Each Day Is a Gift

Karen's text woke me up & asked if I was doing speed work!  Today's schedule calls for 11 mi w/ 6 x 1,000m @5K race pace.  Quickly got ready and Ran to Karen's and did our usual loop together (6 miles).  She only needed 5 miles.  After dropping her home I did not feel like doing speedwork so I ran down on 3rd West to the rail Trail and loop back up home. 

I wanted to run some hilly miles at marathon pace.  Mile 8 was downhill on which the knee held out okay.  The last 4 miles were all uphill.  Coughing a bit.  Did not have a single drop to drink or eat other than the EmergenC before leaving the house!  T was in the high 30s, partly cloudy with a slight breeze!  Felt really good about the run.

12.5 in 1:57:12.  AP: 9:21  Splits: 10:15, 10:21, 10:21, 9:55, 9:52, 9:52, 8:31, 8:26, 8:43, 8:44, 8:53, 8:59, 8:28

Gorgeous day!!! sunny blue sky with a good 6mph SSW breeze!  Ran with Carolyn for 5 around the 'hood; then by myself up to Alpine.   Turned around 1 mile shy of the fountain of youth to make it home in time to shower and go visit teaching.  The legs definitely felt the miles from the last two days, especially on the hills.  Had only EmergenC and 20 oz gatorade from the hand-held...somewhat glycogen depleted. 

14.75 in 2:20:35.  AP: 9:35 

Need to do yoga, stretch and foam roll later...I am very sleepy and tired at the moment!

Could never sleep well when hubby's out of town.  Spent the evening foam rolling the legs...TORTURE!...but oh SO GOOD! :) Surprisingly the legs felt OK this morning.  Ran about 0.2 mile; then abruptly turned back home.  The storm was rolling in, serious dark ominous clouds and wind approaching.  Karen picked me up within 5 min and off we went to the Legacy Center.  

LUCKY DAY...there were only two ellipticals open and they're next to each other!!!  Hallelujah!  We had a great workout chatting and sweating away.  Got really excited planning our 20+ miler on Sat., longest run before our marathons!  Yahoo!!! :) :) :)

Went to the temple then to Costco.  Getting ready to watch Jimmer and the Cougs make history tonight! :) :) :)

RISE N SHOUT!!!

Rather than brave the wind and snow this morning, Karen and I opted to save our legs for tomorrow's long run.  So we hit the LC again.  We also used some of the machines to work our abs, chest and oblique muscles for 30 min.   Then we drove the route that we plan to run tomorrow.  Hopefully there won't be much traffic and the storm clears out. 

It has been so fun planning these long runs with Karen.  I remember I used to train alone for my first couple marathons in 2005 and 2006, without Garmin, fuel belt, etc.  It is so much easier to have someone to train with.  I think I am more excited for Karen's first marathon than my upcomig Boston.  She is a GREAT runner and will do AWESOME on April 16.

GOOD LUCK and HAPPY RUNNIN' to y'all fellow bloggers running and racing tomorrow!  May the running gods smile upon all of us!!! :)

Longest run before Boston DONE...THANKS to the WONDERFUL company of Kathie, Kimmy and Karen!!!  :) :) :) :) :)  We ran from Lehi to Highland, American Fork, Pleasant Grove/Manila, Cedar Hills, Alpine.  A total of 20.75 very hilly miles in 3:18:38.  AP: 9:34.

Kathie drove Kimmy to my house dark and early to start our run at 6:30 am.  Karen ran halfway (0.5 mi) to meet us,  perfect timing!  We headed west, then south and east to Mt. Timpanogos Temple where Kimmy had dropped off her car earlier (mile 7.5).  My hands were frozen; thanks to Kimmy giving me her gloves, they were happy the rest of the run! THANKS!!! :)  We bid Kimmy goodbye then continued eastward for more uphill miles. 

We turned north on 900 West (Silo Rd).  From mile 7-12 is a steady climb along the foothills of PG, Manila and Cedar Hills to the mouth of AF Canyon.  Then we got a mile of nice gentle downgrade and canyon tailwind going west on SR 92.  That mile sure felt GREAT! :) :) :) 

We turned north, meaning more UPhills, on 4800 West Highland to Alpine.  As we approach a series of UPhills on Westfield Rd (around mile 15), Kathie's ankle started to throb.  She had twisted it earlier around mile 1 from a rock while running in the dark.  Dang!  I felt terrible and began to worry! :(   She had run 22 miles last Sat., such a STRONG AWESOME runner!!!  I don't think I could do back to back long runs!

My knee was behaving fine since we were running mostly uphill.  At the crest of the last uphill we turned south on Suncrest for 1.5 mile of downhill where I opened up a bit, paying attention to the knee.  Was relief that Kathie's ankle was fine on the downhill.  Pushed hard the last 3.75 miles home pretending to embrace the pain of the last 5K from Kenmore Square to Boylston! :)  This is a confidence builder that I will be able to finish Boston and Karen will do GREAT at SLC!!!!

Ate one package Powerbar chews and 8oz Gatorade!  My bad!!!  Immediately drank a huge glass of chocolate milk post run.  Ice-bath 15 min. before shower then lunch.  Now icing the knee.

Busy day getting ready for a big day tomorrow.  My choir is singing at Sacrament.  Bryan's Mission President and wife are coming to dinner after church!  Gotta clean house and go to the store!  Hope I get a nap in b/w reading fellow bloggers' race reports! :)

THANKS Kathie, Kimmy for driving all the way here to run with me!  YOU ARE the BEST!!!!  LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!! :) :) :)