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

Tried the RC loop in reverse. This means downhill both ways, BUT the uphill is one mother of an uphill!! I've run this hill before, but I forgot how much I love it :)

Had a couple runners to chase a few different times along the route, that always helps me keep up the pace. 

Uneventful run, except I can feel some twinges in my calves - so I'm going to do step class, but I'm  going to put my bench down low and be sure to stretch and roll my calves/legs every day this week.

AP: 8:48 splits: 8:52, 8:35, 8:04, 8:39, 10:30 (can you tell where the hill is?), 8:33, 8:37, 8:32.

Glad I was able to keep the paces all under 9's except that darn nasty hill, but hey, I conquered it and in good form :)

***Step and ab's class. Step wasn't all it usually is, but I also took out a riser from what I'm used to so that could be some of it too. Ab's was just normal class, sometimes I wish she'd change things up a bit more.***

I haven't wanted to sleep in and not run this bad for an awfully long time. I think I'm making aches and pains to rationalize taking a rest day... keep going Rachel, we're almost there...

Tried a new route and figured that it would be about 7 miles. Started out slow, 2 foxes ran across my path and then I looked for them in the field as I ran by where they passed and they were sitting up looking back at me. That was really fun! Lots of other runners out today as well, but they were all going the opposite direction so I didn't have anyone to chase.

I didn't want to push the pace, I figured we'd just make this a nice easy GA run. Then, something magical happened on the way home. My hill of death didn't seem so much like a hill of death. I honestly even forgot I was running uphill a few times! I'm sure the pace was slow (haven't seen splits yet), but the fact that I didn't feel like I was dying after 2+ miles of the hill home was pure bliss! I'm glad these hills are finally starting to 'level' out for me!

I actually ended up adding on a mile+ on the run (UP the hill the death) and feeling wonderful when I got home. I'm glad I didn't sleep now, but that I got my lazy behind out of bed. Besides, my calves/shins are feeling much better today as well.

AP: 9:17 splits: 9:56, 8:58, 8:57, 9:08, 9:48, 9:40, 9:34, 8:14

Now off to body sculpt - not my favorite class, but it's better than paying the personal trainer money I don't have :) I'll probably end up hitting a few more on the TM as well.

***body sculpting -done. Hit the TM for 3 easy miles then ran out the 30 minutes chatting with Kelli, thanks Kelli! 9:22mm on the TM.***

I am getting a bit frustrated with not sleeping at night...things get better, then worse, better then worse. I go to bed early just to be awakened every couple hours and I wake up feeling more desperate  for sleep than when I went to bed.

Ran to the church to run the 5K route twice, which with the mile there would give me 8 total. I was going to try to push the 5K's, but I think I ran the slowest 5K's I've run in a long time. Sluggish legs with no sleep = a long slow morning run.

I'm also going to gripe about people NOT stopping at stop signs, speeding and not ever looking right before they turn. Ugghhh....I'm tired of nearly getting killed every morning.

AP: 9:08 splits: 9:37 (warm-up), 9:03, 9:21, 9:01 (1st 5K = 27:25, less the .1), 9:13, 9:07, 8:41 (2nd 5K, less the .1 - finally getting moving a bit = 27:01), 8:59 (cool down).

Now I'm off to boot camp, then I'll probably take some time to read on the bike to try and give myself a little time to myself....

***boot camp (mostly resistance training, not much cardio), then 4 easy miles (20 min @ L3) on the bike as I read RW.***

All right, now don't fall off your chair....

I didn't run at all, or cross train, just yoga and some extra stretching on my own, and I'm done for the day!

My body is feeling taxed, yesterday I was walking like an old lady and could barely pick up my feet. Shin's hurt, hammy's tight, quads ache and I'm getting allergies like no body's business and I went to bed wondering if I had strep throat, because my body ached so bad (even my fingers) and my throat hurt (wasn't up for eating anything other than watermelon and yogurt for dinner). I never had a fever though, so I wondered if it was just allergies (when inside my ears start to get itchy I suspect allergies).

I knew I wasn't going to run today at about 3PM yesterday. I'm glad I listened to my body. Getting a good night's rest (thanks baby!) and yoga today have seriously made a HUGE difference. I may hit a couple easy miles on the TM tomorrow, but I need to start listening to good advice and taper like I'm supposed to and NOT make myself sore and tired. Recovery and taper - not break down to build up! (Thanks Coach!)

Feeling MUCH better today, although still a bit sore from workouts I probably should've skipped. I decided to just do a few miles (30 min) on the TM at the gym to get the legs moving again. 

1 mile WU - 9:30

2 miles @ MP (hopefully) - 8:13

.5 cool down - 9:13

So, I think I'm going to try and shoot for an 8:15 AP for the full. It may be ambitious, but if I crash and burn, I know I'll still finish. But, if I don't go for it and end up feeling good (not like I left it all out there) at the end of the race I'm going to beat myself up for it. So...here's to shooting for the moon and hopefully at least falling among the stars!

The 2 miles today actually felt good, I could easily chat with my friend on the TM next to me and although it didn't feel easy, it wasn't like a death march either. I do have to realize I'm a little 'fresh' right now and that may have made a difference too, but either way it was good for the confidence factor.

To finish out my day care time I hit the bike for 45 min = 8.5 miles @ L4 resistance. Nice easy reading time. Trying to get into "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" for book club. Bit of a slow start, but it's starting to pick up.

Finished with a good 10 min of stretching. Stretching really is my best friend lately :)

Wow, this run was definitely a good one. Good sarcastically for the uphill PLUS horrible winds, and good honestly for the downhill paces I was able to keep afterward. A very good confidence builder for me.

Met Becca, Annette, Cal and Ryan at the Riverton Hospital, then began our trek up...up...up. It was SO nice to hit some of those hills at the beginning of a run instead of at the end like I normally have to do! Then, we finished up Yellow Fork Canyon. Once we hit the cove it was like a hurricane pushing you back, even the downhills felt like effort. I was SO glad to have that over and done with at 8.5 miles!

Turned and came down and my goal was to hit some MP miles on the downhill to see how it felt to carry that pace after a long hard push on the legs. It didn't feel too bad, but by the end I was done. Looking at my splits I'm very happy with the consistent effort I held over the 8.5 back down. That pace isn't necessarily EASY for me, but it's not hard. Which after topping a nearly 50 mile week is a good sign that I can hold it in a full, right? (yes...I'm asking for encouragement here).

Feeling good and not too sore - after an ice bath :) I'm really looking forward to the next two weeks of tapering along with the full, only 14 more days!! YIPEE!!

Thanks all for joining me in my crazy run this morning, and a special thanks to Cal for the water stops. Garmin has it at just over 1000 ft of elevation gain, which Cal figured was about 2.5% average grade over the 8.5 miles (how he does that while running, I have NO idea!!). A great final effort to top off an amazing whirlwind training after baby! Sweet thing is 3 months on the 22nd, oh how time flies.

AP: 8:52  uphill splits: 9:31, 8:56, 9:05, 9:16, 9:02, 9:34, 10:02, 10:16 - holy cow. Seriously that canyon with the wind took it out of me!! Other than those last two I feel really good about those uphill splits, and honestly those last two I do feel good about, because I know the effort that was put into those 10mm!! Downhill splits: 9:09 (1/2 of this was up), 8:06, 8:05, 8:02, 8:18, 8:08, 8:25, 8:15, 8:31 - I blame the higher 8:31 on the last mile from having to go up and over Bangerter on the bridge, it messes with the Garmin on those tight turns. So, my AP for the 8 full downhill was 8:13....right on target.