Each Day Is a Gift

With Wendy down 3rd West and back up.

With Wendy to Mitch Hollow via 800E MCT and back via 600E.

Tried out the new Saucony Guide 8 wide.  Had to stop numerous times to adjust the shoe lace tying to keep them snug but the tongue on the left shoe seems shorter as it keeps sliding down.  Not sure if they're the right ones for me.

Am battling with major plantarfacitis, especially on the left foot.  Went to Wasatch Running Center to look for something inbetween the Altra (zero drop) and Mizuno Inspire (12mm) that I've been training in.  I think my PF started when I first came home from my mission two years ago.  At that time I felt like I needed to "relearn to run" and bought a pair of discounted Altra Torin (at the Expo of Timpanogos Marathon, first marathon I ran since returning home), which felt heavenly on my wide and flat feet.  I transitioned into them and felt that they helped with better running form.  However, I never ran a marathon in them even though I ran 7 marathons during that time.  I first noticed PF pain during the taper of the Kingwood Marathon (Feb 2015); and determined that my calves were extremely tight as I had not done any proper stretching, recovery, strength training, etc.  Anyhow, I then went back to running/training in my Mizuno Inspire.  I have been wearing the old version Inspire 10 and find that the newer versions a bit too stiff.  Anyhow I ran Boston this year in the Inspire 11 and got a big bloody toe nail on the 2nd left toe.  I thought that the high toe-heel off set combined with the downhill course was the culprit.  For Mt. Charleston I decided to wear the Altra Provision 2.  They are fine except the toe box is too narrow for my wide feet (Altra tault WIDE toe box, but not these, go figure!) and caused giant blood blisters (new on top of old ones) just underneath the big toe where it rubs on the shoe's insole. 

So Becca at WRC sold me this Saucony Guide 8 and I was really hoping that it would work.  Well, see tomorrow's post on the verdict!
 

Got up an hour early at 5 for today's solo long run.  Gary is in town and running the AF Canyon Half.  I didn't know the course other than that it finishes at Art Dye Park.  Took me a while to get going and had to make a 15 min pit stop at Mitch Hollow Park.  When I got to Alpine Highway emerging from the MCT, I saw lotsa racers goint north, same direction as me, so I joined in.  They were running really fast so I asked one of the runners and she said they're at mile 1+ of the 5Ks and 10Ks course.  The 5Kers split up and turned down to Highland Glen Park to connect on the MCT which is where I was going.  As we got up to where the trails merge (bathroom south of Lone PeakHS), I decided to run with them to Art Dye Park.  I saw some fast bloggers walking back up the course and realized they must've finished and won the Half marathon.  As I got close I saw the clock reading 1:40, and realized I had probably missed Gary's finish (if I hadn't made that long pit stop, ugh!).  I peeled off and ran on the grass towards rolls of tables and found Gary sitting by himself about to eat his breakfast of Kneader's French toast.  He finished in 1:30 and won his division.  I hung around and went to the finish corral to see Kelly pacing the 2:00 in.  Saw RAD and she picked me up excitedly. 

It's now almost 8:30 and the sun has peeked over the mountains and getting warm and since I still have 9+ miles to go, I said goodbye to Gary and ran back up the course to the MCT.  Saw some of my neighbors and Brad on their way to finishing.  My legs got all stiffened up after that 30 min stop.  I had to stop numerous times to stretch.  I headed east and turned back at mile 9.5, knowing I was about 7 miles from home.  I should've turned back sooner.  My left lower calf was so tight that each step was painful especially going downhill.  I was in tears by the time I reached the last drinking fountain on the MCT and hobbled home the last mile which took nearly 30 min.  Couldn't wait to take the shoes off and lay down on the couch to die! :(  I couldn't even put weight on the left leg the rest of the day!  Definitely goint to take these shoes back!