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

I'm a little ticked off right now...you know all the 'tools' you usually have above where you enter your comments? I can't see them. They won't even load on the entries I have previously done. Grrr. Anyway, because of that, you don't get my cute quote for today. Sorry, not my fault!

Had to run early and outside again today. My niece came over at 8:45, so I had to be done by then. Well, I cheated a little.

Warm-up mile down and back on the TM street.

ran the Stake 5K route, tried to pick up the uphills. I was determined to go sub 8 all miles. We have our 'race' Saturday. Gotta get my legs used to the course again.

When I got home (8:40) I found out she'd be a few minutes late. Perfect. A cool down mile on the TM street again. Hmmm...plenty of time for one more lap.

Then I came to a screeching halt! My neighbor drove by, taking her son to pre-school. Awww, crap! I was so worried about babysitting I forgot my 4 year old had pre-school (others are off-track, so it throws our whole routine off). Ran home and got him ready to go and out the door in 20 minutes. Whew, only 15 min late :)

My niece came during that time and brought dunford donuts with her...ummm, yeah. NOT a good thing for me. Do you know the mental strength it will take for me NOT to eat those ALL day!! One donut to undo all the calories I burnt on my run today. C'mon...strength, I've got it!

So, I was at 5.23 miles and after pre-school drop off, I ran on the TM street to finish up to my normal 6 miles. Just a good clop.

Came home and busted out Jillian's shred. Nice L2 workout. I think it is my favorite. Best balance of arms and legs, and I like the cardio portions too.

Is it too early for a nap?

AP: 7:53 splits: 8:18 (warm up), 7:39, 7:14, 7:52 (3 miles of the 5K. Middle mile is all downhill. The last mile is mostly my hill of despair. Look at me conquer that beast - sub 8 baby!), 8:14, 8:02

Fun, fun, fun, morning! Since the tool bar is gone, I can't insert the sarcastic font for it. Anybody know how to insert sarcastic font via html?

Late, crazy morning. Ended up with only 40 minutes on the TM before daycare closing. I figured I could squeeze in 5 miles (I'd hoped for 7 or 8). I had decided to copy Rachelle's workout and throw in a few 800's for good measure.

The best part was when I started at an 8:34 the pace felt slow. Wow, I don't think that has ever happened to me! I guess the legs are already learning to like the faster paces :) good thing! At mile 2, 3, 4 I did my 800's at 6:49 pace (figured that was a solid 3:25). Harder than I remembered it being when I last did my yasso's before SGM. Shoot. Oh well, we'll get there! Maintained the 8:34 for all the recoveries. Finished the 5 in 40:30 (AP: 8:06) - not too shabby. No cool down allowed. Jumped off the TM and grabbed a wipe and heard "the day care is now closed." Crap...I know, I'm coming. Let the kids play by the rock wall while I stretched.

I have been having such a bad week (mentally - life outside of running) I just needed a good chat. Well, Becca came to my rescue and I had a wonderful chat with her and I feel SO much better now. What a good afternoon hanging out with a friend can do for you! :) Thank goodness for free verizon to verizon calling!!

Went back to the rec center in the evening for my daughter's swim team and son's swim lessons. Dropped the little ones in the day care and went upstairs to do just one mile more - I love those 6's! Figured I'd keep the 8:06 pace not to throw anything out, but I had to do a strong finish since I was feeling excellent and it was 8:00 - nice!

Jumped in the pool and swam 20 laps with my daughter just one lane away. I tried to harass her, but she is a good student and was paying attention to the coach and doing what she was supposed to :) Grabbed the little boys out of day care and let them swim while bigger boy did swim lessons. Everyone seemed to have a good time, and my 7 yr old is doing SO great! He can swim about 20 feet now (trust me, this is a HUGE improvement! Especially just over 4 weeks of lessons!).

Proud mama and feeling good again thanks to good friends. Finally back on track and feeling like I can take on the world! Good thing too...got 6 extra kids tomorrow I'm babysitting for a few hours - YIKES!

Six a day keeps the aches at bay!

got up just a tad early this morning (yes, 8:15 is early for me lately - I don't know what I'm going to do when the kids go back on track!) and got to the gym in time to do 6 miles before I had to head home for babysitting duty of 6 extra kids...yup, a total of 10 kids V. Me. I don't think the state would approve of this ratio :) Oh well, I'll just duct tape them all to the playground outside. We'll be good.

8:34 didn't seem quite as easy today as it did yesterday, but it may have been that I was trying to talk to Kelli. I've noticed when I try and talk while I run I have to run slower. Oh well, I enjoyed the company for the first 1.5 miles!

She inspired my workout with the BBK recap - mile sprints. But, I didn't do the sprints, just pick-ups. Mile 1 and 2 @8:34; mile 3 @7:53 (mp); mile 4 @8:34; mile 5 @7:53; mile 6 @8:34 with pickups to the finish to top out at 6:40mm. (AP: 8:20)

Jumped off the TM and am now home trying to hide from said kids. I think I'll go do yogaX and try to 'escape' :)

Did my long-ish run today. I didn't know how it would turn out. The self-doubt gremlins have been resurfacing. 13 miles by myself? I'm only used to 6/day now. I have to get up early? I'll be too tired. I won't be able to keep pace on the uphill. It's cold out there! Maybe I'll just.... (fill in the blank with a myriad of other possibilities).

Well, I got up, got dressed and got out the door. I had on capris, a l/s shirt, a jacket, head band, gloves, visor, head lamp and reflector. Honestly dressed more for 30 degree weather. I forgot how to dress for this 'between' season.

Just over 3 miles in I stopped and dropped my water bottle and took my jacket off - which took quite some time. Lots of stuff to get off to get it off (garmin, ipod, gloves, refelctor), but then tied it around my waist and headed off again. MUCH better! I figured I'd just use the water fountains at the lake for an intermediate swallow before heading back to the water I'd dropped.

Well, I was right. It is too cold! The drinking fountains are off :( I ran around the lake and checked each one I ran by...I think it was more mental than anything, but I was getting thirsty! After the lake loop, I went in the Kennecott building - nope, no bathrooms or water available without a 'key card' - dang. So, I bugged the ladies at the bakery (only thing open early!) and they were more than wonderful. Even offered to buy me a water bottle to run back home with. I explained I'd dropped some about 3 miles up the road. But, how nice! They said to come back any time. I think next time I'll stop for a cinnamon roll :)

I checked my AP before heading back on the uphill. I wanted to know how much I lost at the end. I was at 8:28, nice! I could tell I wasn't relaxing, but I thought it would be closer to a 9 so this made me happy. Maybe I can hit a decent pace overall, even bombing the uphill. I was struggling more on the uphill than I would've liked (breathing hard, fatigue, self-doubt gremlins clawing their way into my brain), but I think I was out of fuel too. My body isn't quite used to handling this pace and climb with no fuel - felt a little light headed, but it wasn't horrible. I could just tell I should've at least eaten breakfast, or brought some jelly beans.

I was SO excited to grab my water at the HS where I'd dropped it. I stopped at the boxes and there was no water. WHAT?!? I yelled out loud "grrr! where is my water?!? REALLY?!?" I was not happy, especially after the lake experience. Who comes by and cleans up water. It had been less than an hour. Well, I started walking off and realized I was at the wrong boxes *blush* ooopps. My bad :)

The last mile home I felt slow...really slow. I'd felt strong up to that point, but that last hill of despair climb really sucked it out of me. Darn it. I need hill work. But, I had done it. Finished up 13.5 and got to walk about a quarter mile home. It was nice to know it was done and over with. I'd done it myself, and while I couldn't figure out the AP from total time, I knew it wasn't too horrible. I'd pushed myself and quieted those gremlins for a few minutes.

I'm glad the 'long' run for the week is over, tomorrow I've got my stake 5K and work - so I'll probably just get my normal 6ish in. It will seem strange to not do a long Saturday run, but I'm glad hubby was okay to stay home and sleep in this morning so I could do this. He is always so good to me! Even though he thinks all this running is crazy, he is supportive and helpful at every turn.

AP: 8:42 splits: 8:37, 8:23, 8:27, 8:30, 8:27, 8:34, 8:30, 8:21, 8:24 (two best splits on the flat around the lake - nice!), 9:03, 9:01, 9:01, 9:25, 9:24 (last .5) - well, I'm proud of keeping it at 9 even, nearly, for that uphill push. Especially the way I felt! I obviously lost it that last mile, and I've got to admit it might have been mental. The only time I glanced at my garmin while running was that mile. I think I fell into the pace thinking it was the best I could do instead of pushing myself and running more by feel. Darn garmin and gremlins!

I've been reading a lot of blogs of awesome runners who can't run right now, and when I saw this it reminded me of the gift I have to run. Today, I was inspired by those who can't run to run MY best. 

Now, let me preface this race report by saying that I've never lost (to a woman) at my stake 5K. BUT, I know it is a good, honest course - maybe a little too 'honest'. So, I use it as a good gauge of how I'm doing and I race the clock. I mean, a free 5K? Almost as good as being in Phoenix on the third Thursday!

I start with a nice 1 mile warm-up over to the church. Man, this is hard. My legs are heavy and tired from that 13 yesterday, maybe I won't hit 22 min like I was hoping, maybe just take it at MP - you'll still win. I'm getting really tired of those gremlins - REALLY tired!! I wish they'd go away, so I didn't feed them and I just ran, it's only warm-up, stop it! When I finished the mile and saw I had run an 8:02 mile, I figured out why it felt so hard for 'warm-up'. I'm such a bad gauge of pace!!

So, after some chatting at the start line we gather to go. The fast guys that are usually there weren't. Crap, I wanted someone to chase. Then, I realized I forgot to take off my jacket. Crud! Threw it to my husband who was there to do the 1 mile walk with the boys (and my 'work'), and when I came back they were at 3, 2, 1 -I was off like a shot. Gotta make a good appearance at the beginning anyway :)

Soon, I saw someone on my shoulder. As they passed it was a teenage boy - darn fast twitch muscles! The course is downhill for the first 1/3-1/2 mile then you come to my hill of despair. I doesn't look like much, but you sure feel it and it never seems to end or back off. I caught and kept with or ahead of the kid on that hill (about 1/2+ mile) then we get a bit of flat before the next and hardest hill. He passed me there (deflated ego from being passed by a fat, old woman I'm sure!) and stayed ahead the rest of the course.

The next hill, I started losing it. I started giving in. I was breathing hard and no worries, I can back off a little...right? Then I thought about AmberG, she wouldn't give up, she wouldn't stop or slow. She would push. With all her might! I caught a surge here back down to the low 7's until the corner. Thanks Amber! I just had to talk to myself "C'mon girl, you got this, push on. It's only to the corner, don't give up and go faster. Go, GO, GO! You'll get your downhill, but this is where it's made. Ain't nobody here feel sorry for you!" rounded the corner to a flat and pushed on.

Just one more 100yd hill climb and then it was downhill and flat to the finish. I carried on and kept an eye on that boy in front of me. I was amply rewarded on the downhill, but tried to keep the effort consistent. I must say that I kind of let go of the mental battle here. It's easy to let your head get out of things on the downhill, you can just coast along and forget about pushing harder and faster. One of the last neighborhood turns to the finish, I brought myself back and resolved to push through to the finish.

The final push to the finish is downhill and then a straight shot into the parking lot. I ran across the finish line and was happy to hear a 22!! 22:13, I stopped my watch - then remembered the course is usually 3.08ish on the garmin and I was going to finish out to a 3.1 - Dang, already lost my momentum. Oh well. I had 3.07 on the garmin and that was good enough :) A true 3.1 probably would've yielded me a 22:25ish I think, so still not too shabby. Especially for a course that offers 300ft of elevation gain on a LOOP course.

After I caught my breath and got my name and time down on the board - VERY important :) I ran back to get my girl. Lauren (10) was running her 3rd 5K today so I went back to run her in to the finish. I only got about .75 back on the course before I found her. She may not be the fastest, but she doesn't stop. She just keeps running! We kept on to the finish and she finished in around 36:something - Proud mama! :)

We waited around for the awards, most important! I got a little calculator guy with a soccer ball attached to his foot with a plastic string (so he can 'play'?), no cash prize :) But, I'm always proud of my awards! :) Lauren got the same, the boys got candy for their efforts in the mile run and for dressing up like runners for the costume contest (small field of competitors and lots of prizes). Even my 'work' won a candy prize for his awesome Halloween shirt in the costume contest. No one walked away empty handed, and we all had a great morning.

I shoved 2 apples in my jacket pocket and took off for another 1.25 to round things out for the day on the way home. Nice and easy, just enjoying the morning and not shivering to death! Happy with my time and effort, definitely not a PR, but I think maybe next spring I can pull one out on this course! That would be awesome to hit a PR on a tough course.

AP (for the race): 7:16 splits: 7:12 (hill of despair baby - take that!!!); 7:42 (dang gremlins, would've been worse had I not gotten my head back thanks to Amber's inspiration!); 6:57 (I REALLY wanted to hit a sub 7 on the downhill/flat miles - yipee!!); 6:11 (last .07 to the finish, love a fast push to the finish baby!!)