Patience; the new endurance sport.

Slow start to the week.  This is the third Monday to run the afternoon instead of the morning shift.  I've felt the last few weeks that I need extra energy on Monday mornings to attack my week. Besides, those afternoon runs are sumptuous. No fast running because I'm tired, and it's all golden sunlight, floating cotton, and rushing river. I had houseguests from California the past 4 days who asked me the last day they were here, when I ran.  I told them I ran every morning before they woke up.  In fact, on three of those days, I'd run more than 10 miles before they woke up.  For the amount of energy I use to run and then write about it here in this blog, I'm really proud to say that people around me hardley even know I do it.  I don't know why this pleases me so much.  It's like having having a really important secret that never needs to be divulged and can't be wrecked by the personal agendas or judgement of others.  I know running is probably boring to anyone who doesn't do it, so I REVEL in the fact that I have a place to record it, obess about it, love it to its fullest extent, and try to get better at it--without ever having to talk about it to anyone who doesn't care.  I feel like I've just made some kind of freudian admission....but anyone who blogs here, must understand a little, right?

I woke with a splitting headache of migrane proportions.  It must be all that jaw clenching I do during the night.  My goal today was to go out 6 miles, no stopping, and to do it quick--no pickups or 200m's--just quick.  Also, I didn't want to look at my watch until the end.  I didn't feel particularly fresh, but ended up averageing the 6 miles at 8:29.  That's a good pace to aim for if I want to qualify for Boston and add a few strech/bathroom stops. 8:24/8:24/8:20/8:29/8:26/8:46/8:40     So I've been thinking about why it pleased me so much to be able to run and have people around me not know about it.  First, the obvious.  It's nice to have something deeply personal and satisfying that no one, save God, can take away from you.  Second, is the weird addictive nature of running.  So I'm addicted to running and I'm pleased that other people don't know about it.  Hmmm.  I guess it's a step up from all that meth and pornography...

No one is more thrilled than me that Josse's recovery day is a perfect training day for me. Not quite deserving the term tempo run quite yet.  But Josse performed her service project for the day by pushing me (whining and wincing) through two fast miles (I'm usually not that big of a baby I swear it, but I'm happy to say that I'm now past the fear of completley coming apart in front of others). That's where the weakness lives and I'm going to conquer it and smooth it over.  I can, can,can :)  That was for Josse. Thank you!

Even though today felt a little low energy for me, I'm confident to report that my new threshold is 7:19-7:30 as opposed to the 8:02 of just last month.  I do want to average 8:15's eventually for long runs, but I'd like to be able to tempo 4 at sub 8:00 before summer's over without over training before St. George. 

Ave pace 8:29 (with 3 stops). Whew.

My Friend Camden is visiting from Texas and came to run with me today.  She's the kind who flys to Utah so she can run WBR, Top of Utah, and other Utah Marathons.  But she was only up to 6 miles this morning.  I should have put in a few extra miles before she came around, darn.  But I have a huge Annual Board Meeting this evening and felt like maybe this could be my recovery week, since trying to reduce my mileage last week didn't work out so well. It doesn't seem like it would be hard to run UNDER 50 miles, but around here it is.  We saw Sasha on the trail and I yelled out "Day 1!" meaning -- day one of my pure eating agenda.  I'm pretty good about how I eat and feed my kids anyway, but I'm really going to knock it into high gear to see how it affects me. So no refined anything, high impact proteins/legumes (thanks for that suggestion Josse), and maybe a few amino acids.  Yummy.  Anyone care to comment on diet (high impact, high protien, complex carbs -- real foods) here is welcome.  I'm taking suggestions.

I ran 2.5 quick warm up miles before Camden came to run a little more than 6 with me down the trail.  The mosquitos near the lake are insufferable.  I think I might get a surgical mask. They don't just fly into your eyes or mouth--they never touch any part of you--they just fly straight into the cilia of your bronchial tubes.  Just try and cough them up, go on, try.  Summer is here for sure.  I ran up to see Sarah, but she'd already finished her miles for the day so we chatted and walked around the block (so maybe one of my miles is a wogging mile). I love Friday!! Ave pace for the 13 miles (including the walking) 9:41.

Today was the big test for Catherine (12 weeks post c-section).  We ran 10 last Saturday and 14 this week.  It was probably too big a jump, but really we were supposed to run 12 last week. She felt great after the run last week.  So we agreed to try to get 'up to schedule' this Saturday.   She had to take it really slow, and is just so proud she's out there doing it (and at a 9:24 m/m average).  I know it was a long run, but I actually felt like I was holding back.  On mile 7 going past Vivian Park toward Big Springs, I felt unbelievably strong going up that hill, and I just wanted to lay into it and push.  Why can I run an 8:00 m/m uphill, but can't seem to maintain it on a flat stretch?  Hills feel good to me.  We also ran pretty fast coming down (sub 8:00's).  I'm learning about downhill running and am getting much better at it.  By mile 12,  I was really feeling like I needed to put the pedal to the metal and so I ran two 7:45 minute miles (13 & 14) and then ran back a bit and waited for Catherine.  How annoying is it when your running partner is just that chipper?  I'm sorry Catherine, I couldn't help it. It felt so good.  I just hope this level of fitness can last or, better yet, improve until October. I wish I could have pushed even harder today, I had it in me.  I came home and ate this little bag of whole grain ceral (like 9 grain) called Rock-it Fuel that I got at the Moab Half Marathon in my goodie bag.  It's got flax, oats, millet,  sunflower & sesame seeds, raisins/bluberries, and other stuff.  It was so yummy, I ate it while sitting in a cool  bath. I wonder if I'm the only person who eats in the tub. I do that alot actually. Is that weird?