Each Day Is a Gift

Didn't get any text from my running buddies (found out later that my phone was not receiving group messages, stink!)  By the look of the swaying trees, I decided it's probably too windy to run outside especially with my cold (don't want to get worse).  So got on the treadmill for the first time since back in March when I was in Australia and would occasionally run 5K or less on the mission home's new TM (which has kilometers readings only with a smaller running deck).  It was always way too warm and so was today in my "home gym".  Due to hubby's kidney disease, he feels cold in anything below 70s, our house thermastat is set at 76-78.  The home gym is inside the masterbedroom so it's even warmer as hubby has a space heater set up where he does dialysis.  

20 min warm up (around 2 miles), then did 5x one min on/off (8:00/10:00), 5x one min on/off (7:30/10:00). Warm down in the low 8 pace for 1.5 miles.   10K in 53:55.  I know that there's no way I was running that fast.  My TM is 10 years old and has not been calibrated so I think it's about 40-50 seconds off the target pace.  

I ran out on the porch to cool down immediately afterward.  I must've looked pretty silly standing there in the freezing cold, wearing shorts and short-sleeve top sweating up buckets...but felt so good! :) 

Got a single text from Karen inviting me to join them.  She was puzzled that I hadn't been replying to her previous texts.  Anyhow, I wasn't ready to go; so they ran 3 miles before coming to get me at my house.  We ran west on MCT then east back to their neighborhood and I ran home solo.  Cloudy but calm, temp at 28F.  Sure beat running solo in the "sauna home TM"!  :)

PM: went to visit Sister Levine at the University of Utah Hospital rehab unit.  She was very aggitated because she just had a long PT session.  But when Larry spoke to her, she calmed down and tracked with her eyes to look at Larry and listened intently.  When her mom asked her: "can you say President Lew?"  She whispered: "President Lew.".  She was pulling and pinching my hand when I held her hand because she was pinching and pulling her own eyebrows and lips.  (she even bite her mom's finger!)  Then as I talked to her about her companions, she calmed down and listened intently.  When I said: "I love you!"  She burrowed her brows and mouthed "I love you!".  What a tender moment!  Larry started to weep when we said goodbye to her.  It was very hard for us to see her like that.  We have faith that she will recover.  She was a very special missionary and no doubt the Lord protected her when she was hit by the car going 40mph and was pinned under the car.  All the doctors said they couldn't understand how there was not a single broken bone.  She suffered massive head trauma.  It's been 83 days and she has made huge improvement over the last week.  We joined many from around the world to pray for her and her family every single day!

Short and easy run with Karen and Leslie around the neighborhood.

Went to movie with hubby and Steven.  Got mine and Wendy's bib for Thankful 13.  Looks like lotsa runners registered and the weather will be nice tomorrow...should be fun!

Cooked and cleaned up the rest of the day and evening...am exhausted now.

Up at 5am, got a text from Eric that they're on their way from Tucson and should arrive after 3pm.  SO excited to have them home for Thanksgiving!!!  Got up at 6ish.  John picked me up at 7:30 and drop Wendy and me off at the start of the Thankful 13.  I couldn't believe how many runners participating; according to the results page there were 1,050 half-marathoners and 1,050 5K'ers.  I signed up for this because it's so close to home and the fees go to support community service and food bank. 

Weather was perfect, 36F, cloudy most of the way, calm except for a bit of headwind from the east on the last mile.  This course is out and back with lots of turns and one loop between mile 6-8, a pretty honest course.  Wendy, Rhonda and I lined up together and took over 3 min. to cross the start mat.  We ran together chatting away.  Soon after the railway overpass, I took off passing lots of runners.  I didn't want to get boxed in once we reached the narrower Jordan River parkway.  It took me 4 miles to catch the 2:05 pacers weaving around and passing bazillion runners.  I don't believe I've passed this many runners in all the races I've run.  I've never seen the JRP this CROWDED!!!  I walked through every aid station.  Gu'ed at mile 5 and 8 aid stations, had to wait to get the water as it was so crowded.  It got warm pretty quickly so I took off my jacket and wrapped around my waist which caused me about 90 seconds and the 2:05 group passed me.  I kept them within 100-200 m the whole way until the last 200 m when the pacers started to walk telling everyone to pass them because they were ahead of the pace time! 

I had alot of fun, loved reading all the signs with things people submitted that they're thankful for.  Some of them made me laugh.  They had pumpkin pies, dinner rolls, pumpkin spice cake and hot chocolate at the finish. 

Happy Thanksgiving!!! :)
 

No running!  Spent the whole day playing with grandkids and time with family! :)

Nice easy solo run on MCT east to top of Dry Creek then west to Freeway.  Precious couple of days spent with Eric and his family.  They will be driving home at the wee hours tomorrow because he has to be back at work 5:30am Monday.  I hate goodbyes!