Road to Joy

Just your average everyday run.  I did try to go up a couple of steep, long hills just so that I felt like I did something special on two of my runs this week.  It keeps me from getting too casual I think.  There has been lots of family at my in-law's house this week so the childcare has been super-simple.  My 12 and 10 year old nieces entertain my baby the whole time, my 4 1/2 year old nephew tolerates my 3 year old beating up on him with swords and my almost 2 year old runs around trying to get all of them to tell her how cute she is.  My kids don't even know I'm gone.  I could really live like this.

I ran out at my sister's today.  The first couple of miles stunk, but then I hit my groove and felt awfully good until mile 9 or 10.  I ran at an 8:15 average and it felt decent.  I thought I might be sore for the day, but after walking around shopping I feel much better.

Lest you think I'm a "shopper."  This was the first shopping trip post-baby that I've done.  I'm desperate for more than one skirt to wear to church now that the baby weight is disappearing into 14 mile runs.  It took me two hours but I found me one church outfit.  My sister was even watching my kids so I don't have that excuse for being slowed down.  Shopping is so darned hard.  But I've got motivation.  The husband comes home in about 26 days now.  yipee.

I ran an easy five miles at 8:15 pace.  I'm hoping the bad air disappears soon.  I can really feel the gunk from the air in my lungs and throat right now.  Gross.  It's enough to make me want to take another trip out to Colorado until spring.  Hopefully something will come along soon that will kick the pants out of the grotesqueness and bring back some gulpable air.

About 24 days until the husband comes home.  And we're going to travel to a world of snowless sidewalks, pure air and red rock while he's here.  I'm a little bit excited for it all.

I did the 4X1 mile workout again on the treadmill.  After running outside yesterday my throat felt covered in grossness and I thought I might be found dead with x's across my eyes if I spent too much more time sucking in poisonous fumes.  I went at a 6:49 pace again and I felt much more tired this time.  I think its just all a part of trying to get back in shape.

I went to the gym after I put all of the kids to bed except the baby.  I expected the baby to still be awake when I got back, but I was surprised to see my 3 year old sitting between his grandma and grandpa on the couch - the stinker.  Actually, I feel kind of bad because he had a hard time falling asleep and then was scared when he couldn't find me.  That's the sort of thing that makes it hard for this Mom to keep running with intensity.  Its not always easy to find the balance between meeting my goals and making sure I'm not burdening others as I do it.  I'll just have to stay aware I guess...onward and upward.

I ran 4 nice, easy miles out at my sister's.  The air always seems cleaner where she lives so I took lots of deep, happy breaths.  The temperature was pretty high too, to the point that it was raining instead of snowing.  It felt like a reprieve sort of run.  I also ran without my garmin because I forgot it.  Its amazing how much lighter I feel without that thing on - I was floating like a butterfly.  When I got back to my sister's house my baby was asleep, my kids were playing happily with toys and she had dinner ready for me.  Basically it was my dream running day.

Just 4 miles again today.  I've had a lot going on in the last couple of days where I've needed help with watching the kids so I didn't want to ask for even more babysitting help to run.  Luckily my very nice sister-in-law saw my struggle and helped me out today - although it was still a squeeze to get in even 4 miles.  It was an easy run that felt good on the legs - I guess your legs are bound to feel good if you're not using them that much (:  I'm hoping to get a long run in tomorrow, but I'm not sure how I'll swing it.  We'll see how it goes.

Fifteen miles at 8:09.  After the first few miles I worked into a good, relaxed feel.  I was a little tight in my right calf - never had that before - but it went away.  I love it when things just go away.  Even the end of the run didn't feel too stressful - other than getting a little impatient to relieve my babysitter and get back to my kids.

When I got back from my run I noticed I have a rash all over my arms, neck and face.  Cold air?  Poisoned air?  Exhaustion?  I don't think I've ever had a weird rash before - pretty gross.  Hopefully I can just wish this away too.

Turns out I had strep and strep can bring along a hideous rash sometimes.  The antibiotic killed the strep, but the rash seems to be alive and kicking.  I got a prescription for steroids to clear it up, but you're not supposed to be nursing when you take them.  So I'll spend the next couple of days trying to figure out if getting rid of this rash is worth putting my baby permanently on a bottle.

I haven't run the last couple of days because I suspected the bad air and the stress on my body from running were the culprits that gave me hives.  But after so much time off I'm ready to try to disprove my theory.

Decided to see if the rash would get worse if I ran.  It itched where my jacket rubbed my arms but otherwise it was ok.  So glad to be able to run!!

When I dropped my kids off at my sister-in-law's house I left her with my 3, her 3, and 4 boys who had come to play with her boys - that makes 10 kids.  And it was just her - at dinner time.  She's a saint.

The run felt great.  Four was too short yesterday - it felt good to move myself further.

It was a morning run after an evening run yesterday so I was still feeling a little tired, but not so tired that I wasn't completely contented to be running.  Three cheers for running.

My parents came for a quick weekend visit to let me get two nights of sleep in a row.  My
Mom woke up with the kids last night.  I felt a little guilty going on a 12 mile run when they came all the way from Colorado to give me a rest.  I'm pretty sure they think my running is part of what is running my body down - but they've always been good sports about letting me make my own choices.  I really appreciate that.

I ran up the canyon for the first time in a long time.  It made me anxious for spring.  Speaking of anxious - my husband should be here in less than 2 weeks.  Too exciting.

5 very slow miles.  All of me felt pretty worn out today.  I went to bed last night feeling overwhelmed at all I had to do today and then woke up still feeling like it all was too much.  I haven't really felt that way so thoroughly since the husband has been gone.  I didn't get to run until about 4pm.  The first three miles had me thinking that this would have to be a very low mileage week.  Then the endorphins must have finally kicked in because the last two miles my attitude started going up.  Ever since the run life has felt much more doable.  I guess sometimes I just need some good exercise to work out the negativity.  Thank goodness for running.

This was a sunshiny gorgeous day.  I didn't get out until the afternoon and I think that was a good thing for me.  The snow from the beginning of December was actually melting and the smell of grass drinking enough water that it was turning green at the tips was stronger than the smell of the inversion.  I still felt pretty tired, but good enough to turn a 7 mile run into an 8 mile run.

An easy four miles while my sister-in-law spoiled my kids.  I have the sweetest sisters and sister-in-laws with the funnest toys at their houses and endless food for my two year old hollow-legged child to request.  I think this week is going to be an easy, low-mileage week afterall.  There isn't much chance of me running any races between now and the middle of June so I'm trying to relax my expectations for myself and just enjoy the feeling of running - I do it for enjoyment after all, not because I'm a speed demon headed for glory.  That's something to remember.

Four miles on my sister's new used treadmill that she and her husband picked up for 100 bucks. I stayed over at her house last night and got on the treadmill after all the kids were asleep. I'm almost tempted to get a cheapy myself for the convenience - but, oh, a treadmill. Running on a treadmill gives a girl absolutely no Vit. D pick-me-up. I don't know...we'll see.

A nice easy run with some good Vit. D gathering.  Things are looking pretty good for my husband getting here by Monday or Tuesday.  I can't believe its really going to happen.  That's one of the things that occupied my brain for the 6 miles.  I like it when my brain is well occupied on a run.

8:22 pace.  Next week I'm going back to working hard.  I just got a call from my husband.  He'll be landing in the U.S. 8am on Mon.  Then he'll see what flight he can jump on to get to our airport.  I'll have no stress child-watch for two weeks - in fact I think my child-watcher has been waiting anxiously for 5 1/2 months for the job. 

My goal is to move up my mileage to 40 a week with two speed/strength work-outs and to find a teenager from church to use as a babysitter to take some of the burden off of family.

5 miles, easy pace at 8:05.  Life is good!

8:27/mi. 1 1/2 mi. warm up

5 mile tempo at 6:53/mi.

7:53/mi cool down 1 1/2 mi.

All done on a treadmill.  Thursday I plan on making myself hit a speed NOT using the treadmill.

I'm playing catch-up here.  I think I ran about an 8:10.  Felt good - especially knowing my kids were happy at home while I was running.

2 mile warm-up, 2 mile cool-down

6 X 400m hills - hard up, easy down

I had trouble with my watch.  I was always so relieved to get to the top that I'd forget to hit the lap button.  Oh well - I'll try to keep my head about me next time.  I felt like I was working hard, but will probably do 8 X 400 next time.

8:20 I think or somewhere about there.  I ran up around BYU and it was fantastic.  My husband brought home his ipod or whatever it is and so I listened to music the whole run.  It was Rascal Flats for those of you who are wondering.  We've been sent to lots of smaller towns to live in in the last 5 years of our marriage so I'm a bit of a country fan these days.  I'm trying not to be too embarrassed about it (:  Anyhow my legs felt great and I'm hoping for an 18 mile run this next weekend.

OK.  I love my God, my husband, my kids and St. George, UT.  We're here vacationing for the week and I can't stop praising the place.  I'm out in the sun on the back porch listening to my little boy laughing in the swimming pool playing with his Dad.  Does life get any better?????  I can look up and see Green Valley Gap, snow covered mountains and red rock.  No, life does not get any better.  I'm ready to go home, load up the moving van and set up house down here.  It is SOOOOO wonderful.  If only the place came with a running babysitter I think I'd spend the rest of the year my husband will be away right here in this bastion of warmness.

I'm going to have to figure out some running routes though.  This morning I kind of wove here and there trying to find something I liked but it was either roads that were too busy so I felt like I was eating exhaust or dirt roads that led into a remoteness that I don't do anymore now that I'm married and have kids.  I have to keep living and all...can't afford to be kidnapped....who would get the kids their chocolate milk?  I'll try to do some good looking around today - I'll try hard to avoid the temptation of using the treadmill to do my mile repeats tomorrow.

1 1/4 mile warm-up, 1 1/4 mile cool-down

6x1 mile with 1/4 mile in between

 odd miles down-hill, even miles up-hill

6:44, 6:55, 6:35, 7:01, 6:37, 7:00

Not as consistent as I'd like even with the up-hill/down-hill factored in.  But it was a speed work-out not on the treadmill.  I feel good about that.

Just an easy run.  The final half-mile to our condo is pretty doggone steep and my legs felt it after getting worn-out yesterday.

Here is another thing I love about St. George - all the folks I see out biking, running and walking.  This town is motivated and it seems like they appreciate their scenery.  If a place like this is going to exist and I don't get to live here, at least I can know there are people treating it like it should be treated.

1 mile warm-up, 1 mile cool-down

1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1 minutes hard with 1 minute easy in-between.

6:31, 6:24, 6:40, 6:37, 6:49, 6:41, 6:34, 6:16

Again, it was the final hill up to the condo that really kicked my trash.  I didn't feel very excited this morning about moving, but after the first interval, things got better.

I had fun watching my little boy climbing up and over rocks with a big smile on his face - although I really had to work against the Mom in me that kept saying, "be careful," "careful, ok?"  I know I didn't work hard enough against it though because my daughter parroted me on most of our hike today.

8:02 avg.  My legs felt good but I was surprised to see my pace stay up as I went along.  It felt slower to me than it was, but I'll take it. 

Five easy miles and then it was off to absolutely maximize every minute left with the husband.

I'm not sure the pace on the 8 miles but it was at a good clip.  I wish I knew, but I'm counting it as maybe a 6 mile tempo run.  After the first couple of miles I realized I was really buzzing along to get back to my sister's.  Her two kids were going to a friend's house so it would have been just her home alone if it weren't for the fact that my three kids were breathing in her face.  I got back just as her boys were getting ready to go to their friends so she should have had a relaxing, quiet home to herself, but then I started talking...and talking...and talking.  And she did what she does well as a sister and listened to me and told me I was ok and right.  I like that in a sister.

So the husband went back to work again for the next six months.  We had the best 15 days ever with him while he was here.  It really was a happy, easy, wonderful, idyllic little time for us.  Now I get to count down to him being home for a good long time and hopefully we never have to do another year where we only get to hold hands for fifteen days of it again.

I was hoping for higher mileage, but I couldn't get out to my sister's in time what with the unexpected's that kids and husband's checking in by phone can throw at a gal.  This week has been completely off kilter.

16 at 8:09 or something like that.  It felt pretty good although I did realize at the last few miles that I was getting a little whoozy.  When I got back to my sister's house she needed to run to her older son's school to do their valentines party so I said I could watch her little boy along with my kids while she was gone.  And then, whammo, I got hit by dizziness and nausea that about had me on the floor.  She rushed and got me a glass of water and after drinking a couple of glasses I started to come around.  I got a few bites of a sandwich down which seemed to hurt more than it helped at first, but as soon as my body got the energy all transposed like it needed to be I was much better.  I really, really, really need to remember to take water and a little pick-me-up on these long runs.  I know I have a camelback somewhere around here - or in our storage.  I'm really afraid it is in our storage which means it is lost until September or October and I have a lot more nausea to go through.

It was such a lame week of running.  I just didn't find the time or babysitters to run.  The babysitting thing is getting tough.  I might have to join a gym but I'm not sure how my kids would like the daycare.  I'm going to go a couple more weeks post-husband being home to see what goals are really practical for me.

2 mile warm-up and cool-down, 6x400 hills - hard up, easy down

I totally messed up using my watch today.  I forgot to start it again after a light.  I realized my mistake when I got close to the hill where I was going to do my workout.  I started the watch for a quarter mile and then paused it to stretch right before the hill.  I thought the beep sounded unusual when I pushed the lap button after every rep, but I'm really not one to get too worried about unusual things.  It wasn't until the fifth repeat that I figured out I'd never restarted my watch.  Darn.  Oh well - it would have been slower times anyway.  I wasn't really feelin' it.  But it felt good to at least be pushing myself.

5 easy miles.  I think I want to do the Rex E. Lee 10k that's coming up in March.  I'll have to see if I can find a babysitter.  I'd be interested to see where I'm at.

1.5 mile warm-up, 1.5 mile cool-down, 6x1 mile with slow 1/4 mile between

6:46, 6:32, 6:46, 6:46, 6:48, 6:18

So these times seem totally weird to me.  The odd miles were uphill and the even miles were downhill.  I wasn't ending up at the same spot everytime so my watch must have been off a little bit - probably by enough to make a 10 to 15 second difference - I just don't know in which direction or on what repeats.  Anyhow - I worked hard and I guess that is what is important.  This workout completely inimidates the HECK out of me.  I'm always so proud of myself when it is over.  I was thinking as I was running home that maybe in a month or so I should do 8 repeats.  I wish I wouldn't have had that thought because I tend to follow through on that sort of a thing and I really don't want to.

So the babysitting thing continues to be a struggle.  Talking to my husband tonight I realized that I need to let go of being as ambitious about my training as I was on the last marathon.  Last marathon he was home and able to give me an hour-and-a-half a day when he'd be home from PT and getting ready for work to run in.  And then I could wake up early on Saturdays and get half my run in before anyone else woke up so we didn't have to sacrifice too much of our Saturdays to long runs.  So I hit every workout exactly like I wanted to - well, every workout but one - with little to no stress on anyone.  This time I'm missing things right and left and I'm more fatigued at finding a babysitter than I am at running.  Quite frankly I'm the type of person that would rather NEVER ask anyone to do anything for me - one of my many personality flaws.  So this is just killing me to do it on a daily basis.  The fact that I've asked for help consistently for the last 5 months alone is testimony of how much I love to run.  But I can't keep it up - its getting too stressful and I'm putting the stress onto other people.  So from this day forward I'm going to keep training, but I'm committed to being flexible about what I can do and what I can't.  If I'm not getting enough miles in by the time June comes around, I might switch to the half-marathon, or even the 5K if it comes to that, from the marathon.  And I'm promising myself right now that I'm not going to be disappointed.  I think for this "in-between-pregnancys" I'm going to just make sure I stay healthy and in shape.  I'll see what the future brings.  Maybe someday things will gel like they did when we lived in Arizona - life always has its times and seasons.

Fewf, I'm glad to get that off my cheast.  Now for some sleep.

7 miles at something like 7:50.  It was kind of a blah day on the legs - but I couldn't be more grateful that I was able to get a run in.  It was a little snowy today but the temps stayed in the 30s so I'm not too scared of a return to the deep dark winter that was December and January.  Every once in a while in the last couple of weeks I've smelled spring creeping out of the grass.  I know I'm being a little premature - like I'm getting ready for Christmas before my kids have even gone trick-or-treating - but its just so dang exciting.  There are even some daffodil shoots poking out of my sister-in-laws garden.  I love daffodils.  It makes me a might bit giddy.

I got in over 40 miles this week which I'm happy about.  I'd love to get a long run in next week if it is possible.  My parents will be in town so it might happen.  Well gotta go - my 2 year old is asking for her 4th helping of chili.  The girl takes after her Mom - she can really pound the food.

I did a 2 mile warm-up and cool-down with a 4 mile tempo run at 6:58.  I'm hoping to be able to speed that up some in the next few months, but we'll see.  The first mile-and-a-half were uphill into a freezing wind so they were slow, but after that I really can't think of any excuses, dang it.  It felt good to push myself today.  Whenever I have a speed work-out planned I try to think of ways to get out of it just before it happens - its always nice to conquer that feeling of not wanting to work hard.

My garmin was taking forever to find satellites so I took advantage of it being an easy day and left the watch at home.  I love that "who cares what my time is" type of feeling.  It wasn't a warm day but there was blue sky and lots of sun.  My body gulped down the Vitamin D like it was chocolate milk.  It was fantastic.

2 mile warm-up, 1.5 mile cool-down, 1x2x3x4x5x6x5x4x3x2x1 minutes - I'm worn out just typing that.  I ran a minute easy between each interval.  Times were: 6:32, 6:37, 6:55, 6:41, 6:24, 6:23, 6:39, 6:57, 6:34, 6:44, 6:50.

I definately worked harder for the first half and faded in the second half of the work-out.  And then the big difference in the times can be accounted for on whether I was going uphill or downhill.  I did this run out at my sister's were flat land DOES NOT exist.  It's good for me.  The only part of this work-out that I'm disappointed in is my last minute.  I did turn up-hill to do it, but I think I forgot what I was about or how short a minute is because I never really started working and then all of a sudden it was over.  It really surprised me. 

When I started out today I was running agaist a wind that was rude enough to blow snow into my face.  My eyes started stinging after 1 1/2 miles and I thought I was going to have to bag the work-out for the day.  Maybe I was hoping that I had my excuse.  But I pushed through it, and as usual, I'm glad I did.  After the first 2 minute interval I turned out of the direct wind and then by the time I had to turn into the wind again it had died down or my eyes had toughened up.  Who would guess that running could lead to having tougher eyes.  I'll take it.

Just a nice easy run today.  I felt a little tired from yesterday's effort so it was nice to just relax.  My parents will be out here tomorrow so they'll be able to watch my kids on Saturday during my long run.  I'm excited to be able to get a long run in again.

5 easy miles.  I feel a little tight at my hips.  I have to start stretching consistently before I injure myself. 

There is something about coming home to a baby that is crying for me after a long run that helps me to realize I'm not that tired and I'm ready to get on with life.  My watch was all out of power when I started it this morning.  Luckily I ran 16 miles out at my sister's just a couple weeks ago so I remembered the turn around spots.  Also I got lucky on my potty spot today - I ran by a church where the Saturday cleaning was going on - I was able to sneak in in the nick of time.  Sometimes life is so good.

My hips are pretty tight.  I'm going to watch the BYU basketball game with my kids and get some good stretching in now.

I was going to do a speed work-out today but I knew it wasn't going to happen when I was struggling to go up a hill just to get to where I was going to be doing some hill repeats.  I've had sick kids and not much sleep plus last week I went a few more miles than I'm used to.  Anyhow - a nice easy 6 miles felt great.

I got the work-out in that I was going to do yesterday.  2 mile warm-up and cool-down, 2x800 with a 400 easy in between, then 4x400 hills, then another 2x800. 

3:06, 3:14 on the first 800's - the first being slightly downhill and then I came back up

2:05, 2:03, 2:06, 2:07 on the hills

3:08, 3:15 on the second 800s

Wow.  Pretty darned consistent for me.  Somehow I was able to get an extra half mile out of all of this.  I know my hill isn't a quarter mile perfectly and I tacked on just a smidgen on the last two miles.  

The kids are still sick, oh how I long for sleep.

I went running in shorts today.  I can't remember the last time I ran in shorts.  It was awesome.

2 mile warm-up, 1 1/2 mile cool-down, 6x1 mile with 1/4 mile slow between.

6:40, 6:17, 6:43, 6:14, 6:50, 6:21

The odds were uphill, the evens were downhill as usual.  The easiest place to run a mile without worrying about stop-lights is up (and down) the canyon.  I really wasn't feeling it on my warm-up today but I'm good with how things turned out in the end.  I was really worn out on the last two and just told myself to get under 7 minutes on the uphill and 6:30 on the downhill.  I guess if I average it all out I'd be around a 6:35.

It was beautiful and warm this morning (although its snowing hard now) so lots of folks were exercising in the canyon.  I got lots of people cheering me on as they saw me with my I'm-hurting-eyes as I went up and down.  I love people.  They're nice.

So today I made my kids sacrifice for my determination to run.  I had my niece babysit them while I did my long run today.  My niece doesn't drive yet so I had to drive 20 minutes to pick her up and 20 minutes to get her back to our house.  My sister-in-law was having a baby shower at 11:30 this morning and she lives an hour away.  That meant I had to be out of the house by 6:45am this morning to get my niece - with three kids in tow  - three kids that were really wishing they were still in their warm beds.  A part of me felt like - ha! now you know what it feels like to get woken up when you don't want to wake up, welcome to my world!!! - but most of me felt really guilty that they were made uncomfortable because I'm so set on my running schedule - come rain or tears.  They ended up having a good time with their cousin - lots of movie watching, painting and eating pancakes so my guilt was assuaged in the end.  But hopefully we'll be able to keep it post-7:30am the next time I need a babysitter.

The run felt pretty good.  My legs were pretty tired by mile 14 or so, but I think that was a result of the mental game.  I usually get tired when I'm getting close but still not quite yet to the point of a run being almost done.  Oh the antics of the mind.  I ran a 7:52 pace today.  I didn't intend to go under 8 minutes but I guess that's what my legs wanted to do today.  So there you have it.

Easy miles today that felt good.  Another day of running in shorts.  I love being on the way out of winter.

Wow.  I felt awful today.  I was going to do 800s but decided to do it tomorrow.  This one is mostly my fault - I stayed up past midnight, accidentally, working on a project I enjoy.  Discipline!!!

2 mile warm-up, 2 mile cool-down

2x400, 6x800, 2x400 with .15 rest between 400's and .25 rest between 800s

My Garmin said it was all out of power when I put it on this morning.  I swear I charged it yesterday.  Hopefully nothing is wrong.  Anyway, I have no other watch in my life outside of the Garmin so I went by feel today.  It felt like I did some good work.  I'm doing a 10k this weekend and I'm hoping to figure out what pace I should be doing all of these work-outs at - what a realistic goal marathon time might be.  I'm kinda scared.  Races really scare me.  That's why I usually only do them once every couple of years - well that and because I'm always pregnant.

Just some easy miles again.  I haven't done well on sleep lately and I'm really feeling it on my runs.  I'm determined to get myself to sleep not long after the kids go to bed tonight and tomorrow night so I can feel alive and energetic for Saturday.

A really easy, pleasant day today.  I found out my marathon plans might be foiled, but I think I'll still be able to do a half.  I'll keep training like I'm doing the marathon until I know for sure.

So I did a 10K today that was actually 5.7 miles.  It's one thing to be .05 off on a course, but .5??????  Holy cow.  I was pretty disappointed.  And at the end a 5K ended with the 10K and they only had the 5K time showing so I have no idea what I run a 5.7 mile in let alone a 10K.  Yeah.  I'm frustrated.  I'll have to wait until they get the results up on the web site and then I'll just see what my pace was so I can figure out how I want to train for the marathon and what I can expect out of myself.  I had my garmin in my car and just forgot to put it on after I dropped my kids off at my sister-in-law's.  I sure wish I would have worn it.  I found out the course was short from about 5 different upset runners who didn't forget their garmins.  For the first half of a mile I think I might have passed or been passed by a runner, but after that things didn't change until the last mile where I passed three or four guys.  I saw two girls running in front of me the whole race, but I just didn't have the confidence to go after them.  It made me think I should run more races.  Maybe after I finish up this whole "having a family" thing I'll do that.

On a positive note, my mother-in-law, who is really going for best mother-in-law of all time, came to my race.  She was standing on a corner about 4 1/2 miles in cheering me on.  I was touched and motivated to see her there in her big, fluffy coat.  She told me that when I ran by she turned to a lady that was close by and said, "That is my daughter-in-law.  She has three little kids."  She was just bursting with pride.  It made me giggle in my heart - there's nothing too special about my running or my situation but its nice to have a Mom's pride in my life (:

I just did some easy miles today.  Yesterday and slightly today I could feel a little soreness in my quads in the front.  My husband thinks that's from the downhill.  Looks like I'll need to add more downhill running into my workouts.  In another month or so I'll feel safe running up the canyon by myself - it just needs to get a little bit busier up there - and I'll try to push the pace when I come down.

So I looked at the results from Saturday's 9K and by doing the math I figured if I'd continued on pace I would have run a 39:52.  So most likely I would have slowed down a little bit and maybe been just over 40 minutes.  Hey - that is pretty darn good for this gal.  I've only run one other 10K and I think it was somewhere around 44 minutes. 

The next race will be a half-marathon, either at Thanksgiving Point in April or the Provo half-marathon at the beginning of May.  It all depends on how things shake out in my life over the next few weeks.

2 mile warm-up, 2 mile cool-down

2x800, 4x400 hills, 2x800

? (pushed wrong button), 3:16, 2:02, 2:00, 2:03, 2:05, 3:00, 3:14

Ok, so I'm still feeling a little tight in the quads and a little worn out from the race.  I thought I was fine over the weekend but my running has been really lethargic this week.  I noticed especially when I went downhill that my legs didn't feel quite right.  Since the Utah Valley marathon will be lots of downhill I think my next hill workout I'll go hard up and down hill and then do a flat quarter mile recovery.  Plus - I NEED SLEEP!  There is plenty that is keeping me busy, but I'm also just taking a half-hour or hour at night to do nothing.  I think it would be better to do nothing with my eyes closed instead of cruising around the internet doing nothing.

Easy miles today that felt very blah.  Hopefully I have the oomph for another speed work-out tomorrow.  I'm still not positive about what I'll be doing.  I'm going back and forth between mile repeats or a tempo/MP run.  I'm starting to think it might be good to dial in the MP pace.  That means tonight I need to commit to a goal time for this marathon - scary.

My garmin mishaps are starting to get ridiculous.  Today I turned my garmin on at my sister's only to see it was out of batteries.  So I just ran a course where I knew distances and repeated certain sections because I knew exactly how far they were - and judged my speed by how it felt.  I did a 1 mile warm-up, 2 miles MP (supposedly), 1/2 easy, 3 miles tempo (maybe), 1/2 mile easy, and then a final mile at MP (hmmmm...yeah, they all kinda felt the same - not comfortable).  I finished with a couple of miles cool-down.  As of before I started the run I was going to do 2 more miles at the end, not just 1 mile, but I WAS NOT feeling it today.  Maybe this is just the way I feel when I train though and I need to adjust and work through it mentally.  Anyway - tomorrow I'm taking a rest day and then I'll do 16 miles on Saturday.  The plan is to really take those 16 easy and hopefully feel more fresh next week.

It was nice to take yesterday off.  I think my body really appreciated it.  I was going to go 16 today, but my babysitter cancelled because she got the stomach flu so I had to call on my sister last minute.  I was grateful just to get the 14 in.  It was in the evening on a cool but sunny day - life felt awfully good.  My pace was 7:54.  I'm really hoping to feel better this next week.

Easy miles.  I spend most of my time dreaming about the house we're buying in KY.  It makes it feel like my husband is even closer than 5 months away. 

1.75 mile warm-up, 1.75 mile cool-down, 6x1 mile with .25 slow between

I'm not sure exactly what my times were as it was another day of pushing the start/stop button instead of the lap button.  I don't know why I can't get myself to focus enough to work this extraordinarily simple watch.  I am pretty sure that most of my times were between 6:50 and 7:10.  wow.  slow.  Or slower than they have been at least.  I felt that in the turn-over in my legs.  I was working hard but I wasn't really moving.  I don't know if I've worn myself out or if this is just part of progressing.  I've got a long time before the marathon so I'll keep working hard and see what happens.  Hopefully all this hard work doesn't just make me slower (:

Just another easy day.  My MIL has been coming at 8:30 to watch the kids while I run.  It makes for a frantic pace of dressing, feeding and making beds and getting myself ready before she appears.  I feel like I'm getting two work-outs in one.  I love the earlier time - I can't wait to run pre-7 am again when the husband returns.

3 mile warm-up and cool-down, 4 miles at 6:43.  The 4 miles were pretty much falling downhill.  I'm still a little low on the oomph.

7:54 pace.  I was able to go up the canyon today which was a nice change for me.  I was getting pretty done with the routes I've been running lately to get the longer miles.  Its funny how when I know I'm running long, all of a sudden at mile 5 or 6 my hips and knees seem achy.  I swear if I was only running 7 or 8 miles instead of 18 I wouldn't even notice my hips and knees - but when I go long I start getting myself all concerned.  Oh the mind.  My legs were pretty tired by the time I was all done.  I got in the car right afterward to take my niece home from watching the kids and felt pretty stiff by the time I got back.  But a few hours of chasing around with kids and my legs are feeling just fine.  Kids are a great way to get over a run.

I went to the gym to get these miles in.  I've been avoiding it because I didn't know what my kids would think of me putting them in childcare for an hour.  Throughout the run I was looking over my shoulder, sure that one of the girls that was tending the kids would be hunting me down to change a diaper, discipline a child who was hitting or comfort one who was crying.  But I was able to do my 7 miles and found the kids as happy as could be afterward.  My son couldn't get over how many dinosaurs they had to play with.  Its nice to know that when I can't find anybody to watch the kids the gym is a viable option.

2 mile warm-up, 2 mile cool-down, 6x800 with 400 up a steep hill and 400 back down, then 2x800 gently sloping down for the first 800 then back up for the second 800.  I only kept my time on the last two 800s.  I think it was 3:10, 3:21.

The downhill was a challenge in a different way than I expected.  I thought keeping up intensity after going up my quarter mile hill would just wear my lungs out.  But my real problem was getting my legs to turn over fast enough so that I could feel like my heart and lungs were still working.  On the third or fourth downhill I tried to give myself a rhythm for my legs by saying "turn, turn, turn" at the pace I wanted to plant my feet.  I think I'll work on that even harder the next time I do the workout.  I'm guessing I should also try to start throwing in some 100 meter pick-ups on easy days to teach my legs how to roll-over too.  Things to do, things to do.

The only thing better than running in enormous snowflakes in the spring is hiking in them.  But I'll take the easy run I went on today and smile about it.  When I stop worrying about whether or not I'm making my running goals I remember that a lot of the reason I run is just to enjoy being outside and moving.  I'm so glad I got that today (especially since I'll be on the treadmill again tomorrow.)

All on the treadmill.  1 mile warm-up and cool-down.  Two miles at 7:05, three miles at 6:40.

4 easy miles just to catch up from not being able to do as many on Thur. as I would have liked.

7:53 pace.  I ran a different route than usual and it was nice to see some new scenery - it made things pass by faster.  My legs felt pretty darn good at the end of it.  I found that it actually helped my joints to run a little faster at the end.  I guess the plodding can get to your body.

Easy miles today.  The wind wasn't blowing this morning so the coolness was pleasant.  I'm still looking forward to warmer days though.  I can't wait to get back to the park and my boy is begging to go to the zoo.  Lots to look forward to...if I could just believe it was coming.

1.75 warm-up and cool-down, 6x1mile with 1/4 mile slow between

?, 6:38, 6:55, 6:38, 6:49, 6:31

I forgot to push my lap button on the first repeat.  I'm running this a good fifteen seconds slower then I was a month and a half ago.  Back then I was running it faster at the beginning and then slowing down - now I'm doing the opposite.  The only real worry I have is that I might not be running as hard as I should.  After having done the workout a couple of times in the past, it really started to scare me.  Hopefully I'll get to that zen middle point in the next few times I do the workout.

I ran the same roads but in a little different direction just to beat the boredom - it was an easy run.  I think 7 months is the longest I've ever run in a row - especially from the same location.  I'm excited that I still have another couple months left in this stint.  My daughter has a doctor's appointment tomorrow that will helpfully shed light on what my time schedule and possibility of running a marathon this summer will be.  Hopefully everything goes just like I want it to.

I'm playing catch-up here.  1.5 mile warm-up and cool-down, 4 mile tempo at 6:43, more down-hill than up-hill.  Still I think my first mile was significantly the slowest and it was downhill.  I'm certainly playing it cautious these days.

Went to my daughter's Dr.'s appointment.  No surgery this summer.  That leaves the moving to KY schedule open.  My head is running in a thousand different directions on when and how to move.  I'm not sure yet how the provo marathon will pan out.  I'm definitely in a "wish I could do everything" mode of mind right now.

I was sure that the marathon was out on this workout so I shammed and ran 16 instead of 18.  I sure wish I had run 18.  I'll remember that from now on - a good learning experience.  This Saturday is 20 regardless.  Hopefully I won't kill my legs too bad.  And I've just got to get me an ipod that works to soothe the pain.  I have an old one of my sister-in-law's that lasts for about 20 minutes after it gets fully charged.  Such a bummer.

Easy, pleasant miles - probably most pleasant because I ran by a steep hill covered in daffodils.  The port-o-potty that has saved me on many a run will be gone from the house it has been sitting in front of soon.  It looks like the reconstruction effort is done.  Beautiful house - don't know what I'll do without the potty.  Could I knock on someone's door?  Has anybody ever?  I don't think my guts or my desperation could ever really pull it off.

1.5 mile warm-up and cool-down.  5 mile tempo run at 6:39, 1% incline

I took my ipod with me to the gym.  My ipod - my six year old ipod that I got for free from my SIL when she didn't want it anymore that has seven, yes a grand total of seven, songs on it - doesn't take a charge very well.  So on the rare occasion that I use it, I fully charge it, I go out for a run, and wait to see how many miles I get to do with music.  It can be anywhere from 2 to 16.  But its unpredictable.  It feels kind of like playing pop-goes-the-weasel.  I'm always cringing in anticipation of a sudden unwelcoming, demotivating silence.  My plan to beat the demotivating power-down today was to wait to use my ipod until after I was finished with my warm-up and then just pray that it would take me through at least four miles of tempo pain.  By the time I was near the end of the tempo portion I don't know what had me more on edge - whether I'd make it the final half mile or if my ipod would.  Well we both made it to the end which gave me renewed hope in us.  I needed it.

Anyhow - so I bring up the ipod for a reason.  When I use a treadmill and I use the ipod I can go for 5 miles at a 6:39 pace.  Minus the ipod and the treadmill I'm guessing it would have been around 6:45 to 6:50.  So am I just cheating myself by using these crutches or do you think it actually is helpful because I'm making myself go faster than I otherwise would?  I just can't decide myself.

All in shorts.  Keep bringin' on the sun.

2 mile warm-up, cool-down

6x800 hills (400 up, 400 down)

 2x800 (slightly down #1, then back up #2)

 3:45, 3:38, 3:43, 3:47, 3:40, 3:42

3:03, 3:16

Spry would not be the word to describe how I felt warming up.  I had to take my ipod off after the warm-up because I needed focus to overcome the blahs.  When I ran the repeats I felt good - the in-between 400s felt like junk in my muscles and joints.  Kinda crazy.

7:43 pace.  I never feel like I choose the pace on these long runs, the pace always chooses me.  I ran in the afternoon today - it was 75 degrees.  After the longest winter ever - oh that's a lie, I've lived in Northern New York, still I enjoy the hyperbole, so - after the longest winter ever 75 degrees felt pretty darn hot...and I liked it.

Now I am tired through and through.  Here's hoping all the kids feel like sleeping through the night.

Wow - yeah, a little sore from Saturday still.  Hopefully I was able to work most of the stiffness out today since tomorrow is the 6X1 mile workout.  I can hardly think about it - scary.

1.75 mile warm-up and cool-down, 6x1 mile with quarter mile easy between

6:56, 6:13, 6:40, 6:15, 6:43, 6:18

So getting started was a bit tough.  But I was disappointed enough by the first mile to get myself moving after that.  I'm always glad when this work-out is over.  I'll probably only do it two more times before I run the marathon.  If I run the marathon, that is - if somehow I can manage to not be in Kentucky when the starting gun goes off in Provo. 

Wow.  I'm still really sore.  I ran at an 8:30 pace because my legs felt so awkward.  I'm not sure what I'll be ready for tomorrow.  I'm not sure if I should push through this or not. 

I ran by a house today and the backyard was on fire.  There was already a man knocking on the door of the house to inform the residents.  An old lady in a robe answered the door looking pretty confused.  The fire trucks were there by the time I passed again and the backyard burning was out.  There's something I haven't seen on a run before.

Legs still not feeling great - things especially bad in the groin area.  Busy, busy, busy weekend coming up.

8 miles in the heartland.  I ran from our new house in KY - beautiful, green and plenty of cows.  I'm excited. The only problem with a rural road is that  although 95% of the time you see no cars - the 5% of the time that you do, they are going 65 miles down a road barely wide enough for two cars to pass and hills and turns are frequent.  Hopefully I won't die.

1.5 warm-up and cool down, 5 mile tempo at 6:45.  All on the TM.

 I worked hard painting and cleaning and getting utilities etc. set up along with having to do the whole closing thing while I was in KY (Sunday to Wed.).  My friend that I was staying with lived 30 minutes from my house.  I got about 5 hours of sleep a night and didn't even take the time to eat too much.  And there is still TONS to do on our little 1250 s.f. house.  Yeah - the running just didn't get prioritized after Monday.  My husband told me to just count it as a rest week - especially since my legs still don't feel quite right.

I barely got to the gym in time to do this what with not wanting to leave my kids again after they'd already been through 3 days without me.  I went to the gym after they fell asleep.  This run was confidence building.  The 6:45 pace didn't feel too hard.  I kept it a little slower to protect my recovering legs.  It bothers me that I haven't done much speed work over the last couple of weeks - but I'm trying to let it go.

The darned wind.  Oh the darned wind.  It was blowing out at my sister's.  It was great for the first few miles because it blew me out, then I turned around for the next 5 miles and had my work cut out for me.  I kept reminding myself that I became a stronger runner when we were living in AZ and I'm pretty sure its because I was constantly fighting wind.  Its kind of like how swimmers wear that second swimsuit.

My legs felt awful for the first four miles or so and then the awkward feeling faded away.  I'm grateful that this temper tantrum my legs are throwing right now is happening now and not two weeks before the marathon.  I really think (hope) (pray) (desperately desire) that it will go away soon.

So the Garmin watch didn't come back with me from KY.  It wasn't in my backpack or in my laptop case.  Arrggghhhh!  I had a good idea of a way to make 22 miles - I think I actually did 22.2 which looks cooler, but I don't know what my time was.  I'm one of those odd individuals who has no watch but the Garmin.  It felt like my typical 7:50 pace. 

When I trained for my last marathon the 22 mile run I did absolutely hammered me.  I was a mess.  I didn't feel like a mess today and that was totally encouraging.  Not that it was like laying on a hammock drinking strawberry lemonade, but I felt like I could have kept going when it all came to an end.

My husband has talked me into putting the move to KY off until I've run the marathon.  I've worked hard to this point, I want to have another kid soon which puts off any other marathon for a year or two, and heck, I'm already signed up.  So I'm trying to figure out what I can realistically expect out of myself in a month and a half and I'm thinking a 3:10 could be in the works - just maybe, perhaps, possibly.  Yeah, I don't even like to say that out loud. 

A TM day.  Blah.  I was looking at the distance every .1 miles after just .5 miles.  I tried to get myself thinking about the house and what I'd like to do inside and outside but I had already been thinking those thoughts all day making them too stale to entice my mind away.  I probably need to start memorizing something - like presidents or the battles of the Napoleonic Wars or something that takes lots of power of recall.  Maybe that would make the time pass.  Anyhow - I think it was probably a 7:50 pace or something.  I bounced the pace around a little bit just to divert myself.  I'm feeling a bit sore in all the same places that I have over the last couple of weeks.  I'll try to stretch out well tonight.

Without a watch this is all guesses, but I think I went close to 10 today.  I ran from my sister-in-law's house so I'm not as sure on mileage from there.  My legs still feel pretty junky today.  It was hard to make myself want to do anything, but when I hit my 1 mile repeat start I told myself to just take my pace up a little bit.  I usually stop to stretch and get mentally ready when I do my 1 mile repeats, but it was best just to run through this morning.  By the second mile repeat I was much more focused and felt like I was challenging myself.  I just did 4x1 mile today.  I considered tagging on a couple of 800s but my legs were really done. 

Through my whole warm-up I was in negative thought mode what with my legs feeling bad and knowing that there was serious flooding in the area where Dan and I just bought a house that I am currently fifteen hundred miles away from.  But doing those mile repeats really put me in a better place.  I came up with a plan of what I need to do and life feels more sunshiny.  Man, I don't enjoy those plunges of despair.  Thank goodness for running.

I had a meeting regarding our move up at Hill Air Force Base this morning so I left the kids with family and went up.  The meeting lasted all of 10 minutes so after that I decided to do a run.  It was nice to be running somewhere new - even though it was pretty homely surroundings.  My husband is guessing that my leg problems are coming from having shoes that are too old...and full of holes...and stinky.  So I put some shoes on that I didn't use as thoroughly as I have used these for my run today.  I noticed the cushiony difference.  I think I'm going to have to find a way to get myself to a shoe store and hope for some good behavior from my groupies - they follow me everywhere.

I drove out to Colorado yesterday for one last visit with my parents before they head to Europe for the year.  My Dad took a temporary job out there that will give them quite the bang for their working-life finale.  Pretty exciting, huh?  I had all sorts of plans of going to visit them and touring all over the continent myself - and then I remembered I had three kids - not one of them is four yet.  I would have loved you well Europe.  I promise.

1 1/2 mile warm-up and cool-down, 5 mile tempo run.  Still no watch but I imagine I was somewhere in the 6:45-50s.  I started out pretty hard and faded at the end - and by end I definitely mean from the mid-way mark on.  It was nice to know what too hard feels like.

I was hoping to do a 20 mile run tomorrow but my sister who lives in Colorado called tonight on her way to the ER possibly for surgery.  My parents went up to stay with her kids tonight.  That leaves me babysitter-less for tomorrow.  Am I concerned for my sister?  YES!  And yet I feel bad for me...pathetic.  Oh obsession.

My sister ended up being ok.  I got my run in Saturday afternoon.  I did a point-to-point run instead of a loop.  It was a gradual gain in elevation which my legs more than my eyes could bear testimony to.  I also didn't find water along my route until the 16 mile mark.  That just about killed me.  It was the most painful run of this training cycle.  It was good for me mentally to have pushed through to the end, but, wow...next time I'll be a better girl scout and get myself prepared.

I have been surprised at how little I can feel the run I did on Saturday.  There was some slight soreness that I felt for the first half mile but it got worked out quickly.  Thank goodness.  I was afraid I'd be too laid up to work hard this week.

The first half of this run was against the wind and uphill.  That's just the way I like a run.  That way I can finish rolling downhill, getting hustled forward by the wind, and feeling like the fastest person in the world.  I love a peaceful, happy feeling.

2.15 warm-up, 1.9 cool-down, 1mile - 2x800 - 4x400 - 2x800 - 1mile, .25 between each

So the idea of this one was to have some intervals where I ran faster than usual.  But I was sick.  I spent most of the time running for the nearest bathroom (which this fantastic trail has lots of!  love it!).  Also my legs felt mostly dead (which, on the sunny-side, is partly alive) most of the time.  This was another workout that I was just glad to make it through.

Easy miles done in the morning.  I tried to sneak out without waking my kids up this morning.  My baby woke up at 4:30am and then again at 5:15am so I decided to just get up instead of waiting for my 5:45 alarm.  I was all ready to go run when my alarm that I forgot to turn off went off downstairs with the kids.  My oldest and my baby woke right up and weren't about to go back to sleep again.  Luckily my parents are troopers and really good at turning on a movie so the boys were ok, I was able to run, and my parents still made it to work on time.

It was another dead-leg day.  Its starting to get a little old.  I still want to do a long run again on Saturday, but I might make it my last before the marathon that will be 4 weeks later.  I'm kind of nervous to cut it off so early - but since my legs just aren't healthy I'm probably going to have to do it.

1.5 mile warm-up, cool-down, 3 mile tempo

My legs were doing better.  I wasn't really excited about running fast until I was 2 miles into my tempo and I finally gave in to the fact that moving felt good.  It was another nice morning by the river - lots of morning birds - a whole load of pelicans were hanging out in a lake with crazy borders.  I liked it.

Things went much better this Saturday.  I made sure I had water all along the way - and whatayaknow - my body didn't seize up on me.  My testimony of water has made substantial gains in the last couple of weeks.

Easy miles in the late evening and I have to run in the early morning tomorrow.  Hopefully that all goes ok.  I was looking over how I trained for my last marathon earlier today to see how I did the taper.  And it completely made me freak out.  It looks like I trained much harder and better last time.   

Anyhow...I'm trying to stomp out the panic and focus on what I can do now.  I was going to start pulling back in my training this week and not do any more long runs but I've changed my mind.  I'm going to try to keep my miles up for a couple of more weeks.  We'll see how it goes and what my legs think.

2 mile warm-up and cool-down, 6x800 hills (400 up, 400 down) with 400 easy between.  2x800 flat with 400 between.

Again, without a watch I'm not positive about distances.  I think the hill might have been .3 up - but regardless I did somewhere between 10 and 11 I think.  My legs are feeling a little better all the time.  Going faster or working hard helps - as much as I dread doing either before the workout starts.  Speed/strength workouts are also helping me over a feeling of boredom that is starting to creep into my training too.

Nothing too exciting about this one.  Another day, another mile...or two.

1.5 mile warm-up and cool-down, 4x1 mile, 2x800.

It felt like it took me the whole 4x1 mile set to warm-up and then the 2x800 felt a little faster on my legs.  I'm a bit sore now that it has been a couple of hours.  I'll run 20 on Saturday and then I'll do the same speed work next week that I did this week with a lower Saturday run.  I'll use the last couple of weeks before the marathon to really bring miles down and hopefully I'll feel more quick in the legs.

I woke up early to having the runs instead of doing a run.  I wanted to do my last 20 miler but I was skunked.  It was a busy day with not a lot of flexibility to add a run later, but I did manage to sneak in 10.  Who knows, maybe its a good thing that I couldn't run 20 - maybe it was my bowels giving my legs just what they needed.

Windy, hilly miles - really took me back to AZ except I'm in a big city visiting my sister so there were lots more annoying stops for stop-lights.  One plus about the army - it mostly takes you to out-of-the-way places where stop-lights are kind of exotic.

2 1/2 mile warm-up and cool-down, 5 mile tempo

With my last two runs being significantly hilly, I figured I was good to let go of my hill workout and do a tempo run instead.  Next time I train for something I want to work on knowing my pace.

Just when I thought I was down to my last couple of weeks of training, my bro-in-law decides to lay down the challenge of a family half marathon in August.

1.75 warm-up and cool-down, 4x1 mile, 2x 800 with 400 rest between

There is a beautiful little spot along the trail I ran that some gardeners have put some elbow grease into.  They have different beds - some with flowers - some with vegetables, some with hills, some flat, some with little colorful bedsteads for plants with runners to cling to.  I have admired it on every run I've done the past few weeks and today I finally got to meet one of the gardeners.  I think all master gardeners must be friendly, down-to-earth folks.  To have enough patience to weed and dig and plant and replant - to know that nature unendingly has an another challenge for you - undoubtedly keeps a person humble.  Anyhow - it was the highlight of the day to talk to a nice lady who made something beautiful just because she could.

As far as the running goes - that was the last really scary speed work-out for me for the next couple of weeks.  Its nice to have it over with.

I think I did the miles too fast.  I didn't mean to except I saw a guy running ahead of me that I thought shouldn't be running faster than me, so then I had to pass him.  And then once I passed him I had to keep ahead of him.  When I told Dan about it he laughed to think the poor guy had no idea he had just been beaten. 

I've really got to start treating my body better this next couple of weeks so I have something to give at the marathon.  My goal is to stretch every night and to get to bed by 10pm.  Now I've said it publicly so I have to do it!

Easy miles done in the evening because that's when they could be done.  My 88 year old grandma had us over for lunch and games at the park today.  She had a whole box of fun things for the kids - her energy is phenomenal.  I want to be just like her some day.

1.5 warm up, 1.5 cool down.  4x400, 2x800, 4x400

My husband ordered a new Garmin for me.  I'm excited for it to come - it really would be helpful to know my times.  I had absolutely no desire to run today.  It might have been the windy, cloudy weather today or maybe just tired legs - but once I finished the workout I felt much healthier in my brain.  Less than two weeks to the marathon.

This was a few days ago.  I can hardly even remember if I did the miles from my house or from my sisters.  Wow - that's pretty sad.

2 mile warm-up and cool-down, 2 mile tempo (6:34, 6:49), 2X800 (3:04, 3:14), 2x400 (1:26, 1:32) with a quarter mile rest between each.  One direction was downhill with the wind and the other was the opposite of course.  My husband bought and sent me a new garmin watch.  He knew I was too cheap to get another one on my own.  I'm glad he did - it was nice to see where I'm at today.  I think I'm about at the same level I was for the last marathon I ran.  It would have been nice to feel faster, but I'll take what I've got.  I'm a little concerned still about my legs not being 100 percent so I'm not sure I'll even match the time on my last marathon.  We'll see what next Saturday brings.  My main goal is to feel good on the last 6 miles - to feel like I'm still racing and not just holding on.

I went up the canyon for these easy miles.  It felt strange to do so little on a Saturday.  The canyon was PACKED!!  I think everybody was getting a little tired of having to say hello to everyone going in the other direction.  I saw some National Guard folk out doing their 2 mile for time.  A couple of guys I knew were running so it was nice to talk to them and feel the military bond.  One of them owns a business where he makes a breakfast cereal - kind of like oatmeal - called Rockit Fuel.  It is made of lots of whole grains, is super-filling and tastes good too.  Look for it at a whole foods store if you're a fan of such things.

One week to the marathon.  Scary.  My husband is making me go to bed by 10 or 10:30 at night, he's making me stretch during every conversation we have at night, he tells me to hydrate every time we talk and before we say goodbye on our Skype conversation for my night he tells me to visualize a positive race before I fall asleep.  Honestly - the guy is so darned supportive and knows me pretty well to push me through all of these weaknesses of mine.  Marriage isn't half bad.

1.6 warm-up and cool-down, 2 mile tempo (6:55 maybe - I forgot to push my lap button), 2x800 (3:18, 3:03), 2x400 (1:23, 1:28)

Alright, the marathon is this week so it is time for positive thoughts.  I started out a little tight, but by the 400s I was feeling ok.  I definitely need to get a good warm-up before the marathon starts.  I drove the course yesterday so that my kids would get a good nap before church.  It is really a scenic run which should be enjoyable.  There are some ups and downs between mile 7 and 16 that might be a little tough, but at least I know they are there.  In particular there is a hill at mile 15 or so that is a mile long that I really want to work well through during the race.  Things get a little blah for the last 6 miles since those are all through town, but I know that stretch of road well and will hopefully be able to push myself through it.  

3:10 would be awesome, 3:15 is about what I'm expecting, slower than 3:20 would be a bit of a disappointment.  We'll see how it goes (:

Easy miles at my sister.  I haven't run just 3 miles since my baby was a few months old.  It felt like cheating.  It definitely felt like a warm-up and then my run fell off the edge of the earth.  Still feeling creaky, and old, and scared, and asking myself why I sign up for marathons anyway.  Come on positive thoughts.  Get back here.

I was supposed to do 4x400 today.  But after 2 of the 400s I thought I was doing more harm than good.  Inside my left leg just feels wrong.  The ITB on my right side and my left achilles aren't doing too hot either.  The thing I am taking comfort in is that over the last couple of weeks, as much as I haven't felt great in the legs, once I get down to doing my tempo runs or longer intervals I've been at least able to perform on par with what I usually do.  My fingers are SO crossed that everything will hold together until 26.2 miles are done.  Then my body can do whatever it wants...within reason.

So there is going to be a pacer for a 3:40 and for a 3:10 to help the Boston hopefuls out.  I'm hoping to take advantage of the 3:10 pacer - it will at least be an added motivation if he/she is within sight.

Mostly easy - I did the last half mile at a 6:45 just to give myself some confidence that my legs work.  I'm trying hard not to get discouraged about the fact that I didn't take care of my legs well in the last couple of months.  But I've certainly learned my lesson.  I'm going to do the simple things like stretch and keep up on getting new shoes next time I train for a race so that all the hard work I do in putting the miles in doesn't get compromised.

On the positive side, I do feel excited to be doing this race tomorrow and enjoying the canyon on a nice cool morning.  My tempo runs and my repeat miles have been at the same pace or maybe faster than the last time I trained for a marathon.  I've run more months consecutively than I ever have before.  So those things will help me.  I'm also excited to watch my sister do her first 5k since high school.

Well its all over and done now.  I guess I better give a few details in case I wonder next time I'm training.

Race start was 5:30 so I got up at 2:45am.  That's early.  It was cool at the top but I was well clothed.  I did about an 800 warm up and then stretched and waited for the start.  The first 20 miles went great.  I felt great and I felt I could keep my pace up for a long time.  I let a fast girl pace me and that really helped.  But then I completely bonked the last 6 miles.  6 miles to go and everything left me.  I felt like I was barely able to make it in.  The last hammer gel was handed out at mile 19 and I couldn't get it open and I think part of my problem was being out of food.  It was all I could do to keep my bowels together for the last 3 miles - so frustrating.  But I have that problem with running if I don't eat enough.  Odd.  But true.  Really.  Anyhow.  I can't be disappointed with a 3:10 right?  The fast girl finished in 3:07:30 so I lost 3 minutes in 6 miles.  Oh horrors.  Anyway - she did great and I'm so grateful to her for helping me along.  It was a super-fast marathon.  The winners were at something like 3:48, 3:49 and 3:51.  Nothing that Nan couldn't handle!

Oh, one more note for the future me in training.  Dan had me take an ice bath when I got home from the race.  I wasn't very excited about it - but oh what a difference it made.  I can walk again.

So final lessons learned: stretch and get good shoes during training, do longer tempo runs during training, have a hammer gel plan and stick to it in a race.  Next marathon I'd love a 3:05, but I might be hitting some stasis here.  This might be my speed.  I look forward to the next marathon, although it might be a year or two again.

18:38 pace.  I was all ready for some active recovery - in my head.  I tried to take one jogging step at the end of my driveway and realized I'd be having a nice walk.  I tried again after a half mile of walking to pick up the pace, but my quads said I wouldn't be doing any running for a few more days.  It was a nice walk anyway.  I'll garden at my sisters for a couple of days to try to keep from feeling like a slug.

Another little walk with a smidge of running.  Sore, sore, sore.

Glory Hallelujah - finally able to run.  My quads were pretty shaky but I made it through. 

I'm feeling ready to have a good week of running next week as long as getting my kids watched comes through.  My mother-in-law has left for four weeks so my easy-street is gone.  I've been looking at other FRBers who ran the UV marathon and they all seem to be back to normal this week.  Its pretty obvious I either wasn't prepared enough or I ran too hard - whichever way I want to look at it I guess.  I'm ready to run and train for my next marathon - but I think if I can I'll let child number 4 come first.  Right now I'll just have one last hurrah doing the Provo half in August.  I do love running.  And that is the truth.

These were early morning miles. It feels so darned good to get out, see the sunrise, and be glad you're not one of the people passing you in a car that is on their way to work at 5am. 

An old river guide injury has been rearing its homely head.  A nerve through my wrist and hand tingles like my lower arm has gone to sleep.  The original injury came from rowing 10 people daily down a stretch of river.  I'd wake up in the morning during the summer down there and realize I couldn't get my hands out of a c position.  It came back recently because of all the weeding I've done at my sister's over the last couple of weeks.  I was surprised that running far made it worse.  Anyhow - them's is the breaks.  I'd do that summer on the river all over again despite my tingly hand for life.

1.5 mile warm-up and cool-down, 4x800

Not  sure of the times, but around 3:20-25.  My legs are still not in spectacular shape after the marathon but it sure felt good to run "hard."  I have to run early in the morning for the next month and I'm lovin' what I'm getting done.  I run, I fold laundry, I do dishes, I read scriptures - and then my kids finally wake up.  Its really and truly awesome.  But the payment is I'm really, really not getting any sleep now, I'm a little more grumpy, and I don't have time to read whatever I want at night.  Oh the balance of life.

The miles were pretty slow today.  I'm not quite recovered yet, but it sure felt good to be out in the early morning again.  The wind was pushing around in no particular direction, I ran by a canal that smelled like wet vegetation, and the birds were holding nothing back in letting me know they were awake.  I felt like I'd just woken up from a night of camping.  That is a feeling I like.  Hopefully in two months I will be camping and our family will be complete again.  Looking at things fractionally, I don't have long to wait.

I tried to sneak in a post a couple of days ago, but my daughter woke up when I was half-way through.  She was frantic because she was sure there was a bug in her bed.  I used to think that the reason kids were afraid of bugs was because their parents taught them to be by telling them to watch out for bees and ants - an obviously inferior way of parenting to my egotistic self.  Cognitive dissonance corrected me.  I've got a son who picks and prods at every bug he sees in a sort of celebratory dance and a daughter who thinks death has a sword at her neck when a fly is in the same room as her.  I've been humbled many a time as a Mom with the sheer presence of the three unique personalities I've got running around my ankles.

But I'm off course - I'm supposed to be blogging about my running again.  I've had a long absence for a somewhat good - a little bit bad - reason.  My husband got taken out of the area he has been working in for the year due to some safety concerns.   At first we were jazzed because we thought he was going to get to come home early.  As the days have passed, and passed, and passed we've been forced to realize that a couple of guys on his team who procrastinated preparations for them to go home have made it so that they'll be leaving much later than they could have been.  For my husband that has meant sitting in a room with only a bed and a footlocker for days and days and days in a row with nothing to do but go to the gym and go to chow.  He has been able to read and nap quite a bit too - but one can only relax for so many weeks before lack of purpose takes the sweetness out of life.  I feel for him.  Oh - so the one other thing he can do is Skype with me - which is awesome.  We have had some fun conversations and made some fun plans.  But the skyping has cut into the blogging time (skype is down right now - thus the long post) so I haven't been around these parts for a while.

Now I'm way off course.  So a 16 mile run at 7:45 pace today.  Thank goodness.  I had been starting to believe my old pace had disappeared.  I've been trying to throw runs in when I can but its been hard while my MIL has been gone.  Morning runs were great at first but eventually started draining me.  I just couldn't get to bed early enough at night.  It seems like all my runs were around an 8:15 pace and that it took me 4 miles just to warm up.   Now I know, somewhere inside me, when my mind is all ready and my babysitters all lined up - there is still potential for me to run like I want to.  That is refreshing knowledge.

Holy Hot!  Help.

Still running - just not training.  Feeling it mentally.  Husband home soon - but date keeps changing.  Starting to believe I'll hold his hand again.  Nice.

8am run.  nice and cool!  yipee.  husband's return date keeps getting pushed back.  without a long run once a week I don't think I could keep myself together.  running saves me.

Ran up the canyon.  It was nice.  I felt real chummy with everyone else that was there. One of those kinds of days.

A week and a half.  I can make it another week and a half.  The mantra.

Thanks to my sister for my late-night then early morning runs while she watched my kids who were up late and then up early.  How do other people get kids who sleep?  Jealous.

This last week was spent at a family reunion in the mountains.  It was fun and relaxing and was topped off by my husband coming home on Thursday afternoon.  To say the least - life is good.  But my running has been on the back burner.  I did run the Provo 1/2 today and surprised myself by PRing.  I guess all that marathon training from a couple months ago pulled me through.  Although I took 4th place, I think there were 9 girls in front of me once you count the ones that were just jumping in the race without registering.  That keeps a girl humble (:

I was afraid I started out too fast but there were so many girls ahead to chase down I couldn't resist.  Plus I had to take a potty stop at mile 2 so I was motivated to catch back up with everybody I'd already passed.  At 6 1/2 I thought I was losing it, but then I found some energy again a finished well.  I think I kept things fairly even at a 6:35-6:40 pace.  The clock said 1:28 when I finished.  My watch said something around 1:26:05.  I stopped it during the potty stop though.  I'll see what my chip time was in a few days.

Funny thing - the drop bags, despite the fact that they had bib numbers on them, were not organized by number at the bottom of the race.  They were literally dropped on the ground.  Good luck to all runners in finding your white trash bag among the many.  Really?  Really?  Wow.

I haven't run much in the last couple of weeks and at this point I can't even remember when I did go or how far I went, but I have been lifting boxes, herding children and packing and unpacking up the whah-zoo to make for some quality working-out.  I went for my first run here in the new homeland this morning.  Humid-humid-humid but nice.  I passed a few farmhouses and turned around at a huge Amish homestead.  I passed lots of corn and soy fields and one dead snake.  The run oozed rural and I liked it. 

My heart felt a little tested after not having run for a while, but my legs felt so fresh they pushed things along anyway.  Hopefully there will be plenty more running to come.

Today I went out the direction I ran when I came out here to see the house in April.  There were two dogs I met that day that I was a little concerned about this morning.  I turned down my mp3 player just to be extra vigilant when I knew I was close to the offending farmhouses.  But, maybe as a special welcome to me, the dogs weren't out this morning.  Of course they could just be getting me comfortable - waiting until I'm lost in the loudness of my music, and then they'll release their dogs on me just to watch me jump.  Everyone needs entertainment.

 Anyhow - a decent run today.  I still don't feel all put together, but it might be adjustment to the humidity.

I left by 7am this morning.  It was so much cooler which made it a truly joyful run.  The pit bull and little white dog did come stormin' half way across their yard as I ran by today.  They did the same thing when I went back by again on my way home barking like death was on the line but stopping half way through the yard.  They're all bluster.  Fewf.  Plus the house is for sale.  Life is still good.

I got to run with butterflies today.  A mile in an orange and black spotted butterfly met up with me and bobbed at my left hip for a good 20 yards, right on pace.  I belonged to the world, organically.  That gives a girl a good feeling.  Maybe that's why I was on a 7:20 pace - everything simply fit.

Another enjoyable run - but my achilles is starting to get bad again.  I really need to get serious about figuring out how to work this problem out.

The achilles is pretty bad.  I decided to see what I could find out about it online.  I read that what I've got is tendonitis and that it is a pretty typical injury for middle-aged runners.  Wow.  Kick me while I'm down.

My achilles was worse.  I tried Ibuprofin and ice.  I might get out my road bike for a while.  Tomorrow's workout will actually include a shovel and wheelbarrow out in the backyard.  After running for almost an entire year consistently it sure will be hard to take a break, but what's a middle-aged woman to do when she's got a weak achilles.

So not running is pretty much making me crazy.  I did get out for a ride yesterday and that was nice.  It was my first time to use clipless pedals.  I hate to admit it, but its true.  It wasn't as scary as I thought it might be.  No falling straight to the side at a complete stop for me at least on the first ride. It rained all last night and all day today so riding was out for this morning.  I spent all last night reading Born to Run.  Minus the over-the-topness and Men's-Health writerishness of it all, it was addicting and quite the story and fact sharing.  So tonight, just before it got dark, I decided to make a go for a barefoot run.  I figured maybe my achilles would do better without shoes.  My husband was wary.  I don't think he believed I'd make it past a quarter mile.  But I trusted that these feet of mine that have been either naked or flip-flopped for the last twenty years could probably hack it.  It was three miles of feeling like coming home - it was peaceful to run in my own skin.  Hippy-esque I know, but that is my sad, sorry tendency.  The run was also a bit grinding on the toe pads and tightened up my right calf a bit.  Regardless - I want to pursue the barefoot craze and see if my feet to my knees to my hips start easing up on me.  It'd be nice to be back to running.

I did get a 15.3 mile bike in on Mon.  I did the same ride today plus 1 mile in my new Bikilas.  So my legs were DESTROYED for a week after running barefoot for three miles.  I'm going to slow things down and really try to develop what I need to in order to continue the V5F wearing.  Hopefully next week I'll be able to get some more working out in.  The in-laws are visiting which has cut into mine and my husband's workout time.  My husbands workout is higher priority than mine since it directly effects his job and his keeping his job. 

18 miles on the roadbike past beautiful, lonely, neatly cared for Amish farms. Sometimes I feel a little jealous.

3 miles in the fivefingers and then ibuprofin and 30 minutes of ice for the achilles.  Oh it felt good to run.  Oh how I don't want my achilles to be my achilles heel from here on out.

Another 4 in the five fingers.  I iced and ibuprofined the last couple of days and it seems to help.  Running feels so darned good.  Especially now that fall is finally here.  My lower calves are a bit tight.  I think I'll try to run more slowly tomorrow.  I'll tell you, running in the five fingers for me feels so casual - like I really am a little kid just running to run.

My achilles is still sore but not aching - I iced and ibuprofined some more.  My lower calves were still pretty sore today too.  I thought about riding the bike, but I fiugured day 3 of anything new is going to be a day of soreness and its best to just push through it.  I'm glad I did.  It was another cool, fall morning of easy, pleasant miles in the five fingers.  I couldn't help but think that I am cozy in the middle of an awfully good time in my life.

My legs didn't feel great when I woke up so I decided to take it really easy today.  After having not run for a few weeks I'm finding that every mile I get to do is truly joyful. 

I feel like I'll never go back from the five fingers - but I'm still only on my fifth run in them so I probably better not get too definite on that.

Easy miles.  So good to be running.

About 18 miles on the bike.  I almost gave up on the ride because for the life of me I couldn't click in.  I went back home to get my five fingers on and just run but my husband made me give it another try.  I clicked right in and had myself a wonderful time - almost hit a badger, but we both survived it.

I forgot to ice and ibuprofin today.  Never again.

Ice and ibuprofin - check.  My calves felt a little tight, but I'm getting pretty comfortable and confident in my five fingers.

Just me and the music and the autumn cool.  Sigh of goodness.

I needed to relax my tight calves.  I have to say I was getting a little too confident in my five-fingerness.

Have I ever mentioned that I love running?  I love it.  Always and forever.

  Friday was the Father 'n Sons campout so I never managed to get my run in on Saturday.  I was hoping to do a mother 'n daughter n' baby campout in our backyard just to show the boys we could have fun without 'em.  But they took our tent.  Boys!!

 The run today felt good but my achilles was unusually tight compared to how it has been in the last week or so.  It's almost like not running for two days made it worse.  Weird.

It rained last night. Which I'm glad for because that means I don't have to water in our grass seed today.  But goodness - humid.  No need to take any water anywhere to drink, a few gulps of the air and you're set.

Another nice morning.  I saw my shadow while I was running and it was interesting to see the scoot I do wearing five fingers.  I've noticed it when I watch my husband coming in from his runs - that there isn't much knee pick-up.  My running shadow looked like it was trying to get away with running in the halls of a church or something - a very sneaky looking run.  Made me smile.

A nice Saturday morning run.  I went a little later than usual.  I will no longer take the coolness of the early morning for granted.  If the Holy Ghost goes to bed at midnight, he must wake up at 7am because that is one of the most peaceful times I know.

The husband didn't have to leave for work until 7am this morning so I got off a little before 6:30 for a run.  It was dark - like stars still twinkling dark and there aren't tons of street lights in my neighborhood to say the least.  I have to say that I wondered this morning if coyotes attack.  I don't think they do.  It was nice to get to run.  Hopefully that happens a couple more times this week.

MIL and SIL in town so they could watch the kids while I ran.

Feeling awfully tired and not quite right.  We'll see how things go from here.

I thought that running might help me feel better.  I was desperate.  It didn't.  I forgot how constant the not-quite-right feeling is with me for the first little while.

Why is it so hard to remember that running comes back even if you haven't run for 9 months? Its a good thing there is so little time between my pregnancys so I at least have a whiff of a memory that I have come back from this before.

Dan's home, I'm done with the first trimester.  We'll see if I can't myself moving again.  I certainly felt out of shape, but it felt nice to have my pony-tail wagging behind me again.

I feel good enough to run now, but my achilles is still a little sore - this is two or three months since I last ran and five or six months since I've really put in many miles.  The achilles is a rough one for healing I guess.  Any suggestions for avoiding a repeat injury? 

Anyhow, I'd been biking here and there over the past couple of weeks to save the achilles, but it froze me out yesterday morning.  I had to switch to the run if I was going to do anything.  Running felt, at least spiritually/emotionally, fantastic.  I've got me a real love affair with running and that's the truth.