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

Christmas Eve run with some folks from out here in Herriman. Kim, Scott, Kelli, Scott and Cory. The guys are in my Stake, and everyone knows Kelli and Scott :) Kim is also on the blog! 

I was going to go down to AF and run with Toby and Catherine, but with the storm and my 12 yr old babysitting I got nervous about driving that far in bad weather. So, I chickened out and took a rain check....hopefully.

Kim's family dropped us off at Butterfield Canyon gate. We did 3 miles up and the first couple miles weren't bad, but by that last mile my foot/ankle/calf was yelling and burning and I wanted to punch someone in the throat, stop and sit in the snow until everyone came back down. I was DONE. But, I was too afraid of getting eaten by a mtn lion, so I kept going.

When we turned around it still stunk, because that top mile the snow was deep and not easily runnable....well, if you have the amount of stability in your ankles I do. We finally hit the 'good' snow and I could pick things up. I felt like a dummy head and was whining a lot in my head...it was good no one was around and I was running mostly alone, or just listening to the conversation.

When we finally hit the gate and got to run on the road, I finally started feeling good. Running was SO easy! I was in love...and just ran. I started getting those endorphins and feeling more like a runner and not a whiny poopy head.

When we finished I was just feeling ready to run! I could've gone a few more, but the hot cocoa and bagels drew me inside. Thanks for a wonderful morning Kim and group!

When I got home my dog started freaking out, because I was in my running clothes and she thought she was getting to go out. Well, I decided to warm up and headed out for another one with her, but then it turned into a wandering two. Up by the cove there was a deer in the middle of the road that was injured and a bunch of people trying to help it. The deer couldn't walk and was just stumbling :( poor thing. I wish someone would've just put it out of its misery. I didn't get too close, but took the planned cut back through the neighborhood because it didn't need any extra anxiety with Lucy (my dog) around. I mapped the run afterward and it was 2 miles...should've done another .1 to finish a half today. Too bad I didn't have my garmin.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! To all my runner friends and for Christmas I wish you all a new PR! :)

A wonderfully lazy Christmas!
Sorry that all the comments on here now make no sense :) Had to switch the entry to the 26th when I really ran it! So...just refer all comments to the post on the 26th.

Slept in. Oh, did I sleep. I refused to get out of bed until 10AM. It was nice, especially since I'm getting sick and my neighbor I spend Christmas Eve with was just diagnosed with strep...yeah, I really don't want to deal with that this next week. So, sleep and recovery. 

With the snow falling I decided to just hit the gym and call it good. I was only going to do 6-8, but well...I did 10. By the time I got to 7 I figured "what is another 3?" So, I just did it. I love having a 12 yr old at home that can babysit while I run the day away at the gym :)

2 on the track (from my timed lap splits they were around 7:50-8:10mm)

4 on the TM. I went for 9 songs on the ipod. Then I have something to count down without looking at the TM counter. I was only planning on 3, but 4 it was. TT: 33:30 AP: 8:22

2 on the track, probably closer to 8:10 or 8:20, but I never timed the laps.

2 on the TM, just wanted to get it done. TT: 16:10; AP: 8:05

Since the Newtons didn't have to work today we went later, which was wonderful! 9AM start on the Urban Trail Loop. The only problem is that NONE of this is plowed. It is all on snow packed trails. I felt like I should've been in the mtns with all the trail breaking I did! Okay, well Chad did most of the trail breaking because he was the fastest :)

I think there was probably only 1/2 mile that wasn't in ankle+ deep snow...which meant a lot of effort and a slow pace. I don't think I've ever worked so hard for a 10mm!

AP: 10:40 splits: 9:51, 11:13, 10:54, 10:31, 11:02, 10:52, 11:22, 9:36, 7:34 (last 30 ft recorded...see, this seemed like an easy effort compared to the trail with snow!)

When we hit the road into the parking lot it felt SO amazing!! I loved not having to maneuver through the snow pack. I looked at my pace, it was 7:30. So, if you take my time and make it a 7:30 pace, I ran over 11 miles! Now, that seems more like it :) Should I blog 11 miles today since that was the effort? I like that idea, blogging by effort and not pure miles when in snow!

It was a nice morning though. Temps weren't too bad and we only had the wind for a little bit into our faces. My feet, however, are frozen. I am grateful for my heated blanket today! Mmmmmm, so snugly warm!!! :)

Now back to hibernation.

***Oh, I updated my short term goals for this year!***

I am done with cold, snow, treadmills and everything! So, I talked Kelli into doing a run at the Olympic Oval with me this morning. It was worth the company, but I remember how boring that place can get - and how it ends up killing my knee and hips. It was better than any other option though! Especially since Kelli was willing to tag along with my slow pace and chat. Company makes everything better. I probably should've done another 3 miles, but oh well. I feel bad because I've taken advantage all week of my 12 yr old being home and she has been stuck at home too long babysitting. So, I figured I'd better head home.

Kelli watched the time for a couple of our 3 mile groups and we were hanging around an 8:30, so I guess it wasn't too horribly slow, but when the HS kids coming flying by on their sprinting laps it makes you feel like a jogger...oh, wait that is just what they call you! :)

Well, I was going to just swim today, but I couldn't leave only 43 miles for the week. I felt like a slacker. So, when Blaine asked if I was up for a run, I agreed...but had to do it early.

Met at 6AM and his son was unable to come due to a bad cold. Ran 33 laps or 9 miles and then headed home. No idea on pace, but I'd say it was similar to yesterday's 8:30ish

Grabbed Lauren and my swim suit. New mounatin to climb today. They were doing a 100X100 event at the rec center pool today. It started at 7AM and I didn't get into the pool until almost 9:00, so I knew I wasn't going to finish all 100 in the 3 hours, but I would do my best.

After 25 100's I was done...tired of swimming, my face and ears hurt from dumb goggles and cap...but it had been less than an hour. Crap. 3 more hours of this? Okay, I'll do at least 50! But, that seems wimpy to only do half and it is just under 3 miles (yd pool not Meters), so I settled on 60. That was my goal.

After those first 25 I was tired and took more breaks, my toes were hurting from where the fins rubbed (I'd do kicks/fins/paddles/pulling to mix it up), my hands hurt from the paddles and my throat was dry and hurt. I kept my whining inside because no one was stopping to listen anyway! But, then I noticed I had done 51 laps! My friend Diane let me borrow her awesome little waterproof ring lap counter so I didn't have to do it in my head. I only had 9 X 100 left. I could totally do this! So, I kept at it and busted out my last 100 in 1:45 to just go out with a bang. Well, looked at the counter and it said 59...oh no. That isn't happening. So, I did another 'cool down' 100, to make the counter right. I'm sure it was user error either in my head or on the counter, but either way now the counter verified my laps! The ladies swimming in my lane also think I did 3 or more 100's because of how many laps they swam after knowing how many I had...anyway, it is all water under the bridge. I'm just proud of my 6000yds or 3.4 miles swam today!!! A full mile longer than an IM. Not sure I'd want to jump on a bike for 110 miles and/or run a marathon now, but it was good.

My average 100 was around 2:00 and with fins/paddles it was 1:45ish. So, nothing super fast...slow and steady.

I think it will take a while for my body to feel the pain/effort from the swim, but I'm glad I did it! 3+ hours of workout today was plenty. I'll call that good.