Running in the Rockies

I wanted to get at least one 10 miler before I try and race 10 miles in a week and a half.  But, my heart really wasn't in it this morning.  I think I still mentally don't like long distances.  It was hard to move my legs until mile 3 or 4 and then from mile 7 on, my left knee was hurting.  In fact, my last 1/2 mile, I was actually limping.  Bummer.   I do have to say that I love this area, though!  There are so many athletic people that the city maintains the trails nicely, provide multiple trails that intersect, and ... they have port-a-pottys occasionally.  hehe.  

My hip was still a little sore from my run yesterday, so I did Yoga before a short 3 mile, easy run on the treadmill.  I like yoga - I should do it more often. 

 Great job to all the St. George Marathon Runners!!  Running against the elements and still doing GREAT!  CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Today was a piece meal day - a little here and a little there.  My husband had an early morning YM activity, so I couldn't run first thing.  Instead, I did yoga before the first session of Conference.  Then, I ran 3 miles before the 2nd session.  After a birthday party for one of my daughter's friends and dinner, I ran 4 more miles on the treadmill. 

The first 3.15 were outside with an average pace of 9:38.  I wanted to run longer, but I only had a short time and my sweet 2 year old really wanted to run with me.  So, we "ran" around the neighborhood for about 15-20 mintues and then I ran as much as I could afterwards.  She's too cute.  I can't wait till she can run with me all the time.  It won't be long till she'll be faster than me!  She's a great little runner for a 2 year old!

Wasn't Conference GREAT!!!  Even with all our little distraction, I was able to enjoy quite a lot of it!  ;o)

5 on the treadmill while watching The Other Side of Heaven.  Is it just me or does anyone else get more emotional while running?  It's the silliest thing to be running and getting all choked up at the same time.  With my breathing heavier and regular from the exertion, my emotions make me sound like I'm choking for air.  Quite odd.  But it's consistent too!  Weird.

The prodigal runner - 4 miles on the treadmill.   Why can I not find a better time to run than at bedtime on the treadmill?!?!  It's beautiful fall weather these days (except in the morning when it's in the 30's).  I need to just buck up and take the girls in our jogging stroller.  

So, my excuse for not running Tues and Wed is weak, but here it is:  Tuesday was my birthday so I decided to celebrate and watch a movie with my husband on the couch instead of on the treadmill.  But then on Wed, my darn stomach was hurting so much in the evening, that I reluctantly realized I was going to miss 2 days in a row.  I should've been more consistent and just run on my birthday.  Oh well.  Hindsight.  :)

The morning of the race was different weather than we've had all weak - it was cold, foggy, and rain/snow was in the forecast.   And as I drove the hour drive, I was amazed at just how thick the fog was!  And it stayed foggy for the entire race - which meant that the temperature stayed a brisk 40 degrees without the warm CO sunshine.   True to nature, I was late to pick up Carolyn!  (hee, hee)  Luckily it was a small race so there were still packets and parking spots available.  Instead of a t-shirt, we actually got a hooded sweatshirt!!!  Pretty sweet, huh?!? 

The race started and we were happyily cruising along (I forgot my garmin, so I probably headed out a little too fast for my 1st mile) and it turned out to be fortunate that the race was as small as it was (only 90 people finished the 10 miler) because the trail was actually very narrow.  Passing people was a little precarious.  It was a beautiful course, though, with the scrub oak just changing colors; and if it weren't for a road that we followed for a short time and a few power lines, it would seem that we were in the middle of nowhere (the fog helped that as well.  ha!)

The run was fun as Carolyn and I chatted.  She's so sweet and I love the blog even more for meeting a great new friend!  The race was a little scary, though, when at about mile 1.5, the fast runners who were running the 5 miler were coming back along the trail - which I already explained was a single file trail.  It was actually a very confusing course with 2 loops and 1 turn around.  I had thought it was only 1 large loop, so I was very disoriented each time we came to a fork in the road or had people coming back after the turn-around. 

I was doing fine until mile 5 or 6 when I finally had to put my knee brace on (luckily it was small enough to fit in my pocket).  Mile 7 was hardest as far as umph goes.  I was feeling so exhausted from the uphills that somehow seemed more plentiful that the downhills (is that possible?!?!  it felt like it).  The last mile was mostly downhill, so we really tried to push to the finish line.  I could hear a runner behind and kept reminding myself that I was NOT going to be roadhill on the last half mile.  I think we ran much of that mile at a sub-9:30 pace, which was much faster than our average of 10:33. 

Overall - fun race, great new friend, nice sweatshirt, and a decent finishing time.  I knew I wasn't going to be impressive in my finishing time since my running has not been very consistent lately.  My knee is still a little sore after the race, but that could've been because the rest of the day was very busy and I didn't get much time to just take it easy.  ;o)

2 miles on the treadmill.  The left knee started to hurt consistently so I called it a short run.  It's been bugging me since Saturday's race, so Mike and I are talking more seriously about getting me a bicycle.  I just seem to have a knack for running injuries.

Outside with the double jogging stroller.  Mike came with me so he pushed the stroller for the first while, then he had to turn around to make sure one of us was at home when our daughter got home on the bus.

It was nice to be outside.  I didn't even mind pushing the stroller that much.  :o)  My knee didn't hurt at all - during or after my run.  So, I guess taking a week off was helpful for it.  Our goal this week is getting to bed at 9:30 and exercising all 6 days.  (Mike got extra credit running with me today since he had already gone cycling this morning.)

So, it's the 2nd day of the week and we're already staying up too late.  ugh.  But, hey, we're still running or cycling!  Go us!  (hee,hee)

Two short miles on the treadmill - trying to get to bed closer to 9:30 tonight.  :)  Happy dreams!

P.S.  We woke up to the see first snow of the season this morning.  And Sunday it'll be 70 degrees again.  Colorado.  ;o)

On the treadmill tonight after an Arbonne party.  Have you ever been to one of those?  Very boring.  The stuff is very expensive and the "party" simply describes the skin care products - and not even as effectively as just reading the catalog.  It was still really fun, though, because it was a bunch of ladies from my ward and many of their daughters.  So we laughed and chatted a lot.  The hostess, my friend, made a TON of appetizers!!!  I mean, seriously... there were at least 5-6 different dips for different items (veggies, bread, chips, apples, etc)  

Anyway, I really should've run during the day today, but my 2 year old wouldn't nap and so I eventually turned on Dora and took a nap myself.  hehe.  ;)

ramble, ramble, meaningless ramble....  ;)  

I'm consciously choosing not to run tonight.  My friend and visiting teachee is in the hospital with her 9 year old daughter who was just diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.  So instead of running, I went to the hospital to give her love and encouragement.  But I'm a bit of wimp in hospitals, so I also just cried with her.  Tahlia is SUCH a sweet little girl and is so genuinely kind to my daughter with special needs.  I'm sad for the life altering course this is for her; but I know that she'll be strong and sweet no matter what life brings.  Somc sweet souls are just like that - good to the core.

On the treadmill again.  Too late at night, but at least I squeezed in 5 runs this week.  

Wow, I didn't realize I had so many miles on my shoes until I added the shoe feature on my blog and added up the miles.  Cool feature!  Thanks, Sasha!!!!  ;o)

It was a beautiful, sunny day today so I took the little ones in the double jogging stroller and was dragged down the hills and almost died on the uphills.  They were very cute.  They "talked" to each other, played with their shoes (on and off) and noticed every bicyclist.  But I went a little late in my afternoon and I was running late to do everything else - like friends coming over for dinner as I was just starting.  And I never did get around to make-up or contacts after my shower.  Oh well.  ;o)

So I was downstairs recording movies off our DVR and watching the clock get later and later - knowing that I didn't run yesterday.  So, on a whim, I turned the treadmill on and began running barefoot!  without even changing into running clothes.  I only lasted a mile until my feet started feeling like they were developing a blister.  Very weird sensation, I'll you give you that, Lybi.  Plus it made my feet filthy black!  (hee,hee)  But at least it wasn't a goose egg again.  ha!

I had to take advantage of this GORgeous warm weather we're having!  It's like 15-20 degrees warmer than average.  Woohoo!  So, once the girls finally took their nap, I went for a nice 4 mile loop.  It's amazing how quickly my body got used to going shorter distances.  At mile 2.5, I had to keep fighting the urge to start walking.  wimp.   But it was a great run - with long, sustained uphills (and gratefully downhills) with an average speed of 10:04.  

Happy Halloween, FRB!