Patience; the new endurance sport.

Granted, some Mondays are harder than other Mondays.  But when it dark, 29 degrees (or maybe 15 degrees considering windchill ), with cloudy skies, 2 inches of fresh powder on top of newly budded tree branches, and even the dogs don't want to leave their beds.....That my friends is MONDAY in all CAPS.  I can take a few days of the cold throwback weather.....but it's going to last ALL WEEK long.  Where's my St. John's Wort, Valerian Root, and Zanax when I need it?  Escaping winter feels, strangely like those last .2 of the race.... that long, never ending corridor before the finish line...you can see it, people are telling you 'you're almost there!',  but it's in a slow motion time warp that seems neverending).  So I got on the dreadmill and jogged slower than I care to admit and counted myself lucky to have a  DVD to watch (totally out of breath, inspiration, and engery by 7:00 a.m.). I'm sure the french fries on Friday and all the totally excellent Mexican Food (enjoyed at Mercado Mejicano on State Street in Orem) is to blame.  That and the most depressing Spring weather since 1994.

If I miss that first wave of sleepiness that hits around 9:00 p.m. I may never sleep after that.  I catch a second wind that will keep me awake all night long.  It's rough when that happens (again, I blame the Mexican food from Saturday. Why is it always the Mexican food with me?).  I got up to run with Sarah and was met at the door by Sasha who informed me that Sarah couldn't come out to play.  Not that I blame her, 6:00 a.m. isn't the most relaxing part of the day when you're still nursing a baby.....so I came home and ran the trail.  I ran pretty fast because I was in a hurry ( flat 9's and never stopped the whole run).  It was a good workout--or at least it felt that way once I was done.  This early spring weather feels colder than winter--maybe its because you're expecting it to be warmer. But it's the kind of cold that chills me to the bone and can only be cured by an overly hot 30 minute bath. It's chilly, but it's still better than trying to run in the late summer afternoon. 

I'm going to count fast miles this morning just because I ran with Josse :) She said we averaged 8:50's, but I had to make a few pit stops for piriformis/ham stretching and other things...so really the average higher overall. I love that Josse brings her dog now. Running has become our dog's play date (Did I really just write that?). She was saying how she never really considered herself an "animal/dog lover" until she had this lab.  I had a lab that died of cancer 3 years ago, and before him, I probably didn't consider myself a 'dog person' either.  It's not like I have cross-stich pillows with dog images or funny dog sayings, or framed artwork of my dog looking majestically anywhere in my house--but I'm here to tell you, that as adult woman whose lived through a lot of crap, I've truely embraced the deep and abiding love that comes with the loyalty, unwaivering faith, and enthusiasm of a dog.  

So Marion calls yesterday and asks if I want to run 15 with some other bloggers on the Jordan River Trail. I take a deep breath and realize I forgot all about training for the Utah Valley Marathon.  I guess I got to start ramping it up sometime.  So, um sure.  So I meet her at 6:30, and it's snowing. Not just snowing, it's blowing SNOW.  Weather, I can hack it.  Sure.  We get there and Marion introduces me to Smooth, RAD, Tarzan, and Leslie.  I'm thrilled it's a whole new bunch of cool people and an undiscovered (for me) section of the river trail.  A deer crosses the trail, the river is wide and brown, the snow is sticking to the ground for some nice traction (it's also pelting us in the eyeballs).  I ran for a bit with RAD when Smooth came along and we started up the hills.  I had never run this trail so was following on faith.  Somewhere around 5 miles, I realize the others are no where behind us.  But that's ok they tell me.  So get to know RAD (training for her first Marathon) and Smooth (a 12 time Boston finisher and whose 52 year old, 4"11 self defies all logic). Who in the world could be that cute and tough. I loved it.  The miles go by in spite of the snow, but somewhere after 12ish, I start slowing a bit.  They were keeping a really steady 9 mm pace and I needed to slow it down.  My mileage has been inconsistant the cold was shrinking  my ham, hurting my hip in the way of the SGM injury.  I followed them to the end of the trail and let them go ahead.  I ran for what seemed like forever, started to miss my dogs and my can of mace, saw a flock of white Pelicans.  Yes, Pelicans. Who knew Saratoga Springs had pelicans.  A whole flock sitting on the marsh flew away and the sound was heart stopping.  Pelicans are so big.  It reminded me of Baja so I thought about my Dad and my sister for a while.  Man this run was taking forever.  I got a little lost in a multi-dimensional segment of the trail near a campground, and luckily found Leslie and Marion.  My ham was killing me, the snow had frozen every ligament and my feet and socks were soaked.  We get to the car and these people have a spread on the tailgate that could feed a football team (in spite of the pouring snow).  So we drank hot chocolate in our wet shoes, shivering and hypothermic trying to replenish. Sat in the car, laughed, a bit, and ate some more.  Then someone asks Smooth, how far we went (keep in mind I thought we were all running 14 or 15) and she says "Oh a little over 17."  No wonder that kicked my butt.  I was not ready for those last 2 miles.  I need to be doing better during the weekdays.  But they made up for 100 fold with the thermoses and muffins.  Man, those ultra marathoners know how to throw a tailgate party.  It was so great to meet everyone and see a new part of the trail.  I can't wait to go back (I promise to bring the fruit next time!).