Believe to Achieve

Arrived home from California at 11pm last night.  Unpacked and in bed by 12am.  Awoke to sound of alarm to get Courtney off to school. Drove her cause WE ARE IN shock with the freezing temps we knew was going to be the case but were not quite physically ready for it.  California was cold enough.  St. George had snow when we stopped there and was about 10 degrees!!  AT 0900 am dropped off my littlest Amber (10) at school with her bags packed for Clear Creek.  BRRrr!! This is up by Price.  Okay so Red Flag recess but still an overnight at Clear Creek???  My other two daughters were lucky--Brooke went in September and Courtney in early October (I went with Courtney.  It was therapeutic after SG marathon 2008 when I was out of shape).   I was so frozen dropping her off I was wondering why I had the notion to run OUTSIDE this am.  It read 7 degrees on my Phone.  YIKES.   WELL  I geared up.  LAYER UPON LAYER.  And I was actually warm except my feet for the first two miles.  My left foot (not my usual problem foot) was in a cramp.  It worked its way out by mile four.  The rest of me felt awesome. The sun came up halfway through my run.  I DID NOT LOOK AT MY watch until I got to where I knew it was a mile from my house. I only checked the mileage and covered up the pace. I felt like I was running a 9:00 to 9:15 ap.  When I saw on my garmin that I was already at 7.65 miles  when I didn't even think I was at 7 yet I decided I must be faster.  So I started guessing the last half mile.  My first guess was then 8:30 to 8:40.  But then I was like "that is ridiculous Julie, your legs are stiff and it is icy and snowy all over the roads, lots of maneuvering to avoid ice patches and lots of running in the snow so maybe just maybe 8:45 ap??  Well I got home and reset my garmin and my pace read *8:35!!!  Weird.  Felt so easy.  BASICALLY I am starting to feel like my OLD running self.  So to NOT ruin it I am going to run smart.  Sleep if I need to --instead of run-- , Run recovery A LOT.  And minimal speed for now.  Some medium tempo runs on TM.  Nothing huge.  I am honestly feeling so much better than my DARK abyss I felt the last six months.  AMAZING what ESTROGEN and PROGESTERONE supplementation can do for a WOMAN!! 

12 Layers of Freezing Temp Running

2 cherry cough drops

1 head band

2 ear muffs from the SLC 2002 Olympics under head band

Warm under wear/garments

Running bra

Fleece inside nylon long sleeve shirt

80s Fleece pull over (yup still have it since I was 16 years old!!), SAVES MY LIFE every time. 

Pair of NIKE flyknit, multicolored

Pair of ascis nylon socks

Thick compression socks with feet cut off (from Wallgreens)

Underwear over underwear , ha ha

Grey Fleece inside nylon long running pants from Costco two years ago.  Need another pair to rotate.

Music by iPod. 

Gloves that breath.  Hands were warm. 

Positive ATTITUDE.  Just really enjoyed being out there. Especially shocking every driver that passed by me.