Believe to Achieve

Steamy run at 7:20am.  Oh my someone turn down the humidity!!!    Ran up 1100 north on to the canal to avoid the sun coming over the mountains as long as possible.  Ran into the sun the last 2.5 miles. 8.1 miles @ AP 8:03.  This was not easy in this heat.  Did I mention that I don't run well in the heat?  Even the sprinklers watered me with warmness!!!  Did lower body and core on the cards.  Courtney only joined me for a couple exercises as she was way too excited for her BIG 12th Birthday Party today.  It started at 10am (the first of 10 other girls arrived at 9:40am).  By 1030am we were out the door to Lehi's Trafalga where they got to choose three activities (they did mini-golf 18 holes, lazer tag and go Karts), a slice of pizza/can of soda and dippin' dots,  then they each got 20 tokens to use and get tickets to buy more stuff.  It was like the party that never ends.  We were supposed to be back by 2:30 but we got back at 3:30 and still had the gifts to unwrap.  So it continued for another 45 minutes.  Pretty much a 6 1/2 hour birthday party.   We had to finally offer rides home to the girls to get them to stop partying.  They had such a great time!!  I wasn't stressed at all, despite the intense heat.  It was really fun to be with all the young women!!  But I am now pretty wiped out and have to work in less than an hour!!!  so ends my party :  (.  When will this humid summer end? 

AP 9 even for 4.5 miles at 11:16am.  Humid,  hot and thankfully there was a breeze but still I was drenched in sweat.  Slept from 7am to 9:45am.  Woo!!  2 1/2 hours, seriously?  Not good.  Hope I am up for 6 @ MP on the TM tomorrow.  

You know when you get up from your bed and all your muscles are tight that doing the intended workout happens at a cost--either do part of it or none at all or struggle greatly to complete it.  Well I struggled (darn all  those squats and lunges!!!) then I stopped at 4 MP miles.  I felt very tired still from the string of night shifts and only 2.5 hours sleep yesterday.  I didn't mind however awaking at 5:20am to the MOST AWESOME DISPLAY of a THUNDER/LIGHTNING STORM!!!  INCREDIBLE!!  The clouds roaring by and the lightning flashing at the top of Mt. Timponogos was absolutely inspiring!!!  I so love a great storm!!!  I did go back to sleep until 9am and got my butt out the door on to my bike at 9:15am.  Road to AF rec center (3.5miles) and got on the TM for my intended 2 WU with 6 at MP of 6:58 AP.  But after having to slow for my first warmup mile due to tightness and fatigue--I forgot to eat or drink anything but a glass of water since dinner last night at 7pm.  Which dinner was the kind one should NEVER eat before a big workout---homemade Fettucini Alfredo---oooo the fat!!  then of course I ate a piece of leftover birthday cake and a couple spoonfuls of chocolate fudge frosting.  What was I thinking?  Apparently I wasn't.  I felt like a slug the first mile.  I increased the speed by .1 mph every .2 miles so as to gradually get to the pace without "freaking" my body/heart out.  A frog in the warm water routine.  Very much needed today.  I got close to the pace and realized I needed one more warm up mile to get there so I did three.  My warm up ended up being speedier this way by the last 1 mile.  When I got close I kept it at 7:03 for two miles thinking I could just do two here then two at 6:58 then two at 6:53.  But after the two at 7:03 and one at 6:58 I was losing mental ground.  I was roasty toasty in the NON-airconditioned rec center (just fans, it felt like outside, minus the sun).  I ran the last of  the four miles at 6:40 and called it good but ran the remainder three miles at mostly a 7:30 pace.  Total AP for 10 miles =  7:35.  Rode bike home.  So sticky out.  Ate a good sized breakfast then went and did upper body with Courtney.  Done.  Wiped out.  Hydration happenin'.   Salt streaks were dried up on my legs.  

 5 miles @ 6:39am.  AP 8:41.  First mile 9:59.  I just can't seem to get myself going fast from the get go.  I actually feel like I am but then the darn garmin just won't pick up any faster.  The truth be told.  Last mile 7:43.  Ran into a group of cheerleaders from AF doing their run to the SMILEY FACE turn around I have noticed on the ground on 1800 North in PG (basically a smiley face with an arrow over its head pointing to turn around).  Now I see why 'there.  I passed a lot of teenie boppers huffing and puffing being polite not to show my "over 41" expression. Am I really up for 19 miles tomorrow?  Going to try for AP between 7:50 and 8:10.  Hurtful.   So very much so on my lonesome. 

BTW:    I WON A DEXA (BONE) SCAN at a work party last week.  This should be very helpful.  Having had a lot of pelvic "bone" pain and a history of low estrogen, not to mention my mother's history of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, this may be a huge blessing.  I hope I am normal but if not I can start now to correct myself for the future!!! Pretty cool?  Considering the cost of health care/tests.  

19 @ 8:16 AP.  I realized last night I should have changed my goal to slower so as to not look bad : (.  But really I am pleased with this run.  I was barely sore and still am not sore four hours later.  Butt nerve pain acting up when sitting otherwise fine.  Pelvis ached during faster miles at the end but felt fine otherwise (oh except left foot pain acting up).  Started out on my lonesome at 5:15am for five.  Circled my neighborhood a few times and took a much needed potty break then headed up to Kim's to run 8 with her and Kerri.  Kerri had GI issues so we had to stop three times.  We ran a mostly rolling hill course with only four steep hills.  Felt like a real honest course but not going for too speedy today.  Decided to have fun with it but did speed up the last 5 miles to see if  I could.  The air was still humid so we were sticky sweaty but so much nicer without the sun on me!!  After getting Kim back to her home and grabbing some water and 1/2 banana I headed out for my last 6 miles going this way and that trying to do a larger route around my neighborhood but finished going in the same circle I started for the last two.  It goes up and down so was good to push me here.  Splits for fun:  9:17, 8:30 , 8:27, 8:24, 8:32, 8:24, 8:33, 8:24, 8:23, 8:45 (steepest  longest climb), 8:28 (part of the climb but a good downhill), 8:03, 8:14, 8:11, 7:48,  7:47, 7:53, 7:42, 7:16 : D!!   BTW I don't have my garmin on pace mode any more.  It was doing more damage than good.  I could see my mile splits but didn't focus on AP so was pleasantly surprised since it felt rather easy.  Iced in river  X 11 minutes with Kim.   Vacuumed then had kids vacuum their rooms.  Hungry.  Work two nights  in a row.  First day shift is Tuesday.  Good luck to all that are running the 1/2 tomorrow down Provo Canyon.  Wish I could be there.  

Nada.  Could only 2 hours so I skipped on running "junk" miles and opted to keep trying to fall asleep.  To no avail.  Did get to go to Josse's baby shower.  Josse looks so cute.  All belly.  I ate two helpings of sundae fixins.  Yum.   Then right off to work.  I worked the nursery for my last night.  No "newbies" until 2214 (1014pm).  I just took care of the stopper byers as mom's rested until they were hungry.  So fun to take care of the littlest newcomers to the world.  Got busy after that, lots of mom's showing up past midnight to have babies.  : D.  Really wish I could be a Dr. and go lay down until a baby is born.  Nope, nurses can't sit for too long.   Sounds like me though. 

Slept only two hours again!!! SERIOUSLY!?!  Stayed up to go to church at 1pm to see my 12 year old daughter stand up front and be introduced as the newest Beehive Member in Young Women.  She is sooooo lovin' it.  She has already done two activities in Young Women.  They put a  BIG  pink letter "P" on our porch to symbolize "personal progress" and she can't get rid of it until she doesn one of the pass-offs for young women.  She can leave it on any of the other girls doorsteps then.  Kind of fun and motivating for her.  Anyway....I woke soooooo very tired this morning and wondering if I could even get started with running.  Finally left at 8:04am and ran a 2 mile warmup then did 5 x 400m (going to do 5 more after I get my daughter to piano camp at 9am) with a 400 m cooldown.  These were done on my usual running routes.  I couldn't see my pace and I was going by feel.  They were not all out as I could tell I did not have much adrenaline.  I felt massively fatigued-- JET LAG from my long weekend.  MY LAST I HOPE FOR A LONG TIME!!!!!!  I sure switching to dayshift mode doesn't take long for my sleep pattern to improve.  Here are my pathetic first five splits: warm up at 8:59 AP, then  1:33,  1:34, 1:33, 1:33, 1:36 (uphill).  Droppd off Brooke and started again at 9:00am. Ran a 1 mile warmup.  Yup needed another warmup and dang it is hot out. Warmup 9:14, Splits for 400s : 1:34, 1:33, 1:33, 1:34, 1:35, 1:36 (oops, I accidentally counted wrong and ran an extra, good thing the garmin has a brain, I was wondering why the garmin wasn't ending at the interval I put it at.  It was already in cooldown mode).  These paces were very similar to the first five (almost to a Tee) and  were done on the track with a bit of a headwind at times.  I was so sleepy I didn't realize I went over I couldn't figure out why I had already gone 3.77 miles, the math didn't make sense and then I counted my extra split.  I currently feel so sleepy.  My muslces/brain were not up for this run today, so glad its over.  This was an impromptu workout I thought of as I nodded off last night.  I wanted some speed play to get my VO2 up somehow.  Hope it works.  AP for all 10 miles =  8:07.    Wednesday is my bigger speed/tempo (6 to 8 at tempo down AF canyon) day and hope to get sleep tonight in my excitement for my first day shift tomorrow.  It is like starting a new job.   Different things happen during the day.  I hope I don't get confused : D.  I don't know the dayshift nurses  and pcts well either.   At least my brain will be much more alert.  I have been getting headaches the last few days.  Got some reasons for them and so tired of being an aging woman some days.  So wish I were 32 again.  Done with the whining.  Off to do lower body and abs with Courtney. 

zero.o. o.  o.  nil.  Was going to get up at 445am and run three to four miles before work but just couldn't even though I was looking at the clock every 1 1/2 hours!!  A slug.  My first day shift was BRIGHT!!! Like somebody turn down the lights already and where did all these people come from?  It was like the movie inception.  I felt like every one "in my dream" was staring at me as I walked down the halls.  I think I will miss nights for a while until I adjust and my sleep patterns return to "normal".  Right now I am between worlds.   Day shift  was just as long (duh, still 12 hours) and just as busy, maybe busier do to my busy team of patients.  I was at first not listed on the board as a nurse.  My usual night shift charge nurse skipped over me when counting up RNs (freudian slip) and I was almost sent home (not really since I am master float and can't be cut unless I agree).  She had to send home the extra RN.  She was not too happy about that.  I felt bad but told her later she is glad she left since my day was strenuous due to one patient/family.  Some people.  I shouldn't judge.  I will leave it at that.

Of all things to do last night Troy and I took our three girls to the drive-ins in Taylorsville.  It was fun.  The weather was very nice and the breeze was welcoming along with the clear starry night.  I haven't been to a drive-in in over a decade.  So fun to be outside in front of car enjoying two movies together on cushy chairs with our pillows and blankets.  We saw Despicable Me (cute) and Charlie St. Cloud (I have a thing for Zac so this movie was way tolerable. Yes I am happily married).  So....of course I set myself up for the no sleep pattern. We got home at 1:20am.  I slept okay until 6am when Brooke got in our bed then nodded back to sleep until 8:40am in time to get Brooke up and off to Piano Camp at 9:00am when I broke the news that Troy needed to drive me up the AF canyon for my tempo run.  He drove me up 3 miles from the mouth of the canyon and dropped me off.  I left one water at the mouth of the canyon.  No Gus today.  I was stuffed from all the not so good for me treat I ate during the movie and the pizza at staff meeting yesterday.  I started by climbing up two miles nice and easy.  I left at 9:19 am.  The air was cool and crisp but the sunny areas were getting pretty warm.  The canyon did provide some good shade.  9:49, 8:51 (can feel myself getting stronger now).  Conveniently there was a campground potty stop with a great water faucet outside of it.  Drenched my hat and took off back down the canyon.  Kind of getting in the groove the first mile and then maintained a pretty good speed even with the strong head wind which hit more so on the last mile.  Tried to relax.  I tend to get anxiety about speed and then my breathing gets too irratic and I falter.  Splits for five miles: 6:49, 6:29, 6:26, 6:19, 6:33 (AP 6:31 : D)  Water stop.  Hill climb out of AF reaaaallllllll slow for recovery.  Even saw a friend with her kids on their bike and jogged so very nice and easy as I crested the hill.  Then I decided to pick it up moderately and did one more quick mile with a HUGE headwind at 6:47.  The dry wind made me so parched and I felt so worked out by the end here.  I ran easy home.  AP for last 5 miles= 8:02.  Splits for my info: 9:40 (the HUGE uphill and chatting mile), 7:45, 6:47, 8:25, 7:32.  Total AP for 12.1 miles=  7:38.

This was an EARLY STARTER for only a 16 miler.  Drove up to Nunn's Park in Provo Canyon with Kim at 445am.  Met Melanie and JulieE and began running at 5:17am.  Went on the Highway UP or rolling hills UP for 8 and turned around about 1/2 mile past the Deer Creek Dam.  The others ran longer, Kim 20, Mel 21.  I ran completely alone with my oldies music, Meat Loaf and Carly Simon, just rockin' out : D.  Left foot ailing QUITE BADLY and thought if Only I had another right leg.  It is always feeling so good.  Then my left hip started to get involved.  This is partly to blame on my run down the AF canyon yesterday.  It is pretty uneven on the sides of the road and steep in places.  So this run was supposed to be easy, and it was, actually, except for the painful foot I had to overcome with my mind.  Almost caught the threesome at mile 6.75  water stop even with a potty break.  My first mile is always so slow but it was quite uphill, so they pulled away from me right from the start.  This was not an easy course and vehicles, including eighteen wheelers were blowin' by me.  Even turning around didn't help, some climbs on the way back WITH a headwind.  Dang.  AP for 16 miles = 8:02.  Splits: 9:43, 8:02, 8:06, 8:03, 8:06, 8:08, 7:40, 8:34 (big climb passing over the dam), turn around- 7:35 (really feeling the foot now on this downhill), 8:02, 8:01, 7:41,  8:00, 7:50, 7:45, 7:19.  Done, or so I thought.  Ran back up to Bridal Veil falls 1/2 mile.  Soaked for ONLY THREE MINUTES because it was ICY cold and totally intolerable.  Got my shoes back on and ran another 1 1/2 miles on frozen legs.  Took a bit to unthaw, seriously.  Wowsers!!  Turned around just as I caught up to Josse's mom and said "hi" and it was time to turn back to see if the gals had returned.  I got back to the car and they arrived a few minutes later I could see them up on the freeway, Melanie trying to catch Kim in her last mile.  Her running 21 and Kim 20.  We soaked again in a little milder temp river right by the cars, it was a nice blocked off portion. Self-made with rocks.  Still pretty cold.  I am still hungry even after eating three bowls of cereal.  Total miles= 18.  AP for last two miles nice and freezy= 8:49.  

After 18 miler yesterday EARLY morning and waking to going to work by 6am for a 12 hour shift I chose to NOT run today.  Hoping to get out there BEFORE work tomorrow.  Thought I might do some evening runs after work but realize MORNING is easier for me but I am still not adjusted to Day shift.  I was told it would take a few weeks to a month or so.  So...running will take some hits. DANG.  I was so tired by NOON today at work.  Completely confused CLOCK right now.  BUT I think this will be MUCH better in the long run--NO PUN intended  :D

AP for 4.1 = 8:14 at 5:13am before work.  Did the quick shower/change thing and clocked in a little late at 6:07am.  FYI  --- Day shift is KILLING ME OFF.  I haven't felt this exhausted working nights since the first few months.  What am I to do?  I actually miss the night shift schedule meshing better with my kids.  They are safe at home all night and I don't have to worry on night shift.  Now I come home to chaos and excitement when I am soooooo veryyyyy spent.  I can barely write this report.  I truly think I will switch back to PART TIME nights.  I am not liking the BRIGHT LIGHTS and I miss the babies in the nursery (they are out with their mom's all day) and Level two nursery is harder in the daytime because there is no lighting from the outside-- no outside windows, I feel like it IS still night, yet I can't ever sit down because families visit ALL day without a break.  I am now remembering clearly how exhausted I used to be even working full time days two and 1/2 years ago in the NICU.  I think I will just get my prescription for XANAX (been out for 3 months, hence the even less sleep on nights these past months) and switch back.  I can hack parttime and the differential will make up the difference if my husband works and we get State Benefits.  I am also eating more then I ever do because of stress....What to do?  I sound so pathetic.  I miss my scheduled chaos ...I don't like change too well.   I can barely lift my lids to see or move my legs to walk.  JET LAG TO THE MAX!!!

8 @ 7:41 AP at 8:38 am.  I had the MOST FORGETTABLE (but probably won't) SHIFT yesterday.  I didn't sit once until 1330 briefly to finally eat a yam and salad.  Called my mom to tell her hard my shift was on my cell.  It was go go go.  I would have much rather have used my 13.5 hours on my feet running Squaw Peak again.  Who would have thought mom/baby was so busy?  I just happened to get the team, my PCT and I, that was ULTRA- busy.  I must have put in at least 10 miles of "running".  Went to bed at 10pm and woke again at 3am still exhausted with a huge stress headache.  Didn't fall back to sleep until 430 am.  Woke at 7:50am and finally mustered the strength to go running.  Surprisingly, however, my pace is faster than when I stay up all night for a shift when not as busy.  This is the only plus I find right now as my family never saw me for three days as I worked Fri, Sat, Sun.  Splits:  8:31, 7:55, 7:52, 7:44, 7:27, 7:28, 7:18, 7:12.  Hilly route.  Foot ailed by the end in the plantar region.  Off to Lagoon much to my weary body, but its discount week thru IHC so best to go now. 

After 10 hours of standing and walking in flip flops at Lagoon yesterday and the three 12 hour shifts in a row I mistakingly said I would meet Kim, Jane and Kerri at 6am.  Getting home at 1130 PM wiped out I was so wishing I texted.  I don't so I had to show.   My left foot (plantar fascitis I would say, never had this before but its bad, especially on downhills) acted up the entire run.  I was dehydrated so that played a roll.  Eating oreos and wheat thins for lunch and junk food for dinner just isn't going to do me any good.  So I took it easy today on a tough trail run up 1100 north above the canal.  I stayed behind the gals limping as the miles wore on and when it was time for downhill my left foot was clopping loudly and my right was so quiet.  What is that about? I couldn't get it to be quiet and it hurt like the dickens.  I couldn't lift it well without more pain.  Icing it now and will all day.  Just couldn't go fast.  My left hip and lowerback and knee seem to be linked to it.   The foot pain is the worst however.  Adjustment time.   AP 8:43 for 12 hilly miles.

Ran 3 miles with Troy at 9:12 AP.  Nice and easy for my dear husband who, now having finished the basement, is starting to run again.  We left at 9:38am.  Did anyone notice the temperature difference from yesterday?  So hot in comparison.  My sister-in-law said it was 18 degrees warmer at 8am then yesterday.  At least that's what the news said.  I didn't need the news to tell me.  Wowsers, it was hot!! At an easy pace it was comletely tolerable.  I wore my gel cumulus shoes that I thought I hated but they sure felt cloud-like (except the lifting of them with each stride) on the footfall.  Ahhhhh my PF was soooo happy.  Not a bit of pain.  What to do?  I can't wear these cumulus' at the 1/2 this Saturday.  They are way too heavy.  And Hobble is just as the name says--It makes you Hobble from IT or PF a day or two after the race.  I guess PF goes along with PR if I can stand the pain the last few miles.  Decisions, decisions.  Light or heavy?  perhaps two more days away from those (mizuno wave riders) shoes and easy miles will do the trick to last 13 fast miles on Saturday.  I am going for 1:28:45--- a one second PR from last year.  Oh the last part of my run I ran .25 miles easy then 2  x 800 meters in the heat of the day with 400 meter easy run in between.  The sweat felt great coming off me.  The pace felt easy so  I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that they were slow.  Dang.  One at 3:12 the other at 3:10.  I am sure the heat played a big role here.  Cooldown for a bit more to equal just over a 10K distance. 

watched clock ALL night before work this morning (Thursday).  I really should have gone running at 4 am, I was wide-awake.  Worked in the NICU at UVRMC.  First day shift there in over 2 years.  A place I worked for 17 years.  It was if  I never left.  Working with and feeding premies is so second nature to me.  No stress.  Enjoyed the day (minus a few inhalations of intense perfume giving my face a twitch and radiating pain through my eyeball)-- it went away an hour  after the sweet grandma volunteer left).  Any way, no running.  Hope the PF is fading.

6 miles at AP of 8:19.  Slow first mile.  I felt so non-runner like.  I started to take off and creak creak went my pelvic bones and then my knees.  Seriously?  what was that all about?   Switching shoes really screws up my alignment.  I am so "set" in my ways.  I am trying to break free.  Even ran barefoot on my very cool dew-kissed grass after the run.  The PF hurt so bad on my run, even trying both pairs of shoes to make the final decision.  Probably going to be the mizunos with a taping if I learn how to do it by the expert bloggers.  The barefoot running felt great, perhaps due to the coolness but I felt so light and earthy.  Totally me.  Yesterday on my drive back from work I saw a girl barefoot running (she was in running clothes and had an iPod) on State Street by hospital.  I thought how natural her form looked but then I looked at her head-- piercings and green hair.  How natural is that?    PS if I have this pain tomorrow I might be up a creek tomorrow.  I need a quick fix. 

ADDENDUM:  I JUST looked at results.  I would have been FIRST overall master today if I were official by over two minutes!!!  Geez.  The darn race fills up way too fast and no switching of numbers allowed.

EARLIER report: Up at 4am.  Slept 5 hours. Drove up with Kim, Melanie, Kerri and Jane.   So better than last year  except for the 53 minute late start.  However, my PF (plantar fascitis) is not letting up.  It hurt like nothing else and eventually sucked in my calf, inner thigh and outer hip area.  So much that each mile I told myself "you are only a bandit, you can stop at mile, such and such" .  I was so enveloped in my pain that I just couldn't run well.  My right leg had to pull my left leg along.  How I even talked my brain into keeping to the task I never know except I saw my Ragnar Teammate Amber Sandberg the whole time so I tried to keep her in my view.  I passed her at mile 11 rallying her to stay with me, she was not far behind as she came up beside me with .2 miles to go.  Then she and I sprinted towards the finish.  She didn't know I was a bandit. I didn't turn with her but took the final left turn  and went straight rather than make the U-turn to the finish.  If I was registered I would have had much more of a kick.  Prerace I ran a mile warm up and postrace I ran a two mile cooldown running out and back a mile on the course.  By this point my foot couldn't even push off  of the ground without it  twisting on itself.  I iced it in the river with Kim then put on an ace wrap. I am going to a deep tissue massage therapist monday and the chiropracter (they work together).  Pain level 8.  I have absolutely NO muscle soreness or fatigue.  My upper body shows no signs of having exerted myself.  I am pleased with this.  So IF I had another right leg I really feel I could have run close to a 1:26.  Easier said than done.  So I will prove myself next year or at the Halloween Half.   Splits to follow but it is really hurting to sit for long periods.  It seems to be intense sciatica.  The splits were quite evenly paced from fastest a 6:25 to slowest at 7:12.  BTW this time is 24 seconds SLOWER than last year but  I don't feel remotely wiped out.  I feel great besides the pain in my leg.  This is promising. 

Last night my entire leg following the sciatic nerve was in intense pain.  Took a muscle relaxant and still was feeling it.  I could barely flex my foot. This too shall pass.  But darn it I want to be injury free ASAP.  Currently and not sure what brought this on, I have scintillating scotoma (wavy lines through my visual field in my right eye).  This usually happens if I am dehydrated, overly perfumed (went shopping with my girls yesterday) and another combo I can't figure.  It happens only about three times a year.  But it is quite freaky.  It is apparently an "aura" to a migraine. 

AM  ran 5.1 miles (AP 8:54) with tight hamstrings while Courtney rode her bike beside me.  Nice and easy.  Tried a new way of tying my shoes and it seemed to take a lot of pressure off my arch and bunion.   Later had hubby massacre my hamstrings with a massage and myomed cream.  PAIN. 

UnPlanned PM ran 5 miles (AP 8:33).  We went out as a family to see Sorcerer's Apprentice then to Wendy's.  The air was cool at 7:50pm and  it felt fall-ish so I naturally thought of running.  I couldn't stop the feeling turning to action so soon after arriving back home I got in my running shorts etc...and took off for five more.  Hamstrings tight but shoes feel better with the new tying job.  They sure don't have any forefoot support.  Perhaps this is where the problem lies?  Just glad I got ten miles in.  Work 12.5 hours tomorrow and didn't feel like getting up at 430am. 

Drove to Melanie's house by 6am.  Ran a 3.36 mile warm up  mostly uphill at 8:42 AP.  Ran 10 by 400 meters with 400 meter running recovery.  Splits unknown until the end as they are set up to go off with garmin with those beeps and you can't see your pace.  Pathetic they were and NO headwind to blame them on.   We just are laughing at ourselves.  We had no water and did not eat anything.  I felt water was needed.  But really I am just out of sw shape.  My foot pain turns out to be back pain---MAJOR SCIATICA or DISC rubbing on that nerve.  My foot,  back  and hip hurt at the same time and then the clopping of the foot got worse and worse with each repeat.  My shoes have no absorption and my "old lady" back can't hack it.  It sure was killing me.  Especially on the 4 miles of cooldown.  Splits alternated with recovery paces-- 6:30, 8:24, 6:29, 8:10,  6:35, 8:00, 6:22, 8:24, 6:14, 8:13, 6:16, 8:13, 6:28,  8:14, 6:28, 8:20, 6:21, 7:52, 6:21, 8:04.    Cooldown 4 miles at 7:50  AP.  Total miles 12.6 miles at 7:51 pace.  Perhaps if  I walked for recovery I could have run them better?  The road was a bit busy so that slowed us at times but seriously why the loss of power?  My 800s are just as fast.  Odd.  But come to think of it I was never winded in this run.  Just in pain.  So maybe I just need to get back to pain-free to be stronger. 

Forgot I needed a long run this week and I work Fri - Sunday 12 hours DAY shifts so no time otherwise.  Had hubby join me up the canyon  for 2 miles up the left fork then 2 miles down then he drove home.  He had daggers in his eyes at his finish.  Then I took off down the canyon on my lonesome to get in a 17 miler.  Foot and back ailing.  The whole nerve down the leg.  Geez.  Seriously most of my running is done by my right leg which FEELS GREAT through everything.  How can this be?   No time for an adjustment just yet.  Every time I think I have time for myself something comes up around the house with the kids and school starting and soccer practice.  The canyon was cool but when I hit the reservoir in the beginning two miles, not in the shade, the heat was on as it was nearing 10am.   The rest of the canyon had spots of shade and tolerable heat as I was taking it easy on this run. Partly due to yesterday and partly due to the fact that I need to enjoy running again and taking it slower is how I will achieve that.  I guess the fact that my back/foot is hindering me plays a major role in my feel good running.  Running slower seems to help.  Here are my splits:  9:48 (love an easy uphill start, in Peru they do as well, just read MichelleL's blog), 8:51 (still ALL uphill and I am pulling away from my dear hubby), turned around at 2.15 miles so the third mile is part REAL steep and the rest down at 7:49, 7:23, 7:08, 7:03, 6:51, 6:44, 6:50, 7:02, WAY HOT NOW !! 7:21, 7:07, time to slow it down this is NOT a race and I just want this run to feel easy. I didn't take any Gu or any fuel so I was left wanting by mile 13.  I did have four water stops (brief).  7:31, 7:30, 7:49, 7:57 really HUNGRY, totally feel depleted of sugar in the veins, last mile  7:31.  DONE.  Thought about one more mile since I was 1/2 mile from my home but WHY?  Enjoyed the slow walk home.  My pelvis and other joints were not happy. I wore my gel cumulus asics shoes.  MUCH better than the mizunos that have NO cushioning whatsoever.  I would not have been able to do this run in those.  AP for 17= 7:33.  AP for miles not including the two uphill--  7:19.  So happy with that.  I think I can at least get another 3:11 out of St. George.  New shoes on the horizon.  Probably Asics that fit. 

5.41 miles at 8:45 AP at 8:20 PM after working a 12 hour Day shift, getting home at 7:15 pm and Eating a big dinner.  Felt I wouldn't get myself up at 430am so decided to get it done early to reach 45 miles this week.  This is my off week when I can run only three days that I am not working since I work Tues. Fri, and Sat. so I have to squeeze in the miles and juggle fatigue.  It was rainy and the lightning lit up the sky quite beautifully.   Footing tricky as it got darker.  Foot started to hurt and clop by mile 3.5 but back in check with my cushioned  ascics cumulus'.   

3 extremely Slow miles on the HEAVIEST OF LEGS.  I wore ace bandages on both my lower legs all day at work to relieve the achiness and throbbing I have been feeling in them.  It worked and then my ankles and thighs swelled to unrecognition.  I had the notion to run while my daughter rode her bike.   It was more like a trot.  A BIG ELEPHANT TROT.  MY LEGS were like LEAD.  I felt very awake.  No tired brain feeling like night shift.  But my darn bloated body was not up to any quick motion.  This pace was SLOW!!!  AP 9:56.  I think I was going backwards at times.  My, my, my......what is happening here? 

Warm up run to Kim's (2.4).   On the way I did some "strides" of increasing my pace eventually to a 5:38 pace for a split second.  I would start at a 9:30 pace and then start running controlled until I gradually hit a sub six pace.  I first actually only got just below a 7 pace and then I decided to get speedier for a few. Then I reluctantly got on Kim's TM for 3 by 2000 meters (1.25 miles) at 6:25 goal pace with 400 meter recovery run.   Incline 1 %.  The first one was avg pace of 6:22.  The second one I would increase each lap by .1 starting at 9 mph (so a 6:40 to a 6:14 finish).  AP there probably 6:27.  Last one I started faster and ended quicker to get AP at 6:25.  Ran cooldown mile home.  Felt very good cardio-wise and completely BAD nerve-wise.  My legs and back have been sending very painful messages to my brain-- burning nerve pain and throbbing as well as numbness patches in my legs and feet, and pins and needle feelings.  My legs don't want to lift high and my hips feel like they are cinderbolted to my pelvis and my pelvis feels like it will break soon.  Lucky for me  I have a Bone Scan tomorrow and a Dr's appt next Wednesday.  I don't feel like this is normal at all.  Totally too much pain.  Even when I lay in my bed, my nerves are a flamin'.  Achy all over.  I just finished three day shifts in a row.  I got home last night wiped out and went right to bed without collecting my 200 dollars.  Good thing Troy is awesome at taking care of the kids.  I was worthless as a mother.  The pain was intense.  So what do I do today?  I get my running clothes on determined to get through whatever is ailing me.  Crazy huh? 

The pain feels like chicken pox on the nerves!!  That is what I just came up with.  It is all over my body but mostly my back, hips, thighs, calves and FEET (the most).  Nerve pain intense.  AP for 5 miles = 8:17.  My feet felt like there was popcorn popping on them.  My heartrate felt slow.  HR at end of run 98!!!  Apparently this pain thing is the pace killer.