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

Stayed up way too late having a girls night with the cousins. It was fun..but running didn't happen this morning! So, I trucked 2 kids around the airport and home then them 2 car seats and a huge 'mother' bag on the shuttle to long term parking....It was a joke!! Who ever out there is a single mom day in and day out, you have my utmost respect!!!!!

Well, it started out nice...then the rain got harder and harder and the wind blew more and more. It never got really cold, just wet! By the time I was done I swear I had lakes in my shoes!! A big THANK YOU!! goes to Smooth for helping me get through the run today because without her I would've slept in and been lazy and done NOTHING. It always helps to have someone expecting you.

AP for the 16 miles is: 9:02

splits: 8:49, 8:44, 8:33, 9:45 (this is the hilly part!!), 9:15, 9:08, 9:16, 9:08, 9:10, 9:00, 8:48, 8:58, 9:03, 8:58, 9:08, 8:47.

Great run and its always fun to have interesting 'weather' experiences...definately makes them more memorable :)

1 hr step class, then 4 on the TM at 3% decline at 7:40 AP, but dropped to 6:58 pace for the last 1/2 mile.

Any suggestions for tapering? I'm thinking 4 on M,W,F and 10 Tu, Th, Sa - then bumping down more next week....

Met BBK's for workout this morning - hills at the Palisades; AP 8:36 - 9:19, 8:57, 8:47, 8:39, 8:09, 7:45, 8:24, 8:28, 9:11, 8:17 - 3.5 mile warm-up, .5 mile up/down hills, 2 mile tempo loop with hills, hill sprints, last 1.5 tempo for .8 or so then cooldown.

Hit the gym for resistance - upper body/Abs and some side to side legs. Rode the recumbant bike for 10 miles.

Oh, it was nice enough to ride the bike to and from the gym as well - Nathan (2) and I really like to leave the car at home :)

Thanks to everyone on the tapering advice - its so hard to judge, I think the best thing to do is listen to my body. Get enough in to keep cardio up, but not enough to ever get 'tired legs'. I'm putting together a mix of my 'normal' schedule and tapering advice...I'll post it soon for review!

Kick-boxing - GREAT x-training this morning! Then 4 on the TM on downhill at 8 mm, but the last mile was 7mm or less. Felt Great, feeling really good about Ogden - I just need to solidify my goals....

Met BBK's for a good run this morning...legs felt a little tired, so I didn't want to push it, just took it nice and easy! AP 8:55 - 9:31, 8:49, 8:33, 8:05, 9:09, 9:19, 9:21, 8:42, 8:35, 9:11.

Took Nathan on the bike to the gym, got the last 1/2 of Yoga, went on a nice 1 hour ride with my neighbor then came home. Wonderful day and beautiful weather...tomorrow, I think I'll just take 'er easy :)

Okay, so my final and decided plan with Ogden is: I've got the BQ out of my system...I'll be okay if I don't get it (thanks Kelli!!). I'm going to start at 8:45 - 8:50 for the first 3-4 miles then take it down to 8:20 and just see how long I can stay there. After mile 13, no more pace timing...I'll just run it how I feel it, with keeping in mind how many miles I have left :)

So my tiered goals are: Run the whole way-satisfied; Under 4 hours - happy; BQ - ecstatic.

There we go, I think that sounds good for me and my brain...It can finally be quiet now :)

Okay, nobody fall over, but I'm not doing anything today :) It's my baby's 2nd birthday and I'm spending the day with the family! I feel like I need a day off anyway...sometimes its good to get a break, right?

A PERFECT RUN!! Met Smooth, Lowell and Annette for a run along the Porter Rockwell Trail. Beautiful morning, although a little chilly until you warmed up, GREAT company and a relaxing run!! I got home and was on cloud nine, if next week feels this good I'll run 20 marathons :) Okay, I'm sure doing the 12 plus two more over again wouldn't have left me so chipper, but I felt like a million bucks at the end of the run! Lowell's stories were so fun to listen to that I'd probably completely forget about running in a marathon. Lots of good inspiring advice as well - it may take me a couple years to really do it all, but still good :)

AP for the run was 8:56. All splits were around 9, except after mile 10 Lowell had us walk for a minute then challened one fast mile then a cool-down mile. I was feeling so good I took advantage of it 7:13 was that split, then the last one was the next fastest at 8:30. Great run and I'm feeling good about Ogden. As an all call - I'm looking for a ride up possibly Saturday AM if anyone would be willing. My husband is meeting me at the finish so I'll have a ride home...I just don't think I'll be in good condition to drive over an hour after I finish :)

Did step class and ab's class this morning...took 'er easy, just keeping cardio up :) Already feeling fat and lazy! Tomorrow I get to run...yea!!

Got a new running skirt and visor for Ogden...gotta break it in this week, there will be NO chaffing involved!!!

Had a good fast run with the BBKers this morning!! It felt good to get a warm up then push it hard. I was actually suprised at how comfortable the 'fast' pace felt after the first speed mile. After a 3.5 mile warm-up we did some glute kicks :) high knees and sprints to get ready for the 3 mile repeats. After the 3 mile repeats we did 2 400 meter sprints. I have no idea how fast those were, I need to learn how to 'lap' the watch or whatever to figure those things out! One time I glanced at my watch and it was a 6:22 pace...not too shabby :)

AP: 8:19 - warm-up: 8:48, 9:05, 8:48, 9:17 1st repeat: 7:33 2nd: 7:37 3rd: 7:48 last mile(400's and cool-down): 7:36

I usually end up at the gym for weights afterward on Tuesday, but I'm passing today.

Tomorrow I'll do just a few and kick-boxing easy...ahhh, it feels good to taper, I just wish I could 'taper' my eating as well :)

Did kick-boxing 1/2 effort this morning. Mostly the cardio, no squats or lunges. It was kind of fun to sit back and not 'kick' my guts out :)

Then to waste the last 40 min of daycare time I did the recumbant bike at nearly no resistance for 6 miles then stretched, stretched and stretched some more. Lots of water and good nutrition - I am committed!!!

oh, BTW - my sister finally set up her blog - feel free to send her a welcome from all of the cool people on the blog :)  she's the quiet pirate - charmaigne.fastrunningblog.com

Nice slow BBK short run today! AP 9:40.

Yoga afterward, plus an AMAZING massage to loosen the IT so that I hopefully won't have any problems Saturday.

So far eating today has been a TON better, I think I got all my sugar cravings out of the way the last couple days...I hope anyway.

I'm ready for this!! BRING IT ON!!! I've been mentally preparing for so long I'm just ready to have all the worry over and be done with it!!

Off I go...into the wild blue yonder, off I go...into the race :) I'm so excited for today, lots to do and going to bed early will make tomorrow come FAST!! I just know it. I'm so excited about this its crazy!

I'm hitting the expo early this morning, have to be back home by 2PM to get the evening underway. I wish everyone luck, I think Ogden is going to be an AWESOME race - YEE HAW!!!

oh, just an FYI - I'll be in a black t with  '26.2 virgin' on the back if anyone happens to 'run across' me in the race :)

Anyone need an extra IT band? I've got one I'd like to donate and I don't want another one!!! I am so stinkin' sick of my stupid ITB I could scream!!! Okay, now that the whinning is over I'll start the report. Things started off great, I was keeping a good 8:20-8:30 pace, getting water and powerade and keeping fluids up, took gu at 8 and I felt FABULOUS!! I could see the 3:45 coming already - then just after passing a photographer after mile 10 I felt it...that stupid pain in the side of my knee...UURRGGGHHH! So, I stoped at the next water stop to tape with the kinesio tape I'd brought just in case and my stinky leg was so sweaty it wouldn't stick. Bagged it - rethought how I could tape it with the other one I'd saved for my right IT, stopped at the next fuel station and again couldn't get it to stick. Bewildered and taking every stride with pain I carried on... the hill came (this is the best part) hardly noticed it. At the top I saw a sign that said "like the hill?" and I thought "that was the hill?" so thanks BBKers! Palisades is finally rewarding me :) At 15 after the hill asked for tape and had them tape me. The guy did a great job and FAST! However, still pain :( now it was going up the leg instead of down - hmmm, lets tape ABOVE the knee! I had a lot of time to try and think about how to resolve this! So, after the dam and at the next stop asked for tape "oh which kind? What? Oh, Will this work? Why don't you sit down and I'll look at it?" ARRGGGHH!! Stupid lady just give me some dang tape and let me outta here!!! Got some stupid tape went once around the top of the knee and it helped a little, but to no avail. It was just a couple of miles later I stopped to walk for the 3rd or 4th time (walking even fast was FINE!) and I threw my head up and started to sob "what can I do?!?" I was so frustrated but wanted to finish and didn't want to have to walk the rest of the way. I bucked up, stretched and took off with the 'peg leg' run - this is where you don't bend your left leg and use only your right basically to run, BAD form!! However, it got me through. I would walk for 50 feet or so when needed, stretch when needed and then try to catch all those people who had passed me (ESPECIALLY the 1/2 marathon walkers - I do have my pride!!) Finally, we came out of the forest and I saw the spires of the temple - oohhh, I'm almost done!! I decided no matter the pain I wasn't stopping until the finish, well I walked ONE intersection. I finished, I did!! With excruciating pain from the last 16 miles of bad running and a left knee that wouldn't bend, I finished.

Thats about the good news. I guess with this being my first I did pretty respectably, but I'm really just bummed, because cardio and muscle wise I was FINE!! If it weren't for my ITB I could've run a few more after about 10 minutes rest. So, here is my resolve: FIX my IT, I now know that cortisone shots seem to work well, and run another marathon and show it who's boss!!! My Garmin unfortunately was set on auto stop so everytime my pace was under 16 mm it stopped. So, I don't think my last 15-16 splits are very correct, but the worst was 10:15. According to the toy I finished in 4:00:45, so its like 8 mintues off - and my mileage was 26.4 so that was off too. Guess I need to learn how to use those tangents too.

Thanks to everyone who helped me through this one!! I should feel good about it, it was definately a respectable time - I just know I had more in me - just not in the ITB :) Thanks to Lori for the fun party afterward and Carolyn and Marion for the good visit as well!! I finally know what 26.2 feels like and I'm not "the virgin" anymore :)

Went to step and abs this morning. Feeling good really - besides some residual sorness in the left hip flexor and right glute (this is from trying to compensate for not being able to bend my knee for 16 miles!). My ITB is still a little achy, but really rather tolerable.

Went to the PT after the gym, got some good news and bad news. The good news is she cleared me to run until I feel pain, so since BBK's are doing the trail in the morning I will go and run what I can then walk back to the car when needed. The bad news is that this IT thing has a TON to do with my form -I guess I'm what you'd call a 'shuffler' I don't pick my feet up much in the back causing a long swinging pendulum which CONSTANTLY engages the ITB which is why it is to tight and consequently painful. If I would pick up my feet and do more of a high-knee/butt kick then I would release the pressure on my ITB and consequently have little to no pain. They call it the basketball players run - I was a little proud of this, I still have the basketball player in me :)  So this week I'm working on some hip stablizer/strengthening exercises, then after Memorial Day I'll go back and start some running drills to change my form. Right now I am so willing to do anything!! I would never run another race if someone told me I'd have to deal with this every one!

Thanks to everyone for their support of my marathon!! Although I think those 26.2 miles sucked every bit of seratonin out of me, I'm feeling a little better today and ready to get going again!

 Decided to sleep in today and skip group. Did weights at the gym along with the 3 sets of exercises for ITB. Ran a 1/2 mile just to see how difficult the 'new form' would be to learn, not too bad and it definately created NO pain in the ITB. Then I rode the recumbant bike for a good 5 miles. Nice workout and I'm feeling good!

Did kick-boxing today and as part of our circuit we ran outside 3 or 4 times so I'm counting it as a 1/2 mile. Did it with the new form, but I'm not sure if I'm exaggerating it too much or not, but I think its better than not, especially at the beginning :)

After Kickboxing I did my PT exercises for my ITB and then did the last 1/2 of ab's class. Stretched and came home. Another good day and I'm feeling good about life - I think I'm going to try a Memorial Day 5K, nice and easy of course...not running for the money :)

Nice easy run with the BBK's, but it was HARD!! I really thought I was rested and feeling good, until I thought for sure I was pushing a 7mm and was only at 9!!! It was nice to be back at it and have a good run with good people. It always makes it so much more enjoyable to have people to talk to. Splits: 9:08, 8:29, 8:30, 8:13, 8:32 AP for the run 8:34.

Then yoga....ahhhh, the best part of Thursdays!!! Now I'm looking forward to another short sweet Saturday run and a fun 5K Monday - woo hoo for a long weekend!!

Did a total body class this morning...some cardio, some arms, some legs. Then did 3 sets of my ITB stuff and stretched. Nice day at the gym. Ready for a 'long' one tomorrow (5-6!) anyone have plans I could tag along on?

Had a nice run along JRP with my sister in law. Good pace, good company and good weather...ahhh, the joys of running!! AP 8:40 and the splits were VERY consistant around there as well. It was still difficult, but better than Thursday.

Spent the next 5 hours planting what I bought at Engh Gardens this morning. The sad part is I'm only 1/2 way done! However, the front looks beautiful and I can't wait to finish the back!

THANKS LOWELL!!! Spanish fork was a great race and a fun time, Thanks Lowell for recommending it (and co-sponsoring!) I got to run with my friend Stephanie, we were pretty crazy to get up so early for a race on a holiday, but a good run was worth it. I finally feel like I redeemed myself a little from Ogden.

I clocked the  course short 3.04 - and my time on the garmin was 21:53. The official race time was 20:38, I'm pretty sure that my time and AP of 7:15 is much more accurate. Splits were: 6:45, 7:32, 7:18. I finished 25th overall, 3rd Female and 1st in my AG - first time I've actually finished 1st in anything - YEA!! The first mile was good downhill, but then the next two miles were recovering that first drop. It was a little frustrating to think "just push to the top of the hill and you'll get a break" then...no downhill, just a flatten then up again! I did tag some people in front of me and push to pass them, I think I picked off 3 women, and only once did someone pass me. I passed him about 2.5 and I could hear him behind me the whole time, then he finally took a push and pulled back in front of me.

I felt good except some soreness from planting flowers all day Saturday. I taped my ITB and didn't have any problems with it, but I don't think the mileage was enough to push past my normal 'agravation' point.

On the way home I visited my dad and grandma in Provo cemetary, had a 'grandpa treat' of smart cookie company icecream cookie sandwiches and then came home for some more gardening! A fun family BBQ topped off the weekend, now I'm looking forward to bed time and an early morning run with BBKers!

Nice run with BBK group this morning - back at it! Met in SJordan and had a nice easy warm-up then did 3 1/2 mile tempo repeats. I had to leave early to get to a PT appointment so I missed the last 3 - I'm so sad :) AP for the run was 8:33, splits: 9:43, 8:54, 9:18, 8:13, 7:40, 8:00, 8:07, 7:51. miles 4-6 were the repeats with active recovery, I don't know what the lap splits for the 1/2 mile tempos were exactly. The last couple were the return journey with Jody to the car - thanks for hanging with me Jody! It was fun to chat with you this morning.

Afterward went to the PT and got some good news about my strength and form, but bad news about core strength. Still strengthening, stretching and I now have some 'warm-up' running drills I need to do before taking off. Time is a precious thing, and working so much for my ITB gets frustrating, but I know that it will pay off!

Then I hit the gym for some upperbody weights and to do my ITB stuff. 5 miles on the recumbant bike when it was all done. Working on that core sometimes makes me sick to my stomach, not really in the eating mood this afternoon :(

No miles today, but just a lot of work! Did kick-boxing then my ITB stuff, core work, ab's class, my running drills, then finished off with some nice stretching. Now its off to takle the house, primary and kids :)

RUN FOR THE HILLS!! (the title for todays run)

I guess I must still be recovering slightly from the marathon, because I had to give it all today. Parkway Palisades nearly killed me :) We did 4 miles of warm-up then a 1 mile temp, 3 mile tempo and finished with a 2 mile tempo. I've decided this is the week for .1 miles - so I did a little extra to keeep up the OCD. AP for the run was 8:43 Splits - 9:21, 8:58, 9:02, 8:56, 8:44, 8:45, 8:23, 8:16, 8:52, 7:53 (can you guess the downhill?)

Afterward went to yoga and then a nice deep tissue massage to help release ITB and some back work ---aahhhhh, Thursdays are the best day of the week! At least once the morning workout is done!! I would've disagreed around mile 8 this morning as I was thinking about how much I wanted to stop and let my lead legs be done.

Had a fun day with the hubby for his birthday. Went rockclimbing (which included a nice 1 mile hike in), lunch, afternoon laziness, pre-school graduation, dinner at Bennihana and then fell asleep watching catch-up episodes of Prison Break! Gotta love a day off.

Ran with the Ragnar team this morning, it was  GREAT fun!!! Started at the park in Copperton ran past the dump to 11800, stopped at mile 6 (new HS being built) for a drink and to re-group, ran through DayBreak and down that hill before the District I was feeling like I could FLY!! Dropped a couple people off at Harmons, then ran through neighborhoods back to Jeff's house. Good run, good times and good people! I'm really excited about the team and the 2 days I get to spend locked in a van with them and all our stink :)

The only problem was mile 11.5 I felt my ITB start talking and by mile 12 the pain was bad enough I stopped to walk, then decided we were so close to the house I was going to stretch and get back on the run! The last .5 was better than from 11.5-12.0 so I'm thinking the stretching is REALLY going to help over the long haul. Garmin died before mile 1, so I have no splits or exciting paces to reveal :( However, I kept up with Aaron after mile 6 and his AP was 8:32, so since I finished a minute behind him at mile 6, I'm giving myself an 8:40 for the run. Next time I'll charge my Garmin whether I think I need to or not!!!