa, waaa. But, I'm happy to have the miles in. The workouts are a good stress reliever and mental break from the final 3 days of MBA madness. I'm going to pass on Friday. I am. If I don't, I might go crazy!
Stats: 5.18 miles in 59:36 for a 11:31mpm pace

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

AAAAARRRRUUUGGGHHH!!! The instructor hates me!

Today's weight class was a KILLER. As in, HARD, BRUTAL, and GRUELING. Well, that and I'm a wimp. Either way, Carol and I had noodle legs (and arms and abs) when we started our run this morning. And, it was hot. Waaaaaaaa, I know... We did a short run that felt like a million miles.
Stats: 3.66 miles in 42:19 for a 11:32mpm

Friday, July 22, 2011

awesome pace

Today's solo run was pretty good! I didn't do anything yesterday but sit on my butt and work on my business plan. Only one week to go until I'm DONE with that pesky MBA! So, I was totally rested up this morning. I did an extended six mile loop downtown. My goal was to go sub-11, but at about 5th South I realized that I might get closer to a 10mpm. I had to really push myself for the last mile, but it was worth it!
Stats: 6 miles in 59:50 for a 9:59mpm pace!
(YAY for me!)

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Wonderful!

This was a beautiful run! I thought it was going to suck after drinking 2 (or 3) margaritas last night. (Yeah, yeah, yeah. I also did my homework. Really. And, it was perfectly understandable. Gawd - only one more week of this crap!) Anyway, it was a great run. Carol and I ran the Sugarhouse Park loop, but on the perimeter. We did this because we have signed up for the corporate games 5k which just happens to be a cross country race. Neither of us have a clue what to do. I'm hoping that it's just like a trail run. Anyway, it was a beautiful morning. After Monday's 77* run, I refused to run in 83* yesterday. A big 'ol rain storm cooled things off yesterday afternoon, so the temperatures were perfect for the entire run. As was the company.
Stats: 5.91 miles in 1:04:57 for an 11mpm pace

Monday, July 18, 2011

Ug - the humidity! Wait - bleck - the temperatures! I can't decide....

Holy HOT, Batman!
Carol and I just did the short Liberty loop in order to get some mileage in. We both said that it wasn't going to be fast, but we didn't do a very good job sticking to that plan. Our pace was 24 seconds/mile faster than what we had planned. It was hot, humid (43%), and the park was crowded! It was still worth it - I just love running with her!
Stats: 4.5 miles in 49:56 for a 11:06mpm pace

5k PR, baby!

Event: Erda Days, 5k
I love races. Yes - even that miserable 'thon that I just finished. I just love races. This one was really fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

First of all, it was free. Score!

Second, there was a kids 1K. If I had known that, I would have tried harder to get the boys up. Even though they wanted to do the race with me (in the jogger), they slept in and missed it. Turns out, with the late start, I could have waited an hour and still made it in time for the race. I would complain about the late start, but really? The race was free. Who cares that the race director took all of the registration stuff with him when he went to mark the course? Anyway, the kids 1K was adorable, and the boys are totally going to do it next year.

Third, the race director was just fun. Fun, fun, fun - even though his entire house was decked out in BYU crap. He had words of encouragement for everyone via his mini-bullhorn. Especially great was him yelling for the kids in the 1K and the 5K. Things like "I'm so proud of you!" and "You're awesome!" and "You are the greatest!" He was really awesome.

Fourth, the course was easy. Completely flat, and well marked with posterboard signs taped to lawn chairs at the intersections. Even a water stop at the halfway point.

Fifth, I ran without a walk break the entire time, and I managed to keep a very consistent pace from the beginning. By doing this, I passed a lot of people who had gone out too fast. There was one boy and his mom, however, that really gave me a hard time. He was probably 12, and his mom was right behind him, gently encouraging him along. At some point, she said "this lady is pushing me, so I'm pushing you. Don't let her beat us!" I turned to her and said "Don't worry!" He was really keeping a great pace. Unfortunately, he had an asthma attack (or something like it) about 1/2 block later. The mom felt horrible and seemed to blame herself afterwards. I congratulated him after he finished, but he wasn't very happy.

Sixth, with about a block to go, I passed a pretty fit guy who was just walking. He then decided to run again. This was probably a cool-down after a 10-miler for him, because he could have readily kicked my can at any time. Instead, he ran right beside me the entire time, pushing me on with stuff like "Come on, you can do it. You're almost there. Just to the mailbox. Make it a race!" etc. I probably would have still PRd, but without him, my pace would have slowed in the last 300 yards.

Stats: 3.1 miles in 29:12 for a 9:26mpm pace
I placed 5th in my age group. I had to leave before all of the results, so I don't know how many were in my age group, but I was happy with the PR!
YAY!
My friend and co-worker, Leslie, has just started running this year. She placed 3rd in her age group (51-60) and took home a ribbon. I was really excited for her. She is doing really good for a beginner! Here's a picture of us at the finish line. (I really need to learn to aim my phone camera better!)



As a side note, my longest weekly mileage since the June 11 'thon has been 15.7 miles. Pathetic. Time to change that!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Ah, Liberty - I'm getting so sick of you..... (the park, that is)

After a good lift/stretch workout this morning, I ran the extended Liberty Loop. I felt so loose after the stretch portion of the class that the first couple of miles felt great. I promised myself to only walk or stop when traffic necessitated it, so I only had two stops (both at 17th) and one 5-step walk break. I could really feel it the last mile, and I probably slowed down a bit, but I tried to keep the same pace overall.
Stats: 5.1 miles in 53:43 for a 10:32mpm pace

Thursday, July 14, 2011

What the.....?

I haven't run for five days. Ridiculous. With that fact, I would have thought that today's run would suck. Instead, it was nice, easy, and fun. I thought our time was going to suck. Instead, it was sub-11. What the...???
Stats: 4.34 miles in 46:47 for a 10:47mpm pace

Friday, July 8, 2011

180* change from yesterday!

This was not a bad run for me. Nothing like yesterday - everything felt easy. It was Carol's day to suffer, though! Funny how that goes. Luckily, we're not usually both having a bad day at the same time, and we can keep each other going. After our lift/stretch class this morning, we did a 5-mile loop around Liberty. It was warm and humid (74%).
Stats: 5.1 miles in 59:17 for an 11:38mpm pace

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Grimm's Gate for the first time since ???

Whew! These boys are getting BIG! I haven't pushed them in the jogger for a long time, and I was paying for it during this run. It was a simple 3.3 miles, but it about did me in. The route UP to Grimm's Gate involved as much walking as it did running. It was tough, and I was happy to stop at the top and check out some butterflies while explaining the idea of camouflage, look (from a distance) at some beehives, and try to find the birds that we could hear singing. The run down was completely uninterrupted.
Stats: 3.3 miles in 41:26 for a 12:34mpm pace

Thursday, June 30, 2011

fartlek run

I ran before yoga class today, and I wanted to get as much distance in as I could. I only had about 40 minutes, so I did fartleks for two miles. This means that my first mile and the last half mile were slower than the rest of the run, so I had a negative split (which I rarely have). I used light poles and trash cans as my fartlek distances. It was a good run. I spent the time just focusing on my foot turnover and breath.
Stats: 3.46 miles in 35:53 for a 10:23mpm pace

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

The heat is on!

UG! It was HOT today! Carol and I just wanted to get miles logged, so we didn't really want to push it too much. This is good because I don't think that we could have if we had wanted! It was 82* out there! We were lucky because even when the sun came up, there was decent cloud cover. We never really felt like we were baking. We took a LOT of walk breaks, but I don't even care. About halfway through the run, we went through Miller Park which was easily 10* cooler than the streets - what a nice break.
Stats: 9.4 miles in 1:49:25 for an 11:39mpm pace

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

quickie

This was just a quickie run for Carol and I. We squeezed it in using the 45 minutes between her weight class and mine. I didn't run yesterday, opting instead to do homework, so I felt like I had to do something today. It was a flat out and back from work to 9th South and back. I don't know how she did it. If I had done this particular weight class first, I would have said "NO" to the run right after. It was a tough weight class! Carol's a rock star!
stats: 2.81 miles in 30:55 for an 11:01mpm pace

Friday, June 24, 2011

making progress!

I ran the downtown loop by myself this morning. I'm not sure where Carol is! I ran the loop after lift/stretch class, so I knew that I was going to be tired. I actually felt pretty good for four-ish miles. The last mile was really hard. I had to take a walk break every full block! It's getting hotter in the mornings. I wish 40* would come back! Overall, it was a good run, and I was surprised by my pace. (No wonder I was tired the last mile!)
Stats: 5.46 miles in 57:10 for a 10:20mpm pace
(and I've lost 8 pounds in 2 weeks!)

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Wiped Out!

I was wiped out during this run. Carol and I had both thought about the route over the evening, and we both independently came up with the 8th South hill. We haven't run it for a LONG time, so it made sense that we should get back on it. Well, it kicked our asses. I have lots of excuses (marathon only ten days ago, I have been sick nine of those ten days, I didn't have any food yesterday until 2:30pm due to a doctor's appoint, etc., weight clasee yesterday morning), but not being able to run more of the hill than we did was frustrating. Honestly, we probably walked more of the hill than we ran! It was miserable and hard to get to seven miles! Horrible pace...
Stats: 7.11 miles in 1:23:13 for an 11:43mpm pace

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Who attached the noodles?

So, last week, I took advantage of the fitness classes now offered at work (yay!), and I quite enjoyed yoga. The lift/stretch class was more cardio/stretch with a little lift thrown in for excitement. However, today's lift class confirmed what had been lurking in the back of my mind since, I dunno, my mid-20s? My upper body strength sucks. Well, that's if it exists at all which is currently in question.

The instructor seemed nice enough in her perky little green top and headset, but when she told me to pick up the heavier weights for the 92nd time, I wanted to throw one at her. Of course, I didn't have enough upper body strength to do so, but whatever.

By the end of the class, my arms were like noodles stuck in my shoulder sockets. I'm sticking with the class. I obviously need to.

I haven't run since last Friday in an attempt to get over this cold once and for all. I'm feeling 85% at this point, so I'll start running again tomorrow.

Friday, June 17, 2011

cross training at work

I am pooped! After being sick all week and sleeping like complete CRAP, I added my first yoga class after yesterday's run and a cardio/interval class this morning before my run. So, after 45 minutes of stuff-I-don't-normally-do-but-should, I headed up to Sugarhouse park. I had complete noodle legs for the first mile since we had done a bunch of squats and lunges in the class. I just tried to keep a consistent pace, and I think that I did a good job. I was not happy to see the hills in the park, but I did them and all was fine. It has been a long time since I ran Sugarhouse, so it was a nice change.
Stats: 5.5 miles in 1:01:22 for a 11:10mpm pace

Thursday, June 16, 2011

just a quickie

This was a purposeful easy run since Carol has a race on Saturday and some hip pain today. We also had to be back in time for my first at-work yoga class (which I thought was really good from a beginner's perspective). So, we just ran for 18 minutes one way and 17 back through SoSaLa.
Stats: 3.13 miles in 35:14 for a 11:16mpm pace

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

mucus factory

This was my first run after Saturday's 'thon. I'm still coughing up phlegm, but the pediatrician says that the boys aren't contagious (and I'm probably not, either). I ran alone today and just did the Liberty loop. The first 1.5 miles were great. The next two were fine, but I could sense a decline on the last mile. I think that it was mental. I'm feeling a wall and true disappointment after Saturday's race. Not to mention the elephant of mucus sitting on my chest.
Stats: 4.5 miles in 47:55 for a 10:39mpm pace

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Utah Valley Marathon, June 11, 2011 (LONG)

Well, it wasn’t great, but I finished. I’m disappointed, and I know exactly what I need to do differently for next time. (Yes. There will be a next time – this fall – Hoover Dam marathon to be exact.)


PRE-RACE: This all did NOT go well.

All marathon training plans that I’ve ever seen say that the day before the marathon should be for resting. You know – RESTING – as in doing nothing. Well, that’s not what mine consisted of at all because it was La*goon day at work. This means that my employer pays for all employees and their families to go to the local amusement park for the day. It’s a GREAT day for the kids, and even some of us parents have fun. We were SO excited. What 4-year old isn’t?

I got up at 3:45am and was to work by 4:45am. Meatball woke up later and said “I don’t feel well.” Bub then replied that maybe we couldn’t go to La*goon; he was suddenly fine. But, really, he wasn’t. His eyes were watery and itchy, and his nose was plugged, and he was just not as energetic as usual. We think that it might be allergies because we’ve never seen this watery eye problem with just a cold. We decided to soldier on.

Bub and the stinkers picked me up from work at 10:45. We stopped for a quick sandwich and then headed to Farmington. The admission lines were already long at 11:30 because the weather was beautiful. It was perfect for a day of play. Unfortunately, the cottonwood trees were releasing their billowy, cotton-like, pollen-laden fluffs, and Meatball’s eyes got worse and worse. We still managed to have fun by walking all over the place, riding the cars, bumper cars, helicopters, rattlesnake rapids (where we were drenched), mini-rollercoaster, train, and etc. etc. etc. After eating, we decided to head to Provo where we were spending the night since I had to catch a bus by 4:30am at the latest.

While on the hour+ drive to Provo, I found out that my cell phone was all jacked up. I couldn’t unlock it, text, or do anything. This is NOT good as I was relying on it to find the hotel, make some phone calls, and stay in touch with the world. We stopped at Wal*Mart for allergy medicine and to get a new battery for my old running watch. While we got the medicine, I found out that my watch is broken. I haven’t used it for a couple of years, and a new battery didn’t help. There is a real problem with it. (I had my heart rate monitor watch; I just wouldn’t be able to keep track of my mile splits.) We checked into our hotel, and quickly dragged our bags to the room. Then I headed off to the race expo. I tried to talk Bub into going, but she was having none of it. She really doesn’t enjoy all of the race stuff (like gawking at new running bras or shoes or ointments or whatever), and the boys were tired. So, I rushed in and got my race packet and shirt. I tried to get my bearings for the bus pick-up the next day and drove around enough to hopefully find some places for Bub and the boys to park the next day.

When I got back to the hotel, everyone was dressed for the pool. I slipped into my suit as fast as I could, and we were off to swim. There was nobody there when we arrived, but within about 15 minutes, an entire girls’ basketball team from Box Elder was in the pool and screaming like only high-school girls can. We stayed for about 45 minutes, catching the boys as they jumped in over and over and over. As we were leaving, even more girls arrived along with a family of three, dad, mom, and daughter.
We got back to our room and got the boys into the tub. They then snacked while I showered. After we were all in our PJs, we settled into beds. It was 10:30pm. I slept with Meatball while Bub slept with Peanut. Had we not done this, Peanut would have been awake all night with Meatball’s restlessness. I managed to sleep until about 12:30, but he was really all over the place. He was fussy, feverish, up and down. We spent part of the night in a chair, part of the night in the bed, part of the night just walking and rocking.

I wasn’t sleeping, so I started getting ready at about 3am. I had laid out everything the night before, so it didn’t take me long to get ready. I had met up with the dad from the pool in the lobby after everyone was done swimming, and he agreed to drive me to the bus pick-up location since he was running the full marathon, too. (I’m sure that he finished well before me.) So, after getting dressed and eating a graham cracker with peanut butter, I was ready. I woke Bub (who hadn’t slept much, either), so that she could lock the door behind me (since without the lock at the top of the door, the boys wanted to peek into the hall at every opportunity). Then, I went to the lobby to wait for my ride. I was hoping that they would have a very early breakfast ready for runners, but there was nothing. I wasn’t worried because there would be some food at the start line. I only waited for a few minutes, and we were at the bus pick-up in no time.

The drive to the start line was loud for someone who really wanted to sleep. Also, it’s been about 25 years since I tried to sleep on a school bus; I don’t remember it being so hard to do! I don’t know how long the ride took, but I know that I didn’t get any sleep. The race started in Wallsburg, about ten miles from Deer Creek Reservoir. It was cold, so the race directors had lots of barrels for fire pits. Runners were gathered around them getting warm. I realized that I should have brought my space blanket from a previous race. On my way to the many porta-potties (nice job, race director), I was looking for the food tables. I only found water and Power*ade. No food. Was it a different race that I was looking at that promised food? Must have been. DAMN! Not good.

I found myself a good spot next to a fire pit and waited with my fellow runners. Luckily, there was a very funny guy (Kevin) at my fire who kept us all entertained. We occasionally heard wild turkeys and horses that were in pastures close by. A couple of hounds barked and howled. About 30 minutes before the start, I hit the porta-potties again, and then stripped off my jacket and put my bag in the sag wagon. Even though the sun was starting to light the sky with its promise to come over the mountains, I was still very cold. I found a generator that was powering the announcer/DJ table, and stood by it for warmth.



Right on time, the hand cycles and foot bikes were off about five minutes before the rest of us. Then, promptly at 6am, the gun fired for the foot race to begin. (Very punctual, race director!)


RACE (This only went well for a while):

I hung out at the generator for as long as possible while watching the pace groups go by. The longest time (group) they had was four hours, so it wasn’t worth my time to get in there. It seemed like there were a lot of runners, but I was later to find out that there were only about 1600 people running the full ‘thon. It seemed like more. I was shivering like crazy, but I never regretted dressing like I did as I was only cold for about half mile. (There were so many people who must have really been kicking themselves for the last six miles because that’s when it got hot for us back-of-the-pack-ers.)

Wallsburg is a small farming community, and I think that we ran through every street in the town. Everyone there has a little land, and almost everyone has horses. The horses were enjoying the excitement of the race and were quite frisky – running, bucking, neighing, and having fun. There were a few residents who got up early to cheer for us, and it was appreciated. (Notably: A man and his two kids sitting on their porch roof with blankets and hot chocolate, and a group of three in their early 60s ringing a ranch “bell” [triangle] and making a lot of jokes with the runners.)

My first mile was purposely slow because I didn’t want to burn up too much energy at the start. I’m really good at that. However, it was too slow at 12:17! I picked up the pace a bit and managed 11-11:30mpm for most of the next 12 miles.

The aid stations were excellent all along the race. The first table was always Power*Ade; the second table was always water; three porta-potties were at the end. Starting at mile seven, there was a GU or fruit station before the Power*Ade. They were really consistent, and the volunteers were well organized.

I stopped for the porta-potty at mile seven, but decided the line was too long. So, I wasted some time there. About a half mile later, there were some relatively private bushes, and lots of girls were taking advantage of them. So, I added a bit of time here as well as some short hills that I walked during mile eight. (Really, I’m not going to win – what’s the point in running up all of the hills? It wouldn’t have done me any good.) During this time, there were some irritated motorists/recreationalists all of whom seemed to be trying to get to Deer Creek Reservoir, and we were holding them up. There was some grumbling and complaining, but most of them were patient and were willing to smile and wave.



I got to the mid-point of the race at 2:30:46. If I could have just kept that pace for the rest of the race, I would have PR’d, but I knew that it wasn’t going to happen. Even though I took a Clif Shot at mile seven and a ½ banana at mile nine, I knew that I was already feeling the effects of very little food. Knowing that was a big bummer.

Having raised money for Huntsman Cancer Foundation in order to do this run, I knew that I should be focusing on my purpose, my goal time, my cadence, my pace, my motivation, my mom and my friend Gwen (both of whom died from colon cancer), but ALL I could think about was my sick little Meatball! I didn’t have a phone with me (no pockets and it was all messed up anyway), and I just wanted him to feel better! At mile 15-ish, I had sort of a panic attack moment where I had difficulty breathing. This usually happens when I’m running very sad or worried – my throat closes up as if I’m about to cry (and sometimes I do), and I have to gasp for air. It’s probably similar to (but probably not as bad as) what exercise induced asthma must feel like. Anyway, I knew what was causing it – worry – and I knew that I had to get myself together. It only lasted for about five minutes, and then I was fine.

Around mile 18 I developed a very low side stitch. Deep breathing didn’t help, so I just had to push on it as I ran. That seemed to make it much better, and it eventually went away. It was also about this time that we passed Bridal Veil Falls – beautiful as always. I actually enjoyed my run down the canyon. This is a great canyon if you’re interested in the striations found in rock as you can literally see millions of years in the canyon walls.

At about mile 22, my friend and co-worker, Lish, and her friend, Meg, met up with me. They had been riding the course looking for me and another co-worker – our own personal and mobil cheering section! I would have been happier to see her if I hadn’t been so freaked out about the Meatball. She asked if I needed anything (she probably had food in her bike pack – duh!), and all I could think about was getting a call to Bub and telling her to take him home or the doctor if he wasn’t doing better. I kept running because I just wanted to FINISH and get back with him while she called. She caught up with me a few minutes later and said that his fever was gone, he was doing OK, and I should stick with the original plan. My throat closed up again as I fought back tears and struggled to breathe. At least he was going to be OK. My time was going to suck, but that didn’t matter anymore.

At mile 23, I just stopped. I didn’t really care if I ran another step. EVER. I walked almost this entire mile. I sat on the curb and stretched. I felt sorry for myself. I beat myself up for not doing runs longer than 17 miles. I plodded. I silently cursed every happy person on the sidelines. I envied everyone that passed me. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa………. Poor, poor me.

After taking some pictures of me WALKING (oh, the shame), Lish and Meg said good-bye and went on their way. I’m not sure if I can express how grateful I am to her for just being there as a friend, and for responding quickly to my mental needs by reassuring me that Meatball was OK. I know that I was too exhausted to really tell her much on Saturday, but having her there was a great emotional boost. She is, and always has been, a great friend. I’m pretty lucky.

I decided to run again at mile 24. Or shuffle. Or whatever it was. I just needed to go faster because I wanted to be done. The frozen Otter*Pop at this aid station was a very welcome relief. Immediately after the mile 25 aid station, I noticed our car to the left before I saw my cute (and sick) little family off to the right. Bub was holding an obviously unhappy Meatball, and the Peanut cheered loudly for me. As soon as I saw them, I lost it and just started to cry which, of course, freaks out Bub as she always thinks that I’m hurt. (Hurting, yes. Hurt, no.) So, I stopped to hug on them and tell them how sorry I was for leaving that morning. Poor little Meatball cried a bit, too, and Peanut got mad that he couldn’t do the last mile with me. (He probably would have beaten me.) I cried because I had missed my goal time (about a mile before). I cried because I was tired and emotional. Then, I had to finish.



So, I did. As always, there is a bit more energy in the last 1.2 miles, but today there wasn’t much more! I shuffled across the finish line, collected my medal, picked up my sag bag, and started walking as fast as I could (not very) back along the course to find the family. After about a block, they waved me down from the opposite side of the street. We hopped into the car and headed for the freeway and home.

Stats: I finished 1449 out of 1637 and 87 out of 102 in the 40-44 women’s age group. My final time was 5:21:42 for a 12:17 mpm pace. Not spectacular.


POST RACE:

Bless her heart, Bub had a Power*Ade waiting for me in the car. And popcorn – salty, salty popcorn. These two things really helped put my nausea at bay. The boys wanted ice cream, but with his cough and congestion, we thought that a shaved ice would be a better option for Meatball. Can you believe that there was not ONE snow shack on the main road in all of Provo and Orem? Weird. We found one in Lehi, and that was the BEST FREAKIN SHAVED ICE I have ever eaten. I really stiffened up on the ride home, and I was happy to get into a hot bath and get the stink off of me. (Yes – I know that I’m supposed to do an ice bath, but I just HATE them. HATE THEM! Besides, I was only stiff for a couple of days anyway. An ice bath wouldn’t have made that much change anyway.)

I hobbled around the house after a nap with the boys. I mostly sat on my butt for the rest of the day. I don’t feel guilty about it. On Sunday, Peanut and I both got Meatball’s cold. It’s very UN-fun. It’s a sinus infection and sore throat. I actually missed two days of work – I never miss work. I haven’t been sick since January of 2008 – not even a sniffle – until now. This sucks.

I’ve had time to put the race in perspective, and I know that almost all of the problems could have been avoided:
1) Run longer training runs. 17 miles just doesn’t cut it. Granted, my life has been hectic with a full-time job, twins, and school for my MBA. But, it is what it is. In order to run 26 miles semi-happily, I need to run some 20 and 22 mile training runs. End of story.
2) Lose weight. My PR at the ‘thon distance was set when I was about 12 pounds lighter. Even then, I was still fat. Um, duh.
3) ALWAYS have a granola bar (or some other type of food) with me before the race start. Do not rely on the hotel or the race organizers to have any snacks. Um, double duh.
4) Try not to spend the day before a big race walking around the kiddie-land of an amusement park. But, then again, I would never tell those boys NO….
5) Get better sleep the night before the race. OK – this one was unavoidable. He was (still is) miserable. Ideally, everyone would be in perfect health. It’s never going to happen.

(PS - I did take three days off. I ran 4.5 miles this morning at a very respectable pace. I may be disappointed, but all is not lost. I will kick ass in the fall.)

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Past, present, future

A good run on the downtown loop with Carol. She has lived such an interesting life from Utah to California to Pennsylvania to Arizona. We spent the whole time chatting about how she got to all of these locations, sometimes multiple times, and the amazing way that her choices have delivered her to the happy, healthy place that she is today. I love that she is my friend and that she is willing to share so much with me.
Stats: 5.46 miles in 59:11 for a 10:51mpm pace

Monday, June 6, 2011

Today starts the biggest loser @ work

Carol and I ran from work to 13th East, then north to 17th South, and back to work. The only bad part about this run was the sidewalks going down 17th because nobody has trimmed their shrubs and trees! We were ducking away from a LOT of stuff. I also wore my new Huntsman Hero shirt that I will be wearing on Saturday for the marathon. It's a good thing that I did because it caused chafing on my left arm. I'll have to remember some body glide on Saturday!
Stats: 4.69 miles in 51:27 for a 10:59mpm pace

Today starts a "biggest loser" type competition here at work. I'm excited to do this. My goal is to lose 30 pounds in 3 months. It's aggressive, but not unrealistic. That's only 2.5 pounds per week which is totally possible. I'll start with no sugar. I'm going to add yoga and weights in next week. Also, no white flour/rice and a lot less cheese. I'm starting at 173 according to the scale here at work (which I like a LOT more than my scale at home).

Thursday, June 2, 2011

good pace - good company

Carol and I ran a modified downtown loop this morning. We took a lot of walk breaks, but when we ran, we apparently felt like running fast! It was a good morning.
Stats: 6 miles in 1:05:22 for a 10:54mpm pace

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

slow after a 5-day break

I haven't run for five days (various reasons including Thomas Day at the Heber Creeper, Graduation!, boys' birthday party, ex-sleepover, night in Wendover), and I drank plenty of beer in the last three days, so today's run was a struggle. Carol and I did the long Liberty loop. There was nothing too exciting to see or do, but we had a lot of weekend to catch up on. The time went by rather quickly because of the constant chatting.
Stats: 5 miles in 57:02 for a 11:25mpm pace

Thursday, May 26, 2011

surprising pace

I ran three separate loops this morning. The first was 5.1 miles around Liberty. Then, I stopped at work and picked Carol up, and we ran 5.35 through Sugarhouse neighborhoods. Then, I did another 6 on my own on the downtown loop. The last 4 miles were not really fun, but I tried my best to stay consistent. I'm pleased with my efforts today. It might be that my longest run before the marathon is 17 miles. I hope not. I'll try to get a 20 or 22 miler in next week, but I'm not super optimistic. I guess we'll see what happens!
Stats: 16.45 miles in 2:59:59 for a 10:57mpm pace

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

running with my buddy

Ahhhhhh, someone to TALK to! Carol is back to running again, and we didn't shut up for the whole run. We were supposed to be going slowly for her and short for me, and the Liberty loop seemed to fly by. Well, actually, I was supposed to run long this morning, but I got to work an hour later than expected and knew that I would have the time. So, maybe tomorrow? Anyway, we were definitely going to run slow for Carol since she has only run twice in five weeks. Even then, our pace was sub-11. It was good. The weather was perfect, the company was very nice, and the effort wasn't big.
Stats: 4.5 miles in 49:21 for a 10:58mpm pace

Monday, May 23, 2011

felt hotter than it really was!

This was a good run on the downtown loop. I didn't manage a long run this weekend for various reasons (like little people birthday party, hangin' with the ex, rain, rain, playing trains, rain, hangin' at the park), so I was nice and rested for this run. The wind was at my back for the first half of the run, but that means that I was into the wind for the second half (yuck), and it was a warm wind (62* out - blah!). So, I tried to really drive my pace on miles 3-5.5, and it paid off!
Stats: 5.46 miles in 54:41 for a 10:01mpm pace

Friday, May 20, 2011

Felt fresh

This was a good run. It felt good. I'm almost free from all dizziness brought on by this particular episode, and the brain fog finally lifted yesterday. (Man, I hate the brain fog part almost as much as the spins. Well, no. I take that back. The spins full-on SUCK.) Anyway, I ran downtown today, and it started to sprinkle on the way back. The first three miles felt great, andthe last 2.5 felt pretty good. My muscles just felt fresh! Carol's hip is feeling much better, so I hope to be running with her again next week. I miss the conversations!
Stats: 5.46 miles in 56:05 for a 10:17mpm pace

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Damn equilibrium.....

After two days of vertigo, I was able to run again today. It felt good. I still have Meniere's induced brain fog, my left ear is still ringing like a church bell, and I'm still a tad unsteady on my feet, BUT it felt good to get out even if it was raining for the entire time I was out! Like - rain, rain - not even sprinkles. My feet were soaked due to a big puddle that I just couldn't avoid before I had even crossed State Street. The entire run was like that. I really had to focus in order to run through the brain fog - it's like I'm running and trying to catch up to myself all at the same time. I know where my body is, but it feels like my brain and vision are about ten steps behind my body. It's really weird and hard to explain. Anyway, the only place I had a hard time was on 13th South where the driveways and the sidewalk are one and they are incredibly uneven. I felt like I was always about to fall on this short stretch.
Stats: 5 miles in 52:35 for a 10:31mpm pace

Monday, May 16, 2011

Wuss

Easy and short run on the Liberty loop this morning. I should have done seven or eight, but I got started late and it was windy (which I hate). So, I wussed out. I'll run longer tomorrow. On an unrelated note, I like the scale here at work much better than the one at home because it says that I am seven pounds lighter than the home scale reads.
Stats: 4.5 miles in 46:54 for a 10:26mpm pace

Friday, May 13, 2011

17 that felt better than 15

I did the same route as last week but added an outside lap at Sugarhouse. I felt pretty consistent with my pace until the last couple of miles. I probably could have slogged out another mile, maybe even two, but I do actually have to work.
I had the soundtrack from Les Miserables going through my head the entire time. After three hours, that gets old.
Stats: 17.1 miles in 3:12:37 for an 11:16mpm pace

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

zig-zagging

I couldn't bear the thought of another Liberty lap, so I basically just zig-zagged streets through SoSaLa. There was no rain (and shouldn't be until next week). The temps were in the 40s, so I felt great with a short sleeved shirt. It was nice, and I saw a lot of cute little houses. It was nothing too exciting, though. I was supposed to be thinking about the paper that I need to re-submit for school, but I (easily) managed to forget all about it.
Stats: 5.19 miles in 52:42 for a 10:10mpm pace

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Could I do it?

As I was running today, I calculated my 'thon time if I ran 11mpm: 4:48 and change. That would not be horrible. In fact, it would be an 11 minute PR. I think that I will start the Utah Valley with the 11:30mpm pace group and just try to stay between them and the 11mpm group. Then, if I'm still upright around mile 20, I'll see what I can do.
Stats: 5.46 miles in 56:15 for a 10:19mpm pace

Monday, May 9, 2011

A little fall of rain....

Solo birthday run today, but I didn't spend much time celebrating. I did the Sugarhouse Park loop with two laps at the park. There was a constant drizzle of rain, and I spent much of my time mourning the loss of my friend, Gwen, who died from colon cancer over the weekend. Even though she was 3000 miles away, she was such a support when my mom died of the same thing years ago. It's tragic. The last 1/2 lap in the park was really difficult because I was thinking about "A Little Fall of Rain" from Les Miserables and thinking of the 39 year love affair that Gwen and Peter had, and I was on the verge of crying so my throat was so tight that I was literally sucking in air. I will miss her dry wit, her honesty, the soft eyes that always betrayed her cool exterior, and her friendship.
Stats: 7 miles in 1:12:15 for a 10:20mpm pace

Friday, May 6, 2011

and the last four were UGLY

I was wearing the wrong watch, so I had estimated my distance. Dang! I was so close! Oh well. Long runs are BORING without a running partner. I don't know how I suffered through them for five years before starting to run with Carol!
I took my gu too early (around mile six). So, I was wiped out by mile 11 making the next four miles ugly. It was probably lucky for Carol that she wasn't there because I was getting really tired and ornery which would have translated to bitchy or whiney - neither of which I every want to be with her because she is so consistently positive!
I ate a decent amount of pasta last night, but I think that I'm still trying to find the right way to get my protein in sans-meat. I'll figure it out!
It was a good run all over Salt Lake Proper and South Salt Lake. I'm happy that it's done, though!
Stats: 14.91 miles in 2:43:32 for a 10:59mpm pace

Thursday, May 5, 2011

ho-hum

Chilly run but good overall. For some reason, the wood chip path at Liberty was really tiring me out, so I only did it for half the length of the park. I'm hoping that my new food plan (no meat) will give me enough energy for tomorrow's long run.
Stats: 4.6 miles in 48:00 for a 10:27mpm pace

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

glowing snow

Carol is going to start running again next week. I miss the conversation! Today's run was on the Sugarhouse Park route. Nothing too exciting, but I never tire of seeing the sun rays gleaming off of the snow on the mountain tops right before the sun actually peeks over the mountains. I love seeing the snow glow like that.
Stats: 5.5 miles in 56:59 for a 10:20mpm pace

Monday, May 2, 2011

nope - no long run

No. I didn't run long over the weekend. It is, however, a long story. Whatever. I ran the extended Liberty loop this morning and since I forgot my visor I tried to avoide a 7-block stint straight into the sun, so I wound my way through streets that I've never run before. It was nice. It kept my mind off of other things.
Stats: 5 miles in 51:49 for a 10:22mpm pace

Friday, April 29, 2011

mentally preparing for 17+ tomorrow

A shortened downtown run today because it was windy, and I wanted to save some strength for tomorrow's long run. Nothing very exciting.
Stats: 4.53 miles in 46:15 for a 10:13mpm pace

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Running is probably the only productive thing that will happen today....

Strategy today: just pick a pace and stick to it. I only took one walk break and a conversation break. I probably should have skipped the walk break; I could have. The 3-minute conversation was a nice break for my body, but not for my brain or emotions. If it's not one god-damn thing, it's another. Today's catastrophes: furnace won't ignite so the house is friggin' cold, and while flipping the switch (in hopes of just magically fixing the ignition with my flip switching abilities?), I noticed that there is a puddle of water under the water heater. Goodbye summer concerts that I wanted to go to; hello new water heater. Today sucks. Focusing on keeping a consistent pace was the only thing that kept me from sitting down on the sidewalk and crying. And I don't even have PMS today! Gawd!
Stats: 5 miles in 53:35 for a 10:31mpm pace

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

six weeks until marathon? oh, shit.... (but semester 4 is done!)

Carol is taking it easy because of some hip pain, so I ran alone again today and did one lap from work to Sugarhouse Park and back. That will be the case until next week, at least. I haven't run since last Friday because I was busy with all of the papers for the end of the semester. I'm happy to say that I am done with project sequence 4, and I only have one more to go. Halle-friggin-lujah! So, last night I drank beer and ate chocolate chip cookies while watching Biggest Loser. Oh, yeah - I have quite the system going. That was my one night of doing nothing. Now, I have 16 days until semester 5 starts, and I have tons of stuff to do including running and fund-raising! Marathon is in six weeks. YIKES!
Stats: 5.5 miles in 58:34 for 10:39mpm pace

Friday, April 22, 2011

Do I stink?

I ran another solo long run today because Carol's hip is feeling worse (uh-oh)! I ran up to Tanner Park and then to the pedestrian bridges that cross 215 and 80. I added a lap in Sugarhouse because I knew that I needed the mileage. Mile 11 (through the park) really sucked because the pain in my toe turned into a shooting pain up the top of my foot to my ankle. I don't know if I was striding wrong, or what. I felt the pain the entire time, but it was managable until then. I'm guessing that problem and the total exhaustion in the last two miles are related to the fact that I took nine days off to do homework, and my body just wasn't ready for a long run. I had wanted to get 15 in, but I was too damn tired!

Here's the stinky news: I forgot my day-bra again. I'll be wearing a hot pink sweat fest until about 6pm. Sonofa... Thankfully, I only have one meeting. I'll try to sit far from everyone. And then, there's the immediate stiffness in my legs. It's going to be a long day.
Stats: 13.28 miles in 2:26:43 for 11:03mpm pace

Thursday, April 21, 2011

like tree trunks, they are....

This was a better run than yesterday. Apparently, after nine days, I just need a day of trudging along to clean the gunk out of my joints and muscles. Today's run was smooth and easy (with the exception of my big, fat thighs - I'm really sick of these things).
Stats: 5.46 miles in 56:47 for a 10:24mpm pace

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

END OF SEMESTER - YUCK!

We ran slower than normal, but since I haven't run for NINE DAYS I'm good with it! I only have one more assignment to go to be done with the semester, and then I'll be able to concentrate on running (and fundraising) until the marathon!
Stats: 5 miles in 57:32 for 11:31mpm

Speaking of fundraising, PLEASE donate here!

Monday, April 11, 2011

Sub-11 squeaker

Carol and I both were dragging ass today, but we still managed to talk for the entire run. Walk breaks were more frequent than we would have liked, but we still managed to stay sub-11! (Barely) We ran a big loop with 300 feet of steady elevation gain over three miles. Not much, but enough to give us something to bitch about. :)
Stats: 7.11 miles in 1:18:04 for a 10:59mpm pace

Friday, April 8, 2011

Soaked!

Solo long run today. I thought I would add some mileage by doing Sugarhouse Park and then the U loop in reverse. I would get all of the hills out of the way at the beginning, right? Well, I forgot that 21st to 1st is a steady (but not killer) incline. Worked my quads! Then, I zig-zagged from 13th to 7th to add mileage. Back to work. I managed to run into a pine tree branch while trying to avoid a puddle which then made me land in yet a different puddle. My clothes were soaked from the slush, rain, and snow through the run. I actually had a good time!
Stats: 12.5 miles in 2:13:18 for a 10:40mpm

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Raising expectations

Flat and easy because half of this run was into the wind! We ran an altered Liberty loop today knowing that tomorrow will be long. It was a good and chatty run, but the 10mph wind gusts for the last six-ish blocks weren't fun. They seemed to really zap our energy quite quickly. This run was a mixture of road, sidewalk, dirt, and wood chip path. It may be the same SoSaLa that we always see, but these changes were enough to mix it up and kept it pretty fresh.

It wasn't six months ago that we were saying that we would be pleased with any run around 11:30 pace. However, we have been consistenly sub-11 for almost the entire year so far with just a couple of runs in the +11 pace. Now, anything over 10:59 is a huge disappointment! Time to raise the bar again.
Stats: 4.64 miles in 50:45 for a 10:57 pace

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Consistency is key

Solo run today on the Sugarhouse Park loop. I just tried to be consistent and only walk when forced to do so at a light. It paid off!
Stats: 5.5 miles in 58:39 for 10:40mpm pace

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Smelly...

Easy run on the extended Liberty loop with Carol. We had a lot of catching up to do. It was a good run.
It's also nice weather which is a surprise after Sunday's 7 inches of snow. 45* this morning. I was totally over-dressed, so now I'm super sweaty and stinky. My co-workers are so lucky....
Stats: 5 miles in 54:13 for a 10:51mpm pace

Friday, April 1, 2011

awesome run!

If I hadn't had a meeting, I could have gone another three miles at this pace. Today was a great run. The weather was perfect, and I pushed myself to just be consistent for the entire ten miles. It totally paid off. (Although, I did miss Carol's company, but she has had a very taxing week in terms of work and personal stuff happening.)
Stats: 10 miles in 1:42:49 for a 10:17mpm pace