Patience; the new endurance sport.

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.