Training for a Belt Buckle

Rest day today.  My feet are feeling fine after the long run in the FiveFingers yesterday.

I started the 3 day apple cleanse today.  My eating has been out of control since I went to Italy and it is time to get it back in order.  I know that by the end of the week I will be doing some celebrating for my birthday and the release of Twilight - so this is a good time to focus on eating healthier.  

Next Saturday Leslie and I are planning a 13.1 mile run on the Jordan River Parkway starting on Winchester Street in Murray.  Anyone who would like to join us is more than welcome. 

I did it!

I had two goals for my run this afternoon.  The first one was to run every step up the Little Cottonwood Trail. The second one was to do a negative split. (I figured the first one would kill me, so I made the second one easy). :)

Mile 1 - 13:58 (uphill)/ Mile 2 - 15:55 (even more uphill)/ Mile 3 - 15:35 (will the uphills never end!)/ Mile 4 - 9:56/ Mile - 5 - 9:44/ Mile5-5.75 - 7:35

PE on the first 3 miles - 8.5 to 9.5   PE on the second 2.75 miles - 6

The last time I did this trail there were numerous walkers/runners/cyclists on it.  Today the only bicyclist I saw was an older gentlemen in the first mile coming downhill.  The trail was in pretty good shape - bridges were solid ice, but only had to start watching for ice patches after 2 miles.

Around mile 2 I started wishing I had thought to bring along my Concealed Firearm Permit and my revolver, but I didn't even think about it.  As that mile progressed, I got a very strong feeling that I should not go back down on the trail.  I took the shorter uphill that ended at the road and just before the road met a bunch of teenage guys.  I don't know if they were the people I was to avoid or if it was go avoid injury - but I ran down the road instead of on the trail in the oncoming dark.

OK - I think this has to be my worst run ever. Not physically. Just mentally.

I was lazy this morning and didn't drag myself out of bed running. After work I had almost talked myself into not running tonight because I had worked late and my hip flexors were sore from last night's uphill run.

However, after I got home I got a call from my sister telling me she was taking me out to dinner tomorrow night for my birthday. Then my dad called and told me he was taking me out to dinner on Thursday night for my birthday. And Leslie is taking me out to dinner on Friday night for my birthday.  Visions of plump thighs floated through my head, so I put on a long sleeved running shirt, shorts and my FiveFingers and all my flashy/reflective/headlight type stuff and headed out.

I decided to do an easy, flat run along 7th East and keep my speed under 12 minutes per mile. I will NEVER run again at this time of night during the winter.  Too many ID10T's (as we say in the IT world) are out there then. 

I was nearly hit by 2 cars turning into the Tiburon restaurant in the first 100 steps of my run.  This set me into full bore 'fear of running on roads' mode and I spent the next 75 minutes stubbornly refusing to give into that fear - but being miserable at the same time.  I have battled this fear only on occasion but it has kept me from running for several years after my sister-in-law was killed after being hit by a pickup truck while running. I had to check my watch and make myself slow down. I could feel my pulse rate rising higher. My neck, shoulders and jaws were tight even though I tried to loosen them up.  I could not take my eyes off of each car until after it passed me and kept scanning the road the entire run. 

ID10T count - 4 cars coming from behind turning in front of me without noticing me that I had to stop for. 5 cars turning from in front of me in which every driver was either texting or on their cell phone that I had to stop for. 2 cars driving along without headlights that I had to stop for.

I am drinking a stiff drink of raspberry hot chocolate now and then going to crawl into bed and try and relax. 

Much better run today. Between finishing two books last night and my run this morning I have been able to get rid of the tension from last night's run.

Left foot was a little sore last night, so I iced it and then this morning wrapped the foot and am icing it again. I think I will avoid the FiveFingers for a while in case they are the culprit.

12:05/12:23/10:52/11:40  PE 6-6.5

My throat started hurting a lot this afternoon. I hope I am not getting sick. :(

Today is going to be a rest day.  I am still not feeling well and my left ankle and foot can use the healing time.

I only got in two miles this morning. As I was passing my townhouse, I realized I needed an urgent pit stop. I will do more at lunch time.

Went running with Leslie, Harold and Odee on the Jordan River Parkway this morning.  I was a bit frustrated because I cannot get my Garmin to turn on at all.  We met off of Winchester Street and did 5 miles heading north and then back - taking any paths we could to get Leslie and Odee off of pavement.

After we doghandled Odee up into their car, I took off and went south for another 3 miles and then back.  I was getting pretty tired the last few miles.

Now I think I am going to take a nap.