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

Pocatello Marathon! 

Paced 4:20; finished 4:19:25 

Great group, ran with Lowell for 16 miles

I've gotten fat and slow...too much trail running! :) 

*THIS ONES FOR YOU KID* (you know who you are!)

Rest/Recovery day - I think I slept all day...other than sacrament meeting and 2 hours of playing with my FAVORITE 3 year olds! I really love nursery, so much fun! 

Lots of sleep yesterday and going to bed early helped! Just Lauren, Adam and I went this year. Crowd gets smaller every year and it makes me sad! I love this race!! Best honest 10k/5k course around and since I've done it every year since 2007, I guess it has just grown on me. 

I ran with Daisy (poor Lucy is too old and broken to run! We take her on walks and she LOVES the trails, but 2 miles puts her in a lot of pain for a couple days...) and of course she refused to poop before, so I got to stop and pick up dog poo 1/2 mile in!! But, it did give me good motivation to get moving and catch back up to where I was. So maybe it wasn't so bad. Passed the last person I would at mile 2 and then never caught or got caught the rest of the race. I wish I knew my splits!! But, I didn't start my watch until I finished...classic. So, I only have my race official time. The uphill wasn't as hard as I remember (a good thing?) but man alive I'm slow and my endurance at speed is gone too. Maybe one day it will come back.

Lauren and Adam ran the 5K. Adam hasn't been running consistently like I had hoped he would continue through the summer, but still eeked out a 28:34 good enough at this race for 1st place in his AG 1-9. Lauren luckily motivated him and kept him moving when he slowed down and she finished just 2 seconds behind him (she hasn't run since Payson last year!) which was good enough for 3rd in her AG 16-19.

So I like to think we swept the field...1st 2nd and 3rd 

We skipped the parade this year, but got a camping chair, t-shirts and socks and I won a nice running bag!! I got one maybe the 2nd or 3rd year I ran this race and I've used it and loved it since. I'm SO proud of my new one and that it says Payson Running and not Payson basketball! Afterward we grabbed some breakfast at Subway and went to see Rachelle's new baby!! Oh the sweet goodness of a perfect little baby!! Payson isn't Payson without seeing Rachelle and getting to meet her new arrival (less than 2 weeks old and barely 5 pounds!) was just the icing on the cake. 

Running is good. Not because it is running...but because of the memories, efforts, improvements, motivation and friends I've discovered through running. Time to get back to y'all!

Just another Tuesday ten...oh wait! ha! Yeah, I wasn't ready to get up and run 10 miles after my first speed workout in ages and my first road marathon in almost a year all in one weekend. But, I still got up and met the Newtons and ran a few miles with them. They get me up and moving! I hate having to run so stinking fast, but that is what they are there for and why I love running with them. I want some speed back. I'm tired of being a sloth on the trails. I like trail running, but I need to balance it with roads. Moderation in all things.

9:10AP, but I had a good 7:45 mile in there before leaving the Newtons to head home. Gotta get boys out of bed and off to school...

I then did 90 minute hot yoga. I love it! I feel so renewed and stretched and relaxed afterward. I need to make time to go more often. My SI joints (that ache due to tight mid-glues/hams) would be MUCH happier if I did...

Tired from a 10pm airport pickup Tuesday night. But seeing my niece was worth it! Just did Xfit class and then their HIIT class after. It was a good workout, but I had an emotional morning and felt kind of ignored and unappreciated at class. Whatever. Got a workout in.

Shaggy mountain Thursday. I started early... But not early enough. They passed me at mile one. My SI joints were hurting from tight hamstrings from squats etc yesterday. I was super slow. But I ran faster than last week and hit mid 7s and did a 6:40 for these last .25 mile chasing Kalise!! Man, I remember when those speeds were easy...

1:21 total time (no idea on seconds...)

Had to split the long run to get all of life in today.

Mike meet me at 5 to do shaggy mountain loop. It was about the same AP as yesterday, which was nice because it was more consistent not just a fast finish. Plus I felt good and not like I was pushing with a 7:50mm.

Got home, got work wrapped up from last night when the internet went down. Long story... Then got kids to school. I did have to go to Greg's to complete work to drop off the bibs, but we got it done by 9.

So then I started my 10 miles. Chatted with Becca at first, thought maybe I'd only do 8... Just out and back on Porter Rockwell. But at mile 3.6 it was closed! Grrr... So I ended up running the nasty hill up Bangerter and then toward Suncrest. It was kind of nasty! But, coming down was fun 😊 I did stop at Chevron to get ice and water. It was hot. I also stopped at 3 miles from the park on Porter Rockwell to fill water again. I was hot and I should've brought salt stuff...I just had one gu when the trail was closed. My final mile was 8:22mm and I was impressed with myself that it didn't feel nasty. At least it was shady. I had to go quickly to drop off the bibs for work, so I took off as soon as I finished. My AP was 9:33 for the ten miles. I was hungry!

Ate Zao, drove home, took a nap, drove to Cedar City. I'm working the half marathon Saturday.

A happy collage of bits and pieces today. 

I got up and ran a 5K (3.35) by myself, then went home and woke up Adam. Since he is trying to get some miles and consistency in, he said he wanted to run before school when it wasn't hot with me a couple days a week. 

It was a rough start and he kept saying his leg hurt (it seems to be his piriformis...might just be sore from the weekend. I'll keep an eye on it). I suggested he run without stopping to the crosswalk. After that 1/3 mile, things went much better. He even said "if we have time, I could do this loop again!" as we headed home. He had fun running through the sprinklers, racing Dasiy and finding treasures on the ground. It is kind of fun to have my little buddy out running with me. Makes me happy :) Since last time we raced he beat me (DesNews 5K) I wasn't going to let it happen again! He said that he wanted to race from the corner to the mailboxes (maybe a 100 yds) at the end. I had to push, but I was able to out sprint the little stinker!!

Then I got the kids ready and drove carpool to school and headed to Xfit. Before I ran 2.15 miles to round out my mileage for the day. 8:21 AP for my final uphill mile. Not fantastic, but I wasn't pushing either. Which was the best news! Nice to see paces out of the 9s and 10s when I'm just cruising. 

With Xfit WOD today, we did 6 150M sprints. I decided it was as good a time as any to do some speed work. I pushed the fastest guy EVERY time! I wanted to touch the turnaround or the finish first just once...but never made it. Pretty close a couple times. Afterward we talked and he said how frustrating it was to have me out front so long and how hard he had to push to get that last little space to be first. It was nice to have someone who has no idea about my running background say "dang! you've got some wheels girl!!" Then ask the coaches if they've seen me run :) 

Felt good this morning. They don't always, but today did. I love having my little baby Fartlek running with me and the best part is that he learned to talk from his mom...so he keeps me entertained the WHOLE time chatting away. Gotta love that kid!

I was tired...and had to be home to get kids off to school. So I just ran out and back to meet the Newtons on their loop. Always a good push with those guys!

Long story...had to work. I wanted to run yellowfork with Daisy (I need a little trail time), but I was falling asleep on the way home from school drop off so I took a short nap. About 10 minutes into the nap Greg called and needed me to grab awards and t-shirts in Provo. So I drove down there. Figured I would run after. Nope. Figured I would run in the evening with Daisy up there. Nope. Canyon was on fire. So, I did a lot of driving around but no running...

Shaggy Mountain morning. Because of the fire, some of the group decided to meet and run in South Jordan. I needed to stay close to home for mornings with the kids and carpool duties, so I said I was just going to run it backwards...then if the road was closed I would be running down and out of the canyon and not past the "road closed" signs :) 

I figured no one was running with me, so I took too long getting ready to leave...but to my surprise Bruce was there! So, he had to deal with my slow pace, but we had a great time running the course backwards. It was kind of a head trip for me! The hills come in different places and I'm so used to doing it one way I know HOW to run it. But backwards? Man, it was tougher than I thought. We also took the new up and over hill back to 7300W so we could still get the Mario Kart strip in...so an extra 1/2 mile!

I slept in...had to leave for Aspen at 8am. My alarm didn't go off and well, it is a good thing my kids got to school. I woke up at 7:17!!! So my plans for a run got trampled.

My friend Leslie from Iowa called me a few months back and asked me to pace her at this race. I'm glad I agreed then, because man alive I wasn't ready for a marathon. I'm old, slow and broken :D 

We went up Friday night after I FINALLY finished mailing out the awards for Brineman, but got there around 10:30pm so it was off to bed. 

Adam came with me, because he was being abandonded Saturday by everyone else and he wanted to run the 5K anyway. He had to play his tablet and wait in the car (with my phone so he could call Leslie's phone/me if needed) until the alarm went off and then he lined up for the 5K and ran. Afterward, Joshua Hansen said that he would watch him as they did the aide station at mile 25.5 - It all worked out perfectly. 

Leslie did a great job, but it was hot and she is used to humid and sea-level running. I tried to get her to drink more...but she realized she was quite dehydrated AFTER the race was over. Her quads gave out from the downhill around mile 16 and it was a struggle from there to the finish. Not only with sore legs, but the heat and wind were crazy! The last 4 miles of Huntsville is hard anyway, but with the exposure, wind and heat it was really rough this year. Earlier I had taught Leslie that pouring water on herself was wonderful evaporative cooling and I carried a water bottle for her and an ice bag when they were handing them out at mile 23. But, she just didn't tolerate it as well as she had hoped. at mile 20 the time was 3:22 and I was hoping we could get in under 4:30, but that didn't happen. I was a slave driver and wouldn't let her walk except every other aide station and I kept pulling her along. I told her she could slow her pace, but not walk. It was always harder for her to start running after she took a walk break because her quads were so sore. Finally we got to Adam's aide station and I got to see Janet. Her husband just passed away a few weeks ago and I hadn't seen her since! I spent too long embracing and crying with her, because catching back up to Leslie to finish with her was HARD! But, we got to cross the finish together and she still crushed her PR by about 5 minutes!! 

We hung out the rest of the day at their condo in Eden (tried to get Adam's 1st place in AG award, but they ran out? so they are mailing it to him) then went to dinner, had ice cream and chatted until the cows came home! She has an awesome group of people that she runs and trains with. Sunday morning was more chatting and massage time (Scott brought a chiropractor's massage thing...it was awesome!) and then I took Leslie and her friend to the airport on my way home and attended church. 

A great relaxing weekend! I needed it after this past week of driving 150+ miles/day because my other half of carpool was gone. 

Yellowfork Loop with Daisy. 

I finally got up there! It was a wonderful run and it was nice to just "ground" myself again! Until I HIT the ground a little too hard with body parts other than my feet. I've lost skin on my thumb, palm, elbow and knees and my left knee just feels tender. Like there is a bruise on the knee cap. Nothing functionally wrong, just tender like a bruise tender. 

Took me less than 90 minutes and the last couple miles were a decent pace, but I walked some of the uphill. Not sure I'll ever learn to run uphill well....

Because my knee was a tad sore, I didn't want to push the full Tuesday 10 with the group. So I just did the out and back to meet them again. 

I had some good paces that were conversational on the way back and I felt decent with no issues from the knee. So it must just be a surface wound :)

Extended Shaggy Mountain. 

I was going to go on a trail run with Toby and Kelli, but for a myriad of reasons had to cancel and run close to home. Primarily due to the fact I didn't have transportation! But, I digress. 

I ran the extended Shaggy loop and fought on the hills. I have run the loop without walking any hills, but I was giving into my mind and took a couple walk breaks. Still finished with some good high 7, low 8s on the return. Making gains somewhere, right?? 

On Saturday there was a fire in hi-country area that burned 2 homes, a barn and over 100 acres. It was started by kids playing with fireworks. :/ So the last couple miles I stopped and took some pictures of the damage. Man alive! So many people had that fire right next to their homes and yards. With the nasty wind that day, I'm surprised only 2 homes and no people or pets were injured. Tender Mercies. 

8.3 miles on the traditional Shaggy Mountain Loop. I only left 5 minutes early, but no one ever caught me! Bruce got to my house about 30-45 seconds after I did, but still :) 
 

Worked on positive mental thoughts. Used Smooth's "I am fast, I am strong, I can run all day long" - it is helping to pick up my mental game instead of telling myself I'm fat and slow now. 

Got my fastest AP for Shaggy Mountain that I have in a long time (1:17TT)

Then I met Amy Thackary for a yellowfork Robert's loop. It was good and I ran a lot of it, but my legs were tired from Shaggy and so it was slower than Monday. Still some good miles and I never hit the dirt :) 6.7 miles with beautiful, ripe fall leaves! I love my backyard. 

I slept in...had to leave for Aspen at 8am. My alarm didn't go off and well, it is a good thing my kids got to school. I woke up at 7:17!!! So my plans for a run got trampled.

My plan was to run the Golden Leaf trail in the evening, but my sister had a headache and couldn't join me and I got lazy and took a nap then woke up too late to get it done. So I bailed on myself. Great mileage this week, huh?!? :/

As Slick says: "pay me now or pay me later" I'm trying to get in a few last minute payments before SGM. Doubt it will work, but hey...here is to trying! 

2 warm up miles

8X400m with 200M jog between sets. I didn't work my watch correctly, so I don't know all the splits, but the 3 I timed were 1:34; 1:30; 1:36 - Those were #4, 5 and 8. I actually stopped and drank water and walked a few steps instead of diving right back into the jog at the end of some of them, so I feel a bit like a cheater. But, it was good to get some turnover going.

Since Meridith drug me to the track, I drug her out on a trail :) Daisy needed to get out and the school kicked her off the track (rightfully so, I just didn't really think about it!), so we then went out to do Eric's trail loop. We cut back across the ditch and connected back behind the water tower. It was a total of 7.8 miles, so with the cool down lap at the track I'm calling it 13 miles. Makes up for my missed long run this weekend, right? :/

Left from home to join the Newtons on their Tuesday 10. Because I have to get home to get kids up, I leave earlier from home then finish at home instead of running the course to/from Chads. The only issue is I'm always a mile short...but I don't want to get up earlier :) 

I hit some good paces to start with and although I was slower than I'd like on the uphill, once I met up (waited for) them at Mike's drop off, I had Chad pull me through 7:30's until my drop off. It was nice to push through some speed. 

Lazy day of nothing...

Shaggy Mountain

Mandy asked me to wait and not start early, so I did...but then as usual was accused of being late. So I just can't win! Anyway, she was still much faster than I was and I brought up the rear like normal, so I'm not entirely sure why she wanted me to wait and run with her. 

I pushed through some of the uphills and really tried to get a good pace. I only stopped at Sharose, the gate and Mother hill. I did stop as I exited the hi-country gate, but it is kind of impossible not to now that you have to physically open the door to get out. 

I felt strong, but I did last time as well and was only 1 minute faster than normal. So I said to myself "if I don't get under 1:15 I'm going to be MAD!" Well, I finished and I was at 1:11!! I seriously haven't finished Shaggy Mountain that fast in years. Sad, but true. The fact that I felt good and strong through the run was amazing as well. I just couldn't have had a better run. I didn't get to really run with the group, but I can't talk and run that fast anymore anyway, so I'm  quite boring to run with nowadays. So, it was good for my brain to run alone and to get a faster time and feel strong and ready for St George. I just have to convince my brain that I can still do this.

Heat Training time for SGM!

Ran a 5 mile loop around the hood at 12:30 to get used to a little heat. Unfortunately, it was only 77 - I fear St George will be much hotter than that this year. Right now it says the high will be 80 for Saturday, but knowing how things change, my luck would be 80 at the start! :P

I ran an AP of 8:32, which actually felt decent. It was a little slow to start and the hills always kill my AP, but it is just like Dameron Valley...long, gentle uphill! 8:45, 8:27, 9:39, 8:15, 7:40, 7:09 for my finish tenth. 

I am kind of determinted to run a sub 3:40. I did it last year and I feel more prepared and healthy than I did last year so there has to be something with that...right?? ugh! I just hate dealing with my brain. I'm finally starting to feel like I can move at a decent pace again, but am I ready to conquer a full at that pace? I guess we will just taper and let the cards fall where they may. 

Nice start to the taper week! I ran more than 2.5 miles up Rose Canyon Road, because I did some funky business with my watch and paused it when I should've been running it...anyway. I figured I would run until my watch said 2.5 miles. I did have to make it to the top of the hill, so it was 2.7 by the time I stopped :) Then I took a different way home and I thought it was shorter, but I finished with exactly 5.5 - so I'll take it. Mid 7's for the downhill miles and it felt good. Ready to get this darn marathon over!

Classic 4 mile route in 34 minutes. Not super fast, but again that darn uphill mile always gets me! Other than a 3-4 month old little goat trying to follow me home (I almost let him! Good company for Billy :) )it was rather uneventful. Finishing paces were mid 7's. Felt more comfortable than I thought. 

I waited until Adam got home and then ran the classic 5K loop with him. It was a nice day, the sun peeked out for a minute and it was a light rain for some of the time as well. A good easy fun run with the kid, just what the doctor ordered. 

I did the Shaggy Mountain meet route (when I run from home and meet them for the last couple miles) even though there was no one to meet! 

Had some good miles home and let Daisy run off leash, because she is going stir crazy with just road runs and short mileage. 

Ready for this race to be done!!

Sleep in day and travel down south. Drove with Smooth and Larry and had a simply wonderful day! Dinner with Lowell, Suzy and Lews and then got ready for the race and bed while my family drove down. I got a couple hours of sleep in before they got there. 

A perfectly wonderful race! Yes, things could've and should've gone better, but I didn't put the work in to make them better so what can I expect?? I need to get faster base mileage up before I can expect to run like I did when I had faster base mileage. But, I felt like it was a good effort through the whole race. 

I started at the back (8+ minutes behind the clock) and I like it that way! So much less crowded and I can work up through the crowd passing people and my brain doesn't go wonky when I go uphill and everyone leaves me in the dust. I actually can reign people in and pass them. Veyo seemed shorter and Dameron Valley seemed not so steep and long, I saw more flat and rollers than just an uphill climb! I would like to attribute this to my constant uphill training, but who knows. Maybe I'm just realizing the reality of the course instead of what my brain has made it up to be all these years. I wasn't fast up the hills, but I was steady and strong...look on the bright side, right??

I took a gu at mile 5, run gum at mile 7, another gu at mile 11, potty stop at mile 14, ibuprofen and one salt tab at mile 15, gu at mile 17, run gum at mile 20 and ibpurofen and salt tab again at 21. That is at least what I can remember. I know I didn't do my gu as often as I should've and I realized after the race that I should've done a LOT more electrolytes. The weather was overcast, but upper 50's. I didn't drink or fuel like I should've because the cool tricked me into thinking I wasn't sweating as much. Rookie mistake. I tossed my jacket and gloves at mile 15 and thought I'd get them back...I always do at SGM! But, I searched the discarded clothes a few different times (a total of HOURS) and never found it. Oh well, no biggie, it was a $10 UVM jacket I had bought at the expo. I think someone picked it up thinking it was theirs. I kind of hope they'll figure out it isn't theirs and return it, but who knows.

I neg split the course by around 45 seconds - this was with my walk breaks to actually get fuel/gum out, refill water, a potty stop and to kiss my beautiful family! So, I'm confident my actual running pace would've neg split the course by a few minutes if I hadn't have taken the breaks. Look like I need to work on hills...and my starting pace. What else is new?? sigh...

I listened to the book Marathon Woman by Kathrine Switzer the whole time. I love listening to books while I run. It is like having someone next to me just chatting and telling me their running story. I can zone in and out all I want, but I always have something to distract me. I felt pretty strong the last 10K and my splits seemed like they were low 8's (8:02-8:08), so I can't smirk at that. I've got the endurance, I just need the hill speed and mental confidence and faster base miles. I need to push myself when I run! Instead of just lally gagging around all the time. I want speed, but am I willing to work for it? THAT is the question!

Battle/Grove Loop with Amy Thackery. I had a wonderful time despite being sore! She was patient with my slow pace and it was mostly hiking, but I got a little jog going on the downhill after my legs warmed up and loosened up. It was a beautiful fall day with low clouds in the upper hamongogs. Oh, it was glorious! Just what I needed. We chatted about conference, families and running. Amy is such a wonderful person to run with! We are always able to talk about the gospel and strengthen each other's testimonies as we run and see the beautiful world that our Heavenly Father created for us! I wish I could run with her everyday and have her next door!

I then ran 1/2 mile with Adam to help him get his 2 miles in today. It was slow and he did 3 laps to my 2...but the legs are slowly coming back...slowly!

I did the adjusted Shaggy Mountain loop. Went the backway out of the 'hood, up and over old flag hill, then up to Shaggy Mtn Road and then I came down Sharose and back up and over old flag hill home. It is perfectly the same distance as regular Shaggy Mountain Thursday, but I don't have to deal with being terrorized as I run through Nazi territory during daylight hours. 

Daisy came with me and had a good run too. She was much better on the road as we went home and she was unleashed than she can be sometimes, so I was glad. Didn't have to re-leash her and she could run free all the way home...we both could! :) 

It was slow as slow gets, but with recovery week I'm just glad I had the gumption to get out. My quads don't feel right. They don't feel sore...almost a zing in them like they are torn. Which doesn't make much sense to me, but whatever. I just need to take it easy and relax until they come back to me. I'm old and fragile now, I can't run endless miles like I used to! hahahaha. 

1:24 for the loop and I didn't walk any uphills. Which is always a feat for me! 

4 miles with Kelli up the ridge on yellowfork and then down my favorite trail section! It was the perfect pace and company! I've missed that girl...a lot!

4 miles with the racecats Elite team. We started at the reservoir, up Blackridge then Diamond fork to one tree hill, then down to sidewinder and back to the reservoir. 3.25 mile and then some cool down around the reservoir to get an even 4. I was finally able to catch and pass Adam at the end. My last .25 mile was 6:20 pace! It really felt good. The full downhill mile chasing Adam was 8:01, so he was keeping a good pace as well. I took sweeper on the way up, so I encouraged the kids in the back and hung with them. It was a great loop and I loved the time with the kids! 

Of course my Garmin died while I was running, so this is a complete guess, but probably fairly accurate. 

I tricked Adam into doing a trail run with me :) Dad and the others had left to go rock climbing and we stayed behind. I had to finish up some work and Adam just doesn't love rock climbing. So it was later in the afternoon/evening by the time we got going, but we took Daisy out and did Juniper Canyon to the hidden canyon sidewinder and then when we were about to head back (that loop is about 4 miles) I remembered that in the spring I had hid an antler I found near a rock off the trail to come back and get it later. So, I again tricked him into going a little further with me (it was at least one mile each way) to go get the antler. It was still there! It was pretty darn cool to find it! Adam was cold and grumpy I didn't let him bring his jacket, because we were running in the mountain shadow the last few miles. But, he thought finding the antler was INCREDIBLY cool, so it kind of made up for it :)

Went to Xfit for the first time in weeks (my stupid shoulder has been bothering me like CRAZY, there are so many day to day things that cause so much pain to do!) and then I decided this was my week to get my feet back under me. Slow base miles. So, I ran on the rail trail from the box out and back. A 10K a day this week! It was a good run, I didn't have music or books...I just had to run. Not always easy in my head and my legs felt heavy and I felt tired, but what else is new?!?

AP: 9:00 fastest mile: mile 6 8:47; so a pretty steady run. 

Well, I took Daisy and ran what I thought I remembered was a 10K route from home. But then in the middle I thought that it might be a bit short, so I went up a hill to add some on...then ended up climbing up to the top of the Cove. It was actually kind of fun, but longer and slower than expected. Again, felt like I was dragging and my legs weigh 500 pounds, breathing hard and just not feeling the "flow" of running like I used to. It is just always hard. 

AP: 9:33

I went on a walking field trip with Adam from his school and we probably covered 4-5 miles! It was really neat to see and hear about the history of Draper. 

Then I came home and this weekend we decided to cut out our front sod and replace it! SO MUCH WORK!! I didn't anticipate that much work, honestly! I was much too tired to run after that...especially knowing what was now ahead...

I did the Racecat loop from Blackridge with the Elite team in the morning and I wasn't sure I would be able to move! I was SO exhausted it was ridiculous. My fingernails hurt from all the work we had done Wednesday and Thursday. 

Got home and Craig and the other kids had a lot of the front sod laid. It looked really nice!! I helped them finish that up, then went and got lunch for everyone and took a short nap. I'm living on caffeine and ibuprofen!

Amy (Mandy's sister) had asked about doing a longer trail run today, due to sunlight and knowing I was doing the lawn, we put it off until the afternoon. So we started around 3 and even though I got us lost (just once!) it was a great run and we ended up with 11 miles. It was a wonderful fall trail run!! I loved almost every minute. Except the times I was tired and felt like I wanted to sit on the side of the trail and sleep...

I worked the University of Utah 5K homecoming run this morning and Adam ran the 5K and the kids run. He did such a great job!! He came in 8th in his AG of 14 and under and the kids run wasn't timed, but I think he was 4th or 5th. It was just one KM. 

Adam and Lauren drove home and I drove to the SoJo course to find Smooth. The race went longer than anticipated, so I didn't get to run as much with her as I had hoped, but those few miles were amazing! I love that lady. I felt exhausted and tired and probably couldn't have run it any faster if I had tried! But, the time was well spent. 

Three miles with Adam. I'm thinking I may have adrenal fatigue. Which in talking with Lisa Western is simply going to require the one thing I'll HATE! Not run so much...more rest and less stress, including exercise. Lower HR during any activity and working on keeping daily stress down. So Monday and Tuesday I pouted and didn't run at all. I was active, but not with running...sigh. I had to take Lauren to work, because I needed to go to the doctor about a spider bite that had started getting red "arms" crawling up my leg! It has been SO itchy!!! But, I knew with the "arms" spreading that it needed attention. So Craig did my carpool run and I sat at the doctor's office. Got antibiotics for a week....

So I told Adam that we could take the car back to Lauren at the rec center and then run home. I took him on the closed road off Main Street to pique his interest and tell him we could run on a secret path! He was kind of dragging, but it was all uphill and he was coming off of 2 days of hard work! So, I tried to be kind :) I wasn't fast at all either...we did a 9:32AP and when we got home Adam told me "I didn't have fun at all, I feel like you are just making me SUFFER!" bwahahaha! If the poor kid only knew. But we both got the miles done then had a relaxing evening. 

I had been pouting in my mind about the fact that no one ever invites me on runs anymore. Probably because I've decreased my social profile a ton, but you know with my crazy! Anyway, I was excited when Wednesday Kylee invited me to run with some other Herriman girls on Eric's trail. I couldn't pass it up! We met at 9:00 and I had to be to work by 10:30-11, so I needed to cut it short, but I didn't want to refuse a trail invite from someone I wouldn't mind spending more time with and is an easier pace...or doesn't mind MY easier pace. So I went up for 30 minutes and then turned and came back the same way. My watch stopped on the way up so I had no idea how long the round trip would be, but it was exactly 4 miles! Very nice :) 

When the intention is there, but the effort is not, I can count the miles, right?? HA!

Smooth and I met at JRP to run a few, easy miles. We both started walking and whining about how tired and fatigued and sore our legs were...well, to make a long story short, 4.5 miles later we turned around and walked back! It was a lovely morning and I don't regret a step! It was just what my mind, body and soul needed. But, Smooth always finds a way to "ground" me back to neutral no matter how fast or slow or where or when we run. She just has that magical power! It was great to spend 3 hours just chatting and catching up while Daisy ran the trail and pounced on the mice in the fields! My kind of perfect. 

Well, it was too short lived, but I got to run with Becca!!! She was in town to say goodbye to her parents as they embark on their mission for the church. So it was a super short stay and we had to get the run in before everyone got up and she then got in trouble for spending too much time with me :) 

It was slow and even with walk breaks I had our pace at 10:01 (but 2 miles short, because I stopped my watch for some reason some time)...so I'm sure she had me running a high 8 when I could tolerate it! But, I was (ready for it???) exhausted, tired, slow, felt like my legs weighed 500 pounds and my breathing was so labored I could barely talk when we were actually running. By 12 miles I was certainly done. I did take Daisy again and even though it was dark, she behaved herself and had fun exploring Murdock canal trail while we ran. 

We finished and went into her parent's home to say goodbye...well, and hour later I finally started to leave. But, then her parents wanted a treat, so we went on a Swig and Lehi Donut Factory run! Mmmmm. Starting out the day with a sugar rush isn't the best thing, especially for my body right now and especially after a long run, but it sure was delicious!! Great times with Becca and I even wore lipstick ALL day!! I guess it was its own kind of Halloween run :D