Each Day Is a Gift

AM: 7 recovery AP: 10:02

Needed to get a feel of running the last 10K of DNews (if, IF, I were to do it).  So took my lead legs out late morning, about the time I would be death-marching in the heat at DNews to see how much punishment I could take.   Alas, Mother Nature had pity on me and sent sun-shielding clouds for most of the run!  So much for self-abuse! :)

Got another option, a hare brain idea, of what to do on Sat.  Will see if it pans out!

PM: Pfitz's core stability exercises

AM:  14 MLR

Hot.  Sloppy.  Everything feels tight except for the GI (resulting in 3 potty stops).  Left ITB squawked on the downhill.  Felt very fatigued.

14.02 in 2:13:02.  

PM:  30 min resistant bands for biceps, triceps, hip abductor/adductor.  Yoga.

Was so tired that I slept through the alarm and was still in bed when Wendy & Carolyn came.  Still had "the runs".  So ran on the mill instead.  It was supposed to be recovery day; but got bored so progressively increased the speed. 

7mi in 1:01:09.  AP: 8:43

3 circuits of Pfitz's core stability exercises.

12 Pfitz's stretching exercises. 

Ate too much cake at the surprise b'day party for Beth!

Note to self:

1) Go to bed earlier to get minimum of 7 hrs sleep.

2) Eat breakfast and hydrate throughout the day.

3) Be consistent with stretching and core strengthening.

Went to Days of 47 rodeo (where we rode/paraded in the WellsFargo Stagecoach at intermission, fun!).   Ate too much junk and drank root-beer!!! GASP!!!  So, didn't go to bed early nor get up early to eat breakfast.  Failed already on day one!  O well, there's always tomorrow.

Much better run than Tue.  Still very hot.  Smoother strides.  Zero potty stop.  Drank 7oz water at mile 3, 5 (Gu'd since I had no breakfast), 7, 10.  Sweat up a puddle at finish while stretching in the shade. 

11.5 in 1:46:30.  AP: 9:20  Splits: 10:29, 9:55, 9:11, 9:15, 9:21, 9:21, 9:30, 9:14, 9:04, 9:04, 8:46, (0.5@ 8:18)

PM:  Resistance bands exercises 20 reps for biceps, triceps, hip flexors, abductors, adductors.

As a result of hubby out of town and my excitement in anticipation of the *hare-brained* idea, I could not go to sleep to save my life.  I slept a total of TWO hours.  No running today!  Lotsa errands and last minute details from my SSF!

GOOD LUCK to y'all running DNews, Speedy Spaniards and Handcart Day tomorrow! As my hubby would say "break a hair" instead of "break a leg"!  :)

The much anticipated *hare-brained idea* finally came:  The Magical Midnight Moonlit Memories Making Marathon!

Thanks to my SSF's *pretty-brain*, it was a huge success and a blast!  She arranged 3 body guards (her 2 brothers and Fonz) to run w/ us in two shifts.  We were supposed to meet at Draper City Park.  I didn't think of little details such as the park is closed at midnight and we could be ticketed.  So at the last minute, Fonz offered to have us park our cars at his house which is about 0.75 miles from the PR trail.    

We met at Fonz's at precisely midnight.  After snapping a couple pic we were off.   From Henry Day Dr to Vestry Dr are couple of good hills then down on Bangerter Pkwy to Highland Dr to access the Porter Rockwell trail.  Our two body guards, Johnny and Nick, were as funny and crazy as Teena.  With some good tunes they took off like jack-rabbits.  

A few hours earlier, I ate a humongous BBQ dinner (which was my bro-in-law's carb-loading fest), ribs, steaks,  chicken wings, chowmein, rice, mashed potatoes, bread, salads, fruits, pies, all washed down with gatorade.   And with only 2 hours of sleep the night before, I was moving along like Dumbo the elephant whereas Teena was gliding along like a little bird. 

Running under the bright full moon was magical, peaceful, serene and absolutely beautiful.  The twinkling lights from the valley below was stunning.  The night air was crisp, cool, clean with a scent of ripening hay/grass.  There was a gentle welcoming canyon breeze around the east bend.  The miles just flew by.  I absolutely love running with my SSF!

We stopped at the Draper Park, mile 7+ for drink.  Johnny was anxious to finish.  He took off back on the trail and we never saw him again.  We reached Fonz's at mile 12+ and waited for Johnny.  Apparently he ran past the turn-off and never made it back to the house.  Nick ran back on the trail with us to look for Johnny and he ended up with over 14 miles.

Fonz was our 2nd shift body guard, a much better running partner.  It must be hard for him to run twice as slow as his normal pace.  He recently ran a 16 min 5K.  At mile 14+ we debated whether to make it a 20, 22 miler or full marathon.  If we covered the same route it would make 24 which Teena refused to do, saying that it's lame.  True, but was it smart?  This was supposed to be a training run so I sticked to my gun to keep the pace nice and easy for the entire 26.2.   Teena and Fonz ran a few hundred feet ahead of me. Their chatters was all the music I needed.  The still night was disturbed by an occasional dog bark and a peacock squawk.   

Our last 0.3 mile was all UPhill, Teena charged up the hill like a champ that she is.  I ran it and stopped at exactly 26.2 and walked the remaining downhill to the car.  No medal, no cheering crowd; BUT what great fun and incredible memories to be shared with my SSF! 

So, my 4th marathon this year since Boston is my slowest at 4:18:58, yet nothing can compare to the joy and gratitude I felt running under moonlit trail with my SSF! 

After a quick ice bath, shower, hubby drove Teena and I to the DNews finish.  We got there in time to see the Kenyans came in.  RAD & her running partner Baby Adam ran an AWESOME 10K.  Huans32 ran a PR and TomSlick had a GREAT 10K as well.  It was sooooo fun to cheer Allie, Gary, RivertonPaul and Twinkies and many other great athletes.  My sore ITB gave way to my coarse vocal chord.  I don't think I would be able to walk or talk tomorrow! :) 

Here's my awesome bro-in-law, Gary (50), who flew in Thu night to run DNews.  He ran the Malaysia Marathon 3 weeks ago.  Today he ran 3:07.  He took a spill over a pot hole the first mile and got a bad road rash on his side and bloodied his shoulder and knee.  He said the worst part was the two exploded gu's in his pocket which made a sticky mess the whole run.  He looked so strong coming in...took his youngest, Jessie, by the hand and crossed the finish together.  WHAT A STUD!

Here's RivertonPaul breezing in to the finish so smoothly on his *training run*!

I spotted Twinkies and cheered my heart out.  Everyone said it wasn't Twinkies b/c he didn't have his Twinkies shirt on.  But I found him and here's the pic to proof that he ran an AWESOME training run, just a regular Sat. run prior to his next week's ultra!  What a manimal!