All it takes is all you've got

9 miles in 7:01 average pace

I just felt like going fast today since I haven't gone fast in a really long time.  My injury has been feeling a lot better over the past couple of weeks, yet a big lack of mental stamina has been holding me back.  But today I felt good enough and after my first warm-up mile there happened to be a slight downhill and a fast song come on my iPod at the same time which propelled me into a sub 6:00 pace for a good half mile.  After that song I still just kept going at 6:40-6:50 pace for the next 7 miles and loving the sweaty intensity of it.  I cooled down for the last mile and when I got home Aaron was finishing up his P90X workout so I joined him for some Ab-Ripper-X.  It was a nice end to my run.

Now I'm going to shower and go to the gym to push my pull-up, push-up, and sit-up fitness for Sam's challenge.  For those of you who haven't heard about it and/or want to join in, its 6 weeks to 200 sit-ups (slow crunches really), 20 pull-ups, and 100 push-ups.  Join in on the fun!  It will make you a faster runner! 

UPDATE:

Went to the gym and did three sets of push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups.  Here's how many I could get:

Pull-ups:  10, 8, 8

Push-ups: 30, 25, 20

Sit-ups (actually I just do slow crunches): 85, 70, 70 

7 miles in 7:47 pace

Little bit sore, but not bad.  Felt good to get the lactic acid out.  Beautiful morning!!  55 degrees!! 

BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT!  I have this picture from January 2003 of my blogger friend, Jessica.  Hard core climber, eh!

From Drop Box

 

And here is a few days earlier at her Birthday party.  After the party we all went to St. George for a weekend of climbing.  Good times! 

From Drop Box

10 miles in 7:43 pace

Ran around Standley Lake with some added on in the neighborhood on the other side of the lake.  Don't you love it when you just get out the door and .23 mile into your run you realize you need to go to the bathroom?  I'm too stubborn to ever go back, so the next mile consists of scouting out a good spot to squat.  I finally found a good spot around 1.5 miles in and the rest of my run went much more comfortably.

My pu-pu-su workout today was super fun.  I decided to do what the website recommends (basically five random sets with last one to failure) and heres what went down:

Push Ups: 14, 18, 14, 14, 25 

Pull Ups: 7, 6, 6, 8, 10

Sit Ups: 54, 60, 45, 36, 70

Also did a bunch of hip work, stretching, and foam roller.  Great workout!! 

7 miles in 7:26 pace

Decided I'd try running a couple of "fast" miles this morning, since I just committed to my Coach that I would start joining the team for interval workouts again next week; time to introduce my legs to speed again.  

Warmed up 20 minutes, stretched, and did some strides.  

One mile in 6:24 -felt okay actually (but it had some slight downhill that helped me out).

Jogged a half mile

One mile in 6:20-absolutely kicked my bum.  It was gradually uphill most of the way and had a very steep final .05 that gave me that gut wrenching, wanna puke feeling.  I had to walk afterwards.  As I was walking I thought to myself, "Did I really run a full marathon at 6:15 pace last fall?  Or was that just a dream?"  Well, if it did in fact happen and if I want to get back to that level of fitness, I have a LONG way to go.  Its a good thing I have all summer.

6 miles in 8:00 pace

Felt good to do a short easy run.  Went to pilates reformer and got in some core work and stretching.  My 4 YO threw a horrible temper tantrum afterwards on the way to the car and ended up spending some time alone when we got home.  From my experience the "terrible two's" are nothing compared to the horrific four's.  I guess the tantrums come less often but when they do come, WATCH OUT.

I'll do my pu-pu-su workout later this afternoon/evening and update my post then. 

12 miles in 8:23 pace

Had a pleasant surprise yesterday when my friend, Callie told me that she and a few other friends from my ward were planning on running around Standley Lake this morning and I was invited to join them!  I suggested that we go out and back on the Big Dry Creek trail since the route around Standley Lake is mostly single track, and half of it is on road anyway.  So I joined them at 6:30 a.m. at the trailhead just .1 mile from my house.  They were planning on 10 miles, so I ran the first 5 with them and when they turned around I went another mile out on the trail and picked up the pace to try and catch them on the way back.  Ran mid-9:00 pace on the way out and low-7:00 pace on my way back.  Finally caught them one by one in the final two miles.  Callie was the last one I caught as we panted up the final hill to the parking lot.  She urged me to keep going so I ran home, grabbed 5 water bottles and walked back to the parking lot to stretch and hydrate with them.  It was so nice to have friends to chat with!  And the added bonus was that my Visiting Teaching partner and one of our Visiting Teachees were there and my partner had already read the lesson we were scheduled to discuss on Monday, so we just had some spiritual discussion during the first two miles and counted it! 

Since I never got to my pu-pu-su workout last night, I did it this morning.

Push ups: 20, 25, 15, 15, 25

Sit ups: 60, 72, 54, 50, 70

Pull ups:  8, 8, 8, 6, 10