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

Just to start out: I LOVE Onion Days. I picked this race the first year I was 'running' and I've gone back ever since. I love it even more now that I know all the amazing people that live down there!! A big THANK YOU goes to Marion for hosting the big-bad for you breakfast (thanks for the big gut and butt soup - it was FABULOUS, and I now have a big gut and butt :) ) and to Michelle, all the hubby's that cooked and kept us more than full, and everyone that came and brought good food and fun times!!! It was totally worth every calorie bite and every lost minute of sleep on a holiday!

So, the race. Excited and set a time goal: 45 min. I figured if I got a 44:12 at Des News I could push HARD and get a 45:00. I knew this course was flat and not downhill, but I wanted to run my guts out. My mantra today: NO EXCUSES! 

Got to say a happy hello to all my fellow RHPC's and bloggers then we lined up. After TOU 1/2, I'd decided I wanted to beat Walter, even if for only a moment. So, I lined up at the start line (no chip times), and when the gun went off I was First!! I held my own through the crowd of 5Kers (about 200 yds), just long enough to be in front of Walter for all the newpaper pictures (hehehe) - if I ever do find a picture of this, I may just photoshop a finish line in front! The good thing about starting in the front, even when you have no business doing so, is that you can count how many women are in front of you. Two passed me quickly, I was in 3rd - not too shabby. A little past mile one the third lady passed me, about a mile later I passed her back, but then about .5 mile later she passed me back and said "you're doing great, thanks for pushing me, I need someone to keep me going!" After that she stayed consistently about 20-30 seconds in front of me. I knew if I just kept pace with her I'd do okay!

I also leap-frogged JonA a few times. It was SO nice to have Kelly there on her bike with updates and encouragement! The last time I passed Jon I said "don't get chicked again!" I meant, don't pass me so I have to pass you back again, I just didn't have enough breath to say it. I thought he was behind me the whole time, but when the guy I thought was him passed me again...it wasn't Jon.

My R shoelace came untied at mile 3 - I didn't have time to stop and tie it. I kept thinking..mile 4 you can stop and tie it...at the aide station at mile 4.5 you can tie it...I don't have time to stop to tie a shoe! Then about mile 4.5 my L shoelace came untied too. I figured I'd run through worse conditions than having loose shoelaces, so I just kept at it and never stopped. I did walk about 5-10 steps through the 4.5 water station, just enough to actually swallow.

After the lead group took off and I hit my REAL pace I was able to pick off a few people, obviously only men. I love to have my 'you've just been pinked' shirt on and then pass the guys! 

The SLIGHT up hill miles 4-6 slowed my pace too much, I think I could've made 45 if I would've kept up a little better. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20! I ended up finishing just 20 seconds behind the 3rd place lady and I was hoping that no one in front of me was in my age group. I was VERY pleased when I saw 1st place in my AG on the runnercard; this is the first time I've taken first in my age group! Overall a great race and I felt strong, I just loved having people there cheering me in at the end. I heard Marion yelling my name and it gave me the push I needed to sprint the finish!

Oh, I could go on and on! I loved it, felt good, had a good time, ALMOST got my goal and this is my 2nd best 10K time, so best flat course time! I wish every race could feel this good!

AP: 7:26 splits: 7:04, 7:15, 7:32, 7:22, 7:53, 7:41, (.2) 6:42. This was the most accurate my Garmin has ever been to a course. My time on the Garmin was 46:15 (same as official) and the distance was 6.21 - good tangents :)

I have a new found respect for those of you that get up early (4:30-5) day after day! These 2 days in a row have nearly killed me! It doesn't help that I don't  get to bed before 10:30, even when I try.

BBK day at the hills from h--- location. I was already whining as we started warm-up, about .75 in we started up one of the hills "why?" I muttered from the back. Nice, slow warm-up and I didn't even think about pushing those hills :) 

We met the rest of the group at 5:45 - then it was off to the big hills. Last night I envisioned myself pushing these and keeping up with the lead pack, I know I've got speed in these legs - somedays I just need to find it! However, my positive mental attitude was gone, today was my day to whine! At the back of the group I trudged along feeling like I was going to die. Thankfully, we only did one 1 mile hill repeat.

Next we went to the parkway trail. Plan was 10 min comfortably hard then push for 5 min, since no pace was attached I just went by feel. Again, I was bringing up the rear... We regrouped and then did a 'chase and be chased' group. The chasers went 1 minute the opposite direction so we essentially had a 2 minute head start. I was now bound and determined NOT to get passed. I was still the back of the be chased group, but I wasn't letting the leaders pull away. My 15 minutes were up for the way back, then I heard a watch beep behind me!! nuh uh!!! I wasn't going to get passed with just .15 or so to go! So, I started going faster..I could hear the footsteps coming closer...go, go, go - I glanced back it was Scott. No way, not today! I sprinted him to the end (MAN is that guy speedy!!!) and my crazy arms got him, somewhere - I think it may have been an elbow to the head (I can use the fact that I slowed to apologize as an excuse :) ). I'm not sure I can say I didn't get passed, because I think it was a tie...so it was close, the skin of my teeth!! However, I didn't get passed!

Then we did one more 1 mile hill repeat for 'cool-down'. I was pleased that my 10 mile hit just as we got to the parking lot - No extra to make it even today!

AP: 8:37 splits: (warm-up) 9:55, 9:19, 9:34 (hill) 8:50 (15 min tempos) 8:13, 7:57, 7:56, 7:54 (cool-down) 8:13, 8:25 - the first 1/2 of the 8:13 was the end of the tempos.

Short 15 min nap while kids showered, off to school then to the gym for personal training. 45 minutes of torture (not NEARLY as bad as last week) then 30 min/9 miles on the bike to cool-down and use up nursery time. Now I'm looking for a nap!

Easy day. Kick-boxing and 5 miles on the recumbent bike reading RW about good food!

BBK day, warm-up just under 3 miles, then up to State St and 11400 S to do suicide hill (up to 1300E). Felt okay, but as always I was bringing up the rear - Kelli was nice enough to keep me company till the big one, then I told her to take off and kick it! 2nd 2 mile loop was harder, because we got some downhill, then had to push up the suicide hill again. However, knowing it was the last time helped mentally. Then we got to run back down to the cars, grab a drink then headed out for and extra mile. I took the pansy route, I don't like construction roads, they scare me - so I took a side street. Back at the parking lot I only had .25 left to do 11, so I ran around the parking lot a bit.

AP:  8:44 splits: 9:13, 9:31, 9:20, 8:35, 9:38, 7:51, 9:35, 7:19, 7:38, 8:24, 8:59 -hmmm...were those 2 9:30's the suicide hill? :)

Now I'm off to yoga and 45 minutes of personal training, plus I'm thinking I'll get 3 miles on the bike afterward. I'm trying to blog early so that I can be more productive this afternoon.

Yup, love yoga...not so much training! I did 5 miles in my short 15 minutes after training, just to move the legs and hopefully move out some of the lovely lactic acid, plus I like to get some reading time in too!

Easy day, I am supposed to be tapering :) 

Kids wanted to ride bikes to school, so I rode with them to school then down to the gym with the baby. Got on a bike to mindlessly read while pedaling - 60 minutes 17 miles. Then did the eliptical for  30 min. Hopped on the bike and rode back to pick up the Kindergartner.

All in all, I think it was 22 miles on the bike. Now to clean this tornado mess of a house - that counts a x-training too, right?

Nice run up Provo River Trail with friends...totally worth being crazy and driving 45 minutes to run just 12 :) Thanks Luz, Katherine, Smooth, Kelli and MrsFit!!! It was great to see all of you, plus I ran into Josse as well. Utah county is definitely full of good runners - all out getting their 20-22 in today on the trail!

First 6 were up the canyon with a NASTY headwind, plus I was enjoying myself just visiting and never looked at the pace, I was happy - I'm in taper so why bother with pace?  10:04, 9:58, 9:20, 9:22, 9:29, 9:02. I left the group at Nunn's park when they stopped for pop break to finish my last .6 miles, got just above the falls, stopped and took in the beauty for a minute then turned around at 6 even. Got to say good-bye to all and wish them good luck on their long runs on the way down.

Coming down the canyon was fun, I just felt like I could fly! With the wind at my back and the downhill it just seemed too easy - then I checked the pace - 7:30?!? Holy crud, I could hardly believe I was moving that fast, did NOT feel that fast. Tried to keep pace even as the canyon flattened out. 7:42, 7:33, 7:32, 7:40, 7:40, 7:31. What surprised me was the consistency. I'm usually all over the board.

I was done when I got to the car and wondered how some people can run that fast and faster for 26 miles! AP: 8:35, I'm honestly not entirely sure and/or confident about TOU next Saturday. I know I'll survive, but after today's run I'm just hoping to finish under 5 hours :)