Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured

Today was incredibly rough.  I woke up in a cranky mood and it affected my run.  We had planned on meeting up with Jolynn but she did not make it.  When we run with her we do 2 short routes, but since she did not make it we opted to just run a normal route.  It absolutely kicked my butt!  We ran out for 2.6 miles and when we were to turn and finish with a little more up hill to 3 miles, Paula suggested we could turn around and run back and we would have 5.  I am ashamed to admit that I chose the easy way out.  Even going back down was hard.  Hopefully, I somehow benefited from todays run, because some good should come from it.

Ave Pace: 9:06

Happy Running! 

Ran with a better attitude today.  It was still tough, though.  I was expecting last week, being my first week back,  to be the hard week but felt great the entire time.  This week, however, is a different story.  I came to the realization today that it will be this way for a while so I better get used to it.  

On a more positive note:  An absolutely beautiful sunrise today!  I also know that summer is just around the corner because instead of avoiding the sprinklers today,  I actually sought them out, very refreshing!

Ave Pace: 9:05

Happy Running! 

Nice easy 3 with Paula and some sprinkling rain.  We then did some light weights and planks.  Pretty easy day. 

During this building back up phase, I really wanted to incorporate six days a week.  In doing this I have two really light days - 3 miles each- on Wed/Fri.  I am wondering about the effectiveness of this.  Is three miles enough with a consistency of 6 days a week? Or do those still easy days need to have more mileage?  Something to ponder......

Ave Pace 9:30

Happy Running! 

Kind of a hodge-podge day:

Paula called and canceled due to the monsoon this morning.  At first I thought that I would go down to my treadmill, but as soon as I stood up my head hurt incredibly bad.  I laid right back down and slept for 2 more hrs.  I felt the missing of my run for most the morning.  I dragged myself to work and sat and pouted and was lazy for about 2 hrs.  Finally got into gear and got busy!  Ended up with a really productive day.

 Go home from work and my kids were celebrating the last day of school and my husband was busy covering the baseball draft for work.  We needed to go to Costco tonight for  6 mo. food stock up  so I suggested to my husband that I run to Costco and meet him there.  I left thinking that I would get there about the same time as him.  He ended up leaving 10 min earlier then I thought so I only got in 2.52 miles, but my ave pace was 8:40.

Frustrated that I my first run was cut short, I asked him to drop me off at Harmon's on the way home and I would return our Red Box and then run home.  I pushed really hard the first mile and then slowed a bit on the last .5  and finished with a total of 1.6 with an ave pace of 8:34.

My kids are wanting to run with me and then run the WestFest 5K at the end of the month so tonight I ran with my girls and their friends and ran 1 mile in 10:34.

 All over the place but in the end, got some miles, some errands done and time with the kids.

Happy Running!

An easy 3 with Paula and our friend the wind.  My legs were a little tired from last nights run and the fact that I did not properly refuel at 10:30 at night and hydrate well enough.  Lessons learned.

Off to an early day at work so I can leave early and spend some time with playing with my kids this afternoon. 

Ave Pace 9:23

 Happy Running!

 

Ran my favorite route today - up through Westridge golf course. The first 3.5 miles are all up hill and then you get absolutely gorgeous view of the valley and the Great Salt Lake. Today we could see all the way up to Emigration Canyon. And then you get to go home, back down hill.

I had forgotten how tough the up hill is - it kicked my butt. I knew that I had lost quite a bit while I was injured and in India but today made me realize just how much. It was one of the toughest runs I have had in a long time both physically and mentally, a few tears shed along the way, a lot of pep talk in my mind about never giving up and a little Tim McGraw's "How Bad do You Want It?" and we finally reached the top. The splits going up were 9:34, 9:26 9:47, 8:36 (the last is rolling hills).

We stopped at the top to enjoy the view and apparently I forgot to stop my watch because the split on this mile is 13:24 - apparently we enjoyed for a while. On the way back down I saw a runner ahead of us and soon realized we had closed the gap and pretty soon I had decided to pass her before the light. Nice to finally be able to kick it into gear and a little practice for next week.

The last 2.2 miles are a little more gentle down hill then how we go up but Paula had a pretty good pace going so I decided to just see how long I could hang with her. I soon realized that we were at a sub 8 min mile and decided to see if I could finish the mile that way. Picked it up and pushed the last half of the mile to keep it sub 8 and finished with a 7:49 mile. The rest of the run was pretty uneventful and finished with 8:18 and 7:57 for the last .21.

As tough as the first half was, finishing this run was both important to me physically and mentally. I need to run it more often. I am extremely happy with my splits on the uphill portion because I would have expected all of them to be closer to 10:00 if not over.

Ave Pace: 8:57 ( even with my messed up mile at 5)

Happy Running!

Had a good run with Walter this morning. We ran out through part of Lake Park and the new WestFest 5K route. He pushed me harder that I normally would have myself, but I was suprised that our ave pace was only 8:41. I felt like I was working harder and pushing more than that - must have been all my talking and the fact that I am still incredibly out of shape. Overall, despite my slow pace, it was a good run and pushing myself should happen more often.

 PM:  Swam with the kids for 45 min.  Played a mean game of monkey in the middle and I had the deep end of the pool.  Did some kicking lap so that I could keep my head above water and my eyes on all the little swimmers.
 

Happy Running!

Ran with Paula this morning.  Thought we would be smart and deal with the wind early in our run.  Ran the first 1.5 uphill and into the wind.  Thought we were done, nope.  The crosswind was just about as brutal at points.    My legs were tired and I was dehydrated so not one of my better runs.  I am still struggling to get enough fluids later in the day, especially if I swim or run in the evening.  Overall, I am feeling stronger than I was last week so it is coming back slowly. 

Ave pace: 8:52

Happy Running! 

Nice easy three miles with Paula and some rain.  It was chilly this morning.  Came back and did some core training using the workout in the new Runner's World - not to bad. 

Ave Pace 9:13

Happy Running!

Missed running this morning to go to the temple with my husband.  We left early and all I could think about on the way there was what a perfect morning to run.   I had planned on running tonight with Paula, but once I got home from work realized that my son had a ballgame tonight right in the middle of my running time. (POOR PLANNING!)  I need to be better at planning.  We went out to swim for a while and my sweet husband, who understood my frustration with missing my run, let me swim some laps while he watched the kids and then talked to me for 25 min while I treaded water and caught kids off the diving board.   Not sure if this really even counts for anything but  I guess some exercise is better than none.  

 Happy Running & Swimming!
 

Ran an easy 5 with Paula this morning.  My legs were tight and my knee was a little twingy so I was pretty cautious.  Stopped and stretched a few times along the way and then came home and stretched good again and then did some scrapping.  

My goal for tomorrow is to run a strong race and feel good.  This is probably not a PR course, and due to my less than stellar training the past few months I would expect to be around 25 -26 min.   Definitely not my best or what I would like but I think that is pretty realistic at this point.   I am excited to catch up with FRB runners and see friends more than anything.

Ave Pace 9:22

Happy Running!
 

Ran Heart of Holladay 5K. It is tough route with even tougher competition. I was really nervous going into the race and not sure what to expect. Chatted a bit with Kim and Tom and their family and of course rode over with Paula and her family. We warmed up for half a mile - not much of a warm up but a little antsy and unable to do more that worry about the race and the hill at 2.5.

We started and as soon and at about .15 into the race I was behind Paula, Kim and Brent... I was struggled to get in rhythm. Got going finally about the one mile mark and they called my split at 7:58 - at this point I thought I was really in trouble and would be around 26:00. I started going through all the reasons I am struggling - injured for two months with not consistent if any training; in India for two weeks with out being able to run; lack of sleep this week; poor diet. Some under my control, some not. It is a difficult thing to come to terms that poor performance is completely related to items completely in my control. We came around to the up hill section at 2.5 and I knowing that I can usually run hills pretty tough I dug in. By the time I reached the top my legs were feeling it the last section to the finish went by much faster than I thought and by the time I reached the finish and saw my time I was actually pretty happy with how things went. It would have been a pre-blog PR so even though my training has suffered, I would have never run a route like this even close to this time pre-blog.  So a big THANK  YOU to everyone for all your support and help because you are big part of  todays run. 

Chatted afterwards with Kim, Tom, Brent, Sylvia, Sasha & Sara and their cute family, Steve A and hung out for the awards.  My teenage neighbor had come with us and he finished around 18:00.  He just started running a year ago and is doing great.   

 A gigantic congratulations to Kim for winning the SGM spot!  She is the most deserving and I only wish I had video to post so everyone could share in her excitement - Watching her win was probably the best part of the day. 

Happy Running!

Ran with Paula this morning.  I had every intention of taking it easy today but when she suggested a tougher route I let her push me to do better.  The first two miles were flat and then mile three is all up hill.  The hill actually felt really good I pushed right along.  Mile 4 is all flat and it zipped right along and then we had a long wait at a light at the start of mile 5.  I had the hardest time getting back going and struggled through mile 5.  Mile 6 is down hill and the pace picked up pretty good to the end.   Not to bad, but my legs really felt it.  My quads were pretty tired from Saturday so I scrapped yesterday and will add additional stretching sessions this week.

Ave Pace 8:50

Happy Running! 

Ran with Paula and went and ran the new Westfest route.  The new route is flat and will be very hot on race day because there is no shade.   My legs were really dragging and tired again and I am feeling the effects of not enough sleep the past few weeks.  I have increase my water intake substantially but am still feeling dehydrated in the morning.  Still need to drink more.

Ave Pace: 9:01

Happy Running! 

Was supposed to run an easy three with Paula this morning but I was a mess.  My legs were really tight to begin so I stretched them as we started.  My left calf cramped for 2.5 miles and I kept stopping to stretch it out and then my stomach started to have issues and it was a good thing I was close to home.  Enough of my whining!

Ave Pace 9:45

Happy Running! 

Yesterday I had my husband work on my legs after my run. After some pain and some nausea they felt much better. Then I spent 3.5 hrs in a car traveling to Cedar to meet with a client, another 3.5 hrs sitting in a room the size of a walk in closet, 3.5 hrs driving back to Salt Lake and then another 45 min chasing kids all over the place. By the end I my thighs were on fire, so some more massage and scrapping before I went to bed. Got up today they were not on fire but made of lead. OH the dead legs!! They were so heavy and not wanting to move for 6 miles! UGH! The run itself wasn't to bad but my legs were so tired. Good news was that I wasn't feeling dehydrated and my stomach cooperated.

Now for the big news: After 14 yrs of working at the Deseret News my husband is changing careers. He has been very happy there but with the layoffs that are coming in July, he started looking early. He has accepted a position working for the Utah Blaze as the Director of Communications.  This is very exciting for our family but change is always scary. It will be nice to have him home in the evenings and have a more structured family life.   We are not quite sure at this point how it will affect my job (he has always been home during the day to take care of the kids) but over the next couple of months we will see what happens. 

Ave Pace 8:56

Happy Running! 

Ran a nice easy 3 today with Paula on 3 hrs of sleep.  Three must be my magic number this week - it has appeared quite a bit.  Had a nice chat and just relaxed. 

Ave Pace 9:19

Happy Running!

Ran the big block twice today. We started at 7:00 to get some practice in the heat- it is too hot - I feel for all you that run in it every day! First time went really well. I felt strong up the hill and then kicked it in on the flat and down hill stretch. Stopped for water and then headed again. I could tell right off that it was going to be much harder. Went to head up the hill and about half way up I started with the double vision thing again. I stopped for a minute and it went away. With about 1.5 miles to go I got a really weird cramp in my back, up in my ribs. It stayed until the I was almost done. I cannot believe how much harder this was then a few months ago, but I have to keep reminding my self that the more I do the easier it will become.

Now I get to go to my son's baseball game and then two softball games - pretty much my day will be spent at the ball park.

 Ave Pace 9:06

Happy Running!
 

Ran with Walter and Paula this morning. This was the hottest morning for us so far. We had a good run, chatting about WBR and upcoming races. Glad to get a good start on the week and my legs continue to feel better every day. Do not have an ave pace because I forgot to start my watch.

Happy Running!

Good hard run today.  I started out not wanting to get out, my body was tired both physically and mentally, but I knew that I would not be able to run later in the day.  We ran the Harmon's block the original way and the first 1.5 miles were flat, flat, flat and I just struggled to get going.  The next mile is a very gradual up hill and I finally got in my groove and feeling good.  The next 2 are a more significant up hill and really was feeling good and started enjoying myself.  The last 1.5 is down hill and at this point we started picking up the pace and ended up sprinting the last couple of tenths to the end.  Nice practice for Saturday but today was slightly down hill and Saturday will be flat.  

Ave Pace 8:56

Happy Running! 

Ran three with Laurie and Paula.  We had a great time chatting and visiting as we went.  I was making some desserts for a work party today and ran out of whipping cream so thought that I would stop at Harmon's on the way, however they have changed their hours and it was closed and the Holiday Oil and 7-11 do not sell whipping cream either.  Kind of a crazy run when you stop at every grocery store and gas station along the way.

 Happy Running!
 

Ran and easy 5 with Paula today.  I didn't want to tax my legs too much because of the race tomorrow.  

Time to  get ready for another fun day at the ballpark.  My son has had 4 games so far this week and my oldest daughter has at least three today.  

Ave Pace 9:10 

Happy Running! 

Woke up ready to race today.  I ran 1.62 miles over to the start as a warm up and had a difficult time trying to stay slow.  Got there and they could not find my registration,  after much searching they had misspelled my last name and put me in the "A's".  I had them fix it in the computer so that the official record would be accurate.  

We lined up and I found a place I liked and we were off.  I started out much faster that I usually do but felt really good.  Kept pushing and it felt like it was flying by.  At the 2 mile mark it seemed to slow down a little but still felt good the entire time.  The last mile I chicked a few guys and past one of the girls I had been following the entire time.  When I could finally see the clock I wished I had pushed just a little bit harder to be under 24 min but a PR is a PR and I will take it.  This leaves a little bit of work for Murray next week.   

Visited with Kim's brother Jeremy for a little bit both before and after the race and talked to lots of neighbors and friends.

Ran the other 1.62 home at 9:45 am while the parade was lining up.  Way to many people watching.  A little old lady, who was dressed is sweats and a hat, stopped on her way to the parade to let me know it was to hot to run.  Told her I was almost home, but in my mind I was thinking - "You have sweats on!"

Ave Race Pace:  7:45

Happy Running!
 

Ran with Julie today.  She is pretty speedy and just working on building up her miles.  We had a good time visiting and chatting along the way.  She lives just a couple of blocks from me and I have seen her out running but we didn't have a chance to really introduce ourselves until Saturday at the 5K.  It was nice to have someone to run with while Paula is on vacation.  Dropped her off at 4 miles and then finished on my own. 

 I have got to figure out how to get a decent nights sleep on Sunday nights.  I could not go to sleep last night and then tossed and turned all night long - UGH!

Today also marks my first official work from home day - we will see how it goes.

Ave Pace 8:53

Happy Running!