Each Day Is a Gift

RED HOT PINK CHICK 15K

Hubby and I picked up Karen and Bec at 5:45 for the drive to the start of the RHPC run.  I giggled when I saw Bec wearing a long sleeve SGM shirt over her running outfit, yep only a TX RED HOT Chick would be "freezing" in 60ish temp. :)  It was so good to see RAD, Lily, Kelli, Scott, Wendy, Heidi, Rachelle, Eric, Maynard, Amy... did I miss anyone.  Was sad/disappointed that Luz didn't come.

After hubby snapped a quick pix of the Lehi girls + RAD, we were off to start the run at 6:30.  Hubby and I hanged at the back with a 2 min walk 10 min run.  Around 0.6ish mile by the Riverwoods sidewalk, Wendy and Kelli past us, Scott stayed to visit for couple of minutes.  Hubby urged me to run on ahead but I refused to leave him.  I jogged with him giving him pointers on running forms until we reached the mouth of the canyon.  Hubby said he needed to use the bathroom in the gas station and will turn around to head back so don't wait up for him.

There's a good headwind going up the canyon as usual.  It felt wonderful to be running uphill passing runners/walkers and being passed by cyclists.  I think this is only the second time that I've run up the Provo Canyon all by myself.  I continued on with the 2 min walk 10 min run thing paying attention to how the foot feels.  The legs/hips/feet protested only during the walk.  I guess I could "hear" them better while walking.  It felt so good to be running that I ran past the 3.1 mile (turnaround of my originally planned 10K run).  I thought it wouldn't hurt to run to 3.5 and make it an even 7 miler.  At the back of my head, I could hear hubby saying: "Don't over do it!" 

I was in a groove and ran past the 3.5 mi turnaround, so I thought I'd run to 4 mile.  Well, at 4 mile, the body felt pretty good, the watch said I have another 3 min of running.  Did a quick math that if I run to 4.65 I can make it a 15K run.  Yay!  I was still in running cycle when I turned around.  Boy did that feel good to run downhill. 

I was at mile 5.8 when the walk cycle supposed to start, but I wanted to see how fast I could run that mile so I kept running to 6 before walking.  That mile took 8:38...YES!!!  I had drank the entire 12 oz water I carried so I stopped at the fountain for a quick drink and refilled half the bottle.  When I reached 9.3 at the park, I stopped the Garmin and walked to the pavillion where hubby was waiting.  His first words was: "How far did you run?"  I kept walking and pretended I didn't hear him.  When I finally answered him, he of course was not surprised I ran farther.  He then proudly told me that he also didn't turn around at the gas station after the potty break.  He ran further up the canyon past the second bridge and ran all the way back without stopping or walking.  He got a taste of "cruising downhill". :)  I'm so so so so proud of him!  ♥ :)

9.3 miles.  AP: 10:30 (13:24, 12:14, 10:56, 10:37, 10:19, 8:38, 9:33, 9:42, 9:42, 8:57)

First ones we saw running in were Scott and the girl whose name I later learned was Amy.  Almost everyone run farther than the half.  LOVE the YUMMY eating and FUN visiting afterward.  I will try to post some pix later.

Pre-run. Doesn't everyone look chirpy?

Post run.  Doesn't everyone look radiant?

Smooth sandwich. :)

My sweet running buddy! ♥♥