Each Day Is a Gift

Gotta love sleeping in, no need to make the bed or squeegy the shower.

The Sunday brunch at the Grand America is to die for.  Hubby saw what I was putting on my plates and asked if I had a building permit for that. :)And he hadn't even seen the tall glasses of milk and OJ and yogurt pafait already on my table and I was just waiting for the chef to "build" my crepe.

Except for the internal-tummy-work out, and the two Sacrament meetings, it was a complete RESTful day!!!

No training plan yet.  Another 6 miler maintenance run with a few strides there in the middle.  Got a major case of "pig-out-hang-over-sluggish-legs-syndrome".  I am definitely gonna cancel Halloween!!!

Splits: 10:02, 9:14, 8:35, 8:56, 8:38, 8:46

Average pace: 9:02  HR:170  Arthritis: 4  Asthma: 0 (yay!)

I should really get on a training plan.  Wendy called bright and early.  She and Mary ran a local 5K race on Sat., rested on Sun and Mon.  Now they're ready for a run and wondered if I'd join them.  O what the heck.

Wendy asked:  "How far are we running today?"  "You have a race in 10 days at Snow Canyon right?  Just follow me.  We'll get you ready for Snow Canyon."  Mary chimed in:  "You know we can't run that fast, we just ran a race on Sat."  Me said:  "It's okay, I am really tired today so we'll take it nice and easy."  (I know I'm evil!)  I think they can run sub-10 min mile and just don't know it.

First mile was done in 10:19 as we rehashed our Sat. 5K races.  We picked up the pace a little to finish the second mile in 10:00.  Everyone's happy.  I picked up the pace ever so slightly, finishing the third mile in 9:36.  We shed our jackets and gloves.

I decided to take them up to the road that ran alongside the Murdock Canal.  A little blip incline got the heart rates up and ready for the test.  Wendy began to protest:  "We can't run that fast."  Me said:  "Yes you can, the road is now flat (it's a lie, it's winding rolling along the canal, but very doable).  We just need to get in a good rhythm.  Relax, easy smooth strides, this portion will similate parts of the Snow Canyon trail.  C'mon."  They weren't able to let an old lady beat them.  We finished that mile in 9:00 min. flat.  (I gotta tell them later.)

The next mile has a 0.3 mile downhill.  "K girls.  This is the fun part where we practice flying down the hill.  No fear.. feet landing just under your hips...."  I flew down with them following.  I waited for them at the intersection where there's a school crossing.  I then took them into a little neighborhood so their legs recover and get ready for the next stretch.  We finished that mile in 9:23. 

The last mile has a 0.6 mile uphill portion.  "Remember hills are our friends.  Just pump those arms, your knees and legs would follow."  I kept looking back and yelling:  "You're doing great, keep pumping."  We crested the hill.  "GREAT JOB!  No stopping.  Take advantage of that blood pumping thru your beautiful hearts to those legs.  Keep running.  We're almost home."  Just as we got our breathe I announced:  "When we round the corner, we have just a little more to to.  Let's kick it in gear.  That looping power line is our finish arch.  We'll race over that and raise our arms up in a triumphant finish.  Don't let an old lady beat you."  We finished that last mile in 9:32. 

They were ready to kill me.  I invited them to my house for a cool drink and join me in a recovery yoga stretchi.  Wendy laughed more than she stretched thru our little yoga session.  Mary asked:  "When's the Ogden Marathon again?"  It will be her first ever marathon. 

I LOVE serendipity!!!

I have been goofing off the last two weeks.  Come to think of it, I've been funning it for the last 3 marathons .  Nothing wrong with that...other than my speed has suffered.

Boston 09 is 24.5 weeks away, I need to get back on track.  Teena's awesome Tempo run yesterday inspired me.  I know I'm a different runner than her.  I could NEVER run as fast as her.  Here's my old lady version of a tempo run.

6 miles Tempo run in 53:50, average pace: 8:55

Warm up mile - 10:18 (Why does it take SO LONG for an old arthritic lady on a cold day to get going...Sigh...) 

Mile 2 - 9:06 (I love running this pace)

Mile 3 - 8:40

Mile 4 - 8:42 (this is my half marathon pace for a 4 hr. marathon)

Mile 5 - 8:41

Man, I've forgotten how much concentration it takes to sustain the pace on a tempo run...my mind would wander (I don't wear music)...I would get lazy...I want to enjoy the Fall scenary. 

Mile 6 - 8:20 (this is my goal pace for tempo runs, eventually)

0.5 mile - 10:00 (cool down jog home)

We're remodeling a bedroon downstairs.  Hubby has an assignment for me.  I have to tape all the moldings (including the walk-in closet) so he can paint the walls when he gets home tonight.  Can I count all that bending, stretching, squatting as xtraining?

Stayed up late painting, busy day.  Didn't go run until at dusk.  I admire those who run after work.  It was tough going the first mile.  Everything hurts.  Finally got in the groove after 1.5 miles. The beautiful sunset, crisp fall air made it worthwhile.   Easy 4 miles in 38:37.  Splits: 10:42 (yikes), 9:34, 9:21, 9:00.

Around the world Abs core work out 20 reps.

Upper body weights 30 reps.

Around the clock lunges w/ weights 15 reps.

Wall sit 3x15 reps.

Calves raises single 15 reps, double 30 reps.

AM/PM yoga

Protein banana smoothies (yum) 

After Jon's last night reminder of the Murdock Cananl.  I decided to run the Canal trail this morning.  I ran the trail a lot in the summer on easy days.  It's packed dirt, uneven terrain.  There are couple of gates but they're never closed.  I always wonder if I was breaking the law as there're "no trespasses" signs posted.

I ran west on Bull River Rd till I reach the trail access on 1500 West, just south of SR92.  I love running east on this trail.  The canal is dry but the view of Mt Timpanogos and Alpine Lone Peak is spectacular.  There were no ducks today, just lots of birds.  I saw a little chickadee on the opposite side of the canal.  It started running "with" me for a good 100 m.  It was fun to watch the "cadence" of those little twiggy legs.  It made this high pitch tweetie noice the whole time we were running together.  So fun, now IF ONLY I had feathers, I'd be a chickadee runner.

6.5 miles in 1:03:30.  More taping and painting today.

*** I just notice that my total weekly mileage is the same as my sleep time. Weird.

I know it's off the subject/topic of running.  Just asking...

On Monday when I picked up my son at the high school I saw this little turtle walking in the road in front of the school.  It would have become a road kill if I hadn't seen it.  Now I'm wondering if I did the wrong thing by bringing it home. 

What do turtles eat?  I think my turtle is either depressed or very shy.  She/he hasn't eaten anything.  She/he likes to hide underneath the lettuce leaf I gave her/him for food. 

How do you tell the gender of a turtle?  Can turtle hear? 

Fall, Fun, Food, Friends, Full schedules---First Day of November.

John and Wendy picked me up at 6:50 am.  It had rained the night before,  the sky was cloudy and it was DARK.  I began to worry what this Day after Halloween 10 miler run with the FRBs would turn out.  I was so excited to finally meet Kelli, Britta, Marion, Maurine, Leslie, JonA, Scott, Harold.  And where was Teena?  Was she lost, did she fall?  O...goodness she was changing in her car 'cause she was too hot after running in the dark and waiting for us.  She kept telling us we were over-dressed.  Yep, she's right, it was the warm before the storm.  But what a beautiful morning it turned out to be.

The boys went ahead and left us in the dark.  Speedy Teena had miles to go so she took off w/ Britta.  Wendy and I found a new friend in Kelli.  What an awesome girl she is.  I love running with her.  She has perfect running forms and I don't see anywhere she could loose 5 lb. of post-5-babies-fat.  That girl has talents and was so kind to run SLOW with me.

At around mile 4, the boys were on their way back looking good.  It was quite a climb up that last mile.  Me, the ever directionally challenged girl, began to worry where Britta and Teena had gone to and we saw no sign of them.  Wendy had to stop to stretch her foot, I took 7 oz of HEED.  Kelli took no drinks at all.   I must be still in summer training mode...careful about dehydration...cramps.  Nah...silly me.

It was very gentleman of Scott to run back and "escorted" every runner in.  I had wanted to run 4 more miles but realized I only had enough time to find a suitable place to release my rescued turtle.  Kelli walked back w/ me to the river to find a place for Mr. turtle. Mission accomplished and finally one by one Scott brought back all the runners.

Then we had a nice tail-gate party.  Marion brought a "buffet" of hot chocolate with fancy cups.  Kelli brought these gynormous muffins.  I would have eaten all three kinds if they weren't so huge.  All good things come to an end, we had to bid good bye.   I hope we get to do this again.  THANKS everyone for a WONDERFUL morning run.