Each Day Is a Gift

Ran to meet up with Karen. Temp was 68 at 7:10am, sunny blue sky.  Easy conversational pace.  MCT Center St to Mitchell Hollow Park, returned on 6400 W Highland and SR92 trail to MCT 1200 E to Center St to home.  

I found tiny blisters randomly dotting my lower legs again. I think they're sweat droplets trapped beneath the top layer of epidermis, given that I have no hair follicles on my legs! :-} Yes, my extremities are smooth...yep, I'm weird that way!!!  :)  

Happy Monday everyone!!! :) :) :)

Ran with Wendy and Karen.  Wendy peeled off after 3.  Karen did 5.5.  I finished with 6.58. Wanted more but out of time.  I need to either start earlier or run faster....but I'm enjoying the company of my good friends whose friendship I gratefully and dearly treasure!!! 

Ordered new shoes last night thru Amazon, it's coming from UK so won't arrive until August!  The pair I ordered while in Australia (arrived on Valentine's Day) now has 200 miles, and cost nearly twice as much.  

Ran with Wendy and Karen for 5.5 at conversational pace.  Last 1.75 by myself at 9:33.  

Core stability exercise:  3 circuits of Pfitz. and Myrtle.

SO SO SO SO Happy to meet up with Toby, Virginia (new running friend RAD hooked us up with), Karen, Leslie and RAD on the Lehi JRP for an 18 miler!!!!  Could NOT have done it without their company!!!  The miles just flew by!!! :) :) :)

When we got there at 6:30, Toby and Virginia have already done 2.  I quickly ate a banana and carried a bottle of Gatorade.  Plan was to run north and back to the car for 10 miles at which time (8:15) RAD would join us and helped pull me thru for 8 more miles.  We stopped at the drinking fountain (mile 2 to the north ) and bathroom on the top (mile 5), and Willow Park (mile 2 to the south).  I think I Gu'd at mile 7ish and 14ish.  

My cardiopulmonary system would NOT obey me on the uphill so I gave in and walked and everyone waited for me.  Toby wanted 17 and needed to be home for babysitter and Karen needed 15 so when they turned back RAD and I continued on till her Garmin reached 4.5 then we turned back for my 18.  So glad she did the math for me!!!  :) :) :)

I am SO grateful for overcast sky with temp 68-72, 94% humidity, beautiful trail along farms and pea-green-color river, hitch-hiking bugs, chased by a cat (that was a first, dogs yes but never cats), laughs, inspiring stories, sweet memories and above all my running friends!!!! :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

18.25 miles Total running time: 3:03:16  AP: 10:03.  Average cadence: 193.  

Thoughts and questions:  Is it reasonable to think that I can do 26.2 next week?  I've only been running or building base miles over the last 8 weeks.  Am I flirting with injury?  So far, no weird niggles...other than some skin issues such as rashes and "sweat blisters".

The Garmin 220 says that my average cadence is 193 and average stride length is 0.83m. I don't know what all that means, so I clicked on the Garmin's "running dynamics link", according to their data, I'm in the 95% or purple zone which is typical for more experienced or faster runners.  So, does that translate to running efficiency?  

Gotta go...hubby and I are hosting a family BBQ with 16 adults and about that many children coming! :) :) :) :) :) :)