Patience; the new endurance sport.

I really enjoy lunchtime running whent the weather is good.  I ran a mile and a half up Rock Canyon.  I don't know if this much up hill is good for me if I'm not using good posture/form.  But I do love going uphill. I get a good aerobic work out no matter how slow I go.  I've come to the conclusion though, that the trailhead at Rock Canyon has weird energy.  Don't know what people are doing up there to bring that feeling to the area, but I always get slightly weireded out going up that trail about a mile.  My Garmin died about 3 miles from lack of battery, so I don't even know what the run was like.  Yes I do, it was slow.

Ran w/ Josse, Ericka, & Brune up Provo Canyon to my favorite water fountain.  I remember that waterfountain from when it was just a pipe coming out of the ground and the path was not paved.  That water always runs so clear and cold and is the most delicious thing in the world come summer mornings.  I have no idea how fast or slow since I didn't bring the Garmin.  It started to rain really hard right when we were finishing the run.  Perfect timing.  The weather has been so perfectly cool for running.  I still would like a few more of those clear May skies sometime. But I have been loving the smell of the lilacs in my yard, my bleeding hearts are in full bloom and the hosta are all a few inches above the ground.  It's so much more green and lush this year because of the rain. 

I happened upon someone yesterday who tried to explain footstrike hemolysis and why distance runners are more prone to iron deficiency than seditary people.  So I read this in Pete Pfitzinger's lab report:

#2: Many endurance athletes have low iron intakes. Low iron intake is a problem for vegetarians, and for those runners who eat red meat less than once per week. The typical high carbohydrate, low fat, low cholesterol runner's diet often includes little or no red meat. Red meat contains heme iron, which is more easily absorbed than plant sources of iron.

#3: Foot strike hemolysis is the breakdown of red blood cells when the foot hits the ground. While foot strike hemolysis is not a big problem for most runners, if you are larger than average or run high mileage on asphalt, it could be a factor for you.

I am larger than average, and I run exclusively on pavement/asphalt and I gave up meat about a year ago.  I saw Food Inc. last fall and it was the final straw in terms of eating animal protein.  After I stopped eating meat at least twice a week, over time (a few months) I started getting really fatigued.  I could run, but I was always tired after, and I was sleeping like a rock 8-9 hours every night--still fatigued during the day.  I could not pull myself together.  Before Boston as I was at the peak of my marathon training and starting the taper, I force-fed myself a red meat on the supposition it was Ferritin iron deficiency.  In addition, I started my B complex vitamins again--and in this article learned that Niacin and B12 deficiencies over time lead to iron deficiencies.  So my hypothosis regading B complex and iron deficiency was, I think correct. I resent eating meat anymore.  It was hard in those months to figure out what else besides huge quantities of beans and nuts (and shakes) could replace the amount of protein I felt I needed.  But I do know that I was very tired.  Since going back to eating some red meat each week since about the middle of April--I've gained a few pounds, but I feel much stronger. I'm sure going from 50+ mile weeks down to 30 miles for a few weeks helps too. 

9:34 av lunchtime run .  My river has gotten so big!  I've been listening to it at night from bed.  May is my second favorite month of the year.  I can't wait for the roses to bloom.

Baby taper run for Ogden Marathon.  I hope it's good weather tomorrow.  It thought it was supposed to be sunny, but it's pretty darn chilly.  Driving Catherine to my Aunt's house tonight and we'll hit the expo to pick up our numbers.  (Thanks to Nan's friend for my racing number!).  I'm so glad I got in.  I hope it's a good day and a good run.  Utah Valley Marathon a month from this weekend.  Whew, I have a lot going on tommorrow after the race (soccer game, dinner party, guests on Sunday).  I'm going to be exhausted by Monday.

I'll have to fill in my official information later since I wasn't able to see my official chip time, and it's not yet available online.  I had a great, great day.  Picked up Cath last night (the day and the race really belonged to her).  She'd been training really hard and wanted to re-qualify for Boston.  I bought someone else's place in the race just so I could run the half M to keep myself occupied and get in my Sat training run while I waited to run Cath into the finish.  I love the Ogden Marathon course. I love that valley and canyon.  We did the Expo late, ran into Kelly & her beau, then went to a pasta place and received marginal food and terrible service (Ogden, sheesh).  Got back to my Aunt's house and promptly never slept a wink until 3:50 a.m.  My darling Auntie dropped us off at the start, Cath went off with the big boys and girls to her busses and I waited for Josse, Ericka, and Rad so we could ride the Half M busses.  I was sleeeeeeepy.  But it was fun to listen to the pregnancy talk between RAD and Josse.  I could never run pregnant like they did.  They both were amazing.  It was fun to hang around at the start, run a warm up with cute Ericka and start the race with all 3 girls.  As we ran past Eden I said a little prayer for Eathan Stacy in my mind as I pondered how he'd buried and found there on the hillside just a few miles from where we were running.  So sad.  It was just too much to be there so close to where he had been and not remember him. We we ran easily and quietly together as we passed the still water Pineview Reservoir in the early dawn.  The sky was clear, the mountains still white with snow.  I saw a hawk flying gracefully over the runners going up those little getting to the top of the reservoir and made me think my Dad as it always does.  I so enjoy this course.  I was able to stay with Ericka & Josse up the hills, to the top of the reservoir but lost them when I was unable to drink and run simultaneously and I knew there was no way I'd ever catch Josse on the downhill, 5 months pregnant or not-- EVER. (8:50/8:51/8:10/8:14).  I missed about 3 miles of splits since my Garmin just decided to turn off/lose signal (?) and I never noticed until mile somewhere during mile 7.  I hate that thing sometimes (I even locked the bezel like Josse showed me :( So much of the downhill I just cleared my mind, listened to the river--but I had to stop (twice in 6 miles) to use the johns (8:31/8:19/8:28/7:56/8:46). I didn't do as much (ahem) prep work for this race and so paid the consequences.  None the less, the running was alright in spite of the pit stops.  I ended those last two miles with this guy pacing a woman (his wife?) and an older gentleman his late 60's.  The pacer was yelling, prodding and encouraging them, so I just pretended the pacer was for me finished with them 8:57/8:47  The whole thing was not as bad, as I thought it might be, post Boston (I still feel like I'm recovering).  I crossed the finish line by the clock 1:55.  I PR'd for the girl who'd given me her number (she said the fastest time she'd ever done was 2:04) so I hope she's pleased.  Josse &  Ericka cheered me and RAD in, and we went back to watch the first men Marathoners come in.  Standing on the road, the sun felt marvelous on my skin.  It was awesome to see the first men come in.  But the first guy was white, exhausted (even his lips were grey) but he had a huge lead.  After the first woman made it, I took off to run 2 miles up to meet Catherine.  I saw my friend Marisa finishing really strong behind MacKenzie and Amber (?).  I saw Crockett, and kept my eyes peeled for Cath.  When she came around the corner at mile 24, I could see she was not feeling the love and so I quietly took my place and paced her at an 8:50 finishing pace for the past 2 miles.  I talked to her quietly as we ran, telling her to dig deep and that she could do it. She actually grabbed my arm twice when she stopped last to drink.  I thought she was going down--but she was determined to cross the finish line to BQ. I was pacing her as fast as I thought she could handle. She just kept looking at her Garmin (which kept freaking me out).  As we approached the finish, she pulled ahead to hit a really good stride to cross the line. We got her across the finish line to BQ (just under at about 3:38).  RAD was there cheering us to the finish.  Cath was in such great shape for the race, and had thought she might 3:20.  She did really great early on keeping a few sub 7:00's early --maybe burned out a little too fast. But also said she hadn't done a good job eating, hydrating, or resting prior.  Also that she'd cramped and had stomach issues. But she BQ’d just the same!  Only trouble is, she almost collapsed at the finish and we had to spend about 40 minutes with the medics getting her salts & hydration back to normal.  She colored back up a bit, and by then we had to go because my Aunt was picking us up and I had to get home to cook a ton of Indian Food for a dinner party.  Fun, busy, wonderful day!  I've had more than my fair share lately.