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

It has been a long time since I've ventured out from home on a run of my own. Especially on a Monday! It was nice to be by myself. No ipod, nothing. Just me and my run. Felt good and I kept a decent pace to boot...not great, but decent. 

8.2 miles: AP: 8:21 splits: 8:15, 7:59, 7:56, 8:23, 8:35, 9:01, 9:07, 7:51, 6:52 (last .2) - guess where the uphill and downhill were? I really wanted to see NO 9's. Next time....

Got boys off to school then Lauren and I hit the bike for a little brick. Just 8.3 miles, me on the mtn bike with Adam on back. I can hardly keep up with that girl lately!

Then we came home put Adam in the jogger and went out for a 5K run. She was hot and tired, but like a champ pushed through to the end. It is always nice to be out with her and watching her grow as an athlete.

My goal this week is 10 miles/day and 15 on Friday. Then I have a 77 mile ride on Saturday, so I won't run then. a 55 mile week in 5 days will be a good week for me and with 2 days to recover with no running I should be ready to go Monday again.

Tuesday ten with the Newtons. It was just Chad, George and me. I was actually able to keep up with the guys on the uphills and I got to rest and wait for George at the top of the 10!! That hasn't happened in a LOOOOONNG time. Feels good to get some legs back. Lets see if I can destroy them this week, shall we? 10/day?

The way home on the downhill George caught up with about 2.5 to go and we all just stuck together to the end. I felt like it was a comfortably hard pace, but I was talking and not feeling like I was going to die. So, when I saw the AP I was ecstatic. Especially with the last few mile splits. 

AP: 8:13 splits: 8:43, 8:24, 9:02, 9:07, 7:52, 8:23, 7:52, 7:45, 7:39, 7:33, 7:07 (last .1)

Went home and my little guy was just tired and wouldn't wake up. Being up from 4-7AM I'm sure had nothing to do with it! I guess he was awake and upset when I left and then again when dad left just before I got home. Crazy child! Anyway, that put Lauren and me a little behind on our biking schedule, but I figured we'd work it out.

Biked to the rec center. I took Adam to mom & me toddler swim class and Lauren did Masters swim (2100ish). We then rode down to MVC and Old Bingham then home. It was hot and windy and I was tired...and hungry. It took a lot out of me to get Adam and I home! But, I'm glad we got the 15 mile ride in.

Thank you Neasts! She sent out a call for VB early morning run and knowing that I needed motivation to get out of bed I agreed. I proposed the idea to Chad and he was in as well. We met Scott, Ben, Craig, Jenilynn and others at the Chevron then caravaned up to the trail head.

It was still dark and someone was tired and couldn't find their garmin or their head-lamp! Scott took pity on me and gave me his headlamp. Craig told me I couldn't fall since I now had the head-lamp...HA! Divine intervention I think :) So, about 1/2 mile from the drinking fountain I rolled my ankle like a tortilla - as Craig put it. I usually can just bounce right back and it isn't a big deal, but this one was a little different. It hurt. I walked it off and got behind the group I'd been doing such a good of keeping up with. I made it up to the top, but because of my ankle gave myself the needed excuses to walk instead of keeping a run up the hills. I still think it may be the fastest running time I've made it up VB.

I love that peak! Such a great trail.

I started back down ahead of the crowd, because I knew they'd catch up. I needed to be a little more careful on the downhill with my ankle instability. It didn't really hurt to run, but when I stopped at the top for a while I could tell it was stiffening and swelling. I only got passed by a couple on the way down. I'm glad they lingered. I made the mistake of visiting and chatting at the drinking fountain though and then as we got started got left in the dust again. BUT, there were a couple times I could see the group and I was keeping pace with them the last bit. I was hitting the downhill well and enjoying it. Just wish I'd had my garmin to see HOW fast/slow I was going. Oh well. It was a great group and I was able to get home just in time to get my boys out of bed.

Then I had Lauren do just a 2 mile loop with me. I like running with my girl :) I gave her an easy day after 2 good pushes back to back.

Newton's Shaggy Mountain loop. Another Early morning...SO tired. Chad and George came as usual and Neasts and her friend Sheena joined in today too. We finally had more girls than boys!!! My legs were tired, believe it or not :) So, it was nice to have the group willing to amuse me and run with me slowly. I only walked on Sharose and the Real Estate sign hill. Knowing that, I was pleased with my nice, comfortable, easy pace. 

AP: 9:09 splits: 9:34, 9:51, 10:43, 9:55, 8:27, 8:55, 7:53, 8:15, 7:15 (last .2) 

Got home and took Lauren on our 8.25 mile bike loop. My legs were so tired I had a hard time keeping up with her today. She was smokin' my trash all over the place "on your left" in her sing-songy voice. Little turd :) Yes, I'm on a mtn bike with a 3 year old on the back, but still! Man, I hate it when my kids are like me :)

We got home and got ready for the brick. She didn't want to do 2 miles, but I convinced her to do the uphill first (a new loop) and it would be closer to 1.5...well, someone lied. I really thought it would be more like 1.5! It isn't my fault it was 1.98, not at all. But, at least the nasty, hot, hard uphill was all over with first.

My friend Di then put out a call on FB for anyone to join her in the 7 mile yellowfork loop. I figured why not?!? I could then sleep in and only have to do 5 to get to my 13 on Friday goal, but could do 8 and it would be 15! Awesome. I can handle a short run in the heat. So, I made it work to join her and did the 7 (6.85) mile loop with her. It was a wonderful evening and I really enjoyed the time out on the trails. Two trail runs in one week. I love it!

I was SO happy to sleep in this morning. It was a treat after dealing with early mornings all week. The only problem? HEAT! 

After I got kids off to school I went out for my 8 mile loop and I was feeling good. I could tell the fatigue was in my legs, but as the 2nd and 3rd miles came I started feeling strong and convinced myself to run an extra 2 miles in the Herriman hills up by the reservoir. Good thing I decided before I ran them! Because by mile 8 I was done. BUT was still a couple miles out from home, so I had to keep running. 

I don't know how crazy people run in this heat. Granted I was on hot blacktop and with no shade...this IS Herriman, but man alive I felt like I was melting. I really felt like a pansy when I got home and saw the temp was only 85. The uphills stunk and I chose the route I did so that I could run mostly downhill. I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment :)

When I got home I voluntarily took an ice bath, because nothing else was cooling me down. A recovery smoothie and an ice bath did the trick and cooled me down. I think this may be the first time I was happy to get into one! I will call this my heat training for the half IM I'm doing next Saturday. It certainly won't be any cooler!

AP: 9:06 splits: 9:33, 8:42, 8:11, 9:25, 9:38, 9:55, 8:35, 9:26, 9:23, 8:13 (can you guess the uphill miles?!?)

Wildflower Pedalfest!

My friend convinced me a few months back to do this 75 (77 actual, but who is counting, right?) ride with her. Promises of handmade breads and chocolates and a dessert bar swayed me into the ride. This was my longest ride yet!

We got there super early and so my friend helped me be cute by putting fingernail sticker things that were flowers on my nails. How fun, right? Doing nails in the car at 6AM :) At least we didn't have to catch a bus!!

We got everything ready and headed off. The first problem came at mile .5 - yup, only half a mile in Steph asked me if she had a flat tire. Sure enough she did! We changed her tire and thankfully a guy pulled over to give his wife her sunglasses and had a pump and some hand muscles to help with the tire. We found the little rock as we were inflating, got it out and we were finally on our way at 7:30...instead of 7:00!

The first stop was at only 13.5 miles. I didn't really need a stop, but since I'd signed up for all the food...well, we stopped :) Yummy breads and I pilfered a few gus, chomps, trader joe fig bars. Then, we were off again.

This section had a nice climb up to the dam at East Canyon Reservoir. I really only remember about the last mile getting to me and being done. It wasn't hard, but I knew I had a tough hill climb coming still and it made me wonder. We then stopped at East Canyon and indulged in watermelon and chocolate bananabread pb sandwiches...YUM! Only mile 28. I think I was eating more than I was burning.

Finally all that was left was the timed hill climb of 5.5 miles up the back side of Big Mountain. I had no idea what I was in for! NONE! So, I started off conservatively. A low gear and a cadence I could handle. Well, it worked out. I passed Steph who had taken off at the start and no one passed me. Lots of women were walking their bikes! They had signs every half mile up the road. Finally with about 1.5 miles to go I could see the downhill people pedaling. YEEE HAWW! I knew I had a break coming. It was a very nice one at that. A little downhill and flat to recover the heart rate and recommit to continuing strong. My official finish time was 43:47 - this was 59th overall/244 and 10th in my AG/41. So, top quarter...not too shabby for a girl that can't climb hills!

The way down?!? VERY delightful. 45+mph avg topping at 51.3...gotta love it baby!! Then we just had the trek back to East Canyon, then down the dam road and a last stop just 8ish miles from the finish. I was done. It was hot. I was tired. My neck hurt. I was getting a stomach ache and a head ache. I was done talking. I was just done. But, we stopped, because I really wanted to just stretch OFF the bike.

Coming into the finish was a little anti-climatic. No one to cheer at the finish line. No one even taking pictures. Kind of stunk to be honest. I guess a finish line of a bike ride is MUCH different than a finish line of a running race. We got some yummy eats (again!) - wraps from Roosters in Ogden and chocolate milk and more watermelon. Steph and I ate and then hit the desserts and were somewhat disappointed. I don't know if it was just that my gut couldn't really eat or if they really just weren't that good, but we really didn't eat all that much :/

No raffle prizes either, stink. Not even the toss outs. We did get a bondi band headband for making it to the top of Big Mountain, but that was all. We had a great ride home and it was a wonderful day with an incredible friend. I'm glad I had her there. I would've been a long, lonely, miserable 77 miles without Steph!

Best non-running day in quite some time. I'll have to post pics later....