Stroller pushin in Texas

I guess I better update my blog... It has been a long time.  

Three weeks ago I was married to David Sondrup in the SLC LDS Temple.  We were married on Monday, September 12th.  It was an absolutely beautiful day.  We were the only ones that were married in the Temple that day.  It was nice to take all the time in the world... Just a perfect day.

The following Friday we celebrated our wedding with family and friends at the Salt Lake Hardware Building.  Just a beautiful and an amazing day!  The following day we opened our gifts and started our move down to Del Rio, Texas.

As for running, I put in on the back-burner for about three weeks.  I knew it was taper time, I just REALLY tapered.  I was not going to stress out about my upcoming marathon but rather try to enjoy my time with my new husband.  I spent a lot of time on the TM.  I actually have not ran outside since we have been in Texas. 

 Anyway.... Now to the St. George Marathon....

I had no expectations of myself going into this marathon.  I felt like I could push myself bellow a 3:20 if my body would allow.  I knew that whatever happened, I would end up with a fine time.  I was at St. George, my favorite race.... What could possibly go wrong?

I got to the bus with the gang (RAD, Toby, Smooth, Karen, Walter, Danielle, Teena, and Fonz).  I could really feel the marathon energy that was flowing between everyone.  I sat by Toby on the way up to the start line.  It was really fun talking to a first time marathon runner.  It really made me think back to my first marathon, which was also at St. George.  I was excited for her.

This year I went to the elite section of the start line.  Lines were long for the POPs.  Didn't feel so special.

Gun went off and we headed toward the line.  I figured I would start with the 3:25 pace group and work down from there.  We were off!

I stayed with the group for a little bit and then pulled ahead to the 3:15 pace group, even staying ahead of them a little.  I felt great!  6 miles past and I hit my 10k at 45 minutes.  I still felt there was not too much effort involved, I just kept tuggin away. 

Veyo came.  Still felt fine.  My heart rate actually climbed a little, no prob.

I slowed 8-12 miles because I knew they were going a little uphill.  I was hanging around the 3:15 pace group at this point.

Mile 13: Not a good feeling....  I could feel the muscle fibers in my quads, they were already torn.   "Oh dear Rebecca, we have a problem."  I thought to myself.  "We are half way and the best part of the race is still coming. Poop."  I decided that I would just run at a good clip as much as I could before my legs were completely gone.

Mile 16:  Gone.  Quads, all gone.  What to do now?  Just cruise I guess.  By mile 18 the 3:25 pace group caught me.  Dang it!!!  I was not going to PR this day.  I felt fine waist up.  Sweating now because I didn't know if my legs would make it or not...  I just had to cruise.

Mile 20:  I just wanted to cry.  This is the part of the race I can usually blast past everyone.  Not this day.  I watched as some people were passing me, I was jealous.  There was nothing left in my legs.  I watched my 7:15 pace slow to a 8 minute pace, 8:15 mp, 8:45.... By the end it was a slow 10 mp. 

Mile 22:  No more stopping at aid stations.  I couldn't get my legs to start up again.  Stopping was out of the question. 

Last 10 miles were really a shuffle.  I was actually laughing at myself, I could not believe this was possible.  My heart rate was slow and I just wanted to finish.

I saw my mom at 26.1, gave her a wave and a big smile.  I was about done.

I was not happy with my performance.  I felt I ran the race WRONG and trained WRONG.  Looking back at the past few months, I actually felt fine with how I did.  I wish David would have been there to see me finish in person, oh well.  He watched me finish on the live coverage of the race, pretty cool.  I am thankful to be running.  :)

It's Monday and I can barely walk.  There is a marathon in Texas in two weeks that I really want to do.  Hopefully I can walk by then. :)

elliptical 1 hour.  It felt nice getting my legs going.  I could pretty much walk normally after the elliptical.  

Stair machine thing.  1 hour.  

I think I did the stairs at the gym. 

One hour on the Arc Machine.  Not too shabby of a machine, still doesn't compare with my stairs.

Holliday so I got to go to the gym with David.  :)  Of course I did the stairs and he did the elliptical. 

There was a man watching me while I did the Stair Master.  It was a funny sight; he would peek his head around the corner from inside  the weight room glancing at me on the stairs.  When I got off he said, "OMG!!!  How long were go on that machine?  Do your legs hurt?  No, you are probably used to it.  Wow, just wow."  I am happy that someone recognized the hard work I put into that machine."

An hour and ten minutes on the stairs. 

Stair machine one hour.  All I do is climb...stairs! 

So tomorrow I am doing the Marathon 2 Marathon in Marathon, Texas.  After David's classes today we are driving to Fort Stockton, spending the night and driving down the highway to register for the marathon at the start line in the morning.  Online registration has already closed and we can't make it to the pasta dinner, so they are letting us register at the start line.  Pretty laid back race I would say. 

I am kind of excited to run this race for a few reasons.  1.  I get to run in the environment where I now live.  2.  Meet the crazies that will come to a place out in the middle of nowhere to run.  3.  Just run for fun.  4.  David is running the 5k, so he will get to see me finish.  :) 

I will have to blog about my experience, should be a good one. 

Marathon 2 Marathon!!!

This was an exciting marathon for me for some reason.   The race was at 4,000 feet, which for Texas is pretty high up.  The race itslef was really out in the middle of NOWHERE. 

David and I drove three hours north of Del Rio to Fort Stockton to spend the night, since Marathon was sold out of rooms.  Woke up at 6:20, ate breakfast, and headed to the start line to register. 

26 miles out of Marathon was the start line with about 70 people waiting in line for 2 porta potties.  I registered for the marathon and David registered for the 5k.  I was not going to wait in line for the bathroom, so I had David drive me 2 miles up the road.  Went on the side of the road and then drove back to the start.  Blow horn went off and off the runners went. I did not like the fact that this race started at 8.  Way too late. 

First three miles were up hill.  David drove next to me making sure I was maintaining an 8 mm.  I was a little under and felt fine.  Down hill miles came until about mile seven and I maintained my pace.  I was in second place.  David drove away to go and run the 5k at that point.

My miles started slowing with the endless miles running on a straight road appearing to go out into the middle of death land.  It was getting hot, my legs were tired, and I wanted to be done.  I hit my half at 1:44, which was reasonable.

Slower, every mile was slower.  If I could get to 20, see David, I will be on my way.... Just have to get to David.  David came at mile 16 and my wheels fell of big time.  I just stopped and walked with him and could NOT get running again.  I have him push my back side into a run and now we were running at a 13 mm.   HA!  Might as well just walk.  I told David to get lost and meet me at the next station, I had lost everything.  Lady runners started passing me, I really didn't care.

Got to eighteen, then twenty, cried at 22 when I saw a HUGE hill I had to go up.  Thankfully, I met a lady that talked me up the hill to the next mile.  She brought my pace down to an 8:30 mm and I really coudln't handle it.

24, came.... I was moving my body along.  All I thought about was David pushing me to the finish.  Saw David at mile 26 and about died, I was ready to finish.  Finished the race and I was done.  :) 

Legs didn't hurt like St. George, they were fatigued and just plain heavy.  We sat in some large rocking chairs in the shade for a few minutes.  I knew I hadn't pushed it hard when I told David I was ready to eat lunch.  We walked over to an art studio where they had a large spread of yummy food from the local restaurants.  I had vegetarian enchiladas, rice, bean salad, cocunut juice, and a cookie.  :)  We went outside on the sidewalk to eat as we cheered other runners into the finish. 

Amazing race atmosphere.  I have a feeling I will be going back to this race on fresh legs next year.  By the time I had finished it was 88 degrees.  It grew warmer in the next two hours as people were still running.  The start was really late.  No shade, no cloud coverage.

ARCtrainer 1 hour

Stairs 1 hour.  Legs tired and heavy.

45 minutes elliptical. 15 minutes stairs.

6 miles with the half marathon training group.  We went 6 miles around the base.  Mile 4 my husband snuck up behind me while I was running and hugged me, I screamed.  The girls in the group were a little scared too.  Our pace was very slow, I would say about 9:30 AP.  Very nice to talk and run to a few ladies from the base.

1 hour on the stair machine.

I won a race?  Ha!  That tells you that not too many fast running ladies live around Laughlin Air Force Base. 

David and I showed up to the race an hour before the start and picked up our numbers.  One of the perks about the military is that the base races are free.  We are signed up to do a five mile run in November and a half marathon in December.  Each race has a few prizes as well.  Not a bad deal at all.... I really wish there were more people that would get involved on base.  Physical fitness is such a big deal but yet no one really gets out to the races.

David and I warmed up 1 mile on the un-graded track.  We noticed a cross country team of boys warming up as well.  I told David he actually had some competition, he got excited.  We watched the kids races that were taking place before our race, kids are cute.  :)

Our race started.  I just love 5ks, NOT.  They tend to push me out of my comfort zone of running, especially a week after a marathon.  I never train for 5ks, they are just fast.  I got going and realized it was only 3.1 miles, I could handle this. 

Finished as the first lady, which has never happened for me... Not at a super fast time either.  The 5k got me excited to run shorter, faster distances.  I'm excited for our next few races.

As for David... He took second by one second.  None of the cross boys won, another Lt. that ran track for the academy won.  They were both really happy with their races.  Go boys! 

5 progressive miles on the TM.  Felt good.

1 hour on the Stairmaster.  I have never sweat that much in my life.  By the time I was done there were puddles and my shirt and shorts were dripping.  Gross. 

Wanted to run five but only made it to three when my body felt gross.

I hour stairs. 

Stair addiction needs to be cut off.  Running needs to be the addiction again. 

30 min. Arc machine

15 minutes arm work

30 minutes bike

20 min legs and core

Great workout.  Later I made butternut squash soup, delicious!  Let me know if you want the recipe and I will send it to you! 

Spin class.  After twenty minutes there were two HUGE sweat puddles under my bike!  Looked around the room and NO ONE else had sweat under their bike.  By the end of class the girls in front of me had a few drips on the floor.  Somethin is worng with my sweat button or the others weren't workin hard enough!!!! 

I had NOTHING left in me after spin.  Called it a day.

It is sooo cold here!  It's 50!  What the H?  The other day it was 85. 

Early stuff at the gym this morning:

30 minutes ARC trainer

30 minutes bike.

Bike killed me.  I am ready to pour on a hard workout tomorrow.  We shall see.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE RUNNING THE HALLOWEEN HALF!!!!

30 minutes on the stairs

15 minutes lifting arms

30 minutes on the bike

20 minutes legs and core

30 minutes on the TM

30 minutes on the stairs

30 minutes on the bike

Good workout!

Under estimated the Trick or Treaters.  I went through 180 pieces of candy, ran out, and then had to shut the door and turn the lights out.  There were lots of little goblins on the base!