Reflections on a Run

Tired

2012-01-26T07:16:00.000-08:00

This was a good run except for the fact that Carol was nauseated right after we got started. She slowed her pace considerably and cut her distance in half, but she still got out there and did something. I was TIRED. I don't know if it was the fact that I had so much time off or the fact that our substitute yoga teacher kicked my trash or what, but I did NOT want to get going for the first mile. I finally found a gear and pounded it out in UNscenic SoSaLa (State Street and Main Street from 17th to 27th and back. Boring!) I only almost got hit by a truck once, and that was because he was running a red light. I gave him the bird. He gave it back. Ass.
Stats: 3.15 miles in 31:57 for a 10:09mpm pace

I'm back!

2012-01-25T11:31:00.001-08:00

First run in a week and a half! I finally got the cold that the rest of the house had. Like always, it hit Bubba hard. When I was home (weekends), I couldn't possibly go for a run because then she would have to do more with the boys, and she was (still is) just too wiped out for much of anything. It wasn't worth the trouble. Then, I volunteered to help with the hiring process of a role that I'm not responsible for. 200+ resumes later, and I'm still doing phone interviews - and that's after weeding people out! I opted NOT to run several days just to be able to work on finding this group of new hires. But, I'M BACK, and it felt great. We ran downtown and just did want we had to do. We weren't fast, and we were both tired when we finished, but it's in the books! (My guideline of 100 miles/month isn't going to happen for January, but I'll make it up in upcoming months to still meet my goal of 1200 miles for the year.)
Stats: 5.46 miles in 1:00:16 for an 11:03mpm pace

Colder than a witches.... nose....

2012-01-13T18:45:00.000-08:00

I should have just stayed in. Not that it was a bad run, but holy mother! It was COLD! I only slowed three times: once to walk across a big patch of ice and twice to let cars pass. Otherwise, I tried to run fast because I was freezing my ass off. It was 18* but felt like 8* with the wind. Next time, I'll just run laps inside the building.
Stats: 3.1 miles in 32:03 for a 10:01mpm pace

It's a cold one!

2012-01-12T07:49:00.000-08:00

Brrrrr!!! It's cold out today (17* but feels like 10*), so I'm happy that it was a short run day. Yoga was awesome - I really liked the back contraction poses. The run was a good way to get my body going after it was nice and warmed up.
Stats: 3.1 miles in 33:16 for a 10:44mpm pace

Hurry up and wait

2012-01-11T07:37:00.001-08:00

My boss sent me a text late yesterday that I needed to seek him out this morning to talk about some stuff. I had planned to do seven miles this morning until I got that message. Instead, I just did one lap of Sugarhouse Park and got back as quickly as I could. Boss-man didn't get in for another hour. I totally could have done the extra lap. Oh well. It was cold and a bit foggy and I was the ONLY person in the park. I don't know why more people don't take advantage of this park in the winter. It's beautiful; there are ducks and geese; it's easy to access. Maybe it's the hills - hardly anyone actually likes to do hills.
Stats: 5.5 miles in 59:17 for a 10:47mpm pace

patchy ice and snow

2012-01-10T08:01:00.001-08:00

Weight class wasn't as hard this morning. Granted, I was six minutes late and missed a few squats, but I wasn't dying by the end of the class. It was still good, don't get me wrong! Afterwards, I took off for a quick solo run in up to Liberty and back (without a lap in the park). I had to carefully cross several patches of ice on the sidewalks and roads, but I still managed to have a good pace.
Stats: 3.5 miles in 36:53 for a 10:33mpm pace

yakkity, yakkity, yak!

2012-01-09T07:32:00.000-08:00

Oh, this was a good run. At about mile 4.5, I think that we slowed down a bit, but not too much and not for too long. I blame the narrower-than-usual road for the slow-down NOT the fact that I ate three cookies and a few chocolates yesterday. The roads, definitely. We had a good time talking about everything today - it's always fun to catch up from the weekend. We talked about kids (ours and other people's), child neglect, finances, budgets, recipes, health, snow. You know, nothing in particular, and it made the time fly by.
Stats: 6.5 miles in 1:10:02 for a 10:47mpm pace

there's a chance my arms might fall off

2012-01-06T12:49:00.001-08:00

It was cold today (25*), but my upper body was too tired to pull up my long pants after weight class, so I just wore my shorts. I didn't even care. All I could think of was how hard it was to just hold my damn arms up at waist level! Our lifting instructor either hates us or really wants us to have rockin' upper bodies. Even though we call her Luci (short for Lucifer), I'm going to be generous and assume the latter. Thankfully, our run was short. I couldn't have held my arms up for another minute!
Stats: 3.1 miles in 34:01 for a 10:59mpm pace

back to it

2012-01-05T08:01:00.001-08:00

This was a nice run. Unfortunately, I was on my own while Carol nursed a raging headache. It was a quick run after yoga class. Yoga, by the way, was wonderful. The first down-dog was miserable since I hadn't done one for two weeks, but after that, it was so nice to be stretching and concentrating and posing. I am, however, tired of being the fattest person in the class. Not so cool.
Stats: 3 miles in 32:06 for a 10:42mpm pace

Banking

2012-01-04T07:22:00.001-08:00

I shouldn't have been so pooped after yesterday's 7-miler, but I am. OK - it's not really yesterday's run that is to blame - it's the two weeks of sitting on my ass.... Carol is determined that if I'm going to get THAT close to 1000 for two years (909.8 in 2011 and 921.5 in 2010) that she is not going to let me miss it again. She even has her hubby in on it! So, she has us banking miles already, and for her persistence I am grateful. She pushes and encourages me (in a nice way). We are taking on a second weight lifting class each week now, so it will be even more important for me to get my running miles in. I'm going to have to run on the weekends and stop being so lazy. Hmmm... Does it sound like a broken record in here? (Off topic: how many people actually know what that phrase means? How many of us are out there that actually had a broken record? Funny...)
Stats: 7 miles in 1:16:48 for a 10:59mpm pace

1st run of the year

2012-01-03T07:23:00.000-08:00

Yes, I missed my goal of 1000 miles for 2011. I had 909.8, so I was basically 90 miles off. I totally could have done this by just adding two extra 5-milers in each month. Stupid to miss the goal. This year, my goal is 100+ miles/month which will give me 1200+ by December 31. That's just 25 miles/week. I gotta get off my lazy ass. So, after being lazy for the past two weeks, Carol and I decided to start banking miles early in the year and went a bit longer today than we normally would. We were slowing towards the end, but I'm glad that we did it. (Plus, it was an extra 200 calories burned, and I really needed that after pigging out for the last couple of weeks!)
Stats: 7.26 miles in 1:21:27 for an 11:14mpm pace

Strange weather!

2011-12-30T07:25:00.001-08:00

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

boys, jogger, 100+

2011-12-28T15:07:00.001-08:00

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!)

27* in shorts!

2011-12-20T08:02:00.001-08:00

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

Grazing Day

2011-12-16T09:20:00.001-08:00

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

Felt free

2011-12-12T16:00:00.001-08:00

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

nice and easy

2011-12-09T07:59:00.001-08:00

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

decidedly UNscenic

2011-12-08T07:48:00.001-08:00

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

release

2011-12-07T07:50:00.001-08:00

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

Mammo, done!

2011-12-06T08:18:00.001-08:00

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

Gotta get some miles in!

2011-12-05T14:48:00.001-08:00

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

News worthy (?)

2011-12-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

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

2-a-days

2011-11-30T07:01:00.000-08:00

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

Noodles have got nothin' on me!

2011-11-29T08:08:00.000-08:00

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.

She's NOT a complete dufus!

2011-11-28T07:59:00.001-08:00

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

I'm going to be stiff(er) tomorrow

2011-11-23T07:57:00.001-08:00

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

Dead legs? No problem.

2011-11-22T08:23:00.001-08:00

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

Ahhhhhh..... 50*!

2011-11-18T07:10:00.001-08:00

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

working out stiff legs

2011-11-17T07:48:00.001-08:00

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

Chit Chat

2011-11-16T07:14:00.001-08:00

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

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

2011-11-15T14:49:00.001-08:00

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

Sick? Who's sick?

2011-11-14T07:20:00.001-08:00

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

Oooooo, baby!

2011-11-11T07:15:00.001-08:00

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

AAANNNDDD..... she biffs it.

2011-11-10T08:18:00.000-08:00

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

Brrr...

2011-11-09T06:52:00.001-08:00

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

Disbelief

2011-11-07T07:25:00.001-08:00

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

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

2011-11-04T09:22:00.001-07:00

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

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

2011-11-02T06:50:00.000-07:00

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

I hate that friggin car

2011-10-29T08:23:00.000-07:00

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

Tourists

2011-10-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

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

Pants. Pants!

2011-10-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

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

Mixed up routine; not pretty results

2011-10-25T08:10:00.001-07:00

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

LOVE Mondays! (At least the running part)

2011-10-24T06:56:00.001-07:00

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

Much better

2011-10-21T06:47:00.001-07:00

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

You would think...

2011-10-20T07:25:00.001-07:00

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

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

2011-10-18T07:14:00.001-07:00

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

Blame it on the screwdrivers

2011-10-17T07:41:00.001-07:00

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

Damn candy corn

2011-10-14T06:44:00.001-07:00

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

Quit your yammering!

2011-10-13T07:34:00.001-07:00

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

continued progress

2011-10-11T07:23:00.000-07:00

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.

Chilly

2011-10-10T06:23:00.001-07:00

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

had to break out the long sleeves!

2011-10-07T06:52:00.001-07:00

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

Friggin' cheese curd....

2011-10-05T06:40:00.001-07:00

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

Rainy run

2011-10-04T07:01:00.001-07:00

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)

Brisk

2011-09-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

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

forgetful

2011-09-27T06:02:00.001-07:00

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

speech "writing"

2011-09-26T06:43:00.001-07:00

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

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

2011-09-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

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

Venting, bitching, letting it go = consistent pace!

2011-09-21T06:53:00.000-07:00

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

Already need a new 3-mile route!

2011-09-20T06:42:00.001-07:00

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

A Sunday run? Weird!

2011-09-18T20:06:00.001-07:00

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

Mindless, because our minds were too stressed!

2011-09-15T06:41:00.000-07:00

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)

another quickie

2011-09-14T06:25:00.001-07:00

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

Git 'er done!

2011-09-12T06:06:00.001-07:00

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

10k PR!!!

2011-09-10T16:43:00.000-07:00

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!

nice downtown run

2011-09-09T09:16:00.001-07:00

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

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

2011-09-08T07:23:00.001-07:00

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

nice to just get out there

2011-09-07T06:38:00.001-07:00

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

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

2011-09-06T08:38:00.001-07:00

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

Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh.......

2011-09-01T06:53:00.001-07:00

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

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

2011-08-31T07:06:00.000-07:00

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

Issues, people.

2011-08-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

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

I have issues...

2011-08-29T06:57:00.001-07:00

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

Holy heat!

2011-08-26T08:19:00.001-07:00

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.

Tooele run, for a change!

2011-08-20T06:27:00.001-07:00

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

Really, I have been running

2011-08-17T06:27:00.000-07:00

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

Seriously, I'm lucky that she tolerates me

2011-08-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

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

co-dependent...

2011-08-05T07:23:00.001-07:00

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

nice run - lots of talk time

2011-08-03T07:33:00.001-07:00

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

Boring! I need new routes.

2011-08-02T07:16:00.001-07:00

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

Corporate Games 5k

2011-07-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

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

Fall down, go boom...

2011-07-27T06:58:00.001-07:00

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

AAAAARRRRUUUGGGHHH!!! The instructor hates me!

2011-07-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

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

awesome pace

2011-07-22T08:26:00.001-07:00

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!)

Wonderful!

2011-07-20T07:39:00.001-07:00

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

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

2011-07-18T07:34:00.001-07:00

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!

2011-07-18T05:46:00.000-07:00

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!

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

2011-07-15T07:22:00.000-07:00

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

What the.....?

2011-07-14T07:05:00.001-07:00

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

180* change from yesterday!

2011-07-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

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

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

2011-07-03T11:19:00.000-07:00

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

fartlek run

2011-06-30T06:50:00.001-07:00

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

The heat is on!

2011-06-29T07:31:00.001-07:00

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

quickie

2011-06-28T06:59:00.001-07:00

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

making progress!

2011-06-24T07:05:00.001-07:00

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!)

Wiped Out!

2011-06-22T06:54:00.001-07:00

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

Who attached the noodles?

2011-06-21T12:46:00.001-07:00

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.

cross training at work

2011-06-17T07:18:00.001-07:00

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

just a quickie

2011-06-16T07:40:00.001-07:00

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

mucus factory

2011-06-15T06:50:00.001-07:00

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