Believe to Achieve

Okay since I have a time restraint (IV therapy here in a few minutes) I got myself out of bed to my alarm at 5:50am.  Listened for howling wind.  None that I could hear through my walls.  So I slowly but surely pulled myself up and out the door-- BRRRRRrrrrr!!  Plan was 10 miles and get back in time to see Courtney off to school at 7:30.  I started per garmin at 6:16am and did those loops I do around my neighborhood.  It is a rolling hill course for 1.3 miles.  I ran it in reverse direction today to give myself some variety.  It's just too dark to run outside my little perimeter at this time and by the time daylight struck I was in a groove so I just torchered myself running the same loop.  I was planning on going easy but when at mile one I was at 8:38 and mile two at 7:59 (when I thought I was running a 9:30 pace) I just kept going at what I felt was easy.  Suddenly I am at 7:46  for mile three then 7:25 for mile four (in between not looking at my watch) and still not working too hard so I decided to see where it took me-- the next mile was 7:09 and I am like hey what's the hurry and how come this feels good?  Its freezing out and WINDY, what am I doing?  Well like Forrest Gump I just kept running seeings how it was working for me.  The next mile was 7:08, then 6:58.  Okay let's take it down and see how I feel.  The next mile I slowed but apparently I then sped up, the recovery allowed me to feel even better, 7:18,  then 7:13, 7:07.  AP for 10 miles=  7:28.  I haven't done that in a WAYYYYYYY LONNNNNNG time.  Seriously like back in May.  I felt great.  Came indoors to see if Courtney was getting ready then headed back out for a short cool down.  I felt so good that I ran two miles.  Came back inside and my other two girls were up early. Brooke was playing the piano.  Not needed quite yet so I headed out once more and tagged on two more miles.  I seriously felt like I could go on for at least 20 miles total.  But I constrained myself and stopped at 14 miles.  The last four miles were a cooldown.  AP 8:19.  The first mile was 8:55 but then I just felt so darn good I couldn't slow down.  Who knows why.  Hope I feel like this every day.  One can only hope.  It doesn't end here.  I felt so energetic I did 12, 10, 8, 8, 12 pushups with the ball, side plank, front plank, arms (flys, shoulders, biceps, triceps).  Finished off by vaccuming after IV therapy.

10 miles turned to 12.2.  Ran up to the canal and decided to go out 5 and turn around and then decided why not turn around at 6.1 miles to make it a marathon in 24 hours?  So that's what I did.  I ran easy but the wind was fierce at times and the mud on the trail embedded in the waves of my shoes (they are wave runners afterall) and I didn't realize how much so until the end of my run.   I had to spray them off and work the dirt out of the waves with a toothpick.  Annoying.  It was like getting  that first scratch on a new car but I tried to not be too OCD about it I just wanted my shoes to regain their cushioning and that wouldn't happen with all the clay soil lodged in there.  They are good to go now except they need to dry. ANY way enjoyed the canal.  It is a nice break from the road.  I put the breaks on down  1100 north back to my house as I am still not sure what to run on Thanksgiving day. The 4 miler at Orem rec? the 5k at Fleet feet?  or the new 10k added to the 5k in Draper?  The 4 miler is flat as well as the 5k.  I don't know the route in Draper and being the first year it may be severely disorganized.  Or do I just run around here BECAUSE IT WILL BE FREEZING!!!!  19 degrees for goodness sakes!!!  41 degrees high today and tomorrow it drops drastically to 19 for two days.  YUCK!!! AP for today's 12.2 miler = 8:27.

Bitter cold run at 5:03am before work.  Alarm went off at 4:40am.  Tried to go back to sleep but couldn't so got my warm butt out into the FROZEN tundra.  But I quite enjoyed it.  I was nice in warm in my 80s fleece pullover (yup same one as last year).  Didn't realize my legs were in early stages of frostbite as they were itchy and red when I returned and burned when I got in the shower, but only briefly, about 20 minutes.  I felt I could have gone on for a while but ran out of time as it was now 5:45am and my shift begins at 6am.  Brief shower and off to work after 5.2 miles at 8:18 AP.

Got up at 415am in the ICE BERG like environment.  Temps below 10 degrees.  But I felt AMAZINGLY great except for the fact that at mile four I noticed my cheeks were numb so I kept patting them back to life with my gloved fingers.  My thighs and stomach were again bright red.  AP for 10 miles = 7:49.  BTW no race for me today.  I was not cancelled as I thought I would be for Thanksgiving. I worked for 12.5 hours.  Too many babies born this week, likely due to the weather.  No one was cancelled.  Our unit was full.  The babies adorable!!!  This evening I still feel some affects of the frostbite--numbish cheeks and thighs, but can tell it will pass with some time and a great night's sleep.  No early am run tomorrow.  I hope to get out in the daylight and some different terrain late morning. 

So I got up at 715 am.  No sun but got to run.  Mom in town and she is anxiously wanting to shop.  I hate to shop.  I love to run.  So I got out the door at 7:52am in all my gear.  I added a long sleeve cotton shirt over my nylon shirt and underwear and then of course the infamous fleece jacket.  It also absorbs nasal secretions.  : D.    I ran a very hilly route and felt great once more.  The second dose of IV IRON must be kicking in.  All this time and that's all it would have taken me to feel better?  Wow.  Ran strong and felt strong.  Uphills gave me even more power.  I hope this continues.  AP for 13.1 miles 7:48.   Splits:  8:23, 8:16, 8:03, 7:56, 7:45, 7:50, 7:50, 8:10 (huge hill), 7:24, 7:38, 7:17, 7:16.  Still feeling really good, except now my middle daughter came down with a very bad headache, sore throat  and stomach ache and fever.  Must be a nurse at home as well.  She has been crying all day.  I gave her a massage and that helped briefly and some tylenol, ibuprofen.  I have a slight scratchy throat right now so I hope to overcome.  Melanie and I are running together tomorrow. SIDE NOTE:  my time for this run, being  a half marathon length was 1:42:13.  Seriously?  that is close to my Hobble Creek half time in 1995 when I ran it the first time and my third half.  And this was rolling hills and Hobble is wicked down hill for 6 miles.  Back then I thought I would die running a marathon at the pace I wanted to.  And now at 41 I am in better shape.  Just odd. 

AP for 15.5 = 7:50 COLD (15 degrees) miles in Lehi and Highland with Melanie.  Actually my hands were sweaty--I was way over dressed.  My butt was melting then freezing, my thighs were so tight from lack of warm blood  and my cheeks (on my face) were numb but oddly I felt warmer than any run the last few days.  However, three days in a row at a rather brisk pace is probably my limit.  I wanted to go easy but Melanie wanted under 8s and she picked a LOVELY uphill climb for 7.7.5 miles then turn around.  It was tough as my thighs were stiff but breathing felt totally fine.  I couldn't sleep well last night so I am sure that was part of it.  Broken sleep and a sick child.  But all in all I made my goal of 70 miles this week--- the 1st anniversary from my 70 (72 miles to be exact in 2009) mile week last year.  As I write this I can still feel my thighs thawing.  I am so glad for a rest day tomorrow.  Next week is speed work week and 45-50 miles if that.