Patience; the new endurance sport.

A number of  domestic disturbances kept me awake last night until about 2:30 a.m.  I had my alarm set for 5:30 a.m and had google mapped directions to head out to the Onion Days 10K and FRB breakfast hosted by Marion.  I couldn't resist the idea of running a race for Payson Onion Days.  It felt like a cross between the Gilroy Garlic Festival (Gilroy, CA) and Coon Dog Day (Saluda, NC).  When a town has a festival named after a random vedgetable or will publically display it's quirky culturalism's, I have to go, I don't care where it is.  But I had 3 hours of sleep when the alarm went off and when it did, I could hear the rain pounding on the windows.  I did finally get out of bed at 7:30, but I was disgusted with how the day already felt wasted and mad I let myself sleep in.  So I put on my runnng gear, and waited for the rain to subside while I made all the kids (and their sleep-over friends) a huge Labor Day breakefast of omlettes with spinich and swiss cheese, broccoli and chedder, or bacon, tomatoes and avacado.  It rained and rained, and when it wouldn't stop, I went out anyway.  I was mad for missing the festivities and used the 'mad' to run pretty fast . The torrents of rain, huge rush of wind, and  blowing branches kept me alert.  My mind cleared with the wind, and I just ran fast.  I got in 4 8:15's.  Shoot, I was really looking forward to meeting everyone this morning :(

Both yesterday and today I tried to run 4 fast miles (ok, one vpb on mile 3). The whole run averaged 8:47, but I ran 4 averaging 8:36's.  I still have to fight from stopping or slowing down.  My stamina is still rebuilding. I keep telling myself, it's ok not to be back 100%.   I need to peak a month from now, not today.  I think I'll start some speed training on the treadmill to see if I can get some better consistancy.  I have no idea really how SGM will go for me at this point.  I'll just keep on keeping on (BQT or no BQT). The good news is, what is better than 63 degrees, sparkeling blue sky,and fields of Black Eyed Susan's?  Man, I wish it could stay like this forever. I love Autumn.  It's my favorite season.

Today was my first day on back treadmill since last year.  I used it to rehabilitate after I had surgery in December, but took to the road once I hooked up with Amanda in late January.  It's unerving to run in the dark on the trail.  I got the treadmill in October of  2004 for that very reason.  It's been a life-saver.  Winter a.m. running friends are harder to come by.  Easier to find the Saturday a.m. kind, harder to find the weekday a.m. kind. Unlike other years, I won't even get a couple more weeks out of daylight savings (it's in November instead of October now).  I'll try to keep to the road as much as possible before SGM, but I think once or twice a week might actually be good speed training.  Today, it felt good to force myself to run four miles without stopping at a 8:36 pace.  It feels like I'm training my cadence and building endurance.  I also secretly love the treadmill because it's the ONLY place where I get to watch TV or a movie.  So I get Netflix and order up every single movie I haven't had time to watch for the past 3 years.  Unfortunately for blogging, my entries may be more like movie reviews than running reports.....But hey, I can let you know which movies to rent.

Ok, the treadmill experience may only be as good as the movies I watch.  So I'm currently taking viewing suggestions.  I'm going more miles in less time though, because according to the treadmill, I can run pretty fast.  And while watching a movie, I can do that for like, forever. And, it sure beats trying to race the sun and the clock on School days.  I have to say though, that as an added bonus, the treadmill leaves my legs feeling worked, but fresh! To further aid in the healing of my leg, I made an appointment with Josse to perfom scraping.  Sasha said it helped heal his calf after Deseret News and so many others have raved about the healing powers of scraping.  But let's not kid around here, it hurts.  Also, after it's done, it feels great.  Thank you Josse!  Although I had to say it to her more like: Thank you?  to which she replied You're welcome?  Josse is amazing. If I even get close to BQT, we can chalk up another victory for scraping.

This weather is to die for.  So bright and blue and dry and cool.  I got to go out with Sarah this beautiful morning.  She told me all about her 5K at Onion Days.  I think there should be a 'most pregnant' prize.  That girl did it 34 minutes 8 months pregnant.  Being on this blog and meeting all you guys has been a real experience for me.  First it was the giving-up-of-the chocolate/sugar, then there was the fast running, then super-pregnant race racing, now the enthusiastic accolades of scraping.  I am out of my league. That is for sure.  I have never felt like such a wimp, ever.  I was thinking of getting an FRB shirt to run in at races just so I could find other FRB'ers.  But I'm certain that my wearing one would misrepresent the blog! (Unless I could have a caption on my shirt that said "believe it or not, I used to run even slower than this.") 

Am I the only one who can't sleep before a long run?  I think I eat too late in the day and have too many simple carbs and they keep me awake.  We ran pretty good today, stopped 3 times, but averaged 9:35's.  My lower back was fatigued a little by the end-- but not so much as a twinge out of my thigh since Josse scraped it.  I have some colorful brusing, but not even a strain below the surface.  Crazy.  We bumped into a guy on the trail who was running the Provo Marathon (boy did we pick the wrong route today).  He was taking it pretty easy so we ran with him a bit.  Today was his 99th marathon.  SG will be his 100'th.  All his adult children will be running with him and this SGM will be his 19th.  He was in his early 60's and said he started doing 5 marathons a year in his 40's.  It was really inspiring for me.  People's level of determination and dedication always astound me. I'm reminded again and again of how much more there is to do, to have, to strive, and push for.  Because of my 3 weeks of slow running to heal up that thigh thingy and get over bronchitis I have not had a recovery week and can't afford to slow down until next week.  So cheers to all those pushing some hardcore miles this week!  I'm right there with you.