Believe to Achieve

Drove with Mel to the start.  Warmed up 2.2 miles in the MUGGY STENCH.  Oh my.  Do I really want to race this today?  No.  Not official but actually have my garmin in working order (although it read battery low at 5:30am, I got it plugged in for 15 minutes to 22% battery : D).  I have to say the wall covering of clouds just added to the stench of humid air.  72 degrees (not counting humidity) at the start.    I lined up next to Mel and Jane.  We took off and well, off they went.  Not a good sign when I see Julie Thomas (winner of SGM last year and 2nd at UVM this year) pulling out her inhaler during the first 200 yards of the race).  Not a good sign because 1) she is running next to me (briefly) and 2) I feel like I need an inhaler too.  I had a hard time catching my breath in this junky air.  All that did was cause my heartrate to soar too early.  After two miles I was mentally done with this race.  I thought to myself "you can just pull out at mile 4, all you need is a 4 mile MP run today (according to my schedule)".  Then of course I tried to talk to myself and calm down and finish the race decently.  Mile 5 was off by .1 miles but I thought oh maybe the last mile will be short and I will get to have a strong finish.  Well that was ludicruous because we were running UPHILL and I just couldn't push it in.  My legs felt like jello.  Not sore, just jello-y.  Oh well.  At least this is a PR for me at the Freedom 10k that is even a long course due to the fact that we now merge earlier with the 5 kers and we stumble all over them for about 3 miles of the course.  Its hard to push it when people are jogging casually and taking over the WHOLE road.  But that was expected.  Except it wasn't expected at the courthouse turn and the two other turns.   It made it difficult to get through.  I never felt good in this race.  I am not a good heat runner and the water was just warm.  The ice water at the finish was great.  If that were in the course I would surely have "woken" myself up with pouring it down my spine and over my head.  It was just TOO BLAZING HUMID for me.  I think I mentioned that about 100 times already.  Splits:  6:34 (uphill start then down), 6:26 (.3 of nice downhill), 6:40 (flat), 6:49 (flat), 7:05 ( uphill  for .7, downhill .3), 6:57 for  0.1  (PUSHED lap button at the OFF mile 5), 7:03 (6.1 mile mark, ALL UPHILL), 6:54 for .22 UPHILL FINISH (didn't even try to push it in, already accidentlally went on the 5 k side then had to go under the flags to get back on my side).  Was at a 10K (6.2 mile at 42:01).  The course was .12 long.  So based off my time two years ago, the year I ran 3:11 at SGM my time is over a minute faster   :  D.   So I guess that's an improvement.  Cooled down with Mel and Jane for 2 miles then one more mile with Melanie.  Total miles 11.5.  

Ran the AF Half  in reverse AGAIN starting from my house (it takes exactly two miles).  Plan to run 12 today (not much time since I had a class for work at 9am and I awoke at 6::45am) so ran to six miles (4 miles UP the course) then turned around.  At first I was figuring how SLOW can I run this today and still make it to the class on time?  But then I felt fine so I ran faster than I thought I would.  I ran at 7am sharp.  The HUMIDITY was again there.  I decided to NOT stop and NOT take in any water.  Well since there was NO place to stop for water (except the high school, which I wasn't tempted to step inside there at the moment) I just ran LIQUID free except ALL over me with PERSPIRATION!!   Some serious humidity going on.  Not as bad as it can get, 'cause I have been there, having grown up in New Hampshire but enough to remind me why I love DRY UTAH so much.    I figure I need some HEAT SIMULATION runs since YESTERDAYS SMOG RUN.  Seriously I think I had an exercised-air pollution-induced asthma "attack".  I could NOT get my breathing in control at all (like Lily).  Today felt a bit better since the air pollution wasn't as great and the cloud cover was less   : D.  The sun even came out for 1/2 of my run making it  better for heat simulation.  I was surprised NOT to have cotton mouth.  I didn't ever feel too parched.  I did run through two sprinklers offering a little relief to my run.  AP for 12 miles of good hills =  7:42.    My arms are a little sore from yesterday's trip to "Raging Waters" (seven peaks of SLC).  My daughter egged me on to try to go across the water using only these two rubber ropes side by side over the COLD pool.  At first I wimped out and complained and even got up and then back down two or three times.  And then I decided to say to myself " I can do this" and what do you know?  I did.  While lots of people were falling trying to do it, I made it.  MIND OVER MATTER BABY!!!  But somehow YESTERDAY I HAD NO MIND OVER MATTER--- HEAT IS JUST TOO MUCH FOR ME!! WHERE WERE THE ICE CUBES AND COLD WATER?

I had no idea where I was running this morning but plan was 12 and then well I decided to go to 13 and then that wasn't enough...JK.  It was.  I was hungry on this run so it was harder for me but still felt like an easy pace.  The HUMIDITY was DEAD on again.  My wood floor is all sticky from having the windows open all night.  I decided to run another out and back run but in the opposite direction.  I ran on Locust Ave and beyond and on the paved Lindon City trail (about a miles worth) and then the scenic hilly roads of Lindon.  I threw in 5 x .1miles at a 6:13 to 6:29 pace with .1 mi recovery just to get some more heat simulation speed in.  Very hungry after that. The water from the only fountain I passed was putrid but I drank it anyway.  I had a layer of salt next to my eyes when I got back.  Drank almost an entire gatorade when I arrived home.  AP for 13.15 miles only 8:05.  I am very sticky.  My house is sticky.  I am about to eat then go ice myself in the river.  I am sure the water is still cold since I see snow lying on the mountain caps.  Forgot to mention that I wore my trail shoes for this run to get out any kinks in my legs from the same ol' pair of running shoes.  When I stopped to stretch, lateral raises etc...I could tell why they are trail shoes and not racing shoes--- HEAVY!!

PM:  Impromptu run.  I was the designated driver/stay at soccer camp with two eight year olds (so we don't have to drive to Orem twice).  I quickly grabbed my gear incl. garmin (but NO music, I am liking the sans music runs lately. They are helping me gauge pace better in the heat.).  I changed in my car when the kids got out at the Orem Soccer field and I left out into the HEAT (92 STIFLING DEGREES : D, OH YAH bring it on!!).   I AM IN COMPLETE SHOCK at how great I was feeling after the first 1.5 miles.  In fact even the first 1.5 miles was fine except some urps etc... when you have a late lunch.  But then I felt terrific.  Kept the pace at recovery.  I ran tonight because I was hoping to get to sleep more tonight instead of waking at 445 am to get in the miles.  I chose to do them now and SLEEP better.  In fact I finally slept well last night which is probably why I feel so much better today.  I am wondering what is wrong with me because I feel so good and its hotter than  its ever been this year.  We have been keeping our AC off in our house so perhaps I am acclimating that way.  AP for 6 miles of HEAT SIMULATION =  8:32.  I jogged through a few sprinklers.  So refreshing : D.

ran 6 at 6pm yesterday after the 13 in the am so I didn't have to waken early to run before work since I was waiting for soccer practice to end.  Strangely, I awoke at 5am anyway and couldn't fall back to sleep.  Bummer.  Since I was not going to run.  Waste of time just lying there with the fan blowing.  

5.1 before work at 5:02 am.  Clocked in at work at 6am.  AP = 8:02.  lovin' the humidity.  We are friends now :D.

So I tortured myself by REVISITING the Utah Valley Marathon Course, first in reverse (about mile 15 to mile 5 of the course) then turn around at about 10.62.  Garmins threw some MENTAL fits but I think mine was on looking at my splits-- one mile too fast and the next mile pretty slow for how we were booking it.  Seriously I like A LOT longer warm up.  One mile, the first one, being 8:47 pace and then right to the under 8 pace to Average 7:25 for all 21.24 miles (that's with NOT stopping my watch EXCEPT at the turn around where we pottied and "stretched".  This was a VERY tough ROLLER uphill 10 miler with the reverse seeming just as hard since we still had that LONG climb out of Wallsburg.  I am DEFINITELY a PUSHER and NOT a PULLER (see Kelli's blog).  I do not like people 20 yards in front of me the whole way "deciding the pace".  I don't think long runs should be run that quick, at least NOT the first 10 miles of significant uphill.  AP for the first half 7:31. AP for the second half: 7:20.  I purposely DIDN't stop my watch at the three other water stops.  I am working on being efficient at my stops in order to gauge my ability to pick it up in a race when I stop.  I usually don't stop but I want to start stopping in races and see if this helps me regain greater strength.  So obviously my pace wasn't too affected for a long run.  Later we iced in the Provo River for 10 minutes.  Felt a little nicer than Grove Creek. Since I lasted 10 minutes I figure it definitely WAS warmer.  EVEN though it was VERY COLD.  Just NOT freezing.   Oh btw my water stops were just a few swigs of only water and the last one just enough to wet my whistle and I was off to run the last 3 miles.  I think I must be part camel. Somewhere in my body I was conserving water.  I didn't feel too significantly drained in this run.  My feet hurt because of the REINFORCED CONCRETE road.  I took the path from South Fork back to our car and ran to Nunn's Park before turning back to the car parked just below bridal veil falls.  My feet felt SO much better on this and there was lovely shade.  I seem to run faster in a trail setting.  Open highways with CARS flying by me gets me anxious and I end up slowing down.   All in all this was a good run for me.  Now I must hang on for 12 more weeks, getting stronger and stronger on my way to that elusive SUB THREE MARATHON.  So going to HAPPEN : D.