Denouement

Woke up at 4:30am and couldn't fall back to sleep.  I met with JH in WH and did the same hilly nasty loop we did on Friday.  I never felt like I was able to breathe well and did even worse than Friday.  It's just so dang hilly!

ave pace 8:30. 

Went to bed with a sour stomach, had bad sleep all night.  I think I was nervous/excited about the uneventful half.  It ended up being a pretty eventful half.

 Josse got there early and warmed up before the half started, so she was ready to go. The only problem is she had a persistent painful cramp in her shoulder, possibly a breathing-related cramp, throughout the 1/2 which seemed to make it a very unpleasant run for her.  She hung tough and didn't give up even when she wanted to.  That's probably the best learning experience she could ask for.  My troubles were more of a hit the bushes more often than Sasha variety, more unpleasant details to come.

 So we started off the first couple miles in about 7:15 and 7:10.  It was Jeff, Josse and I.  Sasha and Brad caught up to us right at the two mile mark (he ran with Hyrum for the first mile).  We then started hitting 6:50-7 min through the 7 mile mark.  At around 6-7 miles Josse was struggling to hit the splits but she kept working to close the gap and keep contact, with Sasha making his expected comments to keep her going.  Brad and Sasha stayed with Josse and I pulled ahead with Jeff, determined to keep under 7 minute pace.  We gain some ground on the 7 minute gal, but then I need to hit the bushes.  Sasha and Josse come up on me as I finish up and Jeff and I take off again.  Now I am behind the 7 minute gal but just by a second, easily regained.  We stick to 6:35-6:45 pace for the next couple of miles, then I need to hit the bushes again, and I again have to play catch up.  With 1.5 miles to go (about 11.5 mile mark) I know that I am having a truly glorious stomach day when I feel I need to hit the bushes again (the bathrooms along the trail were closed-what is wrong with Provo?!?).  By this time I am feeling quite embarrassed since this is my first time running with Jeff and I happen to get the runs big time.  At least I am practicing pottying fast like I will need to in races!  Well, we were able to finish the last mile in 6:30 pace or slightly under.  Then I head for Sasha's bathroom.  Toilets are a glorious invention!

Overall pace 6:53

I ran with Sasha back toward the riverbottoms and he starts to tell me why my pace for Ogden s/b 7:10 instead of my desired 7:00 (I think he is perhaps right, but I am thinking 6:45-6:55 for first eight miles, then 7:15-7:25 for rollers through mile 17), and then we meet Sarah, and we have my first Sarah run, even if it was for only .12 miles.

I am so grateful to my visit teacher who came and watched my kids so I could get out (Paul is in Ireland!).

weight: 126, just where I hoped I would be after this run.  I hope to be 124 or less for Ogden, but it has to come naturally.  I need food and I still like bad food.  I am going to Wal-mart this morning.  I am hoping I can resist buying a candy bar - writing that down will help me in that quest. 

Another bad night of sleep.  I woke up at 5:15 and met Bonnie in Provo for a tempo run.  I got there a little early so jogged around until she arrived.  We started on the Provo River trail at Geneva Road and ran toward the lake.  We ran 2.56 warm up in 24 minutes, then started the tempo.  The goal was 3-5 miles at 7:35.  It was a windy day, though, creating actual waves off Utah lake which was beautiful to see, but not so fun to run in. 

Mile 1 7:45, ok since Bonnie wanted to ease into the tempo, going into wind,

Mile 2 7:31, Bonnie is strong

Mile 3 7:17, we are going a little fast but as I start thinking I should slow us down a little Bonnie says, I think I can do this forever, so I think, ok!

Mile 4 7:37, at 3.3 miles Bonnie stops for a few seconds, she is hurting and thinks she might stop, but we start up again without much delay, we take mile 4 one quarter at a time and she keeps hitting her splits dead on (1:53 for quarter)

.33 @ 7:35 pace, She stops and is done, she kept the same pace all the way until the end of the tempo.

I am guessing the fast mile 3 didn't help her, I wish I had paced her a little better, but I think it showed strength that she was able to go a mile further than she wanted to and was able to maintain the 7:35 the whole time. 

We finished with a cool down in the mid to high 8's.  It was nice to run with Bonnie and get to know her better.  Great job Bonnie!

Ave pace 8:22

Slept in!  Since I am low on available miles (can only run under 60 this week and am doing a 20 miler Saturday) and had no babysitter I got extra sleep.  It was light when I woke up!  It was weird.

 I drove into Provo, dropped by the Pachev's (nice to see them as always), then ran a quick 1.25 before my sports chiro appointment.  I then got worked over there, he worked out my calves and I only cried a little :)  I guess I am getting stronger.  He also did acupuncture electro therapy on my right calf which has been tight in the mornings and at the beginning of runs.  He then tried to diagnose my groin issue, but I am afraid I made quite a fool of myself since half the time he hit a ticklish part, and my soreness in the groin is really not that strong, so I wasn't able to say what movements hurt more on the left for the most part.  He was very professional but I have to say its still kind of unnerving to be worked on in that area by a man.  Next week he's actually going to work on the area, like massage it out or whatever.  Geez.  That should be a treat.  I should just request general anesthesia so I don't have to deal with that. 

Anyway, then I ran another 1.75 before picking up munchkin #3 from preschool.  I did it pretty fast because I was out of time. 

Ave pace 7:33 

I think I will do this sleep in thing the week before the marathon. 

Paul gets home late tonight!  Thank goodness.  Just when I think I am Mrs. Independent he goes out of town to remind me I am not.

Paul got home late last night so not enough sleep. I felt like death when my alarm went off, but felt much better just 2 minutes later. I just have to kick myself out of bed knowing the horrible wake-up-without-enough-sleep feeling will diminish. So I'll need a nap today for sure.

Ran with MacK for most of my run. She ran some miles before me, and I ran some miles after she went home, but it was nice to have some time together. Uneventful run except I threw in two strides during my last mile alone.

No pain in inner ankle area. Still some tightness in right calf (stretched one mile into run and at end of run). Can feel my groin issue on a very low level. Yesterday when I ran and when I danced with my kids after dinner, I noticed the pain goes all the way from the front of my pelvic area to my back, near the pelvic bone. It was aggravated by the dancing. It still wasn't a lot of pain but I thought I better jot down that observation.

8:19 ave pace

126 weight, eating oatmeal right now. I think oatmeal in the morning is one key to a healthy diet.

Met MacK, Josse, and Kevin K in Springville for a Hobble Creek run.  I ran two miles (6:48 then 7:50, so there was one marathon paced mile right away) before everyone else showed so I would get 20 miles, and I was able to stretch before we left.  I drove us up until 5 miles from the top then we ran up at a relaxed pace. 

Ave pace for five miles up  approx 9 minute pace

Then we hit the bathroom, ran one mile easy down and started our six mile tempo

1 - 6:51, we started faster than this then backed off,

2 - 6:49

3 - 6:43

4 - 6:46

5 - 6:28

6 - 6:45

I felt like I was holding back for all of the miles except mile 6, which had some unwelcome uphill parts.  It felt like the right effort level for Ogden, conversational almost.  I felt like I was walking a fine balance between pushing it and holding back.  Ogdens first 8 are downhill, but not as steep as Hobble Creek, so I am thinking I should be between 6:45 and 7 minute miles, depending on the mile and how I feel. 

 We then ran up to meet MacK and Kevin, who didn't tempo as hard as us.  Josse gave me a lecture about taking the rest of the run easy :) Which I totally did.  We were still in a gradual downhill so the rest of our splits were good.  Josse took off with 2 miles to go and I was like, Good for her, but my legs are done!  I did do some sub 7:30 miles in there, but am counting those as easy since they were downhill.

 I am really pleased with the run.  It felt good.  I think the marathon will wipe me out by the end but it should be enjoyable for the most part :)

Ave pace 7:48

weight 125

first time I did an ice bath this morning after the workout.  Boy was it cold!!!!!