cheryl

I really didn't do well last week on blogging.  My resolution is to do better.  I think I'm doing so much run/walking type stuff that it's hard to determine how many miles I've run, so I just don't even try to guess and avoid posting a blog.  I did run with the group last Thursday, and was happy to be back with everyone, even though I really didn't talk to anyone for too long, except for Alan.  Then on Saturday I ran with Cheris, Michelle,  Debbie, Dean and Kris.  That was fun, we had fun talking.  I've missed all those guys!!

Today--I took my dog to the canal road about noon and had a great run, nice warm weather, no wind, it was great.  I spent 30 minutes there, walking some, mostly running.  My goal is to avoid pain in the hamstrings and to run loose and relaxed.  I didn't feel any pain and tried my best to be relaxed.  Then I got on the treadmill and ran some faster one minute "sprints" I guess you'd call them, even though they weren't overly fast.  I felt just a little pain in my hamstrings doing that.  It was an enjoyable run.  Now to run with the group again tomorrow.

I met with the running group at 5:45.  The plan for today was to try and keep the group somewhat together, at least for part of the run.  I think it worked fine, we were able to talk to a lot of different people and it just felt more like a group run.  I don't know if everyone wants to do it that way everytime, but I enjoyed it.  Last Thursday I felt a little in "no man's land," knowing the group was out there somewhere in the mist ahead of me, but not really being able to see or talk to anyone besides who I was running right next to.   What do the rest of you guys think, what do you prefer?  Do you like staying with the group more or do you prefer running your pace for the distance and not having to worry about regrouping?  

In any event, it was great being back with my group, I was on a type of runner's high all morning just enjoying being back out running again with the fun group!

I did go to yoga at the Rec Center at 9:00.  I've decided I have to do yoga if I want to continue to be a runner.   I need all the stretching and strengthening.  It's rough getting older, you seem to need more maintenance.  I enjoy yoga too, the teacher is calm and relaxing, just what I need, and I get to visit with some neighbors I don't normally talk to very often.  All in all, a fun morning.

I went to Costco yesterday and bought a Garmin 305!!  So I will no longer have to ask everyone I'm running next to what our pace is and how far we've gone.  I'm sure everyone in the group is happy to hear that!  I tested it out today on the canal road.  I kept looking at my pace, hoping I'd be faster.  I need to just run comfortably and not worry too much about pace.  Anyway, it was a great day to run, warm, no wind.  We'd better enjoy it because I don't think it will last.  I later got on the treadmill and ran about 3 miles more, alternating pace.  Fun, fun.

I met with the BBK group at Cheris' house at 5:45.  It's hard to describe the run, suffice it to say there were lots of hills, and we all love hills!!  Thank you Cheris for planning that workout.  And since this was my first run with the group where I've used a garmin, I need to write down the vital info:  6.27 miles in 58:37, 9:21 average, with a 7:03 best.  I like that 7:03 best, I probably just held that for about a second.  It was fun being with everyone in the group.

At 9:00 I went to the Rec Center for yoga class, which I enjoyed as always.  I then did 15 minutes on the stairmaster; I can't seem to leave that stairmaster alone, I love it and hate it at the same time.  And then for good measure I went home and ran a little more on the treadmill, once again concentrating on form and trying to be totally relaxed.  It's difficult to change form after a certain way has become ingrained, but I'm trying!

After yesterday, I just wanted an easy day, so I went to the Rec Center around 11:00 and did the stairmaster for 10 minutes, then did some core work, then went to the canal road with my dog and ran easy for about 30 minutes.  It was a nice day, a little cooler, but still nice to be outside running.

I woke up early, too early, thinking about the Bingham-Alta game, and also about the BYU-Utah game.  Am I obsessed with football, or what?  It would have been nice for Bingham to win so we Bingham Butt-Kickers could revel in their glory, because their glory is our glory, right?  Oh well, maybe next year.  And now to see if BYU can pull off an upset.

Anyway, back to running.  I couldn't face the dark and cold, so I talked myself out of meeting some members of the BBK for a long ran, and I just ran on my treadmill instead.  After a nice long warm-up, I got to the meat of the workout which was a fast 5K.  I managed to run it in 23:17, with no incline.  I'd like to work up to around 22 minutes at a 2% incline.  That's what I was able to do when I was running pretty well, so hopefully I can do that again sometime in the not too distant future.  I also plan to get in some core work later on, maybe during the big game.