Each Day Is a Gift

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! :) :) :)

The whole family went skiing today!!!  Brrrr it was below zero when we got to the ski resort.  There was hardly anybody on the road or the slopes.  I got 10 runs done by 10:30 and went in the brown bag lounge to thaw out my frozen digits.   Took an hour long leisure lunch then skied for 2.5 hours more with the grand nieces and nephews.  SO MUCH FUN!!! :)

This week I start week 4 of the 18 week training for Boston.  Well, actually I'm not really training to "race" Boston....just training to get to Boston healthy and to be able to finish in one piece!

Ran 6 miles on the treadmill with some 1min on/off thrown in.   I am too wimpy these days to go out on the ice and frozen tundra, not to mention the poor air quality which may trigger my asthma. :)

Then hubby and I went swimming at the LC.  BOY!!! That place was packed with families!  So I did the TI drill on the shallow end of the regular pool.  I'm getting the hang of "underswitch" FINALLY!!!

Then we went to lunch and movie, Les Miserable, with Bryan.  Then we went to a wedding reception of my husband's counselor's daughter.  They are such an awesome family, the whole church was packed!  :)

Hubby had a funeral to preside and visits to make this morning.  So Karen and I went to the LC by ourselves.  We ran one mile on the track until two treadmills become available.  I ran faster than I wanted because it's just too boring to run indoor especially on the mill.  This Utah inversion has got to go away.  I wish I could go up to the ski resort and run there! 

We then swim for 30 min and got in the jacuzzi for some hydro therapy. 

Ran with Karen on the LC track, all the treadmills were taken plus a tm class was to start in 20 min.   After 3 miles, we went down to the front desk and asked if we could possibly change direction...NOPE!!!  The rule remains that direction is changed on daily basis. Runners/walkers must run the same direction for the day.  So we wrote up a suggestion for the manager to give to Dan, the boss who doesn't come in on Friday.  "Please for the sake of runners who run more than 3 miles (8 laps = 1 mile) to allow change of directions at least hourly to prevent injuries as runners make over 6 tight turns on each lap."  They would not need to put up the directional arrow signs daily, just a permanent sign to state that on the odd hour go clockwise, on the even hour go counter-clockwise."  Then we ran back to the track for another two miles; by then my right ITB was not happy.  It seemed to bug more running clockwise...if the track wasn't so crowded I would've changed direction on the outside lane.

Karen got to the gym 3 min before me and found two available treadmills side by side, YAY!!! :)  Neither of us wanted to run fast so we chatted away.  But then we got inspired by the speedy girls in front of us, Melanie and JulieE, who had already run 11 miles.  WOW!!!  Such dedication and awesome running forms. :) They took a quick water break and chatted a bit with us before finishing their 14 miler.  I showed Karen the one min on/off thing and we did 8 of those then had to restart the mill.  It stops after 60 min. and put you on cool-down mode..so annoying.  We did 8 miles and decided it's time to let others use the mill.  Karen had to go to a piano recital in Orem so she only had time to run 2 more miles on the track.  We booked it on those 2 miles in around 16ish min.  Then I ran for 1.5 more for a total of 11.5 miles.  28 laps is all I can handle plus it was getting crowded...not fun weaving in and out of people!  The right ITB bugged on the mill but felt okay on the track going counter-clockwise with the bum leg on the outside turn. 

Swam/TI drills for 40 min.  Starving!!!!  Was too early to eat breakfast before the run!  :)

Marathons/races I ran in 2012 (Stress fracture of the right 5th metatarsal in Feb & May)

Total miles ran in 2012:  1,584.58

3 progressive TM miles. Myrtle. 3 circuits Pfitz's CSE 30 reps Flanagan stability ball planks 10 reps x 3.

After hubby came home from skiing we went to the pool and ran into Chad and his handsome tall boy coming out of LC! :). Did 45 min TI drill. The special students (Down syndrome folks) from Hive always play in the pool on Monday afternoons. They make me appreciate simple things of life when I watch how they give/share from their hearts, so pure and childlike! :)

With less than 14 weeks left 'till Boston (8 weeks 'till Phoenix), I am starting to panic that I won't be ready.  I have not done any speedwork forever, 2 or 3 year?  The last couple years I just ran whatever and enjoyed "doing" marathons.  In 2012, with two stress fractures (Feb and May), asthma (March) and tachycardia issues (July), I did minimal training and merely survived the 10 marathons.  I have gained quite a bit of weight, gotten very out of shape and basically pretended to be a runner! 

It is time to rebuild and get a training plan in motion.  But I need to be careful and build my base gradually to avoid injury.  I feel that my current fitness level is similar to back in 2007.  As a newbie I had only run two marathons (4:38 in SGM'05 and 4:28 in'06).  I think I used the Hal Higdon's Intermediate 18 weeks training plan in 2007 and running the Grand slam to help me BQ in SGM'07.  So, I feel that with a bit more experience, I'll use the same training plan for mileage guideline and tweaked it a bit to add speedwork and hill work when the body is ready. 

This morning was the first time I awake with no knee pain since the last marathon 16 days ago.  The plan says to run 6 miles.  So I warmed up for 19 min starting at 5mph to 6mph and then began the one min on/off.  I ran the ON at 8mph and OFF at 6mph.  It's disheartening to think that I used to run the ON at 9mph.  I thought perhaps I could do 10x but when I realized I was short on time, I just kept the on/off going 'till I reached 6 miles.  Lo and behold I hit 6 miles right at 54 min flat so that was 18x.  Yay, may be next time I can do 20x. :)

Felt good to run fast again albeit for one minute at a time (sadly 7:30 is fast for me now).  I really don't know what my marathon pace is any more.  Good news is that now 12 hours later my knee is not hurting.  Been busy all day though so will see how it feels when I wake up in the morning.

On a side note, I received a new calling to be Webelos leader last Sunday.  Tonight I held my very first Webelos Den Mtg.  I have not done any cub scouting for 13 years when I was a Bear Den leader for my youngest boy.  I was a little nervous at first, but thankfully I have a co-leader who is a 4th grade teacher and knows how to handle 10 year old boys.  It was a lot of fun having one of the boys' father, a Geologist come to teach them.  I learned quite a bit about geology myself too!  The only "bad" thing is I have to miss my favorite Yoga class on Tue nights.  :(

Oh, and I booked our flights to Boston this afternoon!!!! :)  I better train smart and get to the start line healthy! :)

Ran 3 miles on the track, not sure about the pace, based on the clocks there probably 9:20 pace.  Each time I lapped hubby, he'd say:  "you are going too fast!" :)  Then we went down to the pool and was delighted to see Karen and her daughter Amy there.  We swam and chatted for 45 min or so.

Was tempted to run outside when I saw the mountains!!!! meaning inversion is outa here...but what blows the inversion away, WIND, is just as evil for my pulmonary system! So went back to my original plan...HILLWORK!!!

Warm up 1.75 miles from 5-6.3mph at 1.5 % grade.

Increase incline 0.5% every .25 mile at 6.3 mph (9:31 pace)

Reached mile 5 at 8% and had to hang on. So decrease the pace 0.1mph with each 0.5% increase until I reached 10% at 10:40 pace!

Cool down @2% at 7mph (8:34) for 0.5 mile and 0.25 mile at 6.5mph (9:13).

7 miles in 68:20 (AP 9:45), not sure about vertical gain for the 5.5 miles climb.

Myrtle 15 reps. 3 circuits Pfitz CSE 30 reps. Stability ball planks 10reps x3.

Foam roll and stretch.

3 miles on the track. 45 min in the pool.

Karen and I went to the LC and luckily found two TMs side by side. Oh, it was great to see Chad there already put in an hour of run. Stopped to gu after 10K then restart the TM and ran another 6.3 for 12.5. Then we got off the TM so someone else can use it and ran 2 more on the track. We were booking it those two mile took ~15 min. Got to chat with Melanie a little as she was finished with her TM speedwork AFTER she had already done her long run in Provo/Orem. So dedicated!!! :)

Core. Yoga.

Another single digit freezing cold morning.  Ran 3 on track.  45 min pool time. 

4 degrees and smog so to the LC Karen and I go!  6 TM miles with 10X 1 min on/off (8mph/6mph).  Finished the run with two quick miles on the track.  Saw lots of friends and neighbors there, one of whom was Sister Lamb who must be near 80 now.  She was my very first RS president when we moved here 33 years ago! :)

Birthday lunch for Wendy (it's her birthday today) with Diane, Carolyn and Karen at Olive Garden!  :)  

Wendy's boy, Eric was set apart as a missionary tonight by hubby in his home and I was privileged to attend before going to my Webelos den meeting.   He is going to be an awesome missionary in Boston Mass.  :)

Same as Monday.  3 easy miles with Karen on the track.  45 min in the pool.

When is this inversion going away?!!!  I hope I remember how to run on pavement this Sat. :) 

Smog = bad air quality = dreadmill day again!!! :(

Hill work ~ warm up 1.75 mi @ 2% (5-6.3mph).  Increase incline 0.5% every half mile to 7% (6.3mph).  Cool down 1 mi @ 2% (6.5mph)

Karen and her family (husband and four daughters) picked me up around 9:15 for our long drive to Vegas where Karen's youngest daughter is playing in a soccer tournament (Cup Vegas).  

I absolutely love her and her family, such good good kids with genuine caring and fun loving personalities.  We stopped at the Dixie Center around 2 to pick up our race packets and grabbed lunch at Wendy's.

Made it to Karen's sister's house safe and sound.  What a loving group of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandma and grandpa, all there to support little 10 year old Grace's game.  And they always treat me like part of their family.

The sun was setting as we drove to the soccer field just before 5pm Nevada time.  It was getting chilly, unusually cold for Vegas.  The soccer venue is huge with 7 or 8 fields.  We set up chairs and huddled in blankets.  The game started at 5:30 (which is 6:30 Utah time).  Grace scored the first point and eventually another point of the 7 points in a 7-0 game.  Karen and I left before the game ended to go grab dinner and drive back to St. George.  So, we ate dinner (Chicken Yakisoba) kinda late at around 8p and got to Karen's parent's house in Santa Clara around 10p.  Karen's other sister who lives in St George met us there to open the house for us.  We visited with Julie for about an hour.  Karen's parents went to Vegas to watch Grace play soccer so we had the house to ourselves.  Karen slept in her parent's bed while I slept in the spare bedroom... so nice!  :)  I took a Tylenol PM and drifted off soon after midnight!   Tomorrow's Half Marathon is going to be a fun fun Sat. medium long run with friends! :)

So nice to sleep in at Karen's mom's house, with own bed and bathroom!  Karen and I left the house just before 8am with a stop to fill up the car and got to the Dixie Center with 45 min to spare.  I got a little sentimental realizing that this might be my last time running this Half Marathon.  This is my 7th consecutive SG Half, as part of the Runner's Series to get into SGM.  Next year I won't need to run the RS for my 10th SGM.  This is one of my favorite halfs (Spanish Fork Half being the other one).  It is an honest course, well organized, plus where else in Utah in the dead of winter can you run a half marathon with beautiful scenery and weather, not to mention seeing so many wonderful running friends and FBRers! :)

Toby and her neighbors found me and Karen and we went to take my overnight bag to Toby's car.  (I have asked to hitch a ride home with her).  The three of us started together about 90 seconds after the gun.  Temp was probably 29 as Toby nearly slipped on some black ice going to the car.  The weather was perfect with clear blue sunny sky, NO wind.  We chatted away for 6 miles.  I was talking up a storm about running form when the first hill came upon us.  I demonstrated how pumping the arms helped lift the knees for uphill running and unintentionally ran ahead.  Toby and Karen stayed close.  I never looked at my Garmin as it was hidden under the sleeves of my two layers of long sleeve shirts.  I just ran by feel and frankly didn't want to know how badly my fitness level has slipped.  I am guessing that if my fitness level is back to when I was a newbie in 2007 where I ran my first Painter's Half, I would probably be running somewhere around 9:30 pace.  Lo and behold at mile 9ish, I took off my top layer and saw our average pace right on at 9:30.  It's encouraging to me that my breathing felt good, no tightness to speak of, stride was smooth and fluid.  YES! my legs remember how to run on pavement!  :)

With 5K left to go, I told Karen we ought to pick up the pace a little.  With 1 mile to go, I said to Karen, "this is our daily run between your house and mine, one mile, we can do it, we'll finish with enough time for you to make your drive back to Vegas for Grace's 2nd soccer game!"  How's that for pep talk! :)  With probably half mile to go, almost at the exact same spot Kelli spotted me last year,  there was Kelli running back on the course to look for her friend, Wendy.  So Kelli ran with us to the mile 13 marker.  It was so great to run a little with her.  RAD and Misty, and Karen's sister, Julie, were at the finish to greet us. :)

After crossing the finish, we quickly grabbed some chocolate milk and goodies, said goodbye to Karen and went back to Toby's hotel.  It was so wonderful to have Toby's company, I have missed her so much.  The drive home with a stop at Cafe Rio was so fun and will remain one of my treasured memories!  :)

This morning at Sacrament Mtg. a sister and brother spoke.  Both are leaving for their missions within one week of each other.  Susannah was in my Joy School with my youngest son some 16+ years ago.  She has grown up to be a beautiful, intelligent and spiritual young lady.  She is going to the Baltic States to serve a full time mission.  She will be a fantastic missionary.  Her younger brother, Wesley, was this adorable boy with a low voice.  He has also grown up and still have the same nice voice, in fact, he was my choir president (singing bass) always ready with a weekly witty and funny email to invite ward members to come to choir practice.  He too is smart and spiritual.  He will be a WONDERFUL missionary in Cambodia. 

My choir sang "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go!", an arrangement by Craig Petrie.  It is a delightful piece with Primary song like accompaniment.  http://www.petriefamily.org/ldsmusic/GoWhereYouWantMe.htm  I LOVE the words of this hymn, especially the last phrase:  "...so trusting my all to Thy tender care, And knowing Thou lovest me,  I WILL do Thy will with a heart sincere; I'll BE what you want ME to be!"

Wonderful ski day with hubby and our son, Bryan, under clear blue sky, calm and temp of 35F.  (High was 19 down in the valley.)  We were first ones there when the lift opened.  My boy encouraged me to "embrace my fear" and ski down Sunshine Bowl via Eagle Express.  It has been years since I skied down that thing because I biffed pretty badly the last time and swore I'd never do that again, I was pretty traumatized.  With no one on the slope, it was a good opportunity to conquer that beast.  So, I did, with trepidation and shaking like a leaf I skied down Sunshine Bowl without falling.  It was not pretty but I did it.  I got that monkey off my back.  I happily skied down another trail that I've never skied before.  It was a great day.  So grateful to spend the day with my family, to enjoy clean air and play in this wonderful winter playground God created for us.

After 6 hours of skiing, hubby wanted to go to the LC and soak in the jacuzzi.  Boy!  the pool was CROWDED!  I swam couple of lengths then joined hubby in the jacuzzi. 

AM:  Went to LC with hubby and Karen.  We were able to have 3 TMs side by side, yay!:)

Warm up 1.5 miles (from 5.5mph to 6.5mph) @2% incline.  

1 mile @ 3% at 6.3mph.  0.5 mi @ 1% at 6.5mph

1 mile @ 4% at 6.3mph.  0.5 mi @ 1% at 6.5mph

1 mile @ 5% at 6.3mph.  0.5 mi @ 0% (from 6.3mph to 8mph)

45 min pool time.

Evening:  Yoga.  I really miss this class.  It was packed tonight, wall to wall.  Too bad I can only come once a month.  

Could not fall asleep to save my life last night...lots to think about I guess!  Drag my tired self out of bed and met Karen at the LC.  Hubby did 1 mi on TM 2 mi on track then waited for us down at the pool. :)

4.25 progressive miles on the TM in 38:30.  Had to get off the TM because the tread class was about to start in 5 min.  One gal put her pass on my TM (when I had been on it for less than 10 min.) so she could reserve it for the class...CRAZY!!!  :)  Oh, I was next to Mia Love, the mayor of Saratoga Spring.  She was very speedy! :)

Finish the run on the track.  3 miles in 24:00. 

45 min pool time... SO tired...SO hungry...I was just floating and gliding along! Hubby was talking to Ms. Cooper (whose cousin manages the pool) who is there regularly.  Turned out we were in the same Stake.  Anyhow, I mentioned that I don't really know how to swim.  She said:  "You could've fooled me!  Every time I saw you; you were swimming pretty good to me!"  She's too kind!  Then hubby and Karen chimed in:  "yeah, she says she doesn't know how to swim...it's like telling us she doesn't know how to run!"  I digress!!!  :)  Seriously, I took 6 beginning lessons for the first time in my life last Sept. (from a 15 yo girl) learning how to float on my back, put my face in the water, breath without swallowing water, kick with a kickboard.  I am just barely swimming across a shallow pool still with fear of drowning.  It is going to take me a long time before I graduate to the regular pool.  :)

Oh...these pix just in...check out our perfect running forms! :) 

1 mile wu.  5 tempo (8:34, 8:27, 8:20, 8:13, 8:00) last 0.5 mi @ 7:30.  No time for cool down.   TT: 53:10 AP: 8:54.

Busy day!  Temple, dentist, visits, etc.  :) 

My first Pack Mtg. went well last night.  5 of my Webelos received their Arrow of Light.  It was an awesome ceremony.  Huge support from parents and families! :)

Karen and I drove all the way to the Olympic Oval, only to find out that the track was closed because of some ice-skating event.  What a bummer!  We called to see if the BYU indoor track was opened for general public, nope.  We would've driven up to Park City if we were dressed for outdoor running.  Strike out, so we drove back home to the LC.  The round trip drive took over an hour because of the foggy/icy condition!  Grrrggghhh!!! :/

All the mills were taken because the tread class has just started.  So we ran on the track for 48 laps (6 miles).  Then we drank, gu'd and got on the tm for an hour (6.5 miles).  If it weren't for Karen's company, I would've quit after 10 min.  That machine is sheer torture.  Finished the run on the track for 3 more miles.  What a drag!!!!  I sure hope this icky inversion goes away soon! 

Hurried home to shower, grab a bite and head to a very important meeting!  :)

Lots of talking, laughing, crying, planning, discussions, contemplating = very little sleep.  Finally got out to the LC.  Ran 3.5 miles.  Swam 30 min.  Relaxed in the jacuzzi.  May be we'll go out to movie and dinner! :)   Happy weekend all.  Hope the inversion goes away soon! :)

Wahooo!!!  Clear BLUE SKY!!!  :)  My FIRST winter run of the year!!!!  :)  I was SO excited!!!  We (Wendy, Karen {Sky} and I) bundled up with fleece tops, beanies, ski mittens, wool socks and tights; then headed out for some fresh air and Vitamin D. :)  Temp was in the low 20s but the north wind made it a bit chilly.  My face was too numb during the first mile to talk so I just listened as my dear friends get caught up on each others' lives! :)  We had to walk on some icy patches...but the rest of the road/trail/sidewalk was either clear, wet, crunchy peanut brittle snow or soft cornstarch snow.  Turned around at the west end of the Canal Trail facing the east sun and mountains was heavenly!  Hope the inversion stays away! :) :) :)

Myrtle 15 reps.  3 circuits of Pfitzinger's CSE (30 reps/30 sec.) along with Teena's bridge and Flanagan's stability ball planks (10 reps)! 

Repeat of yesterday. Shoveled snow. Picked up Karen. Ran 6 on track in 54 min. Including a water break half way. Karen ran 3 then swam. I joined them in the pool later and only swam 6 laps...I was not very smooth today, :).

Then we went to lunch at KFC. Took Karen home and our car got stuck in a snow bank. Two guys stopped and helped hubby pushed while I gunned the engine! Whew!

Two and a half hours of snow shoveling in the afternoon, except the snow is heavier and wetter today. Hubby did three other neighbors' driveways and sidewalks. Very interesting to see so many different kinds of snow falling while I was shoveling. Got all sweaty again! My arms and wrists are sore! :)

Bryan's flight (from Boston w/ layover at Charlotte, NC) was delayed for over two hours. We got home from the airport just before 2am. When I went to bed, my left wrist and forearms were so sore that I had a hard time falling asleep even though I was exhausted. Was so tired this morning...did not want to get up. Karen texted me and said she was coming to get me in 5 min. Woweee, I set a PR...quickly got up, brushed teeth, dressed, put swim gear and water bottle, etc. in gym bag, kissed hubby goodbye (he'll join us later) and out the door!

It was crowded in the cardio room. Karen got on the TM and I on the bike closest to her. I peddlled foggy-mindedly for a a mile. Then got on the TM when it became available.

Speed work today, Did not have it in me to do any 800s today. Warm up 24 min from (5-6.5mph) then did one min ON at 7:30 and one min OFF at 10:00 x18. Finished with 5 min cool down. 6.75 in exactly 65 min.

4 laps TI drill, swam 6 laps. Calves felt tight. Stretches in the jacuzzi.

Early lunch...now I have mountains of laundry to do, then take Bryan to the airport at 2pm for his flight to Michigan. He had two auditions 2 days ago in Boston (New England Conservatory) for two different music festivals this summer. We took him to the airport for his midnight flight to Boston on Monday. Less than 12 hours later (he had class and test this morning at BYU), he has to fly out again for auditons for grad school in Michigan on Fri and in Houston on Mon. We get to pick him up at midnight again next Monday. We have already done this for two other weekends, Indianna and Maryland. He has three more to go, Boston NEC, Cleveland and Colburn in Los Angeles. Crazy crazy boy and his pursuit of excellence! :)