Patience; the new endurance sport.

Me and the kids were LATE!!!! we had to park about a mile from the start, and run down 9th East as the 10K starters were running up it--cheered Michelle (looking strong and determined) as she ran up the road in the leader pack.  We jogged down to the 5K start line and there was NO ONE in sight, but the people starting to put it away.  They said it was still on so I lifted my arms as I crossed it (as if it were the finish line) and I yelled "Hey!I WON!!"  Everyone laughed, and so we began the run in earnest.  We'd already warmed up and as soon as we were about .2 down the road my daughter asked if she could go ahead as we were catching up to the last people.  I saw her strong legs keep a steady pace as she dissapered in front of me catching up with the croud. I forgot I was wearing this crazy tall red white and blue star-spangled head band with red sparkelers sticking out of each star point and so when I ran out onto University I was reminded when everyone started cheering and yelling "Way to Go Star Hat Lady!!"  The whole run was like that.  I was thinking "Hey, this is nothing, I ran a half marathon in a full wedding gown"-- but they all loved the patriotic headgear. We cheered for Michelle again the elites passed us. The croud, and the attention, and running aside and noticing the elite runners gave my son a rush.  I found myself trailing him as he ran ahead.  I held his pace and just talked from behind about locking in his pace, passing people using as little energy as possible, picking people off the hill as he strided up it, and sprinting through the finishers chute. I was really, really surprized by how strong and smooth he was running (8:30 m/m). Both of my kids really impressed me.  My girl waited for me at the finish -- she'd had trouble maintaining her pace up the hill. I'll check the chip times later.  But the whole experience was not bad.  In the end, they were both proud of themselves and chatting excitedly to each other about how their race went.  I absolutely loved it.  July 4, 2010 will become one of my fondest memories. 

No running because I got up at 4:30 to hike Timpanogos.  We hiked 8 hours (12 miles) but since we forgot our crampons and hiking poles, we forfitted the last part of the summit--there's still a ton of snow up there. Regardless, the journey was gorgeous. The meadows are filled with a huge assortment of flowes: columbine, lupine, buttercups, coral bells and many others.  We'll go back in late August when there is less snow.

Ran with my daugther and 3 of her soccer team mates.  They rang the doorbell at 6:30, and there they were.  My daughter came running down the stairs and said "Oh, I forgot to tell you I invited them."  I wanted to go 6 today, but oh well. 

This morning, I Ran down to the lake and the fields are filled with cows and their calves.  The little ones just stare at you as you run by. They don't even have enough sense to run away from us even though we stick them with red-hot branding irons and then slaughter them like barbarians (well, some of us). The morning was hot-- not like these other cool mornings we've been having.  It finally feels like summer out there. Today's my girl's birthday. She was born at 8:57 a.m. so after my run, that's when I woke her up with a pan of sizzling bacon (her favorite, and something we RARELY eat). She was so happy.    9:25 ap

The funnest part of my day was going with Josse to put up the 5K,10K, and 1/2 marathon turn around signs at 9 o'clock at night.  I don't know why I thought the evening time would be best (well, I wanted to make sure the signs would not be vandalized by the longboarders in the early evning on the trail).  We could not remember where to enter onto the trail and where the 10K marker was (was it east or west of Glenn Park?)  We walked like 3 miles, in the dark, carrying a sign, and rubber sledge mallot (hammer) and a can of spray paint as our only protection.  We braved the wreckless late evening longboarders, a quasi homless guy with a 7 foot walking stick and pitch black tunnels of trees.  It was exciting.  The 1/2 marathon turn around sign was pretty uneventful. Josse knew just where to park near the dam. But by the time we were heading to the 5K turn around point (at the huge electrical plant at the mouth of the canyon) there was a lot of lightening.  My better sence told me it was a bad idea to go near there, but we were already neck deep.  So we waded down the embankment, walked 300 feet surrounded by 20 foot tall electrical generators in a lightnight storm to place that sign.  When we walked back to the car, there was a big, fat 4 1/2 foot snake in the middle of the trail.  We must have scared it out of the bushes on our way down.  Josse tried to scare it away  by stomping--I had to be ready to jump between her and the snack so it would bite me instead of her (she's pregnant you know).  It was a very exciting night and we didn't get home until well after 11.  THAT was an adventure!

Diamonds and Titanium RED HOT PINK CHICKS 2nd Annual Half Marathon

OK, so I got 4 hours of sleep but was really glad we'd placed the signs the night before. Driving home last night, it rained hard, like tropical big fat drops of rain.  I wondered if the signs would still be up in the morning.  I picked up Catherine at 6:00 and headed up the canyon.  When we arrived we spied several pink tutus, hot pink demi-gloves, diamond and titanium bling-bling rings, pink tights, pink bandanas, and all manner of Red and Pink combinations (Michelle won for the best red/pink combo--especially the lipstick).  Ericka and Karen were pinked out as well (loved the pink and the  pink and black tiger stirpes!).  Everyone really dressed for the ocassion, which was fun.  Kelly gave us our awsome new RHPC t-shirts and Marion gave us our race instructions; and we were off!  Catherine and I were taking it easy, ran a bit with Smooth who very quickly caught up to others.  Cath and I went slow and just ran it like a training run.  We drank from my favorite mountain drinking fountain on the way up.  Most of the regular runners had already hit the turn around point when we were still about a mile away from it. We stopped at the half way point and I could really feel my glutes/hams, so I streched for a bit at the fence on the lake.  I've dropped my mileage the last two weeks and going up that canyon was noticeable.  But overall, I felt better and stronger than the last 12 miler a two weekends ago.  I credit the iron. We ran down the canyon with some nice easy 9's.  Catherine had to find a potty (Usually that's me!) but we were way beyond the park and not quite at the mouth of the canyon.  It was a very nice, easy run.  A back-on-the-horse kind of run from Utah Valley marathon.  I think I can hold onto 9:30's at Park City. But the multiple Spring marathons  (and training) wore me down these past few months. I really lost steam after Boston.  I don't know how others train with such prolonged inetensity and run back to back marathons. I think it will take a few more years to ease into multiple marathons run with any amount of grace.  Even in my attempt, I have been careful to avoid injury (except for that little achilles thing).  Anyway, got back to the park where we received our enormous diamond ring finisher's medals and titanium tiara's.  Once the majority of  the racers were in, Marion told the legend of the multi-colored glitter rooster and gave it to McKenzie to pass the gauntlet to the new winner Michelle.  There were cheers and applause, and Michelle became the pround new owner of the coveted Red Hot Pink (and orange,yellow, purple, and green) Chick. We then ate quinoa fruit salad, garden salads, fresh salsa, fresh fruit and dip.  And some smart-alick brought a bag of Reeses Peanut Butter cups, which I tried to avoid lookit at for very long.  Hey, I ate  half a sheet cake this week by myself from my daugter's birthday.  I did not need more sugar. Catherine got to meet the other RHPC, we had a  yummy breakfast, I sat in the river with Michelle, and chatted with Rachel and her sweet new baby.  I love this race, I love coming to see these girls run.  There are some really amazing runners in this group.  When my company visiting from California asked me how I did it (How I got up so early, ran a half marathon, and then hiked the rest of hte day).  I said it's easy when you're excited to do it, and it's something you've really looked forward to.  I had great energy the whole rest of the day and enjoyed seeing the photos of the event posted later.  It was a great day.