Patience; the new endurance sport.

Marion and Maureen invited me along on their 18 miler.  I only needed 12 today, but went along for the company.  We rode up the canyon in a downpour, and within a few yards of the car, I was soaked.  Then the rain never stopped for 15 miles.  The girls had another 4-5 more to do when I got off the trail at home.  I hope the rain let up.  The good news is that running down the canyon was like being a participant in one of those esoteric Japanese ink / block prints.  The kind with fog hovering over craggy mountain tops and overflowing waterfalls.  The new green leaves and wet dark ground were lush and fresh.  It truly never stopped raining the whole run.  Aside from the Saint George Marathon this year, I have never run that far, in that much rain.  When I came inside my house, I literally dripped puddles onto the tile.  I had to put my running clothes into the sink to drain.  Running in weather is so exciting. But my hands were like giant red lobster claws by the time I was done.  I had to ask my kids to untie my shoelaces because my fingers wouldn't work.  When when I got into the tub, I couldn't tell if the water was freezing cold or scalding hot.  It was weird.  Overall, it was an easy run. It's nice when those 17-18 milers pay off and suddenly 14-15 seems like an 'easy' run.  And, it was awesome to have company.  Only, I never think to warn people that I'm crazy, and I never censor my speech/thoughts while I run.   Most people say 'running therapy'  but for me it's more like therapy while running.   

Right out the door, a bee got caught in my ponytail and stung my finger when I tried to free it.  So I ran while my index finger grew to be the size of my thumb.   It didn't really hurt and I was mostly distracted by the amount of water in the river.  I've been sleeping with the windows open recently to hear it, and it has risen with each passing day.  It's a lot of rushing water.  My dog who loves to jump in got a really swift surprise when she couldn't swim back to the bank very easily.  The lake too has risen by a number of feet and the water is the color of mint ice cream.  There must be so much water flowing into it from the river it has stirred up the silty bottom.  It was an indredible shade of light green.  Then the cattle, who were all grazing alongside the trail decided my dog s were a threat to the 6-8 calves in the pasture, so several jerseys with heavy udders began to charge the fence.  I wish I had my Garmin when stuff like that happens, because I got at least one really fast mile in there.  Cows are big when they are right next to you. When I arrived at home, I realized I'd locked myself out.  So I had to walk over to the neighbors to get my spare key and when she opened the door, all she said was "what's wrong with your finger?"   And that's pretty much how the rest of my day went.

9:13/9:04/8:57/9:18/9:25 

I had a nice easy run watching how big the river's getting.  Today was the smiling senior phenomenon.  Usually they all hate me because of the dogs.  People with nothing but time on their hands are really fond of socially enforcing traffic rules...all of them.  And they will yell at you at 6:00 a.m.-- when there is no one else on the trail but you and them-- in loud voices for you to read the trail sign if you are not on the right side of the trail, come upon them too quickly from behind, fail to warn them you when are passing, or if your dogs are unleashed (even when they are somewhat obedient to heal).  I've even had them ask out loud where my kid's helment is while riding by.  Why do they all yell at me?  I don't know.  But today, they were all sweet and smiling.  Which is such a relief, because I do so hate having to yell at them to go back to their nursing homes. :)

8:46/8:49/9:03/9:20/9:19

I ran at lunch time and have been used to sub 50 degrees.  Wow.  What a difference a day can make, that plus there are no trees on this end of river trail.  I started by running a trail by my office, and thought my time would be so slow from running on gravel, but I was wrong.  Those were my faster miles. Then I had to run 2 miles uphill to get back to my office, against the wind, in the sun, at about 70 degrees.  I wasn't ready for that.  But man, it was GREAT to be outside in the sun.  No cows today, only cars.  But yesterday, I took my kids down by the lake to show them the 8 new calves and colt.  While we were on our byciles on the side of the road, all 8 calves came right up to the fence, and looked at us with their shiny black eyes and moist noses.  They were all calm and curious.  So my son says "Mama, they have no idea how mean we are to them.  They should run away from us."  I noted that they'd already been branded and tagged so they already had some idea.  So then he gets off his bike, goes over to pet one through the fence for a second and they all began to crowd around him.  If I haven't mentioned it before, we call him "Dr. Doolittle" and "The Cat Whisperer" because he loves animals, and they all love him back.  Anyway, they crowded toward him to smell and lick his hand while me and my daughter stood a few feet away. Then looked up the embankement toward me and said "Let's not eat any more cow ever again."  Why do they have to say things like that to me?  No one loves a good steak like I do.  So I suggested maybe we keep our own cow and I kill it myself, only in a nice way.  He didn't like that idea either. 

I ran 6.4 with Josse and Brune.  My wittle woo-woo gotta owie in her wittle paw (that's grown woman doggie-talking).  So I had to leave her behind. We ran into Matt down by lake, and he turned around to run with us a bit.  He had a great Boston Marathon experience and is thinking of grand slamming Utah--starting with Ogden next week.   Everyone's so pumped for Ogden, and I am still kicking myself for missing the deadline.  But I was still mortally wounded at the sign up time, and really unsure if I could get back to the high mileage by Spring.  I signed up for the Utah Valley Marathon to make up for it.  I hope it's a good experience.  I just need to get 26.2 under my belt again no matter how long it takes me.  But I will miss Ogden, I love the scenery there.  Matt slowed us down for bit (lol), but we managed an 8:40 average (Josse says 8:36, mine said 8:43 so I compromised).  Anyway, then I came home, fixed breakfast, scooted kids out the door and went back for another 2+. What a gorgeous day......Happy Spring!

9:26/9:00/9:02/9:05/9:17/9:24/9:20 --ran with the dogs, passed Jeff warming up down by the lake, put the dogs away got a drink, ran to the race at the trail head.  I ran in to MaryAnn on the trail headed toward the race too and so I  introduced myself and we ran about 200 meters while I joked that I was totally going to nail the Athena class, or maybe even the masters.  She's sweet and actually thought she might not win.   

7:57/8:17/8:46/8:43/8:38--Here's my race times.  Jeff, and then Sasha, Ted, MaryAnn, and then the rest of the group (except about 4 others) doubled back and sailed past me before I had even hit the half way mark.  They don't call it the fastrunningblog.com for nothing. I tried to keep Benjamin in my sights hoping I could at least hold his pace, to no avail.  So I was cleanly outrun by every other person (except 4 others) including the 9 year old. But of course, I dare any of you reading this to race the 9 year old. But hey, for miles 7-12 not to bad for me.

8:40/9:23/11:23/10:04/10:34/9:29/9:11/9:30--Here's after the race. I bumped into my neighbor Tamu and a teenager in the neighborhood and forced them to run two miles with me.  All  Tamu's daughters are all on atheltic scholarship so I figured she could take it.  She could, but only 2 miles.  Ran the rest on my own, excpet the last 3.  Josse was down at the bottom of the trail, trying to get in her miles today.  What luck!  So she carried me the last 3 miles and we chatted and laughed for a bit to the end of the trail where she'd parked her car, and then we were done. Then I ran back toward home, and a little beyond to make an even 20 miles. It was a very good morning. And then I went home, drank 2 liters of water, and made my daughter oatmeal on wobbely legs :)  Happy Saturday!

I won the lottery!  Saint George, here I come!  Wait, why am I excited about this.  I paid $60 to gamble on the chance to win the opportunity to drive 4 hours to a place where I will later get up at 3:30 a.m. after not ever sleeping, get on a bus in the dark, get dropped off in the middle of the desert and then run 26.2 miles back to civilization as fast as I can, in either the freezing rain or maybe 115 degrees?  Hmmm. There are over 7,000 other crazies who made it, and 3,000 dissapointed crazies who didn't. Who should I feel bad for?  No..... I'm really excited to go again.  I look forward to not breaking my hip this time, or wearing a trash bag for 4 hours (keep your fingers crossed).

Loving the gorgeous weather and the thrill of the rushing oversized river. Today was slow going, but I never stopped or slowed down at all. I just maintained a steady 9:13 pace the whole time. I'm a little zip-less today, but it's to be expected, it's Monday.

Ave easy pace 8:54. Talked to Catherine last night since our team made the SGM lottery.  Duane and Diane coming from California are doing their 10 year SGM run, for Cath it will be 6, for me 3.  I didn't realize how many people didn't make the lottery.  Two really good friends, and excellent competitive runners did not make the lottery.  Well, there's always the grand slam way :)  I'm really thrilled.  I made the Hobble Creek and the SGM.  I'm excited now.  I just don't want to over-train this year like I did last summer.  I can't tell if it's just because it's the beginning of the season, or my hip is feeling strong or what, but the 40 mile weeks are like nothing.  I remember last year hitting 40+ miles a week and averaging an 8:40 pace felt like real accomplishment.  I have to remember to keep it down a notch until fall.  I'm also really excited to be running the Utah Valley Marathon. Although I wish it were Ogden this Saturday.  I'm feeling so great right now. Maurine was saying how the first 10 miles is on asphalt.  That sucks.  I just don't want to over do it and ruin the rest of the summer at that one race.   Anyway, Yay for St. George!

Zen running, no Garmin.  Man it was breezy.  I stepped out the door in shorts and a long shirt, then back inside for a core shirt under the long shirt, and gloves, then back inside for running tights, then what the heck just go....sure glad I changed.  The temp dropped about 20 degrees.  I did love the wind though.  It's exciting to run when the trees are swaying around and the rush of the wind is louder than your thoughts.  I am still tired this week overall, but finished the run feeling cleansed by cool air and rushing wind. 

Averaged probably 8:50's maybe.  Josse had the Garmin, I just hung around  while she told me really smart stuff about how to be a better, stronger, person.  We saw the colt, who is getting bigger by the day, and three gaggles of geese. Isn't that what you call geese babies?  Out by the lake, we saw 3 mommy/daddy geese and a whole bunch of baby geese walking in a line up to get into the stream by the lake.  So many tiny geese.  And a flock of pelicans. I miss Mexico so much.  It's been 3 years since I was there last.  Those pelicans always remind me. I will be so happy this week is over.  I'm spent. 

8:38/8:51/8:56/8:51/8:34/9:15/9:18/9:18/9:54/10:04/10:05/10:03/10:21/9:15/9:03

 Why strive for negative spits, when you can strive for POSITIVE splits?!  I think that's the way to go.  Why all the negativity?  Catherine came to join me for the first 8.  She's been tempo-ing her little heart out. Without me as 41 year old deadweight around her neck, she's starting to figure out how to run FAST.  It's awesome.  She ran her first marathon at 22, and is just now seasoned enough to really turn up the volume.  It's fun to see her improve and how excited she is to do well.  She's going to have a great year.  She hates getting up early, and it was so gratifying, that once down at the pier, with the lake so high and still like mirrored glass ( pink and blue like the pre dawn sky), she turns to me and says "Ok, Ok, it's worth it."  I know only old people get up this early, but I always feel like it's a secret part of the day only I get to  have.  The most perfect part--when dawn is still  and full of promise, confident, and more lovely than anything the world has to offer when everyone else is awake and using up her energy and light.

I had the best weekend I've had in a long time. So, I'm a little sluggish today.  I enjoyed getting out early today, but was not feelin' it, as they say.  I wouldn't be surpized if I ran 10's. It seemed like it took forever and ever.  Good thing the whole world is 100% perfect to look at today.  Cool mornings, clear afternoon, every leaf, shrub and flower in full bloom & fragrant.  I love the lilacs,and bleeding hearts, the chinese poppies, my hosta is enormous!  I can't wait for the roses and spiria in early June.  They are going to breathtaking. The grass has taken a hit with the dogs, but everything else is coming up according to schedule.   As for running, pshhha. I'm beat.

I think this may be my last running season.  I'm starting to wonder why I do all this running when it's not like I'm that great at it, and the nuerotic energy that has caused me to run all these years is starting to wane as I just realize there is no 'running away' from stuff I'd rather avoid than think about.  I'm beat, and it's kind of over for me to hope for more.  Maybe I can just run less, and slower just as an excuse to be outside, which seems to be my primary source of peace right now. My daughter's friend and my son want to start running with me in the mornings.  I'm pretty sure I could get them up to 3-5 miles every few days.  If I wasn't training for two marathons a year I'd have more energy for that kind of running-- Too soon these children will be gone from my life.  I don't have a lot of things to offer in the way of being 'a good example' but I can take a couple of kids out for a jog and teach them that discipline is doing something you must do, even you don't necesarily want to do it, doing it the best that you can while you're doing it,  to finish what you start, and to count a finish as a win.  I'd like for those younger and more capable than I to pick up where I gave up. 

A word about running bras.  I wear a 32D for anyone out there like me always searching and searching for the right bra.  I want to recommend Title Nine's 'Frog Bra' and also Moving Comfort's 'Melbourne'.   Both are a total compression bra's that works for the larger busted among us.  The Moving Comfort/Melbourne is more comfortable but not as compressing.  I've used both for years, but ocassionally end up buying cheaper version sports bra's I'm never happy with. I'll never forget going to the running store a few years ago and asking the girl behind the counter (who was like 4% bodyfat and had the wiry athletic/anorexic figure you'd expect from a serious runner) who stared at me blankly when I asked her questions.  And then the manager of the store, a man, tried to come to her rescue but turned bright red and turned his face away when I asked if they sold anything athletic with "underwire".  Thanks guys!   Way to make a girl feel special about her over-sized knockers. Both of the bra's I've recommended here are pricey.  But there are less-good bra's at Sport's Authority-- my favorite being Champion Action Tech racer back.  It's not bad, but a little more bouncy than the Frog or Melbourne.  Just thought I'd share in case anyone reading this hates their...'you-know-what's'....as much as I do.  Every once and I while I see a girl bouncing mercilessly down the river path and I just wish I had a few extras to give away.

Josse came over to walk me and the dogs (ave. pace 8:40).  I thought after the exahustion I've been feeling recently that I'd be seriously lagging.  But Josse is magic and makes self-tortue fun and effortless.  She says wise and funny things and speaks of speed training and running a 6 minute mile with the same anticipation and enthusiam, with which I might speak of of ice cream.  When we finished the run and I showed her where I "ice bath" in the cold river during the summer (summer being the optimal word here).  But both our backs, knees, sciatic, piriformis-es really needed one today. So even thought it was still a little cool out, sure! Why not?! Why come to think of it, I do need to immerse myself in the snow-melt-off at 7:00 a.m.!   But, you know, once your feet and legs were numb, it wasn't actually that bad.  And don't you always feel 100% restored afterwards?  Totally worth gripping the river bank for dear life. 

2 birthdays, 1 graduation, 1 wedding and 1 funeral later..... So since Friday noon I have been wearing the same clothes and have done my best not to wreck the perfectly respectable hair-do (that took me like an hour to fix) while I visited nearly every station in the cycle of life in less than 36 hours.  We have had a huge surprise birthday party planned for a  friend turning 40 for many weeks.  Friends were coming from New York & Boston.  Then this week another close friend's son died after many years of suffering with a rare form of leukemia.  Many of the people we saw on Friday night at the party, were the same people that were at the funeral.  This was both slightly disturbing and somewhat comforting. Then a graduation and a wedding.  After laughing, crying, sighing, and then eating fried clams and a t-bone steak, I ran a bunch of miles as it rained into the dusky evening.  My mind was filled with so many sombre reflections on youth, promise, committment, aging, death. I just kep thinking, "If I had it to do all over again, I'd totally skip the fried clams before running."

Due to 4 Weddings and a Funeral we moved the long run to today.  I met Marion, Maurine, and AnaLisa at the trail head, we were dropped off at Wills so we could run up the canyon and down, and then back to my house.  AnaLisa and I went a little ahead and ran an extra mile because I have compulsive obsessive disorder and could not bring myself to turn around anywhere but Vivian Park. It was tough going today, I'm tired, and I plan on really taking the miles down a notch to see if that will help me get myself in order for UVM.  My goal is to just have a solid run.  Not even at race pace.  I'm not trying to beat prior times or anything.  I just want to finish and in good health.  When we finished we dipped for a few minutes in the river to ice our aching everything, and then walked to my house for grapes, bananas and watermelon.  When we approached the house every kid in the neighborhood was on our front lawn with water guns and playing basketball on the carport (per usual).  But what's funny is that Maurine asked if they were all mine.  So I looked over the 12 or so beautiful kids (who I'm proud to say represent every ethnicity on our planet) and said; "Yeah, but they all have different fathers"....Hey, they are all my kids and I love them. Anyway, the icy river bath did wonders and less than an hour after I thought I would die, I'm happy as a clown (because, really, are clams very happy?).11:12/10:31/10:20/10:16/10:29/10:37/10:23/10:14/11:09/9:59/10:30/9:47/10:17/10:02/10:30/10:21/11:20/11:26/10:38/10:32/10:59 AVE: 10:33

My lower back gets really fatigued after these long runs and my hip aches (yes, the one hip).  So I've been icing, stretching, and rollingpin-in it twice a day.  Surprizingly, today's run was fresh.  I was surprized how good I felt during and after.  Is it just me, or is my blog fatter than it was last week?

8:40/8:47/8:36/8:50  I ran a quick little jaunt and couldn't get around to doing my situps/pushups/stretching -- I had to get in early today.  The rivertrail has breathtaking these past mornings.  I'll be sad when they start damming up the river so it doesn't flow as high.  I've been enjoying the sound of it.  I can't wait for this week to end (last week of school).  Once everyone is out of school, I can reclaim the 6:30-8:00 a.m. spot as my own.    Ahhh, peaceful summer mornings, where my children's piano, athletic, and scholastic skills diminish by the day and are replaced by the endless reading of science fiction and fantasy novels and the eating of melons and berries.

I love my runs with Josse, even though I was having a hard time this morning.  Running 21 miles on Monday must have thrown me off a little.  But yesterday I felt great. The miles came fast and easy (well, there were only 4 of them, so that may have been part of the success).  Today the lake was beautiful. I love it when it's silver-blue in the morning.  But we no longer have the quiet stillness to ourselves.  There are more and more people are coming to the trail that early in the morning.  I hate sharing, better said, I resent it.  I feel that it is my private domain, which is certainly untrue, but nonetheless....Fair weather users!  Ran into Sasha and Jeff  from which a brief discussion ensued regarding mosquitoes and bared bottoms.  Tis' the season.  Other topics of discussion this morning included bras and things dogs do with poo.  Keepin' it Klassy!

9:00/9:02/9:04/9:16/9:02/9:12/9:37/9:41/9:05/9:53/10:19/10:04-- It was tough week for me.  This is a busy time of year.  Luckily Catherine came down and ran with me.  It was so great to see her.  I'll see her more when we're getting ready for Saint George. Today,  I didn't take my dogs this hoping to appease the thousands of old and grumpy people on the trail on this lovely Saturday morning (it's usually pretty crowded on weekends).  Ironically, we never saw anyone the whole first 8 miles (except running past Sasha and Jeff). Then just as people were getting out around 7:00, this stray dog started running with us.  She had a collar, but never left us for 4 miles-so everyone thought she was mine.  I got all the same glares and she wasn't even my dog!  If they were going to glare at me anyway, I should have just brought my own dogs.  I can't believe I sacrificed my dog's morning run, only to be glared at for someone else's dog!  At the very last, the meanest, scariest lady of all ran past that dog (who was standing in  the middle of the trail  watching people go by) while I was "icing" in the river.  The lady turned and glared down the river bank at me and said "A leash would be nice!". I thought about yelling up at her  "It's not my Dog!"--but then started thinking.  Just get over it lady--that dog is not barking, or even in your way.  In fact, maybe people like you shouldn't venture outside if you are inconvenienced by small children, strollers, dogs, or anyone who doesn't wear a straightjacket.  I understand traffic rules where there are bike lanes and cars. I would never bring my dogs to the other end of the trail without a leash.  But are we all so inconvenienced by each other, the only place to feel  a little freedom is in the wilderness or out in the country? I guess I'll be the first one to be arrested when the leash police show up next week. Personally I think being conscientious about letting people pass, training your dogs to heal and sit, is 100% better than a leash--especially those retractable ones.  I choose to live here so I could use this trail to run and walk my dogs.  If you don't like it, there's plenty of trail on the other end of the canyon you should use. Besides which, I feel personally responsible for making the trail a safer place for others by bringing my dogs, can of mace, and a general bravado towards the perverts and drug dealers.  I've run off so many undesireables in the past 10 years, the police know me name and have my phone number.  I feel my vigilantism has paid off.  Creepy stuff has become less frequent in recent years.  I refuse to give up that outdoor space to hobos and high teenagers.  I did that so that me and that up-tight lady could also enjoy the bike trail with less public nuisence.  Man, two long runs in 6 days, and 2 nights of not sleeping more than 4 hours has really wrecked me.  Maybe after a nap I'll feel more civil.