Chug-along-chica!

This was an experiment.  I wasn't sure how I would handle running at 8,000 feet altitude.  I felt pretty good, although I went very slow.  13:20 pace for most of it.  Good news!  I was able to get my running shoes on today!  I think the toe will not be a factor in running anymore.  Yea!  So I really need to have some good mileage this week.  Last week I only had 4 miles because of being sick and breaking the stupid toe.  This week I want 18 at least.  20 would be a new record for me.  BTW we drove through St. George and I thought it was Beeeyooootiful.  All that red rock!  Amazing.

3 miles at mostly 10-11:00 pace at 8,000 ft. on a treadmill.  No incline, which I never do, but I was in a hurry!  I had to get done with my run quickly so DH could make his T time this morning.  It is soooo beautiful up here in the mountains.   Lots of little animals scurrying around on the ground, a rushing stream, and lots and lots of green everywhere.  Green is scarce in Mesa.  No joke, there are a couple of houses near where we live where the front yard is all little tiny rocks that have been spray painted green to look like a lawn.   (!?!)

Pain.  This morning I went up to run on the treadmill, took one look at the beautiful mountains, and went back down to run outside.  The temperature was glorious, the scenery was pristine, and the grade was evil.  The are only 2 ways to run up here--straight up and straight down.  So I basically ran up and down the closest hill several times.  I'm gonna be sore tomorrow.  I think I set a new lifetime record for breathing hard...if you don't count transition.

I could bore you all with a detailed description of all the strange places I am sore today.  I think I'll skip the anatomy lesson, though, and just say that I was surprisingly not sore in my quads, but every other place never considerred is now complaining.  Are there muscles right below the ankle bone?  I think I am more sore from the downhill (down mountain, really) than the uphill.  Anyway, I ran on the good ol' treadmill at night.  5-5.5 mph most of the time.  I did a couple of fartleks, just because I was bored out of my mind.  1 min. at 7 mph, 30 sec. at 8 mph, and another min. at 7 mph.  Can't believe some of you run that fast for your recovery runs, you PSYCHOS (and I mean than in the kindest possible way).  Happy Friday, everyone. 

You should all check out Paul Potts from Britain's You've Got Talent.  He is an extremely funny looking, shy guy with the most amazing voice you've ever heard!  Made me cry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA

Make sure you also view his semi-finalist performance of Time to Say Good-Bye!

Left Snowbird today and stayed with Sasha and Sarah Pachev.  I almost didn't run, but of course, just being within 100 yds. of the Pachevs makes you want to be more dedicated.  SO I took a nice little 3 mi. jog at night.  I did a pretty good job of getting lost.  Thank goodness for the grid system in Provo!  There are a surprising number of people outside their houses in Provo at 10:30 PM--some of them rather alarming to see.  Wildlife report: teenagers making out, strange teenagers dressed as goblins who popped out and tried to scare the livin' daylights out of me, hairy man watering lawn, guy working on truck.

I was able to go see the Provo Riverwoods 10 miler.  It was so cool!  Sasha came in way before everyone else.  I was surprised by his incredibly long stride.  I was super proud of my DH James in Sunny AZ for coming in 1st in his age division (not counting Russian Red-heads who are overall winners).   James has a very relaxed/springy gait and didn't even seem to be uncomfortable when he came in. I was also very impressed/inspired to see Sarah come in well under her goal for the race.  That woman's got MOXY!

I stood at the finish line and clapped and hollered for just about every single soul who finished.  It was great.

.1 Little races at a rest stop with my boys.

I was absolutely committed to running as soon as we got home so I could have a new record in weekly mileage, but we got home later than expected--11:20 or so, and I was ambushed by my bed and sucked in as soon as I walked into my room.  So I got 15 miles and change for this week.  Next week I will absolutely get 20!