Patience; the new endurance sport.

I paced 8.30 minutes a miles.   I've decided that running 3-4 miles is like living in the torture zone.  You really don't hit your stride until 4 miles.  Today felt great, but it was hot and windless.  Today was the first premonition of summer.

1.  My favoirte fluted reed grass is now a foot tall (at mile 1 1/4 on the trail).

2.  The turtle is laying her eggs by the bird reserve.

3.  The clouds of mosquitos make a demonic high pitched hum that is frightening.

3.  The sun is above the mountains by 6:40.

4.  The lake is the kind of mirrored glass that can only be acheived on windless summer mornings. 

Happy Monday!

Neither Amanda or I got to bed before midnight, so today was a struggle.  But we still managed to run hard.  She's not game for the 6 miles a day.  Her relay legs will only be 3 and 5. So five is her limit.  So I'll go back to six a day in a few more days or I'll just let her get off the trail and do that one extra.  We'll see.  Thankfully today was cooler.  Man, yesterday was a killer (I went 10 mintues later than usual--what a difference 10 mintues makes when the sun is up).

I have run on my own most of my life, but in the last few years I have found great friendship and therapy in my running friends.  I am enjoying the last few morning runs with Amanda and I will be sad when she's moved away.  Regular friendships are just not as durable, flexible, single minded, reliable, punctual, and consistant as a running good partnership.  She pointed out a mutual friend in our neighborhood who might be looking for a training parnter (also training for St. George).  I actually enjoy being on my own more than I enjoy running with others, generally.  But this will be sad for me to give up Amanda who could run with me in the dead of winter, on packed ice, in pitch blackness--without a word of complaint or a single excuse.  It's that kind of toughness that wins my respect, and is so hard to find in a friend.   So I'm giving up my goal this week of doing extra mileage in exchange for that last bit of 'road therapy.'  It rained lightly today. The air was heavy with moisture, and everything was green and fragrant.  It was truly a gift to be outside this morning.

I wondered why in the blog template, they make you log your sleep hours. But I can definitely see a pattern. Under 8 hours makes for harder running. Plus it was windy today. Running in the wind is like swimming against a rip-tide. Those little back birds that usually fly together as a single fast-moving black cloud, were scattered all over the sky. They were diving and twirling over the pastures, practicing their maneuvers in the wind. My roses will never bloom in this cold. Monday was so hot I wasn't sure how I'd get through the week, and today it must be 40 degrees. Who's in charge of all this weather business? I want to talk to whoever is in charge.

If someone handed me two million dollars today to buy a whole new house, I still don't think I'd move.  I would rather have more surgery, than to have to pack or carry furniture right now. I'll help Amanda do it. But when I have to do it again, I think I'll just walk out the door with a suitcase and sell everything left behind.  We did 4 today in favor of doing less miles (instead of none) before a longer run tommorrow.  I won't go more than 10 tommorrow.  I'm actually looking forward to doing the 6  every day next week to see if I hold up 'fresh' for the weekend.  At least the weather is fine. I'm glad I could get that all that straighted out for the weekend.   Happy Friday!!

Ok, give me a break. I "slept" in a tent with 6 kids under the age of 10 last night. I know! Last night! Remember all that wind and rain that woke you up at 3:00 a.m.? Well I was sleeping outside in it. By 8:00 p.m. last night I pleaded with them "Why tonight" I asked. "It's going to be windy and it may rain." "But Mommy, you promised!" they cried at me. "You promised that when school was out we could have a sleep over with --with every kid on our block--in the tent in the back yard." I hate that.  I always keep my promises. I hate it even worse that I am so paranoid I can't just let them sleep by themselves out there. Even worse, I hate that what that means to me is running eight-and-a-half miles he next morning with sciatica. The good part was, the morning was post rain-fresh (and by morning, I mean 9:30 a.m.---I kinda missed my mark with the rain and all). But the birds with the yellow head, and the black birds with the red diagonal stripe across the tops of their wings were out in record numbers. I practically crawled today, but it was luscious all the same.

I had to get up at 3:00 a.m. this morning to help direct a golf tournament at the Country Club in Salt Lake--needless to say, I couldn't get out to run until the afternoon.  Today was the 20th anniversary a Charity Golf Classic that I have helped direct  for 17 of those 20 years. As I was winding down the day, running into the golden sun, in the pregnant heat of this late Spring afternoon, I realized how really selfish I am.  I hate running in the afternoon-- it's like eating mushy, tasteless leftovers.  Running in the morning is a gift to yourself, a most narcissitic, delicious gift.  Morning runs tap into your freshest energy, during the cleanest, most beautiful time of day.  You get to be alone with, and organize your thoughts.  Every day a fresh start.  By the afternoon you've given all the goods away.  I still averaged 4 at 8:40, so I treated myself to a 10 minute cool down mile and picked up the kids for the last bit. What's for dinner you ask? Hmmm, let me think.  Leftovers anyone?

The word of the day is fragrant.  Wow, eveything smelled so good this morning.  There is still cotton from the cottonwoods floating in the air.  These are the most lovely mornings.  Before this blog I never had anywhere to write how much I love being outside.  It's my own little "I Sing the Body Electric" / "Walden".  What's weird is that I never talk to people about running ever. This blog is the first time I have ever recorded this sacred little time I have each day to myself.  It's the most important time for me, and yet is the least consequential of my day--and so soon forgotten once I'm back. 

It's just not Spring in Utah without micro-burst winds blowing down trees by June 10th.  Am I right?  It makes the trail after a windy night much more interesting.  I was tired today, but at least I got enough sleep.  I don't know how ready I am for Riverwoods on Saturday-- I definitely don't feel fresh. It's been a long week already. I promised I'd try to run fast. But then I was thinking I would be running with a friend and was going to tone it down for her sake. She asked me to run it with her, saying "I just can't commit to the Marathon yet.  I'd love to run the Riverwoods with you.  It would give me someone to start the race with."  So I was thinking, "OK, it's a fun downhill. I haven't seen Marisa in a long time, we have a lot to chat about.  I can stand 10 mintue miles and a few pancakes for her sake."  Then yesterday, I looked up her time in Moab just to see HOW SLOW she might be running.  The girl's been running 7:00 minute miles recently.  So when she said "I'd like to start the race with someone" she meant--- "Hey old, fat grandma.  I'd like to leave you at the starting line, run 10 miles with beautiful form, speed , and ease, where I will then wait 25 minutes more for you at the end so I can throw a pancake with syrup in your face while you're crossing the finish line."  Don't play cute with me Marisa.  Game on.

All I can say is "mach 5" baby.  I've been watching RoadRunner cartoons and meditating on images of locomotives.  I ran 4 miles in 10 minutes, and then I did 700 one armed push ups. I got your number Marisa...

I don't know if a 10 mile run requires a 'tapering' but I did anyway.  Four yesterday and three today. I found a whole, uncracked robbin egg on the trail  blown out of a tree and ran a mile and a half back carrying it in my hand so I could show it to my daughter.  When I got back from my run, this is what I saw: Ingrid Bergman, Pot O'Gold, Fire and Ice, Peace, Fragrant Cloud and Queen Elizabeth.  Their gorgeous faces opening brighly in the sun.  The Sweet William, Salvia, Lavandar blooming underneath their royalty.  It was a symphony of color.  It only happens once a year for a few days.  I guess it's a stop and smell the roses kind of day.  But before you get any ideas Marisa...just because Granny stops to look at the flowers in the garden, doesn't mean you're not goin' down tommorrow.

1:14 vs. 1:24-- Out of modesty I won't say whose time is whose, but let's just say it wasn't me who came in 10th place. At mile 5 I had to stop to stretch my sacrum/coccyx/Achilles tri-bi-quadriceps patella, and at mile 8 I had to make a VPB stop. You know, I am so glad to read all the local elite blogs. You guys are amazing. I see you running every day-- you pass me a like a heard of gazelle each and every morning. But reading about all that dryheave/puking/cessation of menstruation/diarrhea makes me KNOW that I am way too nice to myself to push faster than an 8:00 minute mile. And I think I'm at peace with that. Besides, as long as I keep running you guys have someone to beat and lord your superiority over. See? We each play our role in the race of life. Today was FANTASTIC. Cold at the beginning, but all the stream meandering and mountain greenery was refreshing. I had a great run. I feel fantastic and finished strong. Can you tell I'm still enjoying the post run endorphines? P.S. Marisa-- I love that his name was Taco. WORD UP for fueling your run on 38 years of craZie mom-- it makes for great running apparently. You're awesome.

Monday Morning...A Screenplay by Luz

Brain:  Oh, look it's a beautiful day.

Body: Go back to bed.

Brain: Come on, you love going outside.

Body: My hamstrings hurt.  I'm tired.

Brain:  But running is fun!

Body:  You can say that because you're not doing the running.

Brain:  Wasn't Saturday great? Admit it, it was great.

Body:  You never appreciate anything I do for you.

Brain:  That is not true.  But if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't go anywhere.

ME:  Shut up the both of you or we're going back to teaching Yoga.

Body: Oh, I love Yoga.

Brain:  I hate Yoga.

Me:  Then SHUT UP both of you and by the end of this run you'd better be nice to each other.

2.5 miles later....

Body:  Are we there yet?

Brain:  This is fun!

TO BE CONTINUED....

Ok, I have read several blogs and communicated with several bloggers on the topic of finding that elusive balance between reaping the benefit of higher week-day mileage (6-8 mi)/cutting long run distances, while staying injury free. Lybi and Shauna and Maria have all commented on it.  I'd love a discussion/experiment among those of us trying Sasha's advice to to achieve higher weekday mileage/shorter long runs while training for our events. Also, this morning's question is:  on days after a race, or long run and you can feel your body is going to break down in some way if pushed too far-- is it better to cut your mileage and try to maintain speed, or is it better to maintain your mileage at a slower pace.  Also, Sasha you laughed at me last year when I told you I was using Hal Higdon's marathon racing guide-- have you ever mapped one out for us 7,8,9 mintue-mile runners?  I mapped one out on an excel spreadsheet last year for St. George and Ogden, but now the weekly mileage allocations seem inconsistent as I'm trying to acheive more consistent mileage (I hope by the middle of  July I'm doing 6x5 plus Sat. long run). Suggestions, schedules, directions to formerly blogged discussions is appreciated.

Without Amanda around, I've been sleeping to the indulgent hour of 6:15 a.m.-- everyone is away at basketball and summer camp this week-- no reason to stay up late or get up early I guess.  So, to all those parents of barfy, feaverish, middleofthenight waking children-- I'm on a tiny stay-at-home vacation at the moment and have an ounce of energy to give you my deepest sympathy  I was out the door only 20 minutes before sunrise, and had to endure 3/4 of a mile in direct sunlight.  I'm a baby, so it's time to get out the door earlier.  A cheer for all those Arizona runners!  I do not want to know how much water or how early one must run to have a comfortable summer run in Pheonix. 

It was a great pleasure to run with Sasha and Daniel (who did not speak one word by the way!)  AND Sarah! this morning.  When Sasha says "hey we don 't always run that fast, you should come with us a few miles so you can get over that mental block" what he means is "we'll track and pace you from behind, catch up and then shame you into running an 8:00 minute mile with us."  But I did it and it didn't kill me.(And then I ran 6 others at 9:00+....)   Here's what Sasha taught me today:  quicker, more powerful foot strikes (angry or hot pavement movements), more relax in the air, faster, tighter arms.  I do need better physical economy if I want to run further or faster.  So it's something to think about while I'm running.  Also, he suggested going all out for 1/16 between triangles at least 5 times during my run, or trying to get an 8:00 minute mile into the run.  Those were great suggestions for me. Muchisimas Gracias!---  Sarah!!!Finally we meet.  You are something else.  Come knock on my gate anytime you feel like a good 10-12 minute mile or want to eat Ice Cream (even without the cashews).  I have no doubt that when you are not 5 months along, you will kick by butt.  I have to tell you though, I wore my "pack-mule" Pearl-Izumi shorts so I could carry my phone/mace/chapstick with me--and around the time Sasha was catching up to me from behind-- I was realizing that the shorts were missing their drawstring.  Let's hear it for my pants not falling off while I was pushing an 8:00 minute mile!  Yay! Thanks you guys....Really, that was awesome for me.

First, condolences to all the Ragnar/Wasatch Back widows and widowers....Word up to my friends at KSL, Derek and Amanda, and Sasha and his group.  May the force be with you all.  Enjoy.

Today thought a lot about my foot strike and arm posture as I ran.  I did  (6) 1/16ths as fast as I could in the first 6 miles (one for every mile).  But I always felt like I was slowing down too much afterwards to recover-- it was kind of like when you save $10.00 at store, and then go spend $20.00 on something stupid.  But I will give myself two weeks to see if I can, not only do my 1/16th's, but also maintain regular speed in between.  Then I'll be getting somewhere.  Sarah met me about 5 1/2 miles into my run and gave me a chance to chit-chat about the blog and about running in general.  That girl is tough. I like her. I was musing about how I can not believe anyone can do a 6 minute mile. She told me that the fast runners she's asked have said --besides discipline and commitment--that they just like to go fast. It was a huge relief for me, to believe that they LIKE to go fast!  Oh, it's not all masochism and pain-- they LIKE it!    Well, I really like 9:00 minute miles. I guess that's why I keep doing them.  But I'm going to start liking 8:00 minute miles by October.  That will be a good accomplishement for me. 

Happy Summer Solstice! This is my first week to hit 40+ miles so far this year.  I'm feeling so much stronger than I did earlier in the year (surgery in Decmeber really socked it to me). I'd like to keep this up throughout the summer if my body will accept it.  But man, these 7-9 mile days have made me sleepy. I had a big week: the Riverwoods 10 miler (I came in 6th in my division, by the way), my first lame attempts at 'speed training,' plus pushing that 40 miles this week.  For me, those were some milestones.  The swimming for Ironman was going on down at the lake today, and by the time I was headed back, I was being passed by bikers.  It's going to be a HOT day today.  I'm glad not to be running Ragnar today.  My running is through for this weekend.  Is 9:08 a.m. too early for a nap? 

I had to trick myself into running today. I could not pull it together before 7:00.  Mondays are hard for me.  Last night the thunder and lightening drew a heard of children into my bed (and these are not small children mind you).  I laid in bed and told myself that I'd go 'just 4'.  I passed Sarah who was just finishing as I was just starting.  Then, once I was out and running, I said, I'll just see how I feel about 5, then 6.  I also told myself I'd just do the best I could. But then I started eyeing those little triangles at every 1/16th and I told myself, I'll just push a few.  Then I started pushing every other one -- only just a little faster than my regular pace so I wouldn't have to slow down so signficantly to recover.  So I paced 6 miles at about 8:40. NOW, I'm ready for the week. Bring it on. 

How about that sweating today?  It's like running on the East coast almost.  I can never whip up rivulets of sweat here in Utah.  But my body-o-baromoter is saying low pressure and high moisture.   Today is the day I break down and buy a Garmin.  I know it's not such a big deal to not know the difference between eight and nine miles-- but I would like to be able to time splits without breaking my brain.  I can't add, muliply and divide when I run.  I can't do it when I don't run.  I pushed two fast miles, and 6  1/16ths (so 3 fast miles all together) and the best I can come up with is an 8:40 average (this includes 2 stops... I always have to factor in stops).  Playing with the 1/16ths has been entertaining.  I'm not a numbers person, but it would be fun to play around with times/speed/distance on occasion-- see if I can knit all the smaller fast pieces together into a longer, faster run.  The Garmin will come in handy especially since I'll be doing long Saturday runs again with Catherine.  I'll run 6 before I meet up with her, and we'll hopefully do 3 or 4 together.  But I have to confess....I feel like an enabler, running with her so soon after the birth of her baby.  Is it healthy? I keep telling myself she's nearly half my age and strong so she'll be ok--plus she NEEDS this because she just quit her job at the BYU law school to stay at home....

 Saw Sasha & Company counting out and pacing Michelle (?) this morning-- man those guys work so hard and go so fast. I wish you all could see them.  It's inspiring.

Matthew 5:30 If thy left hand (the one wearing the Garmin) offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee. For it is profitable that one of thy members should perish and not that the whole body should be cast into Hell.

Could anything squelch the love of running MORE than a Garmin?  Who knew I actually run a 12:00 minute pace so frequently during a run--even if the average time is 9:00 m/m.  I ran anywhere from 8:00 to 12:15 m/m.  Wearing a Garmin is exactly like carrying a bathroom scale to the fourth of July and forcing yourself to weigh in right after the bar-b-que. 

So aside from the creeping knowledge of my schizophrenic speed patterns, I will grow to respect the Garmin.  But for today, we are not friends.

I couldn't run until the horrible heat of the day (it's 95 degrees and hot sun).  In addition, I enjoyed the wonderful company of (dragged along) my two children on bicycles who would rather be playing with friends.  I drank a lot of water, and in the end, the kids were glad they came. They enjoyed learning about the Garmin too (which I got to function better to my liking).  Thanks to all for the very excellent suggestion.  I may set the laps for .25 or .50 in the future, but for now I'm measuring mile splits and trivia:

8:32    Hot sun let's get this over with fast.

8:20   Shady, I am still fresh, let's run a little harder.

9:10  Bright direct sunlight to the end of the road (95 degrees + hot pavement and no shade).

9:08 Bright direct sunlight back up the road (95 degrees + hot pavement and no shade).

9:40 Shady, I am dehydrated now.

9:24 Let's finish this up , I'm sick of this heat.

57:32 minutes/9:04 average/6.35 miles/586 calories

I do not want to run that Ultra in Death Valley next month (134 miles?).  You know near Baker?  That place with the 'World's Largest Thermometer,' 'Bun Boy' and the 'Crazy Greek'?  You know!  That place near the valley floor where that giant thermometer gets up to 137 around 4-5:00 in the afternoon's in August? THAT's the place.  I'm not going to do that.

It was a beautiful, serene morning on the trail.  I got up early enough the sun was still behind the mountain a good long while.  Summer takes on this sort of self-satisfaction, like a women 7 months pregnant.  Full of life, and tranquil about her place in the cycle of life.   Speaking of self-satisfied pregnancies....Tommorrow I'll be running with Catherine for the first time since SHE DITCHED ME to have a baby!  Can you believe? (sweet,beautiful baby girl born April).   Also I asked Sarah to run a few miles with me today (she's 5 months along).  She's concerned about her slowness... I was excited about a few 12:00's (which right now feels kin to eating an ice cream cone), but that girl, with the cutest round tummy ever, pushed me for four miles at a 10:00 minute pace.  It was fun to pass those 4 miles together.  Have a great day Sarah!

P.S. I love having 'permission' to not take friday's off anymore.  In fact, I love running 6 days a week, and I'm enjoying doing 6 or more miles every day. That must be the weirdest, most obessive thing I have ever said. But I thought I was doing myself a favor going less days, less miles.  I'm over the initial tiredness of the new mileage, and feeling better about my overall abilities.  I'm sure it will go in cycles, but two weeks in, I feel great.

8:52/8:34/8:28/8:12/8:45  on my own and 10:45/10:52/10:46/10:22 with Sarah (9:02 miles back home w/o Sarah).

I parked 3 miles from where I was meeting Catherine so I could warm up before we met on her end of the trail. I got in 3.5 before we met..  Then I knew I'd have 3 or more in case she could only hack a  few miles.  She's just been given 'medical' clearance to run (2 months post baby).  But I still feel like an enabler.  I made myself feel a little better by talking with her sternly about taking a good absorbable calcium, drinking huge quantities of water, and  getting enough sleep. She's one of those obsessive over-acheivers and needs to chill if she wants to balance both nursing and running.  I think I've persuaded her to blog here so other post-partum running moms can give her tips about how to stay strong and encourage her to get sleep (which I know is impossible with a little baby).  Geez, can you tell I feel guilty taking her out running?  It's not my fault!  She wanted to!  I wanted to take her maybe 4, but no, she said "I feel ok, let's do 6!"  Who can resist an offer like that I ask you! I keep trying to remnd myself that, she's half my age, and an accomplished athelte.  There are lots of marathoners and tri-atheletes out there right now running at 8 months pregnant--this is Utah after all isn't it? We are obsessive pioneer stock with no more plains to cross.  We WANT to run, we NEED to run.  I just don't want her hobbeling up to me when she's  80 complaining about her osteoperosis and her icky dentures (cause her teeth fell out due to lack of bone density lost to nursing while running).  I guess I saw a lot of that in South America and it still kind of haunts me.  Anywho....Sasha was way up on that end of the trail, running hard and fast.  He has a way of running that you can tell it's him from about a mile a way.  He probably didn't drive all the way across the valley to get that far up the canyon like I did.  Whenever I feel like a hero for doing a long run on a Saturday, I have to remind myself that serious runners do that many miles every single day.  If I'm headed toward an Ultra next year sometime, I will too eventually. We'll see how it goes up to St. Geroge.   50 miles this week -- it doesn't feel any different than 40 from the week before.  I'd like to keep this up to see if my body likes doing this over time. 

8:40,8:48,8:39,8:11,8:17,8:36,8:37,8:40,8:38,9:13

Monday is always hard to get going.  I told myself that if I tried hard for 8 miles, I'd treat myself to an 'ice cream' cool down mile.  Meaning, run hard for 8 then go as slow as I want for a whole mile, enjoy the sounds and smells of the trail, and contemplate the morning. I was running headlong into my ice-cream mile at the end of 8, when Sasha and partner came by and invited me to join them---I really wanted to!  I need to be more mentally flexible so I can be ready to run fast, even after 8 miles.  It could only help me.  It would have been great to be paced into a couple more 8:00 minute miles.  I should have just turned around and bravely taken up the challenge.  But I was heading toward my hard earned reward, and that last mile was delicious. I relished all those cool pockets of air that hover near the river, smelled all the honeysuckle and horseshoe chestnut blossoms in the air, and began greeting every passerby.  I don't know why I suffer the disparity between 9:13 and 8:11 so much.  I hope to make 8:13 feel like 9:13 eventually.