I'm not crazy...I'm just bored!!

early up and out - missed Kelli at the gym, darn spring break! :)

8:41; 8:34 (had to get off to grab a spin pass) 

one on the track - sub 8mm, but I didn't see the seconds so I don't know how 'sub'

8:27, then progressive every quarter mile for the last one and every .05 the last quarter of that mile. I think the AP was around an 8:10. Finished the last .05 at 10.1mph - I like that pace, but couldn't do it much longer than that! :)

Spin class - I liked her routine this morning. Good sweaty times.

Home and got ready and off to the dentist for early morning appointments. Cavity free check-up for all of us. Then I picked up 'work' and I'll have him until 4PM tonight. I think we're going swimming (fun) this afternoon though.

***Oh, I'm putting a plea out there. I need some help on workouts. Someone? Anyone? I won a free entry for the SLC half on 4/21 and so I want to race it as a test run for Ogden. But, I need to get some 'workouts' in and not just these normal ol' runs I've been doing. Any suggestions? I'd like a PR and I think with how things have been going I'd probably earn one if I worked for it the right way. I'm really feeling lost. Feel free to message me as well if you don't want to put it all out there on the comments.***

decided to meet back up with the BBK's - I've been getting up early on Tuesdays anyway, so why not get a 'workout' in? 

3 miles warm-up with the group 9:23 AP (funny, because we were running sub 9's and the leader looked at her watch and came almost to a halt "we need to slow down" - it's nice to have someone regulating pace for you!)

7 mile progressive run out and back. Goal was to hit 30 sec/mile faster by the finish. Since all the BBK's had raced Saturday I had the upper hand :) nice to lead the group instead of drag behind. Finished quite well, and surprise of all surprises, even kept my tempo going the 2nd half which was the uphill portion! Nice. 8:59, 8:23, 8:19, 8:24, 8:04, 7:53, 7:55.

1 mile cool down with the group 9:04

came home and took Lucy out for a quick jaunt to placate her today 8:30

AP for the finishing 9 miles 8:24

Now I'm off to spin class and mom and me aerobics/swim class. Enjoy your day!

Taking on my SW that Jake suggested to hit my goal for SLhalf. I kept psyching myself out about it. I swear that my brain is my biggest obstacle in hitting my goals. Thankfully I tricked it well today :)

Slept in. Getting up early Mon and Tu I was tired and didn't want to get up early, so I made my daughter babysit while I snuck out to the gym after I woke up whenever I felt like it! 9:15 is a beautiful time to wake up :)

On the way there I started getting nervous. I couldn't do this, I'd done 12 the day before and spin class. Legs were tired, I needed an energy drink to get moving, I forgot breakfast, blah, blah, blah...I really hate my brain sometimes. I told myself "listen, you had a wonderful rest last night, you don't like running with food in your gut, you don't need chemicals to run and you can run faster than 7:30's on the track and you do it all the time. Now just go get it done."

*deep breath* plan was 1 wu, 3X2mile @ hmp with .5 recovery between each set, 1 cd.

1 mile warm-up on the TM 8:49 (1%) - I just left my stuff on the TM then started the timer on my phone and went to the track. I chose to do my SW on the track, because numbers psych out my brain. I see a 7:30 on the TM and think "I'm dying, I can't run this fast, I'm tired, I need to slow down." BUT when I'm on the track I have to run by feel. Then I check the time at the mile split and the final time. This works much better for my brain.

First set: 7:05, 7:03 - TT: 14:08 Schzam, I got this baby! I can slow it down next time.

back to the TM for the .5 recovery @ 8:49 (1%) - the track is 11 laps, so I can't make a nice even 1/2 mile on the track, plus on the TM I know I'll run slow enough to really recover.

2nd set: 7:16, 7:14 - TT: 14:30 slowed it down a bit, still felt good

.5 recovery @ 8:49 (1%), I think the people around me are getting confused at why I'm doing this on/off thing :)

3rd set: 7:17, 7:03 - TT: 14:20 the first mile was hard, and the second I held on. My brain tried to talk me out of the second mile, but I just said "you have to start getting comfortable with the uncomfortable!" Obviously, I was able to pick up that second mile. Another reason for running under my own pace/effort on the track. I wouldn't have picked it up that much if I was on the TM!

1 mile cool down @ 8:40 (1%) started at the 8:49, then sped up to 8:34 the last half.

I felt really good about this workout! I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to hit the 7:30 pace on the repeats, but I did it and never got close to it! I averaged closer to a 7:10 for the speed. This really helps me feel confident about SLhalf. Now, that 3rd set wasn't easy, but the other 2 were. Once I fell into the pace that 3rd repeat after the first mile I felt like the pace was comfortably hard. I was getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. I CAN do this.

Stretched for a good 10+ min then came home

Ab ripper X - I hate it, but I love it! :) Thanks Tony.

Eight, horrible, painful and slow miles... 

WHEN will I learn that eating like a glutton is NOT good for me? when? blech.

So, I went to a celebratory dinner at Ruby River with hubby last night. He's been working really hard to pass a certification test and passed with flying colors, so we had to go out! 1 Bloomin' onion, 1 lettuce wedge DRENCHED in dressing, 1 steak with gorgonzola cheese on top, 1 jacketed yam with cinnamon butter and a few steamed veggies later...my gut was NOT happy. It all tasted yummy, but I am paying for it today. Reminiscent of my Cheesecake Factory night! The only positive thing I can take from this is that my body has fundamentally changed. I used to eat like this all the time, with no ill effects (except increased body weight) and not blink and eye. The fact that this makes me sick for the next 24 hours and I want to eat NOTHING, makes me feel good that I've treated my body well and it likes to be treated that way. I need to learn that I can't do crud like this anymore! But...oh, how I love to eat :)

Met Chad, Christine, Kim and George for 8 miles on mostly trails around the daybreak area this morning. Kim knows some really good single track sneaky trails around! It was good fun - except that I could hardly keep a 9mm and had to stop and heave multiple times :) I'm looking forward to doing this route next week and not be so distracted by my gut.

Went home and caught a 45 min nap before rounding up the troops for rec center time.

Spin class - I was at the effort level she asked for, because I would've puked otherwise, but I still didn't feel like it was the workout I was used to.

Masters Swim with Lauren (my 11yr old daughter) - timed 200 = 3:30; feels good that I was able to maintain this from when I was timed a couple months ago and haven't been swimming much. Lauren finished in 4:00 - ahead of 70% of the women in the class! Nice work my sweet girl, you rock! I did have to take pride that I can still beat her, it won't be long until I can't anymore. Then we did a workout with mostly pulling - that is always hard for me.

Finally home and I still want to just puke - blech. I really should learn a lesson from this! We'll see... :)

16 miles in what I thought would be nasty weather, but it turned out nice - well, wonderfully tolerable :)

Started at 11400S and I-15 (wal-mart) then ran up to daybreak, around the lake and a little extra loop, then back down. I hate to admit that I really didn't like the up and REALLY enjoyed the down. But, I was feeling the effects of not really eating yesterday around mile 14. I was spent, but kept plugging along up the last 2 rollers back to the car.

It is nice to have the long run out of the way, and I got to get a long run in with Kelli! Amy also came along and I am SO grateful they were willing to go slow for little ol' me. Glad to top out a 50 mile week (even though it was in 5 days) and feel like I can do a nice road bike ride tomorrow and take 2 recovery days :) excellent!

AP: 9:10 splits: 9:14, 9:34, 9:07, 9:16, 9:33, 9:38, 8:59, 9:11, 9:04, 9:06, 9:11, 8:47, 8:41, 8:51, 8:47, 8:41, 8:51, 8:47, 9:44 (those last two uphills were nasty!)

25 miles on my new spiffy bike - outside, in the freezing cold. My toes never warmed up, took 30 min to thaw when I got home!

George and my neighbor Jessica rode with me at 7:30 this morning. I only felt like I was going to die a few times :) it is SO different to have a n.i.c.e. bike! I kept forgetting where the brakes were. 

My legs are already thanking me (especially those little aches I've developed this week) for not running today. I was going to run a 5K afterward, but decided to shower and join the family at the Easter egg hunt. Problem? my husband took off with both sets of keys to his car (mine were in my purse in the family car he had). Crap. So, I threw on my bike shoes and pedaled off as fast as I could. The park is only 1.5 from home, so I knew I could make it fast. Plus, without having to park I could probably do it faster on the bike anyway :) I was about 100yds from the 4 yr old area (the kid I was going to go watch/supervise) when the horn went off to start. So, I got to watch the egg hunt! Awesome :) Then I rode home just in time to start work.

I hope that this is a good predictor for the day! I need a good day today - lots to do and little time to get it all done.

Sleeping in is a double edged sword...I had a wonderful rest and enjoyed being lazy, but then the day was slipping away and I wanted less and less to get out and run. Fine...lets just buckle down and do it. 

Kids home from school and I have an extra kid as well (watching one for my neighbor who is out of town), so I waited until after lunch when I could put baby down for a nap and my daughter could supervise the others while I ran on the outside TM :)

Decided to do speed work today and Wednesday, I was scared...I don't like the outdoor TM for speed work. I was going to fail, too much wind and the street I run up and down is relatively flat, but is like a V - I live at the top and the end is at the top. So, it is downhill into the wind then uphill into the wind turn and you get downhill with the wind at your back and uphill with the wind at your back. Because I did a 1/2 mile recovery it would switch if I got to finish into the wind or not. Either way, it was harder than the track at the rec center! I just had to remind myself - what doesn't kill me makes me stronger and you can't control the weather on race day. Just do it and stop whining!

1 warm up mile: 8:58

5 X 1 mile repeats: 7:07; 7:14; 7:30; 7:25; 7:25.

all the repeats had a 1/2 mile recovery in between that I ran about 8:30-9:00.

AP: 8:02

I was running late to pick up the brother of the extra kid I had from the airport (he was visiting his dad in Vegas), so I kept trying to talk myself into doing just 3 or 4 repeats. No one would know, you have a good excuse. But, then I thought "you're only cheating yourself!" The people on the blog don't care if you even DO your speed work. They'd be just as supportive if you went out for a 2 mile shake out run. No one is going to judge you - if you want this then YOU DO IT! No one can do the work for you and you can't cheat it. Your performance doesn't lie. Plus, I heard a quote that said something to the effect that quitting is the easy part - anyone can do that; it is sticking with it and getting through the hard part that makes you resilient. Okay. I CAN and WILL do this. Didn't have time for my last cool down mile, but I got all 5 speed work miles in!

After the first two repeats coming in low again, I debated...I was tired and felt like I was sprinting. It was NOT comfortably hard, it was hard and my breathing showed it (or maybe it's that I'm carrying around 20 extra pounds from Easter weekend!). I wanted to do a mile comfortably hard and keep my breathing under control and see how the numbers came in. Well, that was my 7:30. Right on the money. THAT gave me confidence as well. I can do my speed work comfortably hard and hit the pace I'm aiming for. This is probably better in the long run anyway. I can go faster, but shouldn't I be aiming for the pace I'm shooting for and keeping things more comfortable? Or do you go faster if you can and hope your speed work translates to a faster race? Hmmm, maybe a question for someone with more knowledge than I.

10 miles with Chad, Kim, George and Robbie. With doing speed work late in the day yesterday and then doing 10 early morning and knowing I had speed work again on Wednesday was a little overwhelming. So, I lagged behind and kept my pace and not the group's pace. I just wanted to feel good and enjoy the GORGEOUS sun rise!! Even stopped for a drink at mile nine. AP: 8:46

Spin class - wow, I haven't sweat that much in a long time. Didn't help that I still had capris and a t-shirt on.

Swim class with Adam. It's always fun to do the water aerobics with him then watch him learn to swim and play in the water.

Speed work again today. A little intimidating...5 mile tempo, outside on a gradual downhill. I had the course marked out in my mind and was hoping to keep a 7:20ish pace. But, I worried with 10 yesterday and a stomach not fully cooperating (I think it may be some of the meds/vitamins I'm taking at night that make me feel cruddy in the morning), I had my doubts. I was solo, and that played tricks too, but it was time to put on my big girl panties and get 'er done.

1 mile warm-up to get a little further west so I could do the full 5 miles without having to cross Bangerter (I didn't want to have to run over the skybride for my last tempo mile!). Yes, I live in the boonies...5 miles west of Bangerter. I had a friend once say that if the directions to your house in any way included Bangerter you lived too far West.

That warm-up mile was a 10mm pace - awesome, this is going to be great :P

Ready or not....

7:13 - most aided downhill mile, so a little fast but not too worried.

7:20 - ahhh, settle into pace.

7:15 - still feeling good, and have a flat stretch here where I'm able to still keep pace.

7:13 - this is really happening and I feel okay! Pass the rec center and wave to Kelli on the TM :)

7:04 - good drop at the beginning then fighting to the finish, because I know I'm done.

Finished feeling good and like I could've kept up a decent pace around there for at least a couple more. Good confidence booster since this was my biggest speed push before SL Half.

Then, the hard part...4.5 miles of gradual uphill home. Craptastic. I didn't want to push any pace, but just run feeling comfortable. HA! When I looked at the AP at the finish it was 9:53...yeah, I like the downhill :) Sour stomach all the way home. I think the meds and/or vitamins I'm taking at night are giving me the yucky gut. I didn't feel it on the speed work, but all the way home - blech.

Glad I was able to successfully complete the speed work AND I feel good about it.

Now I'm going to go to the gym and do masters swim. A good end to a good workout. I'll probably grab a short nap first :)

a couple of fun updates from swim: 40 second 50yd swim. awesome! learned to dive in from the platform and NOT lose my goggles!! my hair in my bun on the top of my head stayed dry under my cap today - my sauce of awesome to the swim day!

I honestly was really excited to run in the rain today. I had my rain jacket out and I was set! I haven't had a good spring/summer rain run yet - and I don't want it to come during a race :) The rain had all dried up and it was just a bit windy on the run, but I still wore my cute pink rain jacket. 

Met Chad, George and Christine for our urban trail run. Good times out on the trail, but I was a little whiny this morning because I was so tired. 4 days of getting up early has taken it's toll. But, all the runs have been worth it so I won't complain - just whine a bit about being tired :)

Hung with Christine and it was SO much nicer than last week's puke fest. I'd love to run this route in the daylight when I can actually SEE, head lamps are okay, but I'd like to see the scenery.

Great recovery run AP: 9:16 splits: 9:19, 9:23, 8:56; 8:45; 9:30; 9:27; 9:34, 9:13 - some of the slower miles were Christine and I trying to navigate our way on the trails in the dark...good times :)

Went home and caught a nap - MUCH needed! 75 minutes...aahhhh.

Spin class - wow, great continuous hill ride! sweaty and tired.

Masters swim - new 200 PR: 3:17! Yipee!! Fun workout, felt strong...after I warmed up.

nuttin'....yup....nuttin' but sittin' on my big ol' fat patutie! Great recovery day :)

I had some glimmer of an idea to do yogaX, but kept putting it off then had Kindergarten orientation I'd forgotten about...so yup, nuttin'! 

FABULOSO long run!! 

Met Toby, Chad and Karen on the JRP in Lehi and I was a bit crabby and whiny when we started (yeah, I know...not ME!?! :) ). Went North first and Karen entertained us with her crazy story...it really was crazy! Hit the hills well and due to the mud got 6 in before heading back. The downhill back is always a welcome relief.

Back at the car took my famous Jet Blackberry GU...2X caffeine really makes me happy :) after about a mile I felt the kick in my step and the happy smile on my face. Yup, I was lovin' it! I felt Waaaaay to good to be at mile 15! Chad got a couple phone calls that helped relieve him from some of the 'women talk' for a few minutes. Poor guy, stuck with us crazy ladies. We need another guy to level out the estrogen factor for Chad :)

About 15.5ish Chad had left a bag: "this is MY stuff - don't touch!" but, he shared with us - so nice! I downed some water then we took off to finish 16 to turn and head back. My garmin is dumb and is always behind the rest in mileage so I pulled the 'lowest garmin' rule and made everyone run to 16 with me. When we turned, since I was still feeling so fabulous, I recruited Chad to run fast pace with me back to the water (.65) I averaged 7:35 for the jaunt, it was awesome. Finished off the water then we headed back to finish up.

Jake had challenged me to do a pick-up mile the last mile of the long run. I was wondering if I'd really be able to pull a MP mile after 19...but, I was feeling great and decided to shoot for two! I put on my big girl panties and took off...I didn't look at my Garmin, I just wanted to run comfortably hard. Well, the miles both came in at 7:30! Awesome. After catching my breath I even felt good enough that I could've taken another 3 or 4 - easy pace.

I haven't had a great long run like this in a LONG time, I have my company to thank for it! I wasn't all that talkative today, but I loved listening to their stories and just being with a wonderful group of people!!!

TT: 3:01:01 AP: 9:03 splits: 9:40, 9:21, 9:35, 9:33, 9:29, 9:21, 8:48, 9:20, 9:18, 8:43, 9:07, 8:46, 9:44, 9:08, 9:13, 9:10, 8:15 (fast .65), 9:27, 7:30, 7:30, 6:20 (last 40 feet over 20 miles the Garmin recorded...nice!).

Had to run home and didn't get to chat afterward, because my hubby was called into work and I had to race home to pick up my girl and get her to a swim meet in Sugarhouse in 50 minutes. blah. I had to cancel my coaching gig for volleyball that I was supposed to do, but it was worth it to watch her complete an awesome swim meet. Kind of glad it turned out the way it did now. Spent the evening watching Hunger Games and eating popcorn and chocolate covered raisins - they ARE fruit...right?!? :)

Pull back week for me...plus a race Saturday :)

6.2 in honor of Boston, I did the 20 Saturday so I did 6.2 at around MP today to honor all those courageous runners out in the heat (I was grateful for the TM). 

3.4 @ 8:13, 1.6 @ 8:06, 1 @ 8:00, .2 progressive finishing at 7:30 - all at 1% incline. TT: 50:30; AP: 8:08

Felt harder than I thought it should, but I had to remind myself that this doesn't mean I can't run my Goal of 1:38 Saturday, it will be downhill - don't stress, you're prepared.

1650 yds of swim at Masters in about 40 min. Did swim, kick, pull - good class! I always feel really rested and recovered when I swim after I run.

BBK run, brought George and Chad with me this morning. I think they enjoyed it :)

5K warm-up, good chad about the Boston Massacre  yesterday with Chad. SO proud of all of you that ran it and took it down in that heat!! Any finish time was a good finish time - period!

5K tempo, this was my speedwork for the week in a final push for SL half. The first portion of the first mile recorded on the Garmin (I didn't reset it from the warm-up and then we did about a 1/4 mile add-on to let the 'slow group' get ahead so we could chase them to the finish) was 6:54, 2nd mile was 7:29 (hard uphill here, glad to see it was 7:30!!), 3rd mile 7:11 (downhill recovery from the uphill, I backed off a little in effort to recover some), then the last split was .4 of a mile to the finish and my AP was 6:41. How in the heck that happened I don't know. I honestly felt like I was burning out and slowing down! Chad came back and ran me in the last .15 and it was nice to have someone to pull me in.

The next 5K I opted to go with the 'slow group' so I could do a recovery. I'd done my SW for the day and just wanted the miles now. My stomach revolted...nearly threw up. I don't know why I keep getting this 'sour stomach' thing, but it is getting annoying. I've never had GI/gut issues before and I'm sick of this...literally. I still kept a decent pace until the very end, but man, I need to figure this out and make it GO AWAY! Maybe I just need to eat in the morning?

Added a half mile on the end to make it an even 10, stretched and came home. Another good BBK workout in the books!

Now I'll go to spin and take baby to his swim class. Taper down now to Saturday...

AP: 8:26 splits: 9:34, 8:33, 8:34, 7:51 (.7 of this was speed), 7:29, 7:11, 7:52 (.4 of this was speed), 8:41, 8:54, 9:40

I had to sleep in today...waking up early the next 3 days in a row just might kill me :)

Thankfully my neighbor could watch my little terror so I didn't have to take him back to the gym today. He got written up for biting again yesterday. 

6 on the TM - progressive. Started at 7.0 for 2 miles, 7.1 next 2, 7.2 for 5th, 7.3 and then progressive every 1/4 mile to the finish (and every .05 the last quarter). Pulling the end at a 7:30. TT: 50:45 AP: 8:27

Went to swim and coach had us doing different strokes, not just free. I've never done fly before in my life, but did it for 50 today. I felt pretty cool, but probably looked like a big DORK! Oh well, good arm workout for sure today. Swimming always seems to help recover well from the running. 1900yds total

Oh boy, the fun never ceases around here! I went to bed last night sipping on lemon and honey tea, hoping and praying I'd wake up without this sore throat. No beans and no voice. No fever, just a minor cough and a wicked sore throat. Nice... The weather is going to be good on Saturday so something else has to come up. The good thing about it all is that this isn't my BIG race, Ogden is. So, if I get all the cruddy stuff out of the way now I'll have a good Ogden, right?

Today and Tomorrow I'm working full time (training for work). 9-5 baby. So, I get the 'real' life of you working folks. Getting kids off to school/sitters/lunches and runs all in and ready to go out the door by 8AM. Holy moly you people deserve a medal! I missed my baby and hated sitting in a classroom with 13 idiots. Okay, they aren't all idiots, but I just hate this training...really hate it. Anyway back to running...

Met Chad (everyone else wimped out!) at 5AM for our urban trail route. Due to my sicky-sickness Chad was nice and ran pokey slow with me (well, slow for him - fine for me) so I didn't get kidnapped and murdered on the trails. Thanks Chad! AP: 9:12

I got home in time for a 20 min nap before go time and finally now at 7:30PM I've had a chance to blog. Sigh. Racquetball date tonight, after I run the kids out to my mom's house 20 miles - one way - so she can watch them tomorrow.

I don't know how you guys do it!

Oh, and I did end up seeing the doc today and he gave me some magic mouthwash (I thought he was just being silly about the name until the Pharmacist called it the same thing!) and an over the counter herb that has been clinically proven to shorten the duration of colds/flus. Well heck, what have I got to lose? Meds in and fingers crossed. I was going to run and/or spin tomorrow, but I think at this point my body needs rest more than miles.

KAMIKAZIE!!! 

Yup, that was the plan :) I still have no voice and am coughing up crap like a bad smoker, but I decided if I was going to go for broke and blow up, I might as well make it a fantastic fail! What did I have to lose? 

Life was crazy and my poor husband who went to work at 9AM on Friday still wasn't home when I woke up at 4:30 to get ready to leave. He said he was close though, so I knew the kids would never even know no one was home for a while. Luckily my neighbor Jessica offered to drive so I could leave the family car for him to get everyone to 9AM soccer games. Only one problem...I was being cautious and locked the front door when I left and we always lock the garage door (into the house) at night. So...he got locked out. It took about 10 minutes of doorbell ringing and phone calls to wake up my daughter (no one else even woke up!) so that he could get in the house. I tell ya...the fun never ceases :)

Jessica and I met Toby at trax and had an adventurous ride to the start (isn't SL always that way?) we got a fast pop line, I gargled with my magic mouthwash so I could drink without feeling knives in my throat, dropped our bags then lined up.

We still had 10 min to show time so we made our way to the front to give Andrea and Allie and Emily a little pep talk (ha!) before the race and then we went off to find where we really fit into the crowd...the BACK!

Once we crossed the line I just took off, I knew it would feel hard and breathing would be labored, so I just ran. Ooops...first mile came in at 6:42! Oh boy, Plan Kamikaze was in action - full force. I did catch the 3:15 pacers and Jose was with them so I decided to slow it up a little and hang there. It felt good now - not so kamikaze :) still couldn't talk and breathe, but hey I knew that would happen. Then we hit some good downhill and I just let it fly, blow up or not I was just going for it.

I really felt good and in control and like I was running right where I should be and the miles just ticked by. I didn't like the extra out and back in Sugarhouse park, not that it was hard I just wasn't expecting it and it messed with my mind a little. I figured they had to have changed the course later down in the line because of the extra nearly 1/2 mile loop, but I didn't know where. I was hoping they'd dropped the mile 12 hill, but figured I couldn't get THAT lucky! I did take all the effort I could to give a shout out to Andrea and Emily when I got to see them on the turn, but it is hard to talk, let alone yell. I hope they heard me :)

I took a gu at mile 7 and I never stopped running. Not a walk through an aid station at all. I'm getting better at the drinking on the run thing :) well, okay just don't look at my white shirt in any of the race pictures...I had a drinking problem and red powerade is unforgiving. shirt, legs, arms - a very pretty sight I was!

Just after mile 9 ticked off I saw the shadow of someone with a pace sign just over my shoulder. What the?!? REALLY?!? They started pacers at 1:40 so my only goal was to NOT let the 1:40 pacer pass me and I'd nail my PR...so what the heck was this?!? I'd been watching my splits and KNEW I was on track for a 1:35ish so why was he here?!? Someone asked "you 1:40?" "yeah, but I'm about 3 min ahead right now" THREE MINUTES AT MILE NINE?!? What kind of pacer are you? Other than a bad one?!? I said out loud (you have to understand how much effort it takes me to talk right now let alone when I'm running a 7:20mm) "Three min ahead of time at mile nine? that sure plays bad head games with some people!" A girl in pink in front of me said "but, it can inspire and push others" - oh SHUT UP! He is there to run a specific pace and his response of "well, that's just what the race has given me" is NOT a good answer OR inspiring. What about all the deflated egos of the people who were shooting for a 1:40 and couldn't keep up with his 1:36 pace those first 9 miles and gave up back at mile 5? Man...okay, I'll get off my rant now. I didn't see him until the end of the race after that, he pulled back and ran slower. Made me happy to put him in his place (am I a little bi*&$y today or what?!?)

So, shortly after that I saw Rachelle at Liberty Park and it was SO nice to see her and have someone personally cheering me on. Gave me the push I needed to get through the park in good style.

I didn't feel any fatigue or remorse about my kamikaze start until mile 11, but at that point I was at 1:20 and I knew that if I simply ran 10mm for the last 2 miles I'd still hit a PR! Awesome sauce. So, I just let myself let go of thinking about numbers and just do what my body would let me do. I climbed the hill in good fashion and never felt like I was going to die, which is good for me on hills! The crosswalk counter at the top of the hill was counting down from 18 when I noticed it and I told myself to get to the top of the hill by the zero. I made it! Turned to see the finish line (that had moved up from the gateway to East of the Energy Solutions Arena - thank you loop around Sugarhouse!) and I had a nice gentle downhill finish. Turn it on and give it what you got, and I did. Final .15 I recorded on the Garmin came in at 6:04 pace so I guess I can't hate the Kamikaze start too much :) The 2 near 8mm on mile 11 and 12 weren't quite what I'd wanted them to be and they were the result of the Kamikaze start, but I still don't think I regret it - yet.

Finish time was 1:36:41, so an AP of 7:22 for the race. This is a 4+ min PR for me from the last time I raced a half. So, I get a new PR in my book and the knowledge that I CAN hit it better and harder if I'm not sick :) I just have to kamikaze the start and I'll be great.

splits: 6:42, 7:13, 6:50, 7:06, 7:27, 7:40, 7:19, 7:29; 7:19; 7:24; 7:32; 7:56; 7:52 (my horrible mile 12 hill was a faster AP than the straightway on State St...awesome); 6:04 for last recorded .15 of the race.

Feelin' good and now I just need a new head that doesn't have a sore throat, ringing ears, headache, stuffy nose and coughing fits to nail the full at Ogden.

Thanks for enduring my novel race report. I'm a happy girl with a new PR today :)

Thanks also to a great support crew: Toby, Jessica, Smooth and Lowell - you guys are amazing!!! Thanks for sharing this race and special day with me. Top 30/2800 females and top 10 in my AG - I won't complain!

Although I'm still hacking up a lung frequently and have my deep sultry voice and a little bit of sore hangover from Saturday (but nothing terrible!) I got up and out this morning to start my BIG mileage week before Ogden taper. I can't believe this is the last week of high miles for Ogden, the butterflies are starting to come up...and I'm hacking them out :)

Did my normal ol' big Herriman loop up through the Cove, up Emmeline, down Juniper Crest (love this speedy downhill!), then made the trek back up 13400S home - that is always the worst. Up hill there and up hill home. This is the tall tale route: uphill both ways! :)

Just ran what felt good and didn't look at my watch, pleased to see a decent pace especially for the uphills. Only stopped twice to wake up the peacefully sleeping residents while I hacked up a lung or two. The air smelt SO good this morning and I got a beautiful sunrise and the temp was perfect with just a slight breeze. You really couldn't ask for a more perfect run!! I'm glad I got out and got it done.

AP: 8:57; splits: 9:59, 8:24, 8:27, 9:08, 7:43, 8:32, 9:20, 9:35, 9:22. The last 3 miles that were uphill home were still faster than when I ran them uphill after my tempo a couple weeks ago, so I can't be too upset. The 7:43 was the super-de-duper downhill, you can't help but run fast there.

Now I'm going to take the morning and x-train in the yard with the lawn mower, shovel, rake and weed killer. Fun, fun, fun!

I'm sick and tired of coughing so much! I wake up in coughing fits at night and am not really getting a decent amount of sleep, which is paramount for me this week being the BIG mileage week for Ogden. Poo! 

Got up early to join Chad and George for our classic 10 mile loop. I really would like to run WITH them sometime. I haven't had a good pace on this loop for a long time. I know neither of them ran yesterday and they aren't sick, but my ego keeps taking a hit that I can't keep up. After I let them go I had a coughing fit at the corner of the lake and after losing a lung or two I actually felt okay and picked up my last mile, but not intentionally until the last quarter. Felt good to finally open things up and not feel the drag. 

Working in the yard yesterday for 4.5 hours (up, down, rake, mow, pull, up, down, rake, dig, dig, dig, weed, up, down, rake, spray) was NOT the best idea. Sunburned and my glutes and quads and feet are lovin' me today. But, how else does it get done? I've got another full day on Wednesday too...

AP: 8:54 splits: 8:58, 9:13, 8:55, 9:02, 9:32 (a huge microburst wind threw a cloud of dust at us just as we went up the 'big' hill on the route - took any wind in my sails right out and I crawled to the top), 9:10, 8:42, 8:26, 8:44, 8:13

Went home and slept for 30 minutes before getting kids out the door.

Spin Class - holy hannah that lady doesn't know the definition of recovery! :) usually I love it, but not today (yes, I'm whining!)

Baby swim class with Adam. He loves it! Except that I had him stand by the pool while I hopped in today and he decided to hop in himself! I screamed and grabbed my sinking baby. I thought we'd passed off "wait until mom is ready" - guess it needs a little review. Thanks for the heart attack son! I hadn't gotten enough adrenaline from my morning workout.

On advisement of an honored source I decided to nix my plan for this morning. I've been tired and fatigued, not really sore or achy, but just tired. I think this cold is catching up to me, plus this is my normal week for low energy and I haven't been sleeping like I should. I don't want to hit a 'recovery hole' that I can't get out of before Ogden and I want a good long run on Saturday so I need to start taking care of myself. Rolled out the legs last night and I went to bed feeling okay. I figured if when my husband woke up I felt good I'd go out for a short 5K while he was getting ready. 

When I woke up I felt better than I have for a couple mornings, so I decided I'd go out for the 5K loop. No garmin, just run and be relaxed. When I got home I sent hubby off to work, then decided to take Lucy out for the 2+ mile loop because I was still feeling okay - especially running just nice and slow, whatever I felt.

I'm glad I went, I'm still a little bummed I'm not going to hit my high mileage this week, but I really think that feeling good is more important than the numbers game. Preventing injury and being able to hit my long run goals have to be weighted in the decision.

I came home and got the last kiddo off to school then did p90X stretch. I haven't done enough of that lately either. Now I hope I can rest and recover well today and be ready for the 8 urban trail loop early tomorrow.

8 mile urban trail loop, faster than I've done it before...which I won't complain about. Not saying it was easy, but I had to keep up or risk dying as I ran alone. Could've been worse.

Came home and took Lucy out for her 2 mile loop, felt good until the last 1/2 mile...could've done without the black spots and feeling like I was going to fall over.

I had high hopes/dreams of getting to do spin class and masters swim today, but I'm just run down and need to stop. I'm spending HOURS a day out in the yard getting things spring ready, fertilizing, weeding, hand tilling and planting the garden, planting new trees/bushes, putting together new hoses, fixing sprinklers. Dang it, I'm just tired. So, today should be my last day out in the yard and I might be able to fold laundry and do dishes tomorrow while it snows :)

I think I'm taking tomorrow off - period. Anyone want to watch my kids so I can sleep all day? Oh, and you can clean my house too! :)

AP: 8:54 splits: 9:51, 9:24, 8:37, 8:28, 8:41, 8:44, 8:54, 8:36

Lucy's loop: 9:19, 9:40

Oh I am SO over hills! SO. OVER. HILLS.

No, I've never liked hills and yes, I'm whining (sorry, bad attitude day). This course was a BEAST. I've never run anything quite like it before. I've been through Thanksgiving Point Gardens so I knew what I was in for, but holy Hannah! I tell ya, by mile 9 I was cussing the rolling hills under my breath. Rollers all OVER the place. Not a good uphill, not a good downhill, just up and down and up and down every 20-50 feet. It is pretty in the gardens and I'm sure as you drive your cart along the golf course, but man alive it is NOT fun to run! Okay...I'm done now.

Met Smooth, Toby, Catherine, Karen and Lowell for a 5 mile warm-up and well, since I was the late one (yes, bad day all around) we only got 4.5 in - which left just enough time for a potty stop and a quick breather before the race.

AP for warm-up: 9:09

My plan was to hit MP for the race. I'd been cautioned about the difficulty of the race course and told that getting into the 8:10-8:15 range would be sufficient effort. I  lined up and started around the 1:55 pacer, but quickly decided if I caught up to the 1:45 pacer and stayed in front of him I'd be golden. Well, poor pacing again as he caught me around mile 4-5 and said he was almost 2 min ahead of time. We leap frogged a lot through the gardens, but then I finally left him just as we started the golf course trail. I never heard from him again until mile 8 when he said ":45 ahead of pace." As I'd seen my splits I figured he must have said 1:45...but who knows. I didn't care, I'd already decided I was just running MY race - screw the bad pacers. Oh, as a side note, the 2:00 pacer came in at 1:53...nice....

Anyway, I was tired of the course hills and cussing it, but I kept seeing my paces come in despite the bad terrain. It was giving me confidence and hope. At mile 11 I almost decided to slow down to 8:30's, but by then I had my ego to deal with and all the people around me. So...I carried on. I was pleased with my finish time and effort that seemed honestly a bit too hard for MP, but I'm trying to remember the terrain difference.

AP: 7:58 (I got the course at 13 even, so my AP according to the race is 7:54)

Splits: 7:35, 7:38, 7:39, 7:47, 8:12, 8:11, 8:11, 8:12, 8:07, 7:55, 8:20, 8:08, 7:41

After everyone came in and we got to chat with Jun, Lily, Julie C and lots of others we all headed off for our last 4.5. I got a chance to run a bit with Smooth, then finished up with Toby and Karen. I felt good, but run down. The legs are feeling the miles.

AP for cool down: 9:49

Overall I felt good about this run, but I still need that mental boost to hit Ogden the way I should. C'mon Rachel...you CAN do this...you can.

wimped out on the running today. I've been carrying around too much emotional baggage this weekend and just wanted/needed to sleep. Also, it was one of those days where you know the little aches and pains that are hung over from a long, hard run Saturday will thank you in the long run if you don't pound them into the ground? yeah. there was that too.

Spin - holy hannah haven't sweat that much in a spin class in a long time. Good workout.

Swim - 1800yds total, 500 kick, 800 free broken down, 400 pull hard. Felt good!

Now I'm feeling guilty for not running, but 10 with 5 at tempo tomorrow should be enough to remedy that guilt :) and hopefully these lingering aches will disappear!