cheryl

We met with Air Darkhorse at Alta High and ran a warm-up for about 15 minutes, and then ran a continuous run where we did two minutes fast, two minutes recovery. It was raining slightly when we got there, and then cleared up and it was a nice morning to run. I liked that we got in a lot of hills. Ever since I started heeding Steve's and Sasha's advice to just run easy miles, running has been a lot better; I don't feel a need to kill myself on every run. So today was very pleasant and nice to be out running with my friends. Michelle's GPS said we did about 7.2 miles. Sasha--are you happy I'm no longer a lurker?

PM-Ran a VERY easy 30 minute run on my treadmill; pace was between 11 and 12 minute miles.  Made 10 miles for the day

Ran with the group today.  At least, that was the intention.  We met at 5:30 at the River Front park and ran for about 20 minutes, then started the real workout.  Realized my legs were tight and achy and just did not feel like I could do the workout, which included hills.  So Debbie, Kris and I just decided to run easy, so we took off and ran to 9800 So. and then got on the parkway trail and ran there and up into the Parkway Palisades neighborhoods until we got in our mileage.  Felt bad about leaving our fun group, but didn't have it today.  Ran easy and flat, which was nice.  Looks like Peggy had a good workout for the others.  Probably need to take it easy this week so I feel good on Saturday for Ogden.

Then after getting the kids to school I went to yoga class at the So. Jordan Rec Center.  My difficulty in doing many of the poses shows I have very tight hips and hamstrings.  That is most likely the cause of many of my running issues.  Will work on more flexibility!

Since I've felt fatigued the past couple of days, just decided to take it easy today.  I ran 3 miles and threw in some faster one minute runs during the workout.  Did 15 of them.  My legs felt a little better today, maybe the yoga yesterday helped.

Met with our So. Jordan group today up in Daybreak and ran 6 miles.  Was a nice workout because we got both uphills and downhills.  Tried to keep things at half-marathon pace.  Then I went to yoga class after and really enjoyed the stretching.

Well, Becky and I did this same marathon relay last year in 3:27, and this year it was 3:36, and it wasn't Becky who was slower.  I was 9 minutes slower than last year; I chalk it up to hip/hamstring/piriformis issues that I've struggled with for the past few months.  Oh well, it was good to get the mileage in.  Overall, I tried to keep the pace from getting too uncomfortable.  Peggy was nice enough to run me in the last I think 3 miles--everything was kind of hazy there at the end, and it was nice to have her there to talk to and to keep my mind off the misery.  The others from the blog and my running group did really well.  Cheris and Julie were both well under 4 hours, PR's for both of them, so fantastic job ladies!!  Peggy ran a great half marathon and then ran several more miles, so it was a great day for her too.

  So I ran the Painter's half in January in 1:44, the Moab half in March in 1:47, the Salt Lake half in April in almost 1:56, and this half in 1:51:40, so for the first time this year I haven't gotten slower in a half marathon; I'm hoping that means I'm on the road to recovery.  We'll see.  Congratulations to all the other bloggers for some great races; it was fun to see all the fast running blog singlets go by at the lead of the marathon when I was waiting at the half way point.  Sasha, do you ever acknowledge the people cheering you on or are you in a zone?  I thought for sure you would finish 3rd when I saw you, so congratulations on finishing 2nd.  After the race I went to BYU for several hours to watch my son run in the state track meet, so I saw lots of running today.   What a great day!!

We met with coach Steve at Alta High and he had planned a track workout, but because some of us were still recovering from Ogden we decided to postpone the track work until next week and just run easy on the streets today.  I like the streets around Alta because there is both uphill and downhill work.  We don't get as much of that around Bingham high where we run a lot.  It was a fun run and we picked Steve's brain about various running things such as correct running pace and better recovery and nutrition.  Thanks Steve for all your insights.  I went out and bought chocolate milk after so I would have a better recovery drink;  we'll see if being more diligent about recovery will help my legs feel better this week.

Met with the group today at Bingham high and we ran along the canal road and then into a neighborhood for slightly faster running--but not too fast, Steve.  Once again I kind of died during the run so cut it short and left about 6:30.  Then went to yoga class at 8:45; I'm still very tight, especially on my left side.  I think once I get a bit more flexibility there my running will improve--at least that's the hope.  I also did a little pool running to make up for cutting the street running short.  I haven't included that in the mileage because I'm not quite sure how to do that.

I needed a rest day so all I got in was 3 miles.  This doesn't help my mileage total, but it's all I felt I could do today.  I did ride my stationary bike for 30 minutes also.

I warmed up on my treadmill and figure I got in about 1/2 mile, then I met with our So. Jordan group at 6:00am and we ran a couple of 2 mile repeats--actually they were both slightly over 2 miles, so I think I got in 5 today.  The first 2 miles was 16:45 and the second was just about 16 minutes even.

Up early again to meet Peggy and Debbie at the Rec Center and then we ran 5 miles, mainly on the canal road.  It was a little faster than I would have run on my own on an easy day, but overall it was ok and it was fun to talk to them.

I ran an hour today, with one of the 30 minutes on my treadmill where I did fast minutes and the other 30 minutes on the canal road where the wind was blowing and my ipod wasn't working right (somehow it got on some repeat function so I had to listen to the same song over and over and over...) so that wasn't too pleasant.  My miles weren't great this week but I think my legs are slowly feeling better, so the plan for next week is to run more.

The day to meet with Steve and the group.  The surprise was that it was raining this morning, I wasn't expecting that.  We (Peggy, Cheris, Kris and Michelle) drove up to Alta High and discussed with Steve whether we wanted to run in the rain.  Finally Lisa showed up and said let's do it, so we were off.  I like those streets around Alta, felt we got in a good workout.  Lots of hilly streets.  We were plently wet when we finished, but overall it was fun.

Met with the So. Jordan group at 5:30 and we ran an easy 25 minutes, which I figure was around 2.5 miles.  Then we regrouped and ran 6.5 miles.  I pretty much told everyone to run the pace they felt was best.  I ran with Lynette the entire way and could carry on a conversation even though at times I didn't really want to talk.  So I didn't  think I was running too fast and wasn't checking my time throughout the run and was surprised to see I ran the distance in 54:42, which is around 8:25 per mile.  Could I have maintained that pace for an entire marathon?  No, not right now, but I was glad that 8:25 pace didn't seem overly difficult.  However, just now reading Sasha's comment on Peggy's blog that she shouldn't run over 9 minutes per mile makes me think I maybe ran this too fast; if she should be 9 minute miles, I should be closer to 10 min./mile. Anyway, it's hard to slow down when we feel good running a faster pace.   Plus, time was limited and if we had slowed down we wouldn't have gotten in as many miles.  What to do?

Met with Debbie at 6:30 and we ran for an hour, mainly along the canal road.  We did do some barefoot grass running also, that was kind of fun.  Tried to keep the run very easy and relaxed.  It was a great morning to run.

Met with the So. Jordan group at 5:30.  We did a slow warm-up of approximately 2.7 miles, and then we went into our regular workout.  We ran from 3200 W. up 9800 So. to Glenmoor, up the Glenmoor golf course road twice, and back.  That was about 5.8 miles.  I kept the pace moderately easy.  I could carry on a complicated conversation if I wanted.  We decided we don't talk about anything too complicated when we run.  There were only women today, no men, which is somewhat unuual for us.  It was a nice morning to run.  I then went to yoga class and enjoyed the stretching, and when we got out it was very windy and now it's rainy.  I'm glad the morning run was nice.

Met with Peggy and Debbie at 6:00 at the Rec Center and we ran for an hour along the canal roads.  Kept the pace easy; nice morning, nice conversation, nice run.  It makes a difference running with others.  Usually on my own I'm constantly looking at my watch and just hoping the time will pass fast and spending a lot of time talking myself into completing the run.  Today I barely noticed the time and it seemed like the hour went fast.

Today was an interesting running day.  I first got on my treadmill around 6:30 and ran a warm-up with some fast sprints intermixed.  That was about 2 miles.  Then I went to run a 5K that a young man working on his Eagle project was sponsoring.  It was down on the Jordan Parkway trail by 106th So.  My time was 24:39, not a great time, in fact my slowest 5k in a long time, but I was happy with it because when I went in I thought anything in the 24's and I'd be happy.   The last few times we've done practice 5ks I've been in the 26 minute range. At the turn-around I was about 13 minutes, so I thought the best I'd do would be in the 25's.  I guess I picked it up the 2nd half to finish where I did.  Then I ran another 6 miles, slowly, with Debbie, Peggy (who won the women's portion of the 5k) and Alan.  Almost hit 50 miles this week, not quite, but I was happy with the week because I put in a lot more miles than I think I ever have before and it really wasn't that hard.  Running slowly and with the group makes a difference.