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

More to come in a bit, but I want to get this posted quickly. 

BBK beat down....3 miles warm-up, 2 mile tempo, 6 yasso 800's (all under 3:42) with equal amount of recovery (okay, not so good on equal amt of time!), 1 lap cool-down.

Personal trainer beat down...legs, legs, quads, legs and a little more legs. Good thing I don't need them the rest of the week :) Spin the legs out on the bike for 5 miles...ahhh, nap?

AP for the run: 8:21 - warm-up: 9:08, 8:33, 8:50 tempo: 7:54, 7:23

800's: 1- 3:42 (rest: 3:13) 2- 3:42 (2:11) 3- 3:41(1:41 + drink) 4- 3:39 (2:09 +drink) 5- 3:39 (2:22 +drink) 6- 3:38 then cool down

I'm happy with my tempo run and especially that my yasso's sped up. Since I was feeling crappy at the start (sore legs from yesterdays workout), I have confidence that I can finish a marathon in a BQ....IF my ITB's will cooperate!

No nap and hoping I can walk in the morning...a good SLOW recovery run will be in the cards if I can wake up :)

SO SORE...stairs still scare me :) So, I slept - sleep recovery is important for muscle repair, right?

Kick-boxing with only 5000 push ups and lunges and squats....

5K on the TM - sheer torture, at 10mm I was barely hanging on the back...finished it in just under 29 minutes (obviously sped up, a little. Actually was able to do 7:30 for the last .10)

Working on walking and staying active/stretching today...more Butt kicking tomorrow!

Another BBK day. It was an early one today, we started at 5:00 and did a 5K every 30 minutes around the SJordan 5K loop. Got there a little late, because I knew I'd be alone in the back and it would be so dark I needed my reflector and I couldn't find it. Met Kelli, Scott and Becca there a little late too, so we headed off in the opposite direction as the crowd to meet them then turn and run back...did 2.25 (it was my first 2.0 on the garmin...took too long to locate satellites). Painful, but about mile 6 I started feeling okay and was able to push a little. I was happy to see a sub 8 mile. The last loop was easy/recovery, I was pleased to see a descent AP for the run...I had already decided that anything under 9:30 would please me today! Thanks Kelli for being my misery's company - I LOVED it :)

AP: 8:35 splits: 8:47, 8:55, 8:48, 8:44, 8:12, 8:27, 8:03, 7:27, 9:20, 8:49, 8:35, 9:04

Then went to the gym for yoga and another training session. Arms, although weaker, always seem easier than legs - I think its because I'm not running 12 miles on my arms beforehand :) It was a good session and I'm actually feeling better today than I have the past couple, I guess I ran all that lactic acid outta me!

ahhhh...Friday. I'd much rather have sore arms than legs! Not nearly as distracting as I try to work out. 

Nice and easy day...1 hr on the upright bike, variable resistance to 8 - total 17 miles

Had to use the rest of the 30 min of daycare time...so I reluctantly hit the TM for another 5K - finished in 26 min 6 seconds...not too bad, I kept a steady 8:30 for the first 2.6 then went to 7:30 then pushed the last .13 trying to get in under 26....SO close, if the course was measured wrong I may have gotten in at 26 min :)

Just to start out: I LOVE Onion Days. I picked this race the first year I was 'running' and I've gone back ever since. I love it even more now that I know all the amazing people that live down there!! A big THANK YOU goes to Marion for hosting the big-bad for you breakfast (thanks for the big gut and butt soup - it was FABULOUS, and I now have a big gut and butt :) ) and to Michelle, all the hubby's that cooked and kept us more than full, and everyone that came and brought good food and fun times!!! It was totally worth every calorie bite and every lost minute of sleep on a holiday!

So, the race. Excited and set a time goal: 45 min. I figured if I got a 44:12 at Des News I could push HARD and get a 45:00. I knew this course was flat and not downhill, but I wanted to run my guts out. My mantra today: NO EXCUSES! 

Got to say a happy hello to all my fellow RHPC's and bloggers then we lined up. After TOU 1/2, I'd decided I wanted to beat Walter, even if for only a moment. So, I lined up at the start line (no chip times), and when the gun went off I was First!! I held my own through the crowd of 5Kers (about 200 yds), just long enough to be in front of Walter for all the newpaper pictures (hehehe) - if I ever do find a picture of this, I may just photoshop a finish line in front! The good thing about starting in the front, even when you have no business doing so, is that you can count how many women are in front of you. Two passed me quickly, I was in 3rd - not too shabby. A little past mile one the third lady passed me, about a mile later I passed her back, but then about .5 mile later she passed me back and said "you're doing great, thanks for pushing me, I need someone to keep me going!" After that she stayed consistently about 20-30 seconds in front of me. I knew if I just kept pace with her I'd do okay!

I also leap-frogged JonA a few times. It was SO nice to have Kelly there on her bike with updates and encouragement! The last time I passed Jon I said "don't get chicked again!" I meant, don't pass me so I have to pass you back again, I just didn't have enough breath to say it. I thought he was behind me the whole time, but when the guy I thought was him passed me again...it wasn't Jon.

My R shoelace came untied at mile 3 - I didn't have time to stop and tie it. I kept thinking..mile 4 you can stop and tie it...at the aide station at mile 4.5 you can tie it...I don't have time to stop to tie a shoe! Then about mile 4.5 my L shoelace came untied too. I figured I'd run through worse conditions than having loose shoelaces, so I just kept at it and never stopped. I did walk about 5-10 steps through the 4.5 water station, just enough to actually swallow.

After the lead group took off and I hit my REAL pace I was able to pick off a few people, obviously only men. I love to have my 'you've just been pinked' shirt on and then pass the guys! 

The SLIGHT up hill miles 4-6 slowed my pace too much, I think I could've made 45 if I would've kept up a little better. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20! I ended up finishing just 20 seconds behind the 3rd place lady and I was hoping that no one in front of me was in my age group. I was VERY pleased when I saw 1st place in my AG on the runnercard; this is the first time I've taken first in my age group! Overall a great race and I felt strong, I just loved having people there cheering me in at the end. I heard Marion yelling my name and it gave me the push I needed to sprint the finish!

Oh, I could go on and on! I loved it, felt good, had a good time, ALMOST got my goal and this is my 2nd best 10K time, so best flat course time! I wish every race could feel this good!

AP: 7:26 splits: 7:04, 7:15, 7:32, 7:22, 7:53, 7:41, (.2) 6:42. This was the most accurate my Garmin has ever been to a course. My time on the Garmin was 46:15 (same as official) and the distance was 6.21 - good tangents :)

I have a new found respect for those of you that get up early (4:30-5) day after day! These 2 days in a row have nearly killed me! It doesn't help that I don't  get to bed before 10:30, even when I try.

BBK day at the hills from h--- location. I was already whining as we started warm-up, about .75 in we started up one of the hills "why?" I muttered from the back. Nice, slow warm-up and I didn't even think about pushing those hills :) 

We met the rest of the group at 5:45 - then it was off to the big hills. Last night I envisioned myself pushing these and keeping up with the lead pack, I know I've got speed in these legs - somedays I just need to find it! However, my positive mental attitude was gone, today was my day to whine! At the back of the group I trudged along feeling like I was going to die. Thankfully, we only did one 1 mile hill repeat.

Next we went to the parkway trail. Plan was 10 min comfortably hard then push for 5 min, since no pace was attached I just went by feel. Again, I was bringing up the rear... We regrouped and then did a 'chase and be chased' group. The chasers went 1 minute the opposite direction so we essentially had a 2 minute head start. I was now bound and determined NOT to get passed. I was still the back of the be chased group, but I wasn't letting the leaders pull away. My 15 minutes were up for the way back, then I heard a watch beep behind me!! nuh uh!!! I wasn't going to get passed with just .15 or so to go! So, I started going faster..I could hear the footsteps coming closer...go, go, go - I glanced back it was Scott. No way, not today! I sprinted him to the end (MAN is that guy speedy!!!) and my crazy arms got him, somewhere - I think it may have been an elbow to the head (I can use the fact that I slowed to apologize as an excuse :) ). I'm not sure I can say I didn't get passed, because I think it was a tie...so it was close, the skin of my teeth!! However, I didn't get passed!

Then we did one more 1 mile hill repeat for 'cool-down'. I was pleased that my 10 mile hit just as we got to the parking lot - No extra to make it even today!

AP: 8:37 splits: (warm-up) 9:55, 9:19, 9:34 (hill) 8:50 (15 min tempos) 8:13, 7:57, 7:56, 7:54 (cool-down) 8:13, 8:25 - the first 1/2 of the 8:13 was the end of the tempos.

Short 15 min nap while kids showered, off to school then to the gym for personal training. 45 minutes of torture (not NEARLY as bad as last week) then 30 min/9 miles on the bike to cool-down and use up nursery time. Now I'm looking for a nap!

Easy day. Kick-boxing and 5 miles on the recumbent bike reading RW about good food!

BBK day, warm-up just under 3 miles, then up to State St and 11400 S to do suicide hill (up to 1300E). Felt okay, but as always I was bringing up the rear - Kelli was nice enough to keep me company till the big one, then I told her to take off and kick it! 2nd 2 mile loop was harder, because we got some downhill, then had to push up the suicide hill again. However, knowing it was the last time helped mentally. Then we got to run back down to the cars, grab a drink then headed out for and extra mile. I took the pansy route, I don't like construction roads, they scare me - so I took a side street. Back at the parking lot I only had .25 left to do 11, so I ran around the parking lot a bit.

AP:  8:44 splits: 9:13, 9:31, 9:20, 8:35, 9:38, 7:51, 9:35, 7:19, 7:38, 8:24, 8:59 -hmmm...were those 2 9:30's the suicide hill? :)

Now I'm off to yoga and 45 minutes of personal training, plus I'm thinking I'll get 3 miles on the bike afterward. I'm trying to blog early so that I can be more productive this afternoon.

Yup, love yoga...not so much training! I did 5 miles in my short 15 minutes after training, just to move the legs and hopefully move out some of the lovely lactic acid, plus I like to get some reading time in too!

Easy day, I am supposed to be tapering :) 

Kids wanted to ride bikes to school, so I rode with them to school then down to the gym with the baby. Got on a bike to mindlessly read while pedaling - 60 minutes 17 miles. Then did the eliptical for  30 min. Hopped on the bike and rode back to pick up the Kindergartner.

All in all, I think it was 22 miles on the bike. Now to clean this tornado mess of a house - that counts a x-training too, right?

Nice run up Provo River Trail with friends...totally worth being crazy and driving 45 minutes to run just 12 :) Thanks Luz, Katherine, Smooth, Kelli and MrsFit!!! It was great to see all of you, plus I ran into Josse as well. Utah county is definitely full of good runners - all out getting their 20-22 in today on the trail!

First 6 were up the canyon with a NASTY headwind, plus I was enjoying myself just visiting and never looked at the pace, I was happy - I'm in taper so why bother with pace?  10:04, 9:58, 9:20, 9:22, 9:29, 9:02. I left the group at Nunn's park when they stopped for pop break to finish my last .6 miles, got just above the falls, stopped and took in the beauty for a minute then turned around at 6 even. Got to say good-bye to all and wish them good luck on their long runs on the way down.

Coming down the canyon was fun, I just felt like I could fly! With the wind at my back and the downhill it just seemed too easy - then I checked the pace - 7:30?!? Holy crud, I could hardly believe I was moving that fast, did NOT feel that fast. Tried to keep pace even as the canyon flattened out. 7:42, 7:33, 7:32, 7:40, 7:40, 7:31. What surprised me was the consistency. I'm usually all over the board.

I was done when I got to the car and wondered how some people can run that fast and faster for 26 miles! AP: 8:35, I'm honestly not entirely sure and/or confident about TOU next Saturday. I know I'll survive, but after today's run I'm just hoping to finish under 5 hours :)

Taper time! Step class, with some umph! today, then 30 min ab's class. Volleyball tonight, running tomorrow.

Would like opinions: If I use prednizone or the like  to keep my ITB pain away on Saturday to push for my BQ...is that considered 'cheating'?

BBK day, but I just took it easy and only came for late miles today - that extra 30 minutes of sleep was heavenly! :)

1 mile warm-up, 1.5 mile tempo loop twice, 30 second hill sprints, then cool down to six even.

AP: 8:49 splits: 9:04, 8:53, 8:41, 8:16, 8:51, 8:49

Why is it that the week before a race, trying to 'taper', running seems SO much harder? How am I supposed to run my fastest mile today for 26?!? I must be tired....

Kick-boxing easy and then 3.1 easy on the TM (like 9+mm pace). Good taper day. Got some Prednisone yesterday...still deciding if it's worth it to use it.

Easy 5 with the BBK's - did the 3 warm-up, then headed up a group of dissenters to do another 2 miles on the road instead of yasso's on the track (figured I'd best not do them 2 days before a marathon I wanted to race!) AP: 8:57 splits: 9:24, 8:50, 8:44, 9:10, 8:39

Felt good today, started the prednisone when I got home and had breakfast. Then off to yoga..I LOVE yoga!! Here's to Saturday!

Nice night's rest! I even woke up early this morning and (you might need to sit down) couldn't sleep any more. Feeling good on the sleep quotient. I'll do a few bike miles with baby this morning, then I've got a busy day getting everything ready for a trip to Logan this afternoon! YEA! I'm feeling good and excited, but I just wish these butterflies would go away! Thanks for all the well wishes!! My bib is 2072...Smooth, is it looking good so far? :)

I'm having a hard time not being happy about NOT getting my BQ. Despite doping up on prednisone the ITB pain started at mile 14....it was pain, but runnable; whereas before I'd have to walk/run it. Maybe I'm just getting used to running with the pain :) I did have to stop and stretch probably a dozen times, but after bumming some Motrin off a fellow runner at mile 19, miles 20-26 actually felt descent - considering.

This was a 20 minute PR for me...how can I NOT be happy? I also had a good mile 24, I had wonderful Smooth with me, in spirit! It was my positive affirmation mile "I run fast, I run strong, I can run all day long!" I kept muttering it loud enough for me to hear over and over with my footfalls, then when the 'hill' on Main St hit it was "I love hills, I love hills" - poor people around me...hope they had some good loud music on their ipods :)

Honestly, I don't know if it was nutrition or not tapering properly or what, but by mile 4 I wanted to walk. My legs/quads were tired, at that point I knew it was going to be a long race. However, when I hit my 1/2 at 1:46:30 I got some energy...maybe I CAN do this BQ thing after all...then the ITB pain happened. Like I said it was runnable, but between stopping to stretch and some short walking breaks at water stops, I figured it was gone... Then just past mile 23 someone asked me what time it was WHAT? "No, the time you've been running." Oh, and despite auto stop screwing up overall time I was still at 3:19. Hmmm, I all of a sudden realized that I could pull out a sub 3:50 (My watch was probably down a good 3 minutes at this point). So, I went with a smile and 'no bend' knees :)

I had some good memories and learned a lot this marathon. Felt good at the finish, when I turned the last corner and saw the finish I said "YES! heaven awaits". Despite heartburn after the first gatorade stop, getting to the start with NO time to prepare, lead legs at mile 4, ITB pain at 14 I felt great. Seriously...how can I complain? I knocked 20 minutes off my best marathon in 4 months.

My family and I stayed with a friend and her parents in Logan, they were WONDERFUL! I am so glad for running friends that you can meet once, forge an internet relationship with and run an amazingly successful race with! Plus, Craig and the kids met me at a few different places on the route. I stopped and hugged my babies and kissed my honey each time, I'd take that over a BQ any day! 

I think those were the highlights for me, besides seeing so many AWESOME people and being encouraged by them all!! Lowell and Terry at the start, Smooth at 14, pulling with Chris through 24, hearing Bec cheer for me at the finish, and seeing MrsFit on the way out. Friends ROCK thank you all for your encouragement and help (even those I didn't get to SEE!) - I feel like the most blessed person on the earth!

*Remember I forgot to turn off auto stop, so when stretching etc it got behind so some splits maybe faster than actual*

total time - (on Garmin) 3:46:26 AP: 8:33 Actual total time 3:49:45 AP: 8:45

Garmin splits - 7:59, 7:51, 7:52, 8;09, 8:03, 8:21, 8:04, 7:59, 7:49, 8:23, 8:06, 8:18, 7:37, 8:01, 8:25, 9:07, 8:52, 9:24, 9;21, 9:16, 8:52, 9:26, 9:16, 9:05, 9:10, 9:28, 8:50 (last .45 on Garmin) you can really tell where I lost the pace, but it all turned out well! 25th in my AG and 113 Female overall - not too shabby!

Step  class....very difficult - legs couldn't move that fast :) -however, by the end I was actually jumping and doing the 'power up' steps..took all my energy, but I did it!

5 miles on the bike to 'spin out' the soreness

stretching - quads and calves are VERY sore!

Stairs are my nemesis...we'll see how volleyball goes tonight!

BBK day...thank goodness they are all tapering for SGM!! Easy miles, skipped the track workout (last one) and left with the dissenters again (there were MORE this time!) for some road miles. Felt really good to get the legs moving again. Oh, first day for running tights and long sleeves, I'm glad I had them - it was COLD :(

AP:  9:07 splits: 9:38, 8:53, 9:18, 8:49, 9:09, 8:52

CRAZY morning with the kids. Hubby took the car seat...realized this at 'time to go' time. UGGHHH! Bundle everyone up for a bike ride to school then to the gym, of course we're now running late. Neighbor girl forgets her back pack...home and back to school again, then off the bike to run it into the school before all the doors are locked and I have to go to the front. How do you tri people do it? It's hard to run on 'bike' legs, especially after pushing hard! Finally on my way to the gym with baby on the back of the bike, as usual.

Got to the gym late, so I was quite a bit behind the group for weights. I don't think I got the whole workout in - blame hubby! However, I wasn't too upset :) Total of 35 min instead of 45, so I did my ITB/hip exercises for another 10 minutes. Then since I had to ride the bike home (uphill) I didn't want to do bike, so I took on the stairmaster. VERY low setting, but it was interesting, different for sure -finished 30 minutes, like 60 floors or something. Rode the bike home and now off to kindergarten pick-up, on the bike.

Total bike = 5 miles (as long as I don't need to go anywhere else today!)

No running today except a couple out and backs during kick-boxing. It was a good circuit today in kick-boxing, not so much cardio (still sweating a lot!) Then I did the bike for 30 minutes (7 miles) with varying resistance.

Another taper day with BBK's (I'm on a 'reverse taper' :) ) 2 three mile loops.

AP - 9:11 splits: 9:33, 9:12, 8:16, 9:47, 9:34, 8:44 

The 8:16 didn't feel that fast, but was downhill. The 8:44 was flat and felt REALLY comfortable.

Then hit the gym for yoga...my lower back on either side of the spine is KILLING me!! Running doesn't aggravate it, but doesn't help either. Walking, sitting, standing - all not fun. Yoga really helped release the back a TON, felt actually okay to do a short easy workout with the trainer.

35 minutes with the trainer - seemed way too easy today, I don't think his heart was really there today and I don't think I'll be sore, but I'm NOT complaining!!

Considering a nice massage tonight or tomorrow...maybe even Saturday, depending when I can get in. This back pain needs to go away ASAP!! Any good tips?

5 mile walk this morning with Lucy (puppy) and baby in the jogging stroller. No running...trying to calm the body down so the back will release a little! Massage Therapist is in Idaho :( have to wait until Wednesday....

Pain is down to a 3 instead of yesterday's nagging 7-8! I may be able to function today...YEA!

Taking a phrase from Carolyn: Easy eight this morning.

Regular rounds around the hood. Got to say hello to Kelli this morning as she sped by!

AP:9:01 splits: 9:25, 8:27, 8:26, 8:59, 9:27, 9:30, 9:01, 8:52

mile 1 is 150 ft ascent, 2 and 3 are that down, 4 is flat, 5 and 6 are 150 ft gain, then 7 and 8 are 'easy' declines of net 80 each. Funny, but my paces totally show the elevation!

Back is feeling TONS better after having a weekend of rest. Only problem is my ITB kicked me hard this morning at 6.5 - NOT fun. I really just don't like that stinkin' thing!!!

off to the dentist and then volleyball tonight - YEA!!!

Thought I was getting into a nice easy workout with the BBK's - they are supposed to be tapering! We did 3 one mile repeats, at marathon pace. I was at the back and thought I was just taking it easy, but I sure felt like lead legs. It was hard to keep up with the back group this morning, I figured it was just from running yesterday. It's been a while since I did running workouts 2 days in a row. 

Then we did 2 400M sprints on the track. I was excited that for the first one I could keep up with tapering Peggy (until the last 50M anyway), the second I was only 5-10 seconds behind. Then I finished up my last .75 alone, just to round things out to five miles. ITB started yelling about mile 3 -UUGGGHHH! I am so stinkin' sick of that stupid thing!!!!

Got in the car to come home and looked at my AP, 9:10- wow, I really did have lead legs - no, wait...that says 8:10! HOLY COW no wonder I was tired, I was bookin' it. Then I looked at my splits: 8:50, 7:53, 7:55, 7:29 (.25 on the track FAST), 8:34 (one .25 fast, rest SLOW). Okay, so now I don't feel so bad about feeling tired, I was above Marathon pace for those mile splits. I don't know what the 400M splits were, but the first one was around 1:35 I think, so the second would be 1:45 or so, again I think.

Now I'm off to the gym for my personal training butt kicking, then I'm going to do some uphill walking (like 20-30% incline). I'll probably ride my bike to and from the gym as well, enjoying the last day of warmth for another 8 months :(

*rode my bike to the gym, full body workout, and walked 1200 vertical feet in 30 minutes (1.5 miles). Total bike mileage was 4.5*

I was going to run outside, but the rain kept me in bed :)

Kick-boxing at the gym, and 5K easy on the TM afterward.

Glutes and hams sore from training yesterday. VERY excited about my massage tonight!!!

Is anyone going to be here and running Saturday AM?