Each Day Is a Gift

Clear blue sky, T 20F at the start, 40F at the finish, no lines, 20+ runs on the slopes of Solitude from 9 am to 3 pm.  A fun day with the family and lotsa fresh air.

Recovery run 6.5 miles at 4:50 pm to beat the sundown in 58:28.  AP:  8:59.  Hazy, stinky air.  Splits:  9:16, 9:02, 8:44, 8:57, 8:54, 8:55, 9:14.   

AM/PM Yoga 

12 weeks to Boston 

Schedule calls for VO2 max workout:  9 miles w/ 6 x 800m @ 5K race pace; jog 2 min between.  One look at that mucky air tells me there ain't gonna be any VO2 max today.  I opted to run indoor and watch the historical Presidential Inauguration instead.  Cranked up the big fan, turned the TV to blasting volume, set the incline at 2% and off I went.  My favorite part of the Inauguration was the musical number, Aire & Simple Gifts, by Izaac, YoYo and ensemble.  I would like my children or grandchildren to play that piece at my funeral.  I already picked out a vocal piece, An Anthem to my King.

2 miles warm up from 6-7 mph.   6 intervals of 0.5 mi @ 7:30 pace with 0.25 mi @ 9:05 pace in between.  2.75 miles cool down from 8-6 mph.

9 miles in 1:19:05.  AP:  8:47 

Slept like a baby!!!  I don't know why especially after hubby told me our stocks just tanked.  Must be all that good feeling from watching the Presidential Inauguration.  I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!!!  I'm so proud to be an American!!!

I needed to seek higher ground, above this muck.  Put on fuel belt with four flasks of gatorade and headed up to SunCrest.  It's 6.55 miles of ascent from 4,800' to 6,040'.  I think the last time I ran up SunCrest was on July 12.  It took me 2:19:30.  Have never run this in the Winter.  It should be fun.  

I kept my effort steady.  Sure hope the air I was sucking up was okay.  At about mile 4 I turned my head to look down at Utah County, couldn't see a thing with that thick layer of smog.  When I got to the top, it was warmer with a slight wind.  It felt so good to breath deep and enjoy the sun.  Looking down at the valleys on both counties was like looking from an airplane above the clouds.  Except the "clouds" is really a thick blanket of smog.  Running back down was exhillerating, just me and the brush oak, with the majestic views of snow covered Lone Peak and Mt. Timpanogos against a clear blue sky.

Took gatorade at mile 3, 6, 9 and finish.  Today's run's time:  2:19:45.  This surprised me.  I thought I was running alot slower.  It's essentially the same as 6 months ago since today I waited at the traffic light crossing SR 92 without stopping the Garmin.  I'll do this run again and see if my time improves.  Great hill training run.

Schedule calls for recovery + speed, 6 mi w/ 6x 100m strides.

Warm up 1 mi from 10:00 to 8:34

Intervals of 6 x 400m (0.25 mi) at 7:30 pace with 0.25 mi recovery at 9:05 pace from mile 2 to  mile 4.75

One tempo mile at 8:34 .  Cool down 0.37 mile from 8:34 to 10:00

6.12 miles in 52:40.  AP: 8:46 

Around the world core workout 25 rep.

Biceps & triceps lift 4 x 25 rep.

Around the clock leg lifts 12 rep

Calf raises 3 x 15 rep

AM Yoga 

Date night with my best half tonight, WooHoo!!!

*****

Will you wonderful people take a minute to welcome Bec.  She's a beautiful girl, awesome runner and great friend.  Teena, look at the SGM 08 results, she finished 1 second behind you.  She's running Boston.  

The Stake Women's Conference was awesome.  The guest speaker is from Sierra Leon (sp), Africa.  What an inspiring story of how her life was spared, and her journey to America.  The only belongings she brought with her from Africa was remnants of a Church hygiene kit, scriptures and a change of clothes.  We then spent two hours working on humanitarian kits.  

Got home around 2 pm.  It was raining hard.  I decided to run on the JRP where I would have aids from my car and not worry about traffic.

I wore l/s top, tights, cap, poncho and fuel belt w/ 2 flasks gatorade.  The poncho kept me dry but was too "noisy".  Headed north, a mile into the run, I needed to pee.  The bathroom at the park was closed for winter.  So I headed back to the car, ditched the poncho, made a VPB and headed back north again.  Man, it's already 3 pm and I had only run 2 miles.

The sun peeked thru briefly.  There was a headwind for couple of miles.  I saw 4 deer at the Thanksgiving Point golf course.  The trail was clear until at the bridge, so I turned around.  Took gatorade at mile 6.   Got back to the car just shy of 9 miles.  Ate one Clif bar, drank gatorade & 6 oz water.  I started to feel cold so put on the jacket.  Put another flask of gatorade on the fuel belt, then headed south.  

The next 5 miles was pleasantly run at marathon pace with light rain.  I had not looked at the Garmin since it's covered under my jacket's sleeve 'till I reached the trail end at the park.  I had run 14.5 miles.  I had run farther than needed.  The return run was tough.  My legs were getting tired.  I was afraid that it's going to be dark; so I just pushed on.  Drank gatorade at mile 12 and 16.  I couldn't have gotten back to the car soon enough.  It started to pour the last 0.25 mile. Hubby was so worried; he was about to call me when I made it home at 6 pm.

I immediately got in an ice bath the way Mark suggested: changed into dry sweat shirt, got in the tub, turned on the cold water, drank hot chocolate, put little ice in.  At first the feet hurt like heck.  Then it just got numb.  

I was supposed to run 18 miles but ended up running 19.78 miles in 3:18:05  AP: 9:47.  So glad tomorrow is rest day.