Believe to Achieve

11 SW1-

4 wu in 32:14. 1 incline. started at 8:49 increased every 1/3 mile by 0.1 mph until mile 3.1 increased by more and quicker.  Ended at 6:22 last little bit. 

3 min recovery first  then 4 x 10 min at 6:44 with  3  min recovery at 8:27-8:34  one percent incline.    Did LT 4 min at 0, 4 min at 0.5, 1 min at 1 percent, 1 min at 05 incline.  first and second and third one.   last one started at 6:49 ,  0 incline, 3 minutes, 6:44, 0 incline 2.5 min (knee gave out 5.5 min in to last one).  Stretched it for less than a minute then restarted TM and did 4:45 total more minutes, 1 min at 6:44, 2 min at 6:39, one min increasing to 6:31 for last 30 seconds.   I did more than 4.5 min bc when knee gave out I held on tm for a moment to see if I could ride out the give out/pain/locked knee but couldn't but was probs15- 20 seconds of this.  

total sw miles = 7.31 including recovery pace at 8:27-8:34 at 1 percent (9 min).  

first 6.64 miles in 47:29. 7:09 avg (includes 9 min of recovery pace)  tm stopped for knee, the next 0.67 miles in 4:45 (7:05 avg pace , tm takes 18-20 seconds to get to pace hence why not 6:44 though set there and why i do recovery pace first!! on this tm. 

upper body and abs.  today run felt hard mentally not in it therefore going up on incline sucked my life a little too much. should not try so hard.    i really think mental. and a little physical though none until last 4.5 min!  noted in my body. 

6.7 easy before work

SW2 =  

warm up 4 miles.  8:29 avg. started at 9:05 increased every 0.5 by 0.1 mph

two min 8:27 

sw = 4.92 miles (36 min/7:19 pace), had to go to 7:35 for a second when my right tibia attachment was hurting (to knee) and I was wondering if it was breaking (the bone?)  held on to the sides then it passed, back to 7:24 then 7:19 so roughly 10 min at 7:19 and the other paces for two min.  Second one no issues but still at min 6 took it down to 7:30 for 45 seconds and 7:24 for the same. Back to 7:19. Last one good entire time at 7:19 and went to 7:13 to 6:49 for the last three minutes.  The pace was definitely steady.  felt strong speeding up after slowing and speeding up at end.  

recovery miles=   6 min at 8:27

no incline    just tired as i walked into the gym at 915 am.  so needed a reward for good behavior (sticking with the plan to a T except adding an extra SS or repeat)  but generally being a good girl :D

45 min = 6 miles exactly =7:30 pace.    (36 min/7:19avg, 8 min 8:27 pace)

8 easy

15 w/10 at  MP

START at mouth of provo canyon. Run easy up five miles.  And down 10 miles at MP.

Met Julie e, kim and bekah (jane in hawaii nursing the hammy).  6:30.  Started about 640 am.  

Ran up 5 miles. stop eternal fountain and mile two to wait a min and at 3.41 snacks (only took some sugar free powerade and water and a bite of fruit leather and couple sucks of the mango puree.  Then at turn around.  Mp miles on way down.  Crazy head wind on way up!!  Bekah suggested out and back on provo trail toward provo, turn around was at Jamestown (half way of the buildings there).  Sun came out briefly on these miles.  29 degrees at start.    Ran into wind on way back intensely for last mile.  Been feeling under the weather the last 30 hours.  Took a zinc at 5 am.  Headache as I type this and a little achy/weak feeling.     Really was wanting easy pace up but stayed with kim and bekah in the head wind.  

*8:33/8:14/8:11/8:15/8:00/7:22/7:22/7:15/7:11/7:16/7:18/7:16/7:29 (half out half into wind), 7:43 lots of work here, 7:49 really crazy wind up and into parking lot.  Avg pace 7:41. Avg HR 158.    my watch paces are slower than actual doing a reset.  those by me got significant dif in times for splits.    

SW1=

1 mile on life fitness 1 percent 8:49 switched to better life fitness tm when unoccupied

3 miles with last mile increasingly fast.  24:15.  1 percent.  So 8:05 avg   

Started after potty and stretch and talking to angie at 2 min easy 8:34 then right into 8 min at MP 7:19 increased to 6:53 last min or so to test the pace (4 off at 8:34, 1 incline), 5 min at HMP 6:53-6:49  would go up to next pace for last min (6:27-6:31) (3 off at 8:34-8:27, 1 incline), 3 min at10 k 6:35 (6:27 last 30 seconds) (2 off at 8:27-8:34, 1 incline).     REPEAT X 1   PLUS 5 min at MP (7:19-7:13 finished last two min at hmp (6:44-6:53, increasing to this)

7.62 miles for the 57 min,  so 7:28.8 avge pace (37 min speed, no incline and 20 min 8:27-8:34, 1 incline.  Avg for the 5.28 miles of sw calculated roughly at 7:00 even. Probs slightly quicker.

8 easy peasy.  ENJOY slow.  Me and Brooke C.  530 am.   easy peasy.  HR avg 141.  8:56 avg.  first mile 9:54 bc my knee felt funny.  then it was fine.  right knee.  

did wall sit, calf raises and step downs to strengthen yesterday and today.  3 x 30 sec walls.

SW2= 

4 easy warm up. TAPER MADNESS  GO MAD GOING TOO EASY.  

started warm up at 9:05 increased to 8:27 for second mile then up every 1/3 a mile by 0.1 mph.  ended last mile increasing every 0.2 miles and last 0.4 by a lot ending at 6:00 pace.  Avg pace 8:16.  1 percent incline.

stretched, then started with 3 min at 8:27, 1 incline then right into 2 x 15 min at STEADY STATE 7:13 pace, min 13 and 14 at 7:09, min 15 at 7:03-6:44, second set  min 13 at 7:09, 14 th min at 7:03 and last minute to 6:44-5:56 for 10-20 seconds // 3 min rest at 8:27, 1 incline. 

cool down to 9.38 miles (ran too many monday so shortened here).    0.5 miles, 2 percent incline 9:13-8:34 pace.

Work,  NO RUN :D  REST DAY FINALLY :D

8 easy.  shorts outside with gloves short sleeves. 47 degrees at start 7:32 am.  9:09 avg.  HR avg 138. 

13 w/ 6 miles at MP (7:24) w/1 min pick ups every mile to LACTATE THRESHOLD OF 6:36 pace.  All other miles EASY!!!!!!

 2 up from Vivian Park and back down.  Started MP at Vivian Park mile 4.  But honestly we did 8 at MP.

Jane's hamstring too tight to finish. Left home at mile 4 :(

Paces (with one min pick up to hmp)

9:21/8:30/7:18/6:56/7:25/7:00/7:00/6:59/6:57/6:43/back up 1.7 8:14/8:14/7:37

avg hr 161;  1:37:55 (watch died at 12.95 but kept running to a little over 13 to when Bekah's watch hits.  

iced in river 6 min.  drove bekah home

went to seth and stef's open house of their new home in holiday.    then back to pick up amber at work (car stalled out) and to Brooke's larsens baby shower.  

8 easy :D  8.12 miles easy with Brooke c.    porta potty me.  bathroom off murdock her.  then she had to walk so we walked at 7.3 miles.  Nice conversation.  nice and easy pace some good climbs that felt easy.  8:58 avg.  hr 141.  talked a lot.

9:39/9:02/8:53/9:09/8:54/9:00/8:44/8:26 and 8:33 last 0.12

OFF but I work :D   Leave for Boston Tomorrow

SW1=  10 minutes at MP 7:13(added some incline) plus 3 x 2  minutes at HMP @6:44 pace with  2 min at 8:20 and 1 percent incline between each.

3 mile warm up  1 incline 25:28 started at 9:06 pace life fitness non fav felt like a slug like no bueno

started with 3 min incline 1 percent 8:34-8:27 half time each pace

10 min at 7:13.  slowed to 7:35 pace until two miles at that point so 15:12 for 2 miles.  7:36 avg for 2

3 x 2 min at hmp 6:44 with started with two min jog at 8:20 and 1 percent incline.  and two min between sets 1 and 2 and 2 and 3.  1.71 miles total here at 7:34 avg.  

cool down to 7 miles at 7:35 pace (0.29 miles).  

sister in law was in a car accident last night.  Thank goodness no head trauma.  Lost left femur.  bruised lung.  life flighted from blanding utah to New mexico.  triggering for sure considering last year and my dad sister and brother Jeff. 

5 easy in Manchester :D tm in manchester hotel 8:44 avg.  Foot has been hurting since Tuesday at work did speed yesterday and walking in airport was painful, noticed in medial arch and anterier tibialis.  

one mile warm up on cape at Jen's house.

5/4/3/2/1 at mp.

4/3/2/1 at recovery

9:05/7:36/7:50/7:39 = 8:02 avg and 4.24 hilly miles.  

147 avg hr.

0.26 miles jog to jen's house 9:08 avg,

3.1 easy on cape cod.  Day at Falmouth and out on extremely windy board walk.  9:22 avg.

129 HR.   hip started to hurt a lot during day.  Sunday calf!!  a lot!!

Boston Marathon 2025

3:20 A goal

3:25 B goal   mainly hoping for this. gonna see how training is by a week before to decide.  Wrote this on Feb. 2, 2025

3:30 C goal

Well six days before my left arch and ankle was hurting at work .  Then learned of my sis in laws car accident (last year my brother in law died in a car wreck two weeks before boston so LOTS OF PTSD).  Learned she was alive but needed a new femur, humerus, has a fractured sternum, pelvis, bruised lungs only needing 2 L of oxygen, and a few scrapes needing a couple stitches and a lacerated spleen.   Very emotional for me on speedwork the next day. I was so glad nothing bad had happened coming home from work Tuesday and I could finally pack and get ready for Boston relieved not to feel sad. So wednesday during sw  I actually cried and had an angry outburst without screaming since I was at vasa. I was just sick of car accidents.  some of you may know that my dad and sister were killed in a car accident in 1982.  I was 12 almost 13 then in 1985 my brother was killed in a car accident, I was 16.  Anyway I went through a lot those years with depression and suicide attempts.  I found my way from Massachusetts/NewHampshire where I grew up at BYU as a non mormon.  I was baptized 6 weeks later.  My life made a 180 turn!  But life happens and more things happen and some traumas are hard to heal from and losing my brother in law was tough bc my sis in law was same age as my mom when my dad died with four children like my mom.  Only she had one die with my dad. So by race I was able to text back and forth with my sis in law!  very relieved, brain intact!   We also were able to text each other which was a greater relief.  If you saw her car you'd be surprised she lived. 

NONETHE LESS The pains were everywhere in my left leg and I couldn't stop worrying about how it could possibly go away. I read up on ptsd, consulted two bffs and just realized ptsd pain is real.  So by race day only worry and NO ADRENALINE OR EXCITEMENT PURE DREAD.  I decided to just do 8 pace  the whole way I most certainly could do that but at mile 15 an easy mile and 16 and easier mile  I felt a black hole mindset come over me.  I had taken a gel at mile 4 and 10 and 15 bc of the hole but the continued spectator cheering and lots and lots of people I got soooo anxious that I carried my sg marathon shirt from 2017 in my hands switching it back and forth like an anxiety ball.   Left leg was good at this slow pace so what the heck?? looking back at my coros my HR was up to 171-176 several times during those first 13 miles and I had to pee for 12 miles and felt immense relief when I saw an open (green handle) porta potty, I passed red ones cause I was not gonna sit back and wait.   But I wonder bc of my anxiety if I just took a few minutes to chill out talking to some people at side lines standing still that maybe I would feel less anxious??   Anyway... mile 15  *8:40 what the heck??? I had an empty bladder and a gel and I am slowing??? why???  then 16 down hill so good and I could not pick up the pace.  My hips started to feel achy, glass like pain (I have calcium deposition disease, AKA pseudogout) so maybe I am having a flare?  and maybe all week that's what has been happening in my left hip to foot??  anyway I just decided I would just slow down and not freak out and I sure did.  All my training was faster up hill than any of these newton hills by over a minute!  so what the heck.  When I got to mile 21.5 I felt so much better and realized my legs , meaning my thighs and calves and feet didn't even hurt so pick it up alread.  Mile 25 was 8:21 and then I thought maybe too early I might die at 26 so I slowed. I also walked through all the aide station from 15 to 25  (there are aide stations every mile which is distracting)  and why??? i don't even take fuel on my long runs except one gel!!   The gels cause my HR to spike (none of them are ever with caffeine) and I feel awful for several min after, catching my breath...(I read I need more water with the gels).  anyway I am 56 years old so I probs have bad HR variability.  I can't say I ever felt a single ounce of adrenaline on this run.  Just pure anxiety then joints in hips pain. and breathing issues with gels. So at a mile to go I picked it up and ran 7:28 for the last 0.4 miles but when I did that I was glad I didn't try to go fast in marathon,my left quad spasmed like it did in the warm up to my corral.  so all in all I played it safe and now I feel really good.  Can't say I was ever marathon sore, no swelling (except ankle at anterior tibialis tendon that has gone down daily). Walking airport next day I could easily pick up to a jog.  All stairs no issues. Nada.  So friday (when writing this) I ran 6.2 miles in the glorious spring!  9:17 avg  so chill and awesome.  I felt so alive.  

Not to mention added ptsd that last year besides the car accident that killed my brother in law my sister in law and kids were hurt in the accident and needed care and I stayed with them a couple days before the race and  I was barely running because I tore my hamstring two weeks before the accident and I should have bailed but I wanted to get out of town to try to overcome my grief.  But Boston 2024 at mile 5.8 my hamstring tore again and I ran 20.6 miles on it torn. Well I walked several times and I was so sad I thought I was gonna have to bail. I held on to my hamstring attachment and got it done in 4:03:xx.  SO MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY TOUGH my avg hr was 174!!  Boston 2025 my avg HR was 161!!  

here are splits:  

1-8:05

2-7:57

3-7:51

4-7:46

5-7:55 gel apple cinnamon

6-7:49

7-7:51

8-7:57

9-7:57

10-8:03 pb gel

11-8:03

12-7:56

13-8:19(porta potty), half 1:44:53

14-8:04

15-8:40   marten gel  I got at mile 11.8

16-8:32   steepest down, what in the heck is happening???

17-8:53

18-9:19  marten gel I got at mile 17.8

19-8:54 

20-9:18

21-9:25  

22-8:34 marten gel right at mile 21.5 when given out

23-8:40

24-8:45

25-8:21

26-8:40

26.4- 7:28 for last 0.4  (always bad tangents at Boston)

to Boston Temple to see Bekah.  She ran awesome ! 3:09:53!  like a pro :D

soreness minimal if at all.  walking normal up and down stairs etc.  not much ibuprofen needed except last night and on plane-  two layovers, chicago and denver.  lots of walking.  felt good.  

chill day at home doing laundry and watching Lost.

worked all day, legs felt great clocked out at 7:30.  Some minor swelling in ankles above low socks.  Laid down right after dinner and watched Lost, my absolute favorite show.  music, symbolism, actors, characters!! never watched it back in 2005-2010.  Didn't really hear about it either.  Started watching it in December finished early January, now watching again on 5 th season. 

only thing is left ankle tightness, anterior tib tendon or navicular bone?  thinking more tendon since I ran and no pain at all.  Left medial upper thigh some twangs before the run and my left hip but no longer hurt after first mile if at all.  ZERO fatigue on this run. Just my normal OJ!  sips before hand.  I could have kept going.  Was only going out for 1/2 mile test so had sweat shorts on, my garments and old cotton shirt and non sport bra.  Just felt so great in spring air.

6 weeks until Utah Valley Marathon. Goal under 3:30.  For the love!

10 easy but def more fatigued today.  ran with Brooke.  9:04 avg.  146 hr.  met brenda at mile 9.5 ran a half mile with them then turned for home.  now as i write this i am def more fatigued all over.  glad tmr is Sunday :D.  

8 easy with Brooke C.  8:49 avg up old 8 mile route but turned right earlier.  up to silo road and pass american heritage and temple and turn early to avoid noise from cars get on trail come down silo road loop around pond.  avg hr 152.  lots of talking.  legs feel light and floating. :D

decided not to run before work though I woke at 5 ugh.  finally got up at 530 am.  Busy shift at work. clocked out after 1900.

SW1-   Felt amazing!!!

warm up 3.5 miles

felt so easy at 8:58 avg got to 8:30 by end and switched to better life fitness tm that shows pace.

2 miles 8:02 avg  1 incline.  felt great. 

potty and talk to angie and jenny.  

0.5 miles bc way too cooled down.  8:16 avg.

WORKOUT

3 - 2  -  1  x    FIVE

3 min at 7:13,  2 min at 8:13, 2 min at 6:58, 1 min at 8:13, 1 min at 6:44, 1 min 8:13

then 7:08,  6:53, 6:39

then 7:03, 6:49, 6:35

then 6:58, 6:44, 6:31

6:49, 6:39, 6:27-5:56 for last min. 

All recoveries at 8:13.

total min 50 for sw.  7:19 avg. 6.81 miles (49:55)