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

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?!? :)