I'm not crazy...I'm just bored!!

BEST HALF EVER! Sorry guys, this is a women's only race, but man was it a great one! A FLAT course, beautiful scenery a fun environment great organization, aid stations, finish line food, raffles. What isn't to love about a race like this?!? Out and back so you get one chance to cheer everyone on and you know how it all ends. I got to pace with Becca, which is a rare opportunity and I just loved every minute of it! 

It is an early start, but June in Moab you welcome a cool start! Up at 5:00 to get out by 5:30. Pop lines were long, but went fast enough. Lined up and with a literal shot we were off. It was crowded and slow at the start, but quickly thinned out. First aid station at mile one and the mile markers were right on with my garmin nearly the whole time (12 was the only one that was horribly off to my garmin beep...not that garmins are accurate, I'm just saying it is nice to have the splits in my garmin be the real splits :) ).

About mile 3 or 4 they had a huge group drumming! It was SO neat! I heard it about a mile before echoing off the canyon walls, but assumed it was a plane or something. What an energy boost! Annie was with us pretty much from the beginning and was doing a fantastic job! About this point Tammi caught up to us as well and hung with us too.

As we approached the turn around we saw Rachelle and her groupies. I was surprised to see that the race was so small they were in 5th and 6th place @ 1:40. They had a good group they were taking with them though. We passed the 2:00 pacers at the exact opposite spot we saw Rachelle at...nice pacing ladies!

The way back we were met with the hardest obstacle. Seriously a FLAT course. I mean you follow the river on Potash road so it isn't really flat, but flat for Utah. A nice headwind decided to pick up. Didn't notice it the way out as a tail wind and at points it must've been cross winds, because I swear we had a little headwind  on the way out too. Some of our folks started struggling and we started passing people. I hate that. Annie kept trying to fall back, but I kept talking to her and telling her she was fine. Becca and I shouldered up and created a draft for Tammi and Annie to make things easier too. Tammi turned on some music as well and we rocked that headwind!

Just after the 10 miler Annie needed to hit the pop, but we had to keep going. I told her I'd be waiting :) Around mile 11 Tammi was cruising and we needed to slow down. We had about a 40 second lead. At 12 we kicked her out (25 sec lead) and I said "look, there are 4 people up there. Your job is to go pass those 4 people!" She was a good student! Took the challenge and did it. I thought she'd actually gotten 5, but afterward she said that she was close to the 5th and said to herself "I only had to do 4...I'm done" made me laugh.

Becca and I finished chip time about 10 seconds early, but clock time was right on the 1:50 - that was fun! Annie finished just behind us around 1:53...she was shooting for 2:00!!

The finish line had SO much good food and chocolate milk too. That is usually all I care about. I needed a baggie to take all my treats home :) We chatted and waited for Christine to finish at 2:15 and then we had to take off so we could shower, pack and get on the road to get Becca back for a graduation. We did all that PLUS got to partake of the yummy full, hot breakfast the hotel offered. I loved the accommodations!

The drive home was filled with fun as well and I just had a great time. I'd do it again in a heartbeat! A  quick trip and I would've loved to stay a little longer, but then again I could live in Moab, so that isn't saying much :)

AP: 8:21 splits: 8:07, 8:02, 8:03 (little fast! Banked too much), 8:15, 8:26, 8:39, 8:25, 8:31, 8:37, 8:26 (glad we had time for the headwind and aid station walk through, made a difference!), 8:26, 8:02, 8:29, 9:00 (last .15 on the garmin).

Baby was up all night either screaming that his tummy hurt or barfing. So, mommy got no sleep. Daddy didn't get much either, but I did my best because I knew he needed to go to work and with a new job you have no sick/vacation time! Needless to say I didn't go anywhere other than home and just took a mommy day. He did finally get up around 9 and say his tummy felt better and drank water. I was a little pessimistic! But, he then slept until almost 3:00 that afternoon. I got the first 2 hours of sleep before the school called. Another child was having a horrible reaction to something from the park they walked to...good thing I took a mommy day, sounds like everyone needed one that day :) 

I was enough hung over from my 'mommy day' that when the alarm went off to meet the Newtons I bailed. I needed sleep. Besides I was going to make up miles from Monday...which it actually turned out better this way. 

Met Becca, Luz, Karen and SMOOTH at the JRP to run 5-6 nice and easy miles. I brought Adam in a newly acquired jogging stroller (I only had a double!) because I was worried yesterday about leaving him with a sitter, so I found a jogger to use for this occasion. Hoping that the company around me would wait for me and my slowness while pushing!

They did and it was a wonderful morning! I seriously could do that every morning. That is why I run. It was perfect...simple perfection. Pushing the stroller wasn't too bad and I was impressed with it for the $30 I paid! Easy resell when I'm done.

AP: 9:30 splits: 10:00, 9:41, 9:28, 9:03, 9:47, 9:01.

I'm going to miss Smooth SO much! Then Becca is leaving too...who will run with me?!? who will put up with me?!? :(

Someone has caught stroller fever! Seriously... who knew I'd like jogging strollers so much?!? Not this girl. 

I again slept in (I think I'm having a lot of anxiety about waking up at 2:00 to get to UVM!), and made a nursery appointment for baby for 2 hours. An hour to run 6, an hour to bike. HA! Then, I put my thinking cap on.

I could've ridden with baby too, but I was selfish and wanted to read my book :) I like reading on the bike...true multi-task. So, I put baby in the stroller ran the 3 miles DOWN to the rec center (loverly paces!) then paid for only an hour for bike time then ran the 3 miles back UP to the house. I need a little heat/hill training for TOZ the end of this month. So, it is all in good practice. MUCH better than 6 dreadful miles on the TM! Plus, I got to stop on the way back home (the UP) and take care of little puppy that I'm dog sitting during the day this week...made the journey home not so overwhelming.

AP down: 8:07 splits: 8:12, 8:07, 8:00

45 min on the bike (it always takes a few to get on and off the bike, so with only an hour in daycare I usually get 45-50 on the bike)

AP up: 9:38 splits: 10:06, 9:29, 9:19...I finally got the hang of pushing that stroller! 30 pounds of kid and 15+ of stroller? yeah, I'll take that uphill :)

Newtons came to do the Shaggy Mtn loop, but with UVM Saturday and then HOMM the next weekend I decided I need to take this taper/recovery business a little seriously. So, I ran my 4+ mile loop after they left to meet them for their last couple miles. 

As I left my house I saw someone running by I thought I knew, so I gave chase! It took me longer than I thought it would to catch him, but I did and realized then it wasn't who I thought it was. Oh well, made for a nice speedy first mile. Then hit the uphill, oh I how I love that :( I need to realize in just over a week I'm going to have to run it in a marathon! Get over it Rachel.

I got to go about 1/2 mile up past Hi-country gate before I saw the Newtons. Chad and Nick were screaming down the course...which doesn't surprise me...and Curtis not far behind. I decided to see how long I could hang the downhill with them. I made it over a 1/2 mile @ 5:30-5:40 pace. Booyah! Now I just need to link 10 of those together on flat track and I'll be golden :) I stopped at the gate and waited for George so that I could take it a little easier on the way home. Didn't get much easier. He was carrying low 7's! Oh well, a little speed is always good for the legs! 

Got home and I wanted to even out miles to 6, but it never happened.

Becca came over later and we went for a hike and I threw Adam on my back. Five miles to the peak overlooking the valley. Beautiful! We finished in under 2 hours which for hiking and Adam on my back, I'm perfectly fine with.

A little Rumbi rounded out the afternoon...gotta carb-load, right?!?

It was nice to spend the day with Becca. Both she and Smooth leave within a week of each other. I need some frequent flier miles....

AP: 8:02 splits: 7:35, 9:02, 9:43, 6:55 (my speedy 1/2 mile was in there), 7:17, 7:00

Trying Fritz's program. Mowed the lawn this morning and got a flat of ground cover planted. 

UVM pacing 4:00 finish time 3:59:58

Good ol race except the porta potties all disappeared...

Best thing was seeing Becca and rachelle at the finish and hearing their exceptional finishes!

Had a great time running with Marci and riding there with Her, smooth and Becca.

HOMM trail half. I suck. That is all. I shouldn't even try, don't know why I do.

I had a really hard mental race. Felt good and strong and like I was running decently well until the last 3 miles on the road when a lady passed me and I gave up. Just like that...gave up. It really bothered me and I spent all day whining and depressed over it. Wondering if I should even keep running...what was the point?

Then, my legs were sore and I had NO idea how in the heck I was going to run a full the next day. Ice bath and rolling and walking...SO sore! The trail gains 1600ft in the first couple miles, then the next 11.5 you spend losing 4000ft. Talk about quad killer. You even had to climb over a gate. That was when I knew I was finally hard core :)

I'm still mad at myself for not fighting for 3rd place female and just letting that lady pass me. I was only running 7:40s. I could've kept up, but talked myself out of it. Self defeat and that really bothered me! Anyway, a bad, bad race, but with Becca listening to my whining I had the confidence to at least wake up the next morning and get to the race to finish what I'd started...the Oquirrhman challenge! Trail half on Friday morning and a full road marathon on Saturday morning.

Oh my! What a race. After the trail half that beat me down yesterday then taking on this bad boy Saturday morning? Wow. If anyone wants a challenge, I suggest you do this!

My first half was in 1:45ish like I had planned and then overall goal was 4:00 for the full. I was pleased to take 2nd overall female and finish a few minutes under goal. This sucker is tough. I'm more than grateful to Kelli and Paul for saving my bacon and keeping me company the last 6 miles as you go up the canyon and back to the finish. A LOT of carnage on that road.

I'll finish more later when I'm up to writing it all, but right now I'm still wondering if my legs will ever run again...or at least walk down stairs!

Took 3rd overall finisher of the Oquirrhman Challenge (Fri trail half and Satruday full). Only one female and male in front of me and they are both excellent athletes that I couldn't beat on my best day and their worst! So, I am more than happy with my placement. Both 1st and 2nd females were oquirrhmen! Goes to show you the amount of competition in this race :) I also broke the course record from last year, it might have only been by 25 seconds, but I still beat it which was my overall goal!

SO sore! Literally slept all day. Woke up a few times and felt like it was 3AM! Went back to sleep. Was able to wake up enough to think about eating around 5PM. Ready for bed again around 9PM and slept like a baby until 9AM! SO tired. At least my feet and legs aren't all swollen any more and the nausea is gone now (Tuesday)

60 minutes on the bike and the legs are almost feeling like they are just normal sore and not "I'm going to die" sore! The bike and a good stretch afterward helped a TON! Actually walked down the stairs at the rec center without holding onto the railings. That is my accomplishment of the day :)

Bike for 60 minutes and swim for 20. I never seem to get in the pool early enough to get a good full workout in!

Felt nearly ready to run, so I asked Kelli if she'd be at the rec center and she said she'd be there a little later. I figured I could run a mile or two and visit with her. Plans changed when she called and said it was cool enough to run outside. Okay...I'll give it a try! She wanted to do about 6, so she met me at my house and we did a 6 mile loop around here. I was CRAZY slow! But, I finished. My R quad is really bugging me, but it did loosen up after 3-4 miles. I think I'm going to have to baby this for a while.

Went home and did a few good hours of yard work including mowing the lawn...always good cross training!

I tried to get to the gym early enough to bike, run and swim, but since I invited Lauren to come swim with me and I had to throw baby in the daycare I had a time limit.

40 minutes on the bike, then I tried running. Leg was too painful to make it worth it, so I only did one mile. Then I went to the pool to join Lauren.

I did 25 minutes of good workout pulling and kicking. My leg always feels better after a good swim. It was fun to swim with Lauren :)

Took the kids to the splash park then did my bike fitting at Infinite. It was a good workout pedaling on the guru while they made 5 million adjustments. Sweaty beast mode :) Problem is that they can't fix my bike to me :( stink. It is too small. I've known that, but I hate having it put in writing. Someday I'll be able to afford a good bike...that fits.

Since I need to baby this leg thing (icing and rolling and stretching already) I couldn't decide what to do for my Saturday workout. It is also baby Fartlek's THIRD birthday! I can't believe how time has flown.

With everyone out doing Ragnar I remembered about the RunGR8 runs! Might as well go out for a nice little 7 mile jaunt. I rode my bike there to warm it up (and then still limped a little at the start) and then did the 7+ mile loop. The best part was that Leslie (Nancy's daughter from BBK's) was there. YAY! I had a friend and someone to chat with. It was great to catch up and just take it easy. The last couple miles the group leader started asking me about my mom and I kept up with her and I felt bad that I totally left Leslie behind! But, we caught up in the store at the end.

I then rode my bike home. It was almost a total of 2 hours of cardio for the day. Not too bad for a Saturday. The only problem was that with birthdays come lots of food! Too much junk. But I did get to see bye-wing! Finally in town again for the summer :)

36 mile bike ride that included Rose Canyon, up and over Camp Williams and MVC. Good ride and I felt strong on the hills! Could've been that no one was there to chase, but I still felt good! I could've ridden longer, but I had to get home to check on the little ones.

Got home and everyone was happy and I set them to their chores and reading and took Miss Lucy out for a little 5K run. My Garmin died on the ride, so I just did the stake 5K tried and true loop. No idea on time. Leg felt better, but still limping at the start. It did get feeling a little better by the end, but running is still a lot harder than it should be. The heat training at 11AM was a good push too.

I'm hoping that a couple more days of easy will take care of this crazy leg issue! I'm ready to run, but I have to listen to the body right now.

Had a hard time wanting to do anything this morning, but through whining in text to Becca we motivated each other to get our butts moving. She ran, but since I wanted to baby my leg a bit longer I did something a little different.

60 minutes on the bike at a good sweaty pace

Resistance workout: monster walk, weighted bridges, lunges, calf raises, elbows up, overhead presses, chest extensions and triceps (all arms on the bosu), back extensions run a lap and repeat 4X.

I felt good and strong after that workout. Sometimes I miss resistance workouts. They always make me feel tough. Even though I have to workout next to the guys pulling 55lbs and I'm hanging out with my 8-10 pounders!

Finished up enough laps to = 1.00 mile. Too much pain gosh darn it!

Rolling and stretching finished out the day.

Summer time fun! 

Hike to the Y in provo with the kids. I thought I'd have to drag them up! But, they all beat me and had to wait for me. In all fairness I was hauling an extra 40ish lbs on my back in the form of baby Fartlek and water! Tough work, but felt good.

Ate breakfast on the Y, then came down which was a little more sensitive on the leg, but nothing like running.

Then we hit Seven Peaks just as they opened for pass of all passes holders. Stayed a few hours to play in the water and have fun, then went home. A full day before 1:00PM!

More summer fun!

I was going to run, I was feeling a bit better and the group was meeting at my house, but when I got up to run my leg still wasn't really happy and after a little test I decided it would be better served resting than pushing it. So, I went back to bed. Feeling kind of lazy lately.

Picked up Bye-wing and kids and met Sheri and kids at Brighton and we hiked to lake Mary, Martha and Catherine. What a beautiful hike! I again had the 40ish pounds on my back, but the kids were more distracted this time and it wasn't as steep, but 4 miles round trip rather than <2. I got some amazing pictures and had a good time with my kiddos.

After the hike we went to a bike shop where I got a good idea about how wrong my bike was for me and how to get Lauren the bike she would need for her tri this fall. I get a new bike that fits and she gets my bike! SCORE! I go in for a fitting in a week and should be bringing home a new bike the next week. I'm excited!

I was tired of getting up early. I was lazy and slept in and packed for camping. Nothing else to report!

Met some lovely folks in Logan area for a run since we were camping in Mantua. A wonderful surprise was seeing Melody up Blacksmith Fork Canyon! Crazy small world :) She ran a 1/2 mile with us on the uphill before we turned around and headed down. Probably her slowest pace in the last 6 months, but it was nice to visit!

Ran with Pam all the way down the canyon and Adrian would come and go as well. It was a nice camping run and the first 'long' run back despite my leg issue. Still there, but SO much better. 

Back to the grind next week, no more lazy!

AP: 8:49. Not too bad for a girl (Pam) that said her usual pace was a 9:30! She is going to do great in the Freedom run Thursday.