Act like a horse, be dumb, just run.

Wasatch Back practice today.  I had half a gu for fun beforehand just to see how I took to them.  Ran by myself mostly today, at first I tried to keep a short distance behind Monty but it didn't last for long.  We did the trails by Bloomington Hills again and stopped at the trailhead by the Dixie Center for short break.  I cut my finger trying to get out of the bathroom.  There were scary tractors on the trail so I waited for Amanda and Fenja and we decided to go around onto Riverside drive instead.  So I did that and met back up with trail later, so I added .1 because I figure thats how much I extended it.  I did a lot better than last week on this run even though it was still kind of tough.  When I got home I felt pretty sick, I think from the gu, but I felt better after a short nap!

Took my sister in law Hazel running.  We ran two laps around the temple and walked around it twice.

Webb Hill again!  1 mile warm up, once up web hill, half way down and the top half up again, and then down halfway and up the top half once again.  Going up all the way was harder than it was last time, I think maybe because I have been having bad sleeping habits and not getting hydrated enough.  The last time up the top half of the hill I felt good and went a lot faster.  On the way back down to the bottom of the hill I had a monstrous sideache but it get better as I ran on.  1 mile (I cheated by cutting through the golf course, but still counting it as a mile) back to the church where we met! (I took Hazel running again this morning so I added an extra .5 mi)

I didn't know how long this run was but Decker put 6.5 so I did too.  We ran 30 min on a pretty intense uphill in this place out past silver reef.  I stopped to walk for about 30 seconds at 15:00 and then Jake Decker caught up with me so I started running with him.  I ran with him until the 30 min was up and it helped a lot having someone to run with on such a hard run.  We rested at 30 min, turned around and flew back, stopping once to get a drink in the creek. 

Same thing we do every monday.  I ran with Decker and RJ until Decker left us at the trailhead and then I just ran with RJ.  It was still hard, I don't think I would have done well had I not had these two kids with me, having someone run with you is definitely helpful. 

FIRST DAY OF XC... except I'm not in xc anymore... but I guess I am still allowed to be excited?  We ran Washington Parkway, I didn't stop at all but I was going pretty lazily along.  I didn't run with anyone, except for babyface for about a quarter mile and then he stopped, but thats ok because he is just so cute, right?

Played shuffleboard.  Lost three times, won twice.  I probably shouldn't make bets when playing shuffleboard.

Ran Sandberg's Pond with PVXC.  Ashley Judd ran with me for the first half but dropped back for the second.  I felt weak and tired today, probably just from lack of sleep.

Same run we do every monday.  I ran with Ruth Zac and RJ right behind Josh Jeff and Bake until we got to the first big hill and then I dropped back. Took a rest stop at the trailhead by the Dixie Center.  Ran last two miles by myself until Ross Decker came and helped me pick up my pace for the rest of the way. Overall it was a pretty okay run, though I did get a gnat in my eye and I think I might have inhaled one. 

To the tortoise gate with PVXC.  Didn't feel great today but didn't feel too bad.  Ran with Fenja for a little bit, ran by myself for most of the way and ran with Holt for the part that was probly going to be hardest, so that helped.  It was hard for four miles, lots of hills and the dirt didn't help.  Good workout though.  Then took Kenny running at the top of the Black Hill.  We ran about a half mile on a gradual uphill and then back down. 

WBR practice today.  Was supposed to be repeats of 1:00 intervals ran at 10k race pace with 1:00 jog in between.  I don't know what kind of pace I was going at but I tried pretty hard and did pretty well considering I had eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich a half hour before.  I made home made root beer too for the first time ever and it was reheheally good. Today wasn't that bad, kind of a fun workout even though I didn't really have anyone to run with when I was running the fast minute intervals.  I am getting real excited for the WBR!! 

First day of the Wasatch Back Relay!

Run 1 was 6.9 miles on Leg 6, rated very hard even though it didn't seem like it should be.  First mile and half was a gradual uphill and one kind of tough hill.  I passed an ultra-er guy and a guy that said he was a biker not a runner.  There was about 3 or so miles of intense downhill after that on dirt with switchbacks and not very good footing.  I passed about four people on the way down.  When I got to the bottom my legs felt a little fatigued but not bad.  The finish was farther than I thought it was going to be though but I still pushed to the end.  I passed two more people after the hill and overall I felt like I did a good job on this run.

Biked some to loosen up my legs.

Run 2 was a night run on Leg 18.  Started at about 11:00 pm, I have never run this late at night before! This run was 5.7 miles and rated Hard.  It was harder than my first run, very hilly.  It seems like it is a lot easier to run at night however because it is nice and cool and you can't see the hills you are running up.  I think I passed about eight people on this run.  There were a lot of intense hills and one ginormous hill at the end.  I felt like I pushed it hard and did well again.  It is fun running at night even though I did get a little spooked.

Last leg of WBR!  Leg number 30, 3.6 miles long and rated Easy.  Started out kind of fast but I slowed down a little after a bit.  This run was fun, it felt like cross-country all over again.  Started out on dirt then went into some neighborhoods and finished by a school.  I passed nine people on this run.  It was nice running an easy one after two hard ones, and my legs didn't feel completely shot yet either by this time. 

Overall I think my favorite run was probably the night run, because it was something I had never really experienced before.  The whole WBR was just really an adventure and I definitely want to do another relay sometime, maybe someday an ultra.