Denouement

Met McMillan's team at the NAU track.   They were doing quick turn over stuff.  We did a 3 mile + warm up, stretching, and then they did some drills, and Trina so graciously showed me a couple.  I did a workout with a newer member of the team, Stephanie, and two guys.  She was doing 3 sets of 300m (200m rest), 200m (200m rest), 100m (400m rest) with each set getting faster.  I was able to hang for the first two sets but was sucking wind by the third set, so came in behind on those.  Then we cooled down.  It wasn't like a really hard workout, but not an easy day.  It's thrilling and scary to be meeting up with these elite athletes (two women have already qualified for the Oly trials with the A standard).  I'm just a tadpole--a really old tadpole. 

Met the McMillan team at Alicia Shay's/Paige's house, and we went on an easy run.  I quickly split off with Stephanie and Alicia, we ran about 6 together, then I finished my run alone.  I didn't realize the Alicia I was running with was Alicia Shay, which was a good thing, because I got to know here without getting her famous mystic added into the mix.  I guess she recently went on a business trip to Logan, and said she met many runners there, so perhaps a couple of you bloggers?  She was very nice.  

The trails in Flagstaff are absolutely amazing.  If I had trails like these at home I would never run on the road.  They are often wide, and gradual in their grade changes, and mostly devoid of ankle buster.  

I am still sucking wind from the altitude.  I will until I return to Utah :)

Went to the Flagstaff Aquaplex.  My babysitter I brought from Utah swam with the kids while I did my core workout, then I joined them in the pool. 

Bonnie, Dean and I met the McMillan team at Buffalo Park for a hill circuit workout.  

We warmed up 2.5, then I stretched while they did drills and strides, and I tried to join in on that jazz a bit, though I feel foolish trying to do their strides.  Trina taught me two of them, so I tried to do them.

Can I say that starting a workout at 8:30 because you met at 8am is SO HOT, especially at altitude.  I guess I am just a wuss, but I was hot.

Doing the circuit with me was Stephanie, Heim, Emily, Ian (Greg's ultramarathon coach), and me.  We were to do this 2 mile loop 3-4 times, doing the uphills along with a long crest hard, striding harder on the downhills, and jogging most of the flats, though there was also a stride on one flat part.  Greg was discussing it with Stephanie and saying each loop would be 11-12 minutes (11-12 minutes, when there are supposed to be jogging parts???? I was concerned after hearing that).

 We were all able to stick together for the first 2 mile loop.  I am not used to having witnesses to my workout, but Coach was there along with other spectators/athletes including Dean, at a couple of points in the loop.  In the second one, I was able to keep in touch with Stephanie, who was either with or just behind Heim.  She'd get a second or two ahead on the hills, then I'd catch up on the easy parts.  Before we started the big hills at the start of the third loop, Emily and Ian had dropped off, and I didn't catch up after the last stride, so I started the hill with Stephanie and Heim about 5-10 sec ahead.  After attempting the hill alone for 100m, I realized I would be stinking it up alone, so jogged up it. I met Stephanie and Heim at the halfway point of the loop and jumped in again to do my third loop.  Stephanie only did 3 so I had both her and Heim for the first half of my last loop, and Heim ahead of me on the last half.  I kept up pretty decently, other than taking half a loop off for a break.  The workout was definitely harder for me than for Heim and Stephanie, their "jog" paces showed that.  I know I would have been able to keep up much better if I had been used to the altitude, so that felt good.  Moral victory!  Splits for the hard parts were between 6:39-7:11, which includes hard and easy parts.

PM: 4.5 miles with Bonnie in the afternoon. So nice to have an uninterrupted conversation.  

We went out to a nice restaurant in the evening, such good food, and we pretty much closed down the restaurant, nice to have an uninterrupted 3 hour adult conversation with two intelligent and interesting friends. 

Ran 9 with the Flagstaffers at the Thursday Bagel Run.  Bonnie, Dean and I drove there together and who should we see arriving after us?  Not that there aren't enough famous people there, but Ryan Hall shows up!  When the big group starts running its at a very easy pace and I realized after a few seconds that I am running right next to him.  We ran side by side for about a block.  I didn't say a peep, we were in a group and I didn't know what to say that wouldn't be foolish.

Bonnie hung with our group for quite a bit.  Toward the end Ian and I were both feeling the Wed workout, our easy pace of 7:30 wasn't quite easy enough for me, but I hung on.

We go in the Bagel shop and who's the customer right in front of us?  Ryan Hall again.  Bonnie says, "I'll have what Ryan has!"  Then she and him joke about the secrecy of whats in his bagel sandwich.  As we leave the shop, Bonnie tells him she was so pleased to run with him for two blocks and she was putting it on her blog!

So I ran with Ryan Hall, ate the same breakfast with Ryan Hall, and almost talked to him ("Hi Ryan, remember me, I was the girl who laughed when you were joking with another woman in the bagel shop in July of 2010?). Tres cool.

Ran 7 easy.  Ran with Bonnie to Buffalo Park in Flag, did a couple of loops, then ran back.  Bonnie was doing a workout and was out longer.  Was so glad to find my way back to the cabin on the trails on my own.

Got a massage from the same guy Bonnie went to earlier today, Tim Jacobs.  Did not disappoint.  It hurt so good!  It was just an essential part of my week long "running camp".

Core workout in afternoon. 

Ran with the McMillan ladies team:  Jamie, Lindsey, Paige, Alvina, and me.  I don't normally put splits, but I will here just because it is more interesting.  Greg biked with bottle holders for the guys and a guy (I think Ryan?) met us every 3 miles with his car to give us our bottles.

First mile is flatish and getting to forest service road 222.  Miles 2 and 3 were uphill, the rest were rolling.  We did 6 out and back, then Lindsey and Jamie peeled off (were done), then Alvina ran with us for another .5 mile, then wanted to back off pace, so then it was just Paige and I.  It was neat to talk with her one on one (until we picked it up a bit and I focused on breathing).

8:16, 7:55, 8:04, 7:20, 7:08, 7:18 (turnaround), 7:29, 7:28, 7:26, 7:07, 7:09, 7:33 (Jamie and Lindsey are done), 7:18 (Alvina peels off), 7:11, 6:55, 6:52, .21 in 6:44 

Almost didn't make it to this run, I realized with 25 minutes to workout that my shoes were across town at the public pool, I jetted over and back and was the last to arrive.  So glad I got to join and participate.

Did stretching then had a chat with coach.  So glad to have been able to meet him and to run with the team.  This was such a cool week.

So grateful to Bonnie and Dean for their generosity in hosting us and for not kicking us out when it became apparent my kids were three rascals.  I didn't think they'd be so rambunctious, but they were in top form on the trip.

Drove home after packing, got home just before midnight.

Time for a nap.