Each Day Is a Gift

Attended the 9am and 3pm Dedicatory services of the Brigham City Temple.  Pres. Packer and his wife, both born and grew up in Brigham City, have been married for 65 years.  That is so awesome! :)

Pres Preston James Checketts, temple president, talked about how good habits can be very powerful because our brain is constantly making adjustment to save energy and reduce stress.  Therefore, as we establish pattern of good habits, our lives become simpler and less stressful.  Following good habits, being constant, is something my sweet hubby is good at! :)  I know our weekly temple attendance has brought much peace and spirit in our life.  I love visiting the Lord's house regularly!  We are so fortunate to live so close to so many temples! :) :) :)

It's wicked windy out there, went to the LC with hubby and Karen instead.  Ran on the track for 21 laps (a little over 2.5 miles) until treadmills become available then did 1min on/off on the mill for 1.5 miles.  I think we average 9mm for the whole 4 miler.

Jogged 4 laps on the lazy river.  Swam 8 laps alternating between free style and back stroke.  I was able to make it across the pool without stopping!  Yay! :) :) :)

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Last night I signed up for the Sojo Marathon before price goes up at midnight.  I did some tricky talking so hubby would consent to my crazy ideas.  I laid out all the choices and asked him to help me pick the best one (even though he wanted to say NONE of the above ☺!)

1.  SoJo Marathon Oct 20.  Pros: close to home.  I think the course is gentle down with couple of ups.  Plus I get to do the PCM thing going from aid station buffet to buffet with RAD and Lowell!  I am SO excited!!!  AND hubby can cheer along all over the place! :)  Cons: only 2 weeks post SGM. 

2.  Halloween Marathon Oct 27.  Pros: fairly close to home. Beautiful Provo Canyon.  Cons:  Wicked down and up hills that will certainly destroy my already post-SGM-trashed legs!

3.  Pony Express 50 miler Oct 19.  Pros: love this historic course with pack dirt trail.  Own crew with ultra fun.  Cons:  too far from civilization and risky in case of a tachycardia episode.

4.  Ogden Valley 50 miler Oct 27.  Pros: beautiful Ogden Valley.  Cons: a wicked up and down over Mtn Green at the beginning (start) and last miles (to the finish), all on roads which may be risky for another sf.

5.  Just Cuz Marathon Nov 3.  Pros: fun casual run up to the start of the half then back down so less punishing on the legs.  Cons:  may encounter another snow storm and icy road like last year.

6.  Really Big Free Marathon Nov 3:  Pros: it's free.  Cons: it's an 8 hr drive from home and since baby Skylar may be blessed on Sunday the 4th making it not practical to stay overnight after the race.

See... the BEST and FUNNEST choice is #1. :) :) :) :)

Love running in the cool light rain!  Ran with hubby (he peeled off at 2.25 mi), Karen (Sky) south down 3rd W, north up on rail trail, east on canal trail.  An elderly "trail guzztapo" stopped us at the first tunnel under 1200W.  He was just doing his job to make sure no one goes thru where workers were moving the dirt by the side of the trail.  So, as obedient law-abiding citizens we hiked off the trail down thru the mud onto Bull River Rd which put our lives in danger crossing 1200W where fast moving vehicles were blasting down from SR92!  :)  

Did not wear heart rate monitor, just kept plucking along on the uphill, talking away about the blessings of the temple.  I was sure that my uphill pace were in the 11s but am pleasantly surprised that it was in the mid/low 10s. :)

After I got home, ate breakfast, stretched, then did 30-45 min of Coach Johnson's Myrtle, Pfitz's CSE, Gaucher/Flanagan's core with Swiss Ball, Teena's Kagel bridge while watching TV!  :)

Going to babysit 1 yo Charlotte this afternoon! :)

Not sure if it's the cooler weather (aggravating the arthritis) or switching back to running in the Elixir; both my metatarsals have been bugging the last few days.  Since it's bilateral, I'm hoping it's not a stress fracture brewing.  So, Karen and I decided that we should not run today.  Went to the pool to practice breathing and swimming for 40 min. then did 20 min of core and arms with aqua-dumbells.  Then made a mad dash to the Clinic for my Dexa-scan and blood work!  :)

Ran 5 easy miles with Wendy, Karen and hubby (he peeled off for 2).  We couldn't decide on the route so instead of a tempo run that I wanted, it turned into a progressive run! :)   (11:08, 10:56, 9:35, 9:28, 9:10).  So discouraged about my lack of speed these days but I am loving the wonderful company and nice cool weather...no complain!!! :) 

I brought up the subject that Boston registration is still open and encouraged Karen to go for it at SGM if it's not filled by then.  Those shooting for a BQ at Hunstville this Sat. has a good shot at it!!!  :)

60 min of various Pfitz's CSE, Myrtle, Swiss Ball core, Kagel bridge, push ups, foam roll and stretch.  

Lunch then temple with hubby and Wendy.  May go to Yoga tonight.

Went to Yoga class first time in my life.  I was worried that we'd do stuff that I could not possibly phantom.  Thankfully she didn't do any hard stuff like Kathie had shown me.  I really liked it especially the plank and downward dog stuff! :) :) :)

We (hubby, Wendy, Karen and I) ran east to the trail next to SR92 by Smith's.  The trail worker-monitor wasn't going to let us on the trail; but since the work hasn't started yet, she said:  "OK, I didn't see you guys!"  Half way up the other side of the hill at mile 2 I told hubby to turn around so he wouldn't get booted off the trail at the other end since he only wanted to do 4 anyway.  He ran back and into Burger King for a breakfast burrito and read the morning papers! Karen jokingly said that she'd follow him instead!  SOME people know how to have fun on the run! Ha! :) 

We got on the Highland neighborhood trail and I opened up my strides which felt good.  Went to MRJHS park to drink and saw DavidB who was at his mile 4.5 (we were at 4.15).  Since we were all doing our 8 miler before SGM so he hung with us on our way back.  It was fun to catch up on his cute family. :)

Had to run a little detour on the trail down to Dry Creek to avoid getting in trouble with the trail monitor by SR92.  Climbing up from Dry Creek was a killer!  Such a fun morning, everyone's all excited about SGM.  :)

11:37 (hubby insisted that we go slow for the warm-up mile), 11:03 (walked past trail monitor), 10:43 (uphill first half of this mile),  9:40 (road crossing, school traffic), 8:59 (flat trail), 8:56 (flat trail), 9:22 (talking with David), 9:38 (not bad for the Dry Creek killer hill), 9:08.

Trying to decide which shoes to wear for SGM.  The shoe-tongue of the Inspire 7 really bugs my tibial tendon especially on the downhill.  It has over 300 miles.  The Elixir 6 is so much more comfortable but less support (still weary of metatarsal sf).  What to do?

Got a bad case of paronchia on my right tall finger! :(  Have never had that before in my life.  Did the warm epsom saline soak and antibiotic poinment but it throbbed and hurt so bad that I had to take couple of Tylenol to help me sleep.  Needless to say, didn't sleep well last night. :(

Went to the LC with hubby.  His left inside ankle is swollen and therefore can hardly walk.  Anyhow, there was a swim meet (Special Olympic of some sort) so the center was busy.  Ran 3 miles on the tm, warm up 10 min then did 1 min on/off till I hit 3 miles in 27min.  That is all I wanna do b/c hubby was waiting for me at the pool.  Swam 8 laps (5 free style, 3 backstroke).

Shopping.  Drove past Scheels and saw how crowded the parking lot was, we opted to go to Dillards for their sale instead where hubby bought couple pairs of swim shorts and I bought a shirt, 2 pr of pants and some crocs! :)