Each Day Is a Gift

 A wonderful DATE DAY with my honey on Labor Day!!!

A nice morning walk w/ my sweet hubby to Kneaders for breakfast.  Then we went to the SNIAGRAB (bargains spelled backward) at Sports Authority...bought some new skis & equipments for our return missionary son and a new parka and gloves for me.  Then we went to see the movie "Salt", wow, one tough *Jane Bond"*.   I love the foot chasing scenes...she really pumps those arms wearing trench coat w/ back pack and all. After the movie we went to my favorite store, Wasatch Running Center to shop for trail shoes.  They don't have my size, dang!  I also tried on some FiveFingers.  Those things are cool.  I almost bought a pair!  We finished the date w/ dinner at hubby's favorite pig-out joint, the Upchuck-a-Rama!  Spent a quiet evening at home watching football!  So yeah, hubby was successful in keeping me from running today!

Nice recovery run with Wendy & Carolyn.  Cool calm morning.  I wore the CWX tights to help w/ muscle recovery.  Just little tightness on the quads, otherwise no pain.  AP: 10:00.  

6 circuits Pfitz CSE.  

No running!  Nada exercise!  Here's an article that makes me feel less guilty!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704855104575470213241311890.html?KEYWORDS=Why+Trainers+Say+Slow+Down

Visited with my friend of 31 years.  Her mother passed away recently. 

Went to temple w/ hubby and the presidency and their wives.  Then we all went to Olive Garden for dinner.  Ate 6 bread sticks, 2 servings of salad, chicken nocchi soup and the scrumptious shrimp & crab tortellini.  SOOOO GOOD! 

Read Alma 7 this morning.  I love this chapter which talks of Christ's atonement and the way to inherit the Kingdom of God.  I soooo need to work on those virtues:  purity, humility, faith, hope and charity.

Ran w/ Wendy & Carolyn.  Got sprinkled on a bit but escaped the windy storm.  Got a friendly *offer for ride* by JonA...sure put a smile on my face!  AP: 9:30  Splits: 10:13, 9:37, 9:23, 9:32, 9:16, 7:52.

6 circuits of Pfitz CSE

The quads and hip flexors are tighter than tight!!!  Kills to foam roll! :(  Lots of stretching!

I LOVE everything about this race, the course, the organization, the hometown feel w/ great friends!  It was made more special today as MichelleL smashed her own record setting a new course record!  She is one classy AWESOME AMAZING WONDERFUL athlete!

Last year we had a group of 8 from my neighborhood running.  This year we recruited a new comer but she got some bad heel pain and had to DNS.  So bummed about that!  Still feeling some residual soreness from Pocatello, I had no expectation/goal.  If Teena hadn't worked magic on my legs 36 hrs earlier, I'd have sat this one out.  Thanks SSF!

Wendy, Carolyn and I got to the start shortly after 6.  MichelleL parked next to us.  Teena and I got to the registration table at the same time followed by Maynard, Running Utes & his wife.  Lowell found us at the p-o-p line which was LONG b/c  the park bathroom was locked resulting in a 19 min delay start.

Starting temp was in the 40s w/ a strong E wind.  We lined up together.  Teena botled out within the first 0.1 mile.  I hang with Marci Wood (a 27 yo whom I ran w/ most of the miles at Ogden and UVM) for the first 2 miles.  At mile 1 Tyler, a nice 22 yo BYU student, latched on and we ran the whole race together.  This was his first Half (he'd run triathlons and the Ragnar).  He said he liked my pace!  I think he was shocked when he realized I'm old enough to be his mother. 

Saw the two leaders running side by side on the opposite lane at our 5+ mile.  Then came MichelleL running so fluidly by.  WOW!!!   We hit the highest point of the course around mile 6.5 and passed 3 girls one of whom know McKenzie who was cheering at the T intersection.  There was an awesome guy playing wonderful songs on his Saxophone for us as we turned up the hill.  I later found out he's Lowell's 78 yo brother!  VERY COOL!

I thoroughly enjoyed running with and talking to Tyler.  He would ask about our time at each mile marker.  Such a cute kid!  With 5 miles left to go he asked if we would come under 2 hrs.  He was elated when I told him we would finish sub 1:55.  My time last year was 1:53:00.  I thought perhaps I could come close to that (well...stinkin' 27 sec shy).  He was doing a great job staying w/ me stride for stride. 

With a little less than a mile to go, I heard Lowell coming from behind.  Then he passed me!  What!?!!!  I asked if he cheated!  He had crossed the start behind me b/c he had to retrieve his Garmin from his car when the race was starting.  Dang!  That totally deflated me to be geeserized!  I had nothing left to chase him down.  Luckily Teena came back to get me with 0.5 mile to go.  She and MichelleL pushed me to catch the girl about 20 yds ahead.  I couldn't catch her.  Then Tyler started pouring it on to catch her.  So I had to catch Tyler but coming in 2 sec behind him. 

Here are the splits comparing w/ last year's on the left:

1.  8:23     8:31 (too fast for a cold start)

2.  8:32     8:23 (stiff headwind)

3.  8:41     8:46 (headwind and no one to draft off)

4.  9:08     9:01

5.  8:32     8:54 (cheering wildly the fast guys/girls)

6.  9:31     9:16 (pleased w/ the uphill effort)

7.  8:58     9:03 (quads protested, gu'd just before mi 8)

8.  8:36     8:28 

9.  8:27     8:33 (sun in the eyes, watching traffic)

10. 8:42     8:37 (missed couple of tangents b/c of traffic)

11. 8:41     8:47 (leg cramps threatening)

12. 8:28     8:34 (running scared w/ charlie horse ready to hitch a ride)

13. 8:12     8:25

0.1             7:15 (THANKS to Teena & Michelle)

So so so so proud of all my friends.  Teena course PR'd and took 1st AG!  Lowell walked away w/ 2nd AG.  Wendy PR'd by over 2 min & took 1st AG.  Carolyn PR'd by over 13 min!  Maynard course PR'd by 11 min!  Marci Wood also took 1st AG!  A good day indeed! 

Now I need to do some serious recovery!!!  :)  Off to get ready for Stake Conference!