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

Nothing today. zip, zero, nada. I slept until 10:45 and then showered and got ready so that I could look decent for my doctors appointment after dropping Adam off. 

I made the call, the one I've been dreading. I had to cancel my grand canyon trip. sigh. My stupid body just isn't cooperating and I know what it takes to get that thing done, and I just don't think I have it in me right now. I will make it again. Maybe if the universe stops dumping all of my bad karma on me, then I might be able to recover and get it done! 

Now I just have to figure out what to do tomorrow...to run or not to run...that is the question. 

Well, I got it done. I wasn't sure I would run the whole thing...or even feel okay about it, but it is now on the books. 

I forgot to reset my watch when I started, so I only have specific splits that I looked at for the last 6 miles. I did those in an AP of 8:15 which is relatively slow for me on that section, but at least it is better than it has been.

I took my phone and listened to general conference while I ran, because I knew I'd be alone. It was a perfect distraction. It was nice that Mel and Chad waited for me, but I just long for the day that they don't have to wait and I can just naturally keep the pace again.

Now I'm up and hopefully will get to at least some of boxing class and all of legs day. Cyle is finally back, so that will make it fun too!

I went to boxing class, honestly just to get my double points. I wanted to sleep! 

After class I decided  I had enough time to run a mile or two...3 miles later I called it quits and had to get home to get Adam to kindgergarten. Total time:24:41 mile 1: 8:37 2: 8:14 3:8:00 - a lot faster than I've ran in quite some time...sad, but true. 

I should know that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction...but, I guess I just figured I had the best luck. The newtons were all out of town or decided to taper for Riverton half. So I got thrown to the wolves. I decided to sleep in and run shaggy mountain when the sun was up. But, I got tired and slept too long :) Okay, I got lazy and rationalized that I could run on the TM. 

So, I did boxing class, arms lift class and then ran 6 progressive miles on the TM. TT: 50:44; 8:34, 8:27, 8:27, 8:17, 8:10, 7:55 - about those times. I had them all in my mind, but now it has been too long! I know the first and last are right. 

This run gave me some sort of confidence that I could do my pacing job at Riverton half. I told Jonathan to give me a slower time, but no one would switch me, so I was stuck with 1:50 - an AP of 8:23. Which shouldn't be too horrible for me. A while back this was an easy daily pace for me to handle. HA! Anyway, I'm hoping I can pull out some miracle. 

Warm up mile for personal training with Cyle.

I've been working on powerlifting with him and now that he is back from his neck surgery I'm back at it. We did power cleans and power shrugs. It had been a couple weeks, so I had to work it out a bit to get my form down again, but by the end I was killing it! :) Okay, maybe not, but to hear someone like Cyle be happy about what I'm lifting and my form and say: "YES! Rachel Moody, you are an athlete!" Kind of makes my whole week and makes me feel like I'm doing something worthwhile in life  and succeeding somewhere and that my effort and strength isn't all futile.

Finished up with boxing class (15 min of legs to finish off the class...ugh!) and then a good stretch session. 

The rest of the day was a bust. I had lots of plans with my kids, but doing prom hair and makeup for my niece Anna and my laziness took over. It was a fun opportunity to help her for prom. I always dreamed of having a party of girls over for dance hair and make-up, but I'd never gotten to even get close to that before! So, this was a fun opportunity for me :) 

Well, I love a race that starts late enough for me to sleep in! I got David off to skiing with my sister then got out the door to the race. I had a packet for Dave and Jonathan, so I couldn't be late, but I was. Stupid, regular me. Anyway, I parked further away from the start than I thought I had and ran a 1/2 mile warm up there and back. It was good to loosen up the legs a bit! I visited with the pace team, Melanie and Chad and then it was time to take off. 

As we lined up Dr Tom Boud found me. I have paced him every year I've done Riverton half. The first year  I paced 1:55 and it was my first solo pacing assignment. I was super nervous, but because I'd met him just a couple weeks before and he had casted my daughter's arm I knew I had to do a good job! He was barely able to keep up with me and I lost him the last couple miles, but then he caught me so we could finish together that first year. He was one of the people that made me love pacing! Anyway, he was running with me again this year and I found out that he had qualified for Boston and that he was headed there in a couple weeks for his first! It was great to chat about what makes Boston so great and what he should do there. I love running friendships! Even if I do only see some friends once a year :) 

I told everyone I'd been perpetually sick and broken the past few months and so I was doubful I could hold the pace, but that I'd do my best. 1:50 would be the longest, fastest run I'd done since October! I fell short of my 1:50 in St George too. I told Tom more than once that I should give the sign to him, because he was looking strong and capable. I did pretty good keeping on pace or better and faking it for the first 6 miles. But, then at the aid station before the hill I had to stop and drink before I could swallow my gu, because my throat is still dry and with the headwind I was parched and could hardly breathe my throat was so dry. When I walked for those 10 feet I still had 50 seconds in the bank, but I lost my group. They were being a good wind block for me too! I've done my share of leading the draft for the pace group in this race that this year they were kind enough to give it back. 

On the way up the hill I met my neighbor Victor. I've seen him running and have talked to him a few times. He is older (maybe late 50s?), but a great guy. He was worried about keeping up with me and I told him he was looking strong and great and would easily make it in at the pace! I stayed with him and leap frogged him while chasing Tom, the yellow shirt guy, the red shirt guy and the pink tank girl. They were my group before I had to drink. 

There wasn't another aid station until mile 9 and with the hills and wind and my throat, I really could've used more frequent aid stations. Just as we turned onto lovers lane I saw my running peep (I can't remember his name!) and asked if he had water. He got out a full water bottle for me and I held it while I ran for the next mile! I drank every drop and tossed it at the next aid station. I tried to grab a cup of gatorade, but I missed it when I tried to grab it off the table. The volunteers weren't handing it out, we had to grab it ourselves...ugh. 

I finally was able to start getting some speed back in my legs on the last mile. I finished with an AP of 7:55  for that mile. Jonathan met me about 1/2 mile to the finish (he was on his bike, he made the right choice and didn't run). I told him I was going to be 1:52...beause I'd been a couple minutes behind pace each time I had checked the last few miles. I didn't look at mile 12 though...missed the mile marker. I came in alone  at 1:51:35. 10 seconds per mile slower than I should've been. Those hills and the wind just killed me. 

I guess I should've been happy that after 3 months I can still pull off a near 1:50 with little to no training or speed work, but I'm not. Melanie finished 2nd overall female with an astonishing 1:31, Mike and Chad finished just in front of her. It was a rough day for Chad, I think the slowest he has ever run this course. Kind of like me I guess :P I hate to say I run with these people, because lets be honest...I don't! But, I love them like my family and I look forward to the miles I get to spend with them each week. So, I'm going to stop whining about it, suck it up and just enjoy the time I get with them. 

Overall it was a great race and fun to see lots of running peeps. I just wish I could run a normal pace for me again. That 1:50 wouldn't be a tough  pace, but that I could eaily breeze through it like I used to all the time. Sigh. It'll come back....