Each Day Is a Gift

Having a houseful of sick family members while entertaining company is tough!  Thank heavens for Sabbath where we just rest!  I was the only one to stay for all three hours of church plus an hour of choir practice in the afternoon. 

Eric came to Sacrament and played a viola solo.  He was asked last Sunday to do that, before he got sick.  He's been sick all week and today was the worst with a fever of 102.  He played I feel my Savior's Love with his own improvisation.  I could tell he tried really hard not to cough during the performance.  It was a beautiful number that brought the Spirit to the meeting. 

Hubby woke me up bright and early and asked if I wanted to go skiing with the family.  I thought everyone would stay home b/c they were all hacking up a storm.  44 inches of new snow (over the weekend) was very tempting.  But I was too sleepy/tired.  Jeff and Jenn had a photo-shoot which got canceled on Sat b/c of the rain/snow.  So I thought I'd go with them to ski in the afternoon.

After everyone left for Solitude, I decided to go for a run.  Was going to run 5 miles but once I got warmed up the knee felt good to go up on Suncrest Rd.  Since I didn't carry any water or fuel, I ran to Ridgeline Elementary (mile 3), thinking I could get a drink.  Duh, it was closed b/c of President's Day.  So after stretching a bit I decided to run the next few miles at mp.  Ran to Alpine City Park to drink from the *fountain of youth* then kept the pace up on the return.  Felt pretty good throughout the run.  2 days of no running did give me *fresh* legs.  It was a beautiful sunny day, lots of runners out, mostly high school or college age kids.

10.5 in 1:36:30.  AP: 9:11.  Splits: 10:40, 9:50, 9:57, 9:06, 9:10, 9:08, 8:49, 8:50, 8:23, 8:26, 8:10.

****

Hubby said I missed the BEST ski day of the season; but it's all good since Jeff and Jen didn't make it back in time, plus they closed the canyon b/c it was too crowded.  I think my knee would not have been able to take the downhill skiing anyway. 

After cooking & feeding the hungry skiers,  I iced the knee (which started to ache) and rolled the quads while we watched a Disney movie Wendy Wu, ridiculously funny no brainer!

What a fun and exhausting 3 day weekend!!

Was worried that I might be sick since I have a bit of congestion in my sinuses.  Karen texted me that she wanted to run 8-9.  If it weren't for her invitation I probably would have wimped out.   Quickly drank EmergenC and ate a banana then headed out towards her house.

We ran a new route today.  Ran west on 2600 N to 600E then south on 600E (aka Killer Hill).  I haven't run down that thing for ages.  It's a dangerous steep hill, narrow county road w/ blind curves and zero shoulder.  We ran down it w/o getting hit by a car, whew!

We then ran east towards Cedar Hollow Rd just in case we need to get a drink at the Jr High (we didn't need to).  I was going so slow.  Karen was kind enough to stay close.  At the intersection of 1200 E we decided to go further east to Highland.  By then my legs got warmed up and I was running comfortably alongside Karen and Sky.  I like running in Highland and LOVE Karen's company. 

We decided not to back track but keep going east then turn north on the first road that leads back to SR 92.  When running on the 2 lane construction zone on the down/up hill portion of SR92, a motorist stopped and warned us that there was a cyote up ahead.  That was very kind of her...it would have spooked Sky.  So we crossed the road to the north side which had a wider shoulder and was partially blocked off with orange construction cones.  We reached the traffic light by Smith and crossed SR92 to the south side safely.  Ran Karen home, then tried to pick up the pace a bit for the solo mile home.  Was dishearted to see how hard it was to get it to 10 mm pace! 

It was a good recovery run, easy pace, fun conversation and great company!  After I got home, I played with Emi while her mommy helped Eric study for his Board exam. 

****Hubby just got home early from work feeling icky icky sick!  He's working from home now before heading to his other job as Stake Pres.! :)

Now off to take care of the sick and afflicted! :)

*** Karen ~ if you are reading this.  I want you to join the blog so I can comment on yours! :)   Pretty Please! :)

AM:  Too beautiful a day to pass up running outside.  After taking Emi to the library for story time, Karen and I ran an EZ recovery 5 miler.  We saw Wendy turning as we approached on 1200 E, such perfect timing, finished the run together w/ Wendy to Karen's then home.  I have missed running w/ Wendy so much! 

***Sinuses cleared up nicely after the run.  Jeff came home early at lunch time feeling sick as a dog.  Everyone in the house has gotten sick now.  I'm knocking on wood that I won't get it! :)

EVENING:  8 circuits of the following CSE about 80 min.:

Abd crunch ~ 60 reps

Leg pushaway ~ 60 reps

Prone plank ~ 60 sec

R side plank ~ 60 sec

L side plank ~ 60 sec

Back extension (straight arm & bent elbow) ~ 60 rep

Clam shell ~ 60 rep

Abductor leg lift (forward and invert) ~ 60 rep

Walk sit ~ 60-90 sec

Biceps & triceps ~ 10 lbs 30 rep

Light yoga to stretch things out

***I'm thinking that my knee seems to hurt only after I pushed the pace or running longer than 2 hrs. 

It's been said that *it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission*.  Well, I really didn't have time to ask for either.  I was NOT planning on doing a long run today.  

Dale ~ You are so funny!!!  All the scenarios you mentioned could very well describe silly ole' me! :)

SSF ~ I am sorry I didn't mention this run; but I thought I left a voice message in your cell blurting out somethin' about just finished a long run, blah blah blah!  But I was seriously very worried about you and the last thing I wanted to talk about was my silly unplanned long run!  Hope you forgive me, please! :)

My original plan was (I've been taking the one-day-at-a-time-approach) -  if the knee feels fine in the morning (it hurts the worst at night) run some 400 repeats either outside if weather permits or on the TM if not. 

This morning Karen text me about when to do our long run.  After telling her I planned to run on Sat., she sent me an alert about the possibility of 6-12 inches of snow accumulation on the bench.  She wanted to run the long run TODAY!!!  My first thought was: "What?!  I'm not afraid of snow!  I've run in all kinds of weather before! Plus, I am SO NOT ready to run long today!"   I mumbled something about how long run is the bread and butter of marathon training and should be well planned in advance, blah, blah, blah.  Well, may be I'm a push-over or perhaps in a sleep-deprived-state-of-mind, I agreed to run long, totally threw logic and sensibility out the window!  She showed up within 15 min. to drive us to the JRP.  Gulp! :)

I tried not to whine about it!  But seriously, the first 3 miles were painfully slow.  I was a huffing and a puffing right off the bat.  I had to WALK up the last hill at the top!  Very pathetic! :)  I tried to be very very careful going down the hills so the knee won't get mad at me. ;)  It was warm running north but cool quickly running south w/ a headwind!

Felt better as the run progressed.  We ran a faster AP today than last Friday's 18 miler on the same course.  We stopped twice to gu and potty break. 

19 miles in 3:12:57.  AP: 10:09.  Splits (for Karen's reference):  11:20 (told ya I was SLOW), 10:35, 10:25, 10:23, 11:36 (walking uphill), 10:45 (Gu), 10:11, 10:06, 9:47, 10:10, 10:20, 9:55, 9:40, 10:38 (Gu), 9:59, 9:33, 9:07, 9:33, 8:32.

So proud of Karen's tenacity and positive attitude running her longest run ever.  She is a GREAT runner and athlete!  She is going to do AWESOME on her first marathon in April.  I only wish I could run it with her!

Afterthought ~ SO GLAD we got'er done. The weather man is forecasting a winter storm warning this weekend!  Hubby is thinking about canceling the ski-trip to Deer Valley! ooookay!

****The aftermath ~ No time to stretch due to a busy afternoon and evening schedule.  The knee is complaining a bit (tight and tender at the tibial tuberosity).  Have been icing and heating after dinner.  Will see how it feels in the morning! 

6 inches of fluffy snow on the road/lawn and still snowing as we drove down to the LC.

55 min elliptical

upper body weights

leg extension

core, stretch

By noon, all the snow has melted, sunny, cold and windy, very strange weather! :)

Birthday lunch w/ friends and family at Cafe Rio.

Dinner tonight at Market Street Grill.

Congestion galore, swollen glands!  Light snow, wet/slushy road, not wanting to get the new shoes wet (really really want to try them out).  So ran on the TM instead.  The shoes feel really snug; may be I should get a half size bigger.  

10 in 1:33:39.  AP: 9:21.  2% incline.

Off to watch BYU vs SDSU.  Go Cougs!!!