Create.

I am so glad you are getting a well deserved rest and vaca! okay, not much rest with all the 'fun', but stress rest :) Love the posts and thanks for sharing the pics! I'd be crying if I fell down in my clips on a trail like that!!

Rachel~

I am having so so so much fun. I need to adjust one of my cleats this morning though because my knee started aching last night. The funny thing about my wipe outs is that I only seem to fall going uphill when it is too steep or I misjudging my timing when trying to lift my front tire over some obstacle. The path we were on in the picture has a long steady up climb with a bunch of ledge like rocks on it. SO SO SO FUN!!! I am totally addicted. :) :) :) How are you feeling? How is your toe?

Is that a skull and crossbones on your helmet??

Awesome! Red Rocks is incredible. You should take a hike up to Turtlehead Peak if you get a chance.

Andrea~

Looks like it. It's actually my daughter's helmet (if I remember right, it was the only one that fit her when we bought it at Sports Authority a couple of years back). It fits me great!!! :) BUT ... if you tell me that it is symbolic of something bad then I will have to get rid of it. So ... is it??

Scott~

I will have to look that up. :) Not sure that we will be able to hit it this time around though. Ry is still asleep, but when he wakes up it will be GO GO GO time. More mtb'ing, running and golfing today, and then Phantom tonight. :)

have fun!!

sounds like perfect fun fun fun times!!! :) :) :)

When I was watching the xterra championships in maui I could NOT believe the trails they were on - I'd just get out and walk my bike. I wouldn't have even tried to ride up them! So, I can see how you could biff it on the uphills - that trail looks a little too daunting to me. I LOVE to hike, but trail running and mtn biking scare me - a lot! I'll stick to the road with running and biking :) Metatarsal is doing better, hobbling around after a shower and to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night (without boot) is getting easier. I still wouldn't be able to forget it though! 6 days to new x-rays and hopefully good news about healing!

Sounds like a blast! I think I need to get down there for some R&R. Turtlehead is pretty easy and has great views of the city.

T NA NA - Mtn bike rasberries and all, what are those two bike helmets doing? Breaking in those darn cleats hey? Only a few scabs, great work.

Stay Kool, Elvis in the house, B of BS Rools out

Hey woman, don't you know your supposed to keep the shiny side up when your out riding? Wahoooo!

I'm so glad you're having fun! You deserve a nice recharge like that! :) When will you be home?

Thanks everyone for the fun comments!! We had SO SO SO much fun on our little vacation. :)

RUBBER DUCKY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh85R-S-dh8

Ain't that just Ducky!

I just thought I'd glance at what you were up to and its been so entertaining!!! Looks like you guys had a Wonderful time! I have to tell you, I just spotted that we have the same mtn. bike! I'm terrible at mtb but my husband loves it...wish I had your drive.

Fly~

That is one of my all time favorite clips!!! :) :) :) Also, the rubber ducky encounter got me thinking about our trail runs. What are your thoughts this year about starting our own random shine someplace on the trails? I'm in! We just need to think of something totally random (and easy to carry). Ideas? (We could latch one on each time we would run there and see if people start doing the same. It would be our cool little experiment!!) :) :) :)

Slick~

That it is!!! :) :) :)

McKenzie~

I am pretty horrible myself but getting better!!! It's those dang clips that make me fall. I have thought about putting my regular pedals back on but I love the clips too much when I am not falling!!! :) :) :) I need to get really good at mtb'ing by the XTERRA race though!! In other words, I have a lot of biking to do! :) :) :) I just looked at your blog. You are putting in some serious miles. NICE!!! (What are your racing plans?)

Im a slacker! My main goal was to PR at UVM but now we will be on a cruise with our family so I'm not running it. Who knows~ I just run to run :)

How about a Bowling Ball Bush?

Hmmm... I've seen

the shoe tree -RIP- http://www.flickr.com/photos/yahooeditorspicks/galleries/72157625622022837/

prayer flag cairns,

Teakettle Junction- http://www.sginn.com/journals/20100407-Death-Valley-Trip/images/P20100414132652-24-1DsMkIII.jpg

Fence post art- http://67.41.210.1/fenceposts/thumbs_1.html

Bra trees, underwear trees, and Mardi Gras trees- http://www.mountainyahoos.com/BrasBeadsAndShoeTrees.html

random, lonely Xmas trees

your post of the rubber ducky Joshua

Hmmmm.... what else? What else could be? I wonder what could be done that wouldn't upset tender-hearted tree huggers too much?

Fly~

Hmmmm ... we seriously need to put some thought into this.

- Super Hero figures

- Little bird houses

- Lipsticks

Think!! Think!! Think!! :) :) :)

So many options ...

FLY FLY FLY!!!!

I GOT IT!!!!!!! :) :) :)

How about empty Pez dispensers????

*Super light weight so they should NOT hurt the trees at all.

*Inexpensive.

*Extremely cool!!!! :) :) :)

Think the Pez dispensers would just be carried away??? (maybe it doesn't matter) I don't think I've ever bought a Pez. How much does a Pez cost? Do they come with candy in them?

Certainly a better idea than lipstick. I don't have any lipsticks lying around that I'm ready to part with and I wouldn't relish the idea of stopping by the Sev to pick one up.... ;)

Good luck with your new semester! :) Glad to see you are back into running full swing again. :)

Ditto what Brooke said! :)

Can't wait to see you in 11 days and 12 hours. :) :) :) :)

Brooke~

School is great, but I have to ask: Are you loving being out of school and making money???? :) :) :) Love and miss you!

SSF~

Wow!!! That is right around the corner!!! Is Prez coming? It looks like Annie and I might be going up w/o hubbies, but not sure yet. Love and miss you!

YES!! I don't make THAT much, but one time while James and I were looking at our finances, I was like "whoa, I make a lot of money!" Haha. :) I've never made that much before. Oh, and everytime I say to James "I really like our house." He'll always say "Good! Because you're paying for it!" :) It's a pretty satisfying feeling. :) Education is awesome!

SSF ~ Prez. is not going to SG. He's got ward conference. :(

NICE miles and biking on a Tue and second day of semester! :)

GOOD JOB!!!:) Happy Tue.!!!:) L&MY!:)

Thanks SSF! :)

Very cool. I'm going to show this to Prez.! :) Thanks for sharing!

You've been getting in some killer workouts. That video was fun to watch.

Great educational video! thanks,

Hi Dale and Lyman!!! :)

Very cool video!! No chance of you sitting and sleeping for 23 1/2 hours!

Now we both have "jobs" where we can sneak in some good working out!

I am back. I have missed you. Nice to see you are still at it. Have you decided if you are going to run the St. George half?

Nice workouts Teena! :) Way to juggle everything nicely. :) I love that video you posted by the way. So true!

You are seriously the QUEEN of multi-tasking! :) :) :) :)

NICE to have the *benefit* of lab too!

GOOD JOB!!! Love you! :)

Kel~

I have some great classes this semester! :)

Kathie~

YAY!!! You are back!! Yes, I am running SG Half. I am a back up pacer in the case that someone drops out (in a pace that I can pace of course). If not I can either race or help pace a group. You going to be there?

Brooke~

I thought the video was cool!!! :) When are we getting together?

SSF~

Wish you were in my labs with me!!!! Love you! :)

great run today and super week so far! i hope everything is feeling strong and healthy for you.

Great Run! Speedy!

Dang Girl! You're running faster than me these days. I better get my act together or you'll beat me at UVM this year. Are you running UVM?

Allie, Matt and Rhett~

This is not my normal comfortable pace. I was pushing hard!!! :) :) :)

The GREAT news is that although it was difficult there were no aches, pains or niggles (before, during or after)!!! :) :) :)

HAPPY FRIDAY!!! :)

Are you sticking to 3 days running and xtrain the other days?

How are your classes this semester?

Love and miss you! :)

SSF~

Right now I am at 4 days running per week. I will likely move it up to 5 days a week soon. Just trying to generally stay within the 10-15% increase rule. I still need to figure out just the right balance of cross training and running (although it is really not cross training anymore since they are part of the XTERRA). :)

How are you??? :)

This semester seems to be a good one so far. The only thing that has been a bummer is that last semester I had Fridays off and this semester I don't. :(

Love you!

What a fun day!!! :) love you! See you in 6 days!: :) :) :)

That was a great week of running and cross training. Keep it up.

SSF~

I'm excited to see you too!!! :)

Rhett~

I have to keep it up or else I will be destroyed in the XTERRAs. I have no choice!!! ;)

Nice hill workout! :) That quote is one of the best I've read from him, thanks for sharing it!

Thanks, sweet Brooke! :)

AWESOME hill run and bike workout!!! :) :) :) :)

LOVE Rev. King's inspiring quotes! Thanks for sharing! :)

Did you have the day off from school today? Hope it was great! :) Love you!

SSF~

Yep, had the day off of classes but had to study like a mad woman since I played during the weekend! :)

Love you, too. :)

nice work, teena. that's a great pace for 10 miles. i am certain i didn't crack 9:00 pace this morning.

Allie~

I don't think I would have cracked any pace this morning if I had to run outside!!!! You are so stinkin' tough!!! :)

You LOVE to push hard and 7:59 AP sounds better than 8! :)

Nice speedy run and super fast swim! :) :) :) :)

Love you! :)

Nice run, Teena. You're funny.

T NA NA - every time I read your workouts, you are a Tri natural, what is you favorite color of brick? Your bricks are building a strong foundation. I expect you will have a great Exterra.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

Ditto on the 7:59 pace in cold weather, awesome.

nice run Teena!

Nice work Teena! You are doing great work! Glad the x-training is still keeping you happy :) XTERRA ON GIRL!!

duh? your training three different disciplans....get some rest! Keep up the great training!

SSF~

I can't seem to break that pace with the swim though. :( L&MY

Dale, Tim, Rachel and Slick ~

Thanks!!! :) :) :)

Brent~

My favorite type of "brick" is actually a sprint tri!! For whatever reason I love those distances together. But I also love to get in the pool for a swim AFTER running (which is never what happens in a real tri though). :) :) :)

Very nice. We have a Havasu Tri in March. You should bring down your family, stay at our place and do it. They offer both a sprint and Olympic distance race.

Rhett~

Just looked up your tri! LOOKS AWESOME and is perfect timing!! Sadly, I do not have a road bike ... only a mountain bike. :(

I'm sure we can find you a road bike to borrow. :)

Nice run and great pace!

Thanks, Steam!!! :)

Your training is looking so solid! I wish I could run just one mile in 8:15! :) :) :)

Will I see you on sat.? Are you gonna race it? Love and miss you! :)

Nice job Teena.

SSF~

I will be disappointed if I don't see you! Annie and I are leaving tomorrow around 1:00 (after my lab) and then we will be coming home right after the race (probably all stinky and gross).

Not sure if I am pacing or racing. It all depends on if all of the pacers within my pacing abilities show or not. :)

I'd pace you if I were going to be there. Haha

SSF ~ you girls are leaving before us. Have a safe drive! I will look for you at the start or finish! Looks like it might rain...your favorite race weather! :) Love you!

Nice race Teena. How to interpret your time? Maybe you're better, stronger, and faster this year?

Rob~

I would LOVE it if that were the case. Just seems impossible since I have been running less miles.

Great race. I am glad you are behind the injury. I think showing up last minute, although stressful, helps the adrenaline. My best 10k was run off 2 hours of sleep and I literally woke up 5 minutes before getting to the start line (I slept in the car).

Sounds like it's the case to me as well. No way to cheat that course. You earn everything you get on it. Awesome comeback!!!

way to go, teena. it's great to see you back to form after your SF. nice job on just running by feel and relying less on on your watch. sometimes those things are just too generous with their feedback. :)

congrats to annie on her sub-2. sounds like you had a fun trip!

SSF ~ AWESOME race!!! Your fitness level is in tip top shape...SUCCESS!!! :) :) :)

Glad you finally ran by feel. That's the best way to run. SOLID all the way!!! :)

I think *hurry up* or *get as much done in as little time as possible* is your middle name! :) Love you! :)

I really like the looks of your race. You did a fantastic job with this course. You are a very powerful little runner...GREAT WORK!

T NA NA, if the course was short, would not be much, very good time coming back from rehab with the rain, 500 commando points. I think all your cross training paid off keeping you in great shape. Stay healthy and a run strong.

Stay Kool, B of BS rools out

(I would guess you got stuck in the same traffic as I did, we made the start with 2 minutes to spare.

Wow, being pressed for time, barely making it to the starting line and having a great run is awesome. Nice job.

Fritz~

I agree. If I could just plan each race perfectly to arrive within 2 minutes of starting. :)

Mike~

HEY!!! How are you? Long time since we have chatted. Too long! :)

Allie~

SO GREAT to have the SF behind me!!! Now to just run smart! :)

SSF~

I hate always being in a hurry. Sadly, a lot of times that is the only way for me to fit everything in. Love you! :)

Bec~

I am just happy to be running pain free! :)

Brent~

Thanks!!! I am starting to get very nervous about the XTERRAs though! :)

Dale~

Thanks!!! It was fun!!! :)

WOW, great race! All that cross training during your SF really paid off, way to go! :)

WOW!!! Ramping up the miles already!!!

NICE work!!! :) L&MY! :)

There is great picture of you on the utahrunning.com facebook page. If that isn't you I apologize. :)

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150717498593852.504429.164785973851&type=1

https://www.facebook.com/utahrunning

SSF~

I just used the half as part of my build-up phase. I am still just slowly increasing by roughly 10% each week until I get to where I want to be. Sadly, I have no idea where that is at since I am not sure how to balance training for the XTERRAs and marathons. Just playing it by ear! :) :) :)

Fritz~

Funny! That is me!!! I very much dislike running pics of me though. Every time I see them I say to myself, "I hope that is not what I really look like." But, I am sure that is exactly how I look!!! :)

Good job, Teena! Where do you find the time? Send some my way, would ya?

AWESOME sprint!!! :) You always push hard!!! GOOD JOB!!!

SSF~

Not always ... but I like it when I do. :)

I really love this!

Rachel~

I am glad that you really love this! :)

GREAT WEEK! I love all of the biking and swimming, not sure how you fit it all in! Seriously, if i was not so scared to bike outside, I think I would quit running and become a biker. It is a butt kicking work out! I love it.

Thanks for the great massage (mean massage-but no bruising) and the chat today. I would have come if I had been miraculously healed overnight just to see you. It has been way too long. SO-now I owe you lunch and you better go with me! That or we can make it a date again with out husbands. I like Ryan, I wore his sweats! And boy did I wear them. ;o)

Looks like a great run. I did some swimming Monday morning and thought of you. I've got a long ways to go to get myself in swimming shape. All your cross training for your tri is going to make you an even better runner. Keep it up.

Kel~

Thanks! And you are certainly welcome!!! :)

Rhett~

I feel like I am overall in better shape than usual, but not as well trained running specifically. I have enjoyed it though. Needless to say, I am extremely nervous about the XTERRAs. My mountain biking skills (the technical side) still need A LOT of work. :)

Check out your mileage! :)

Ummm...I owe you lunch too! :) Love and miss you!!!

SSF~

You have to remember that my mileage is a combination of running and crosstraining miles. :)

I am hoping to be in the mid 40s this week and to 50 within the next week or two (in running miles). At that point I will just try and maintain it there for a while. :)

As for lunch: I will take it!!!! :) :) :) How one of you buy me lunch and the other dessert??? :) Sounds PERFECT to me!!! :)

I AM IN! I will buy the desert, and lots of it! i feel some Red Mango coming on.

NICE miles and pace!!!! WAY to brave the cold and dark!!! So NICE to have JohnnyV's company!!! :)

I don't carry water since there is an ever-flowing fountain I dubbed fountain of youth at the Alpine park. The fountain is encrusted with ice and still flowing with the yummiest spring water. When I did carry fluid, instead of a fuel belt, I tucked the small flasks in my jacket pockets and that seem to keep them from turning into slush! :)

6 in the morning is the problem. Our race started at 10 (just so I could sleep in) and by that time it was toasty. Great run!

I'm glad you got out, even at 6 am.

Great race last Saturday! That's a great time for a flat half. Keep up the good work.

SSF~

Good thought on the fluid!!! Miss you! :)

Fritz~

Glad that the racing planners were sensitive to your sleeping patterns! :)

Matt~

I just could NOT do another long run alone! I think it is definitely time to get the crew back together. :)

If it's cold enough to turn my Powerade to slush, it's too cold for me! :)

Marc~

I agree with you!!! :) :) :)

But you did it anyway. ;o)

excellent mid-week run Teena! I love to see the miles and no aches and pains, I'm sure you love it even more :)

WOW!!! 12 miles with 8 fast ones!!! AWESOME!!!! :) :) :)

I assume you got 25 min of studying done on the bike too?!!! :) :) :)

L&MY!!! :)

I want to run like you when I grow up!

Rachel~

You are right. I am loving how I feel right now. :)

SSF~

Yep!!! Plus, I was able to study during my warmup and cooldown miles as well. AWESOME! L&MY2. :)

Maynard~

Aaawww ... you are making me blush!!! :)

Pretty impressive workout.

Hahahahahahaha!

Eeeewww!!! :)

NICE sprint! :)

That is disgusting. Wish it wasn't lunch time when I decided to read this.

If it is any comfort (or additional discomfort), every time you get in the pool you can think of the water circulating in and out of the nostrils of everyone else in the pool.

Matt~

Thank you for your compassionate remark!!! ;)

SSF~

I know! Totally sick and wrong!!!

Andy~

EXACTLY!!! I had a hard time eating all day. Really!!!!

Paul~

SICK!!!!! SO SO SO glad you are posting again! :)

yes - glad I read this while eating my veggies... :)

T NA NA - I would have chucked them an bought some new ones, hey, nice brick, impressed, you are right on track.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

nice workout Teena!

You are going to fly over the Newton hills no sweat! :). Nicely done! :)

wow, that is a tough pace on those hills! I can't believe you're running an 8:49 at 6%. I can barely eek out my 9:31! You are one tough woman. Especially even just USING your ipod after having a booger on the end of it! I'd probably have just thrown them away - blech.

I just read your comment about the booger. Disgusting!!! Almost made me throw up again.

Nice workout, by the way!

Thanks Tim! :)

SSF~

I am certain there will be A LOT of sweat!!! :)

Rad~

The 6% incline was only 3/10ths and 4/10ths of a mile. :) Also, I was using my running earphones not my swimming earphones. Sadly, waterproof earphones can cost quite a bit of money (mine were a little over $50) so I need to somehow get over the thoughts of that nasty booger because I can't afford to buy new ones. :) :) :)

Dale~

It was definitely nasty!!! :)

Great job on the mileage this week!

Great job!!

Thanks Andrea and Rachelle!!! :) :) :)

awesome week, teena! you are such a pro at finding a way to fit it all in.

Superb teena! hey I loved that picture of you from the race in St. George. So cool Teena!

Ditto!! Great week Teena Marie! You are a doll!

What a great start to the week! I love your posts. :) Did you do this at home or the gym? Do you usually do your workouts early in the morning?

Brooke~

At the gym. My schedule this semester is quite nice for working out in the morning. Today I arrived at the gym a little before 6:30. :)

(And yes, I like to workout in the morning!)

Very awesome! best thing is that you felt good and your pace is SO FAST!!! WOW!!! Watch out Boston here you come!

SSF~

I am really starting to like my Pure Flows. :)

And as far as Boston goes ... as long as I get there pain free I will be totally happy!!! I love feeling this way. :)

WOW!!! Very impressive Yasso's!!! EXCELLENT workout! :). GOOD JOB! Teena! :)

Thanks SSF!

Sadly, I have been exhausted ever since!!!!!

Nice splits Teena. I like how they got faster and faster.

wowie, nice job, Teena.

Thanks guys! :)

Hooray for sprint day! :)

Your 5k is wicked fast! :)

T NA NA, what order did you do the sprint? If that 5K time was after the bike, I am impressed, great work - Xterra training looking good

Grand Funk Out

Thanks, SSF!! :)

Brent~

I always record my sprints in the order I do them. So ... for this day it was bike, then run, then swim. (Just easier for me to swim at the end and then jump right into the shower.) :)

You are a machine! My goodness. I am so impressed with your consistent workouts.

Teena, your getting in some serious biking. Are you doing much technical trail riding?

Matt~

My physiology professor taught me how to work hard!!!! :)

Rhett~

I wish I were getting more technical riding. Really, not much right now. The trails have been muddy/snowy/icy and dangerous for the most part here. Tomorrow might be a great day to get out though since the weather has been great all week. :) :) :)

great workout Teena!

sounds like a pretty good workout, say Ms. Teena, do you have any idea when you will share your 2012 running goals with us? Whatcha' gunna' run?

Running in new shoes is the best. Nice run after such a tough bike.

Thanks Tim!!! :)

Slick~

2012 goals: Have a great Boston experience and survive two XTERRA races and the Spartan Beast! :)

Rhett~

Yes, I love new shoes!!! Sadly, the Connects rubbed the outer edge of my foot a bit and left a hot spot there. :( I think I will take them back and see if a half size bigger will remedy the problem! :)

We are going to have a huge FRB group at Boston. We need to all get together Monday night after the race. After is better, too much stress before!

Rob~

That sounds AWESOME but sadly I will not be able to make it! :( :( :(

I have to catch a flight at 4:00 because I have a test on Tuesday that has to be taken on that day and that day only. It involves human cadavers, etc. and the set up is too extensive to be done more than once. :(

Your comment about my race cracked me up! Thanks.

I have to say that I have way more admiration for you and what you are doing with your education than I have for running a fast 10k.

What a week Teena! You have indeed worked out very hard and probably done tons of studying on top of it. You have had some serious SPEED this week, too. ;o)

That was a fast 12 miles, almost the same workout I did Saturday, I just didn't do the extra 2 afterwards. You're getting into great shape. Now just don't overdo it and injure yourself.

Rhett~

Overall I had a net downhill of roughly 400 feet -- so not nearly as impressive as it sounded! :) But it was a hard run for me at the end of the week. :) You are dead on about me needing to make sure I don't injure myself. I keep reminding myself that although I feel AWESOME right now, stupid training mistakes could have me injured in no time. I am trying to run smart while still pushing it a bit. :) So far, so good!!! :)

Nice job, Teena.

Hopefully your running is a nice break from school.

Thanks Dale!!!

Paul~

Running helps immensely!! :)

Your runs and workout last week were AWESOME!!!

Another day of GREAT run and bike! I am so proud of you doing all these awesome training all the while studying and working towards your PT doctorate! I don't know of anyone working as hard and as smart as you! Looks like you're having fun too!

Happy Valentine's Day, SSF!!! :)

Wow, nice run....and bike.

excellent run Teena! I love to see your amazng fitness come out! a 5 mile tempo after a killer bike and 5 regular miles...wow!

I'm with the other posters, your fitness is AWESOME!! Great job! I hope you have a happy V-day. :)

Wow! Where are you finding the time to log that many cycling AND running miles? I bet you're feeling fit and ready to race. Great job!!!

Oh, I bought my own home use ultrasound machine, to keep my little nagging injuries at bay. I don't have anything bad right now, just very mild achilles tendonitis, but I thought it would be nice to have. Any advice on using it?

Thanks everyone!! You all are going to give me a false sense of extreme awesomeness!!! (I totally don't mind!!! :))

Rhett~

Biking is the easiest way for me to study and exercise at the same time!! Also, I have learned to study certain subjects while I am on the TM if I don't run faster than 8:40ish pace (graphs, pics, diagrams, etc. that are required for certain classes). It is a GREAT way to use my time!!! :)

VERY VERY cool that you bought your own little machine. If you send me some info about it (type, specs, and options it has) I would be happy to let you know what the recommendations for treating achilles tendinopathy (or any other issue you may experience). That is the one thing about ultrasound that is crazy ... so many people use it inefficiently. It is so important to use the right parameters for whatever your goal of the treatment is. That is one reason why sometimes ultrasound can get a bad rap: because clinicians are using it ineffectively. I would be happy to steer you in the right direction. :) :) :)

Good job. When is the Xterra tri?

The XTERRA series has different distances and different races. The ones that I am training for are the olympic distances with each course just a tad bit different in regards to the length of the bike portion. They tend to take a bit longer than the additional tris due to the different terrain and riding a mountain bike instead of a road bike. :)

Right now my goal is just to survive! :)

you will not only survive, you'll kill it!!! Nice job Teena, VERY nice job.

Look at you!!! 6 more miles. Nice!!!

Sweet!! Glad to hear your doing some xterra's. Those one are tough too. Can't wait to hear how it goes.

Good job. Sorry you missed your swim. I'm sure you aced your test.

You all are GREAT!!! :) And Mark ... SO glad to hear from you!! How are you?

WOW!!! NICE speedy run!!! You must be on top of the world! :) :) :)

SSF~

I just had to fit in 10 miles in a shorter period of time than usual since I had to be up at the lab early. :) :) :)

How are you??? You hanging in there???

wow, nothing else? I'm sure there was LOTS of studying involved and tons of family stuff. You can't do nothing :)

WHOA!!! Amazing! Nothing else exercise wise, I am sure a whole lot of EVERYTHING else was going on.

Envy, pure envy. Nice.

=)

Nice job, Teena

Thanks SSF and Dale! :)

When does the new semester begin?

Get some rest!!! You deserve it.

yes, take the rest and enjoy Moab! There will be plenty of weekends for long runs.

I'm sure you can find a treadmill :)

I'm jealous that you're going for another mtn biking adventure! Definitely rest up, hope you get to feeling better.

Dale and Rachel,

I am DEFINITELY going to rest quite a bit this weekend. :)

Paul,

Nah ... but maybe I will run the Canyonlands course. :)

Andrea,

I am SO SO SO excited. I love these little trips with Ry. It's like a giant breath of everything good! :)

Hey woman, where are your running goals for 2012 ? What are you doing this year?

excellent work Teena! I'm jealous of your weekend - enjoy it!!

Bet you aced all your tests as always! :)

Ry sure knows how to spoil you! :)

Have a fun getaway this weekend. It will be nice to escape the pressures of real life for a few days.

Teena, when I'm ultrasounding my achilles, does it matter if my foot is flexed with the tendon tight or loose with the tendon relaxed?

Rachel~

We are having a GREAT time!!!

SSF~

Yep, I am one lucky girl!!!

Rhett~

Okay, here's the deal. I have not been able to find the exact specs I was looking for on your unit. Does your owners manual say anything about the exact intensity of your low, medium, and high settings? You would be looking for something in watts/cm^2. It would be nice to know so that we could really figure out the appropriate amounts of time. Also, I am assuming that it uses a transducer head. Somewhere, legally, it should say what the BNR ratio is. Possibly something like 6:1 (the lower the ratio the better, but since it is for home use it may be higher). As far as what position to have your achilles in when you do this. That all depends on what your goal of the treatment is. For example, if you are doing it simply for a circulation response (i.e., just trying to get more blood to the area) then it really wouldn't matter. If you are doing it because your achilles is feeling tight then that is a different story. In that case you would want to take advantage of the thermal effects of ultra sound (which is where it would be really nice to know what the exact intensity levels are) and get the area heated up at least 4 degrees celsius so that you can really get the best tissue extensibility. In that case I would start out relaxed then about half way through the treatment I would stretch it for just a minute, and then once the treatment was finished I would stretch it again for about 4 minutes.

I hope I am answering your question. Also, make sure that you only treat an area no larger than 2-3 times the transducer head. Otherwise it really doesn't work well at all. If you need to treat a larger portion then do it in quadrants (i.e., do the whole treatment on one part then start all over for another part and so forth).

Also, you only have a 1 MHz option, right? No option for a 3 MHz, correct?

One last thing, if you are using it for non-thermal effects (i.e., you think you may have a small tear or something like that) research has shown that lower intensities for longer periods of time have proven to be the best. Whereas for thermal effects you want to more vigorously heat up the area. If you do it just right you should really not feel much warmth until the last minute or two.

Is this helping or am I just rambling? :)

Oh yeah ... one more thing ... it is VERY important that you use a gel or saran wrap or something like that as a medium. Hopefully it came with some ultrasound gel (definitely the easiest). Do not do it just on your skin. It simply will not work. Air is a horrible medium!!! Also, make sure that you are treated it directly perpendicularly. Otherwise you are going to have too much refraction and not really get the benefits! :)

Yes Teena, this is helping. I had no idea there was so much to know about ultra sound. I'll try and find that info you asked about. But this already helps some. Thank you so much.

Oh crazy - I don't know how anyone rides down that stuff. Was a gorgeous weekend down there!

Very cool!!! I miss going down to that area.

Read Emerson - God is best found in his creation.

Love the pics! Glad you had a great day too.

Dale~ It was a lot of fun. :)

Rob~ I love Emerson. :)

Andrea~ Other than one extremely windy afternoon it was PERFECT!! :)

SWEET PHOTOS! Looks like you guys had a great weekend and you got to prep for your XTERRA race as well. Great job.

Your trip looked so fun! :) Glad you got away!

Were those miles on the road or the TM?

Rhett and Brooke~

The Moab get-a-way with my honey was exactly what I needed!! :) :) :)

Slick~

Those were TM miles. I doubt that I could run that fast on the road. I pushed hard on the faster miles. :)

Okay, I know they are different columns but how do you define the difference between threshold miles and vo2 max? Because in my book they would be the same.

Excellent workout Teena!

Rachel~

For me: MP = my marathon pace, Threshold pace = my half marathon pace, and VO2 max pace = my 5K pace (or what I am working for as my 5K pace)

Even though those paces do not coincide exactly to what the true definitions are, for me they are close enough and easy to remember, hence that is what I use. :)

WOW!!! AWESOME workouts this week! Your training is so so so solid! No one as busy as you are can fit in as much as you! GOOD JOB, SSF! LLL LLL LLL LLL

Teena, good luck with the mid terms. You have such a passion for what you do, that I'm sure you will ace all your tests.

BTW, my calf and achilles feel perfectly fine today. Thanks for telling me how to do the ultrasound correctly. I think keeping the area I focus on small has made a huge difference. You deserve extra credit on your midterms for already helping people out.

Thanks SSF and Rhett! I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends who give me such great support. Thank you! I love you guys. :)

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

HI SSF!!! We must have been posting on each others blog at the exact same time!! :) :) :)

Does the Linton Loop involve being able to run circles around me? Because, you can. 70 miles! Impressive.

NO!!!! You know what the Linton Loop is!! The one you introduced me to: the loop that goes up 90th and then back down around the scout shop!!! :) :) :)

Great mileage this week. If you need someone next weekend for a long run, I could probably join you for 13 or so :o)

WaHOOO 70 miles this week and that is not counting the cross training miles!!! AWESOME!!!

I seriously don't know how you do it with your busy life! You are amazing!!! :). You are going to have a great year in all aspects of your life! :)

Thanks for the call today! It means the world to me! Love and miss you!

I can't believe how much you are running. I thought school was supposed to slow you down. Great way to top off an amazing week.

We should have teamed up for our lonely long run! Nice job, glad things are feeling good!!!

Andrea~

I LOVE the thought but you are WAY too fast for me!!!! :) :) :)

SSF~

I am so lucky to have you as my close friend! Thank you thank you thank you!!! I love you.

Andy~

I have learned some few tricks that are helping me a ton. Chief amongst them being how to study while I am on the treadmill!!! We have plenty of coursework that we have to download online. SO ... I download it then format it into big and bold letters and then print it all. Yes, I know ... I am spending a small fortune in ink ... but I am recycling the paper!! :) I cannot study when I do speedwork so I have been running plenty of miles quite slow. Depending on how tough the material is to understand determines my pace ... seriously! Not too tough I can usually still crank out 8:34s and digest the material. Hard to understand stuff usually requires me to run something between a 9:30 to 10:00 pace. It works though!!! :) :) :) And then when time really gets tough the stationary bike is PERFECT!! :)

Kel~

I would have LOVED the company! So get this: Sophia was looking through Ryan's yearbooks and found some stuff that you wrote. Funny. Remind me to tell you about it later. I am grateful that running has given us the opportunity to really get to know each other (I think there was definitely a skewed outlook in high school). :)

Congrats on a 70 mile week, in this area of mileage is where champions are made. So what are you training for? Do you have a goal race or two your looking at, or what? I don't see anything on your goals section indicating where your going with your super training? What? Are you training for an Olympic marathon bid , an Ironman or what? Inquiring minds want to know!

Oh, geesh, in a yearbook---I can not imagine what I said! I am sure it was super intelligent!

Polo

Slick~

Okay, okay ... I will add some running goals in sometime soon. :)

Kelli~

You make me laugh. We were all super smart back then. :)

Kathie~

YES!!! You are here!!!! :) :) :)

"Slick~ Okay, okay ... I will add some running goals in sometime soon. :)"

How soon? We are all sitting at our computers hitting the refresh button and hoping to see what, when, and where you are going to kick butt. The suspense is too much to bear.....

Fly~

You make me laugh so hard!!! :) :) :)

Stop laughing at me and update your running goals. The suspense is killing me. ;)

Fly~

Done! :)

Those all sound FUN! I'm thinking I might run and race mostly trails next year.

WaHOOO!!! So happy you're doing so well with speed work just 2 days after 21 miler and off a high mileage week. How nice of KristyAnn cooking you the perfect recovery food. Was there curry? I LOVE curry! :)

LOVE your *hands on practicum*! Can't wait for you to show me some of that good stuff! :)

SSF~

Yes, it was a coconut curry. SO DELISH!!! We will have to get her recipe. She said it was easy. :) :) :)

I am excited for you to come over tomorrow night!

Love you!! :) :) :)

I made curry chicken Sat. night. Coconut milk makes it extra yummilicious!

I'm excited for tomorrow night too! Love you! :)

mmmm indian food...

very nice running today, teena!

Nice job, Teena

Thanks Allie and Dale :)

AWESOME run!!! GOOD JOB!!!

Great job Teena. Looks like you are back from midterms and ready to be the running rock star that you are.

Stay healthy.

Thanks all!!

Staying healthy!!! :) :) :)

pull ups are so out of the range of possibility for me and my fat butt snd skinny arms it is unreal! nice work Teena! you're hitting it hard and conquering all!

good job, teena

Outstanding workout. I'm not sure I could have hit those splits.

Thanks Andy~ Just one of those days where everything falls into place!

Please wish Becky Happy International Women's Day for me!! :)

Of course they are perfectly calibrated!!! Nicely done!

Hey Happy IWDay to you! I was sitting in the temple when I realized today is IWDay and thought about you! I am not surprised that you would be the one to post a CHEER! :)

AWESOME Yasso! You are going to exceed your Boston goal of healthy, happy and strong! :)

Kelli~

Yeah right! :)

SSF~

Thanks!!! See you soon!!!! LLL LLL :)

Awesome job, Teena. Happy international women's day. See you at lunch tomorrow?

Teena, you had a great workout day. You must have been feeling really good! Your Yasso's were perfect and finishing with that fast one shows you weren't over extending yourself. Nice job.

I am always right, ask my husband.

did I see a 3:07 as a last yasso yesterday?!? Holy moly lady you're going to rock the marathons this season! Glad you took a nice easy day Friday.

two 70's in a row....outstanding! Good idea to cut back a week, might save an injury? I sure like you 2012 goals as posted next door...

awesome week, teena! what a fun day you had -- a great long run and then enjoying the beautiful weather on a mtn. bike ride...so awesome.

also, i would love to run with you anytime. seriously! let me know. :)

wow. quite the day and week of training. I see an ironman in your future. :)

Holy cow, Teena!!! All that running and then a 90 minute bike ride.

Hey, ever since you did that Spartan Race last year, I have wanted to do it and I'm planning on being there. Any training tips to get ready for it?

Actually, is there any swimming involved in the Spartan race? I almost registered a minute ago, but thought I better ask before I sign up. Looks like there are only two time slots left for individuals, 11:30 or 12:00 start time.

Thanks Slick! :)

Allie~ I would love that. :)

Fritz~ Do I dare dream that big? :) I think once I have finished PT school that is going to the top of my bucket list. :)

Dale~ I highly doubt that there will be any swimming involved in the Spartan this year. There wasn't last year and I cannot think of a place at Soldier Hollow that it would even be feasible. The best way to train for a Spartan (in my opinion, which is based solely on completely merely one of their races) is to work on overall fitness. Seriously. Upper body strength, lower body strength, cardio, even mental strength (right when you feel like you are going to die they make you do one side of a Rubix cube -- if I remember right it only had 4 squares though ... like I said, I was in the process of being completely wiped out). They cover it all. :)

Oh yeah, Dale ... DON'T FORGET BURPEES!!!! For every obstacle you mess up on you are penalized with 30 of those stinkin' things!!! That can add up quickly if you are not on your "A" game. :)

Thanks for the info. Now I need to hurry and decide if I want to pay the $157 fee. Gulp! I swear I checked it a couple of months ago and registration wasn't open yet, but according to the website I could have entered for $110 before Dec. 30th. I really dropped the ball on this one.

CONGRATZ on an AWESOME week of training and top it off with such a fun day! :)

Oh wow, Teena, I'm sorry you're sick. When I saw you on Friday you looked and sounded like a picture of health.

Thanks Dale!!! :)

I didn't really start feeling miserable until late Saturday night. I am starting to feel quite a bit better already and might try and run a handful of SLOW miles later today.

I really need to get better since we (Ry, the kids and I) leave for Vegas in the morning.

Sorry you were sick. My internet was down yesterday so I didn't know you've been sick. Have a fun trip to Vegas! :) Are you running Spectrum? I thought you said you were not...I must've missed something!

SSF~

Yep, I am going to run Spectrum. You were correct in thinking that I was not going to since until two days ago that was the plan. Fortunately one of our time shares opened up in Vegas so we are leaving tomorrow evening and then we will spend Saturday and Sunday in St. George. :)

Love you!

AH, those cookies did have magical powers!!! you are lucky to have a great sister in law. I need to get me one of those.

That looks like an interesting workout. Have a good trip.

Way to get it done, even when you don't feel well. Have fun in Vegas!!!

excellent workout Teena! Enjoy Vegas!

Thanks Kam, Dale and Rachel! So far the kids are doing well with the drive (knock on wood). :-)

have blast in Vegas!

and very nice workout too!

WOWEE!!! AWESOME speedwork there SSF! Were you breathing? Weren't you sick just couple days ago? You are HARDCORE!!!

I expect you to bring home the bacon on Sat. ;)

I'm not going to tell you to have fun in Vegas because you WILL. :)

Thanks Tim!

SSF- Breathing wasn't great. That is why I said that I didn't know why I forced it. Probably just set me back a day of recovery. I justified it thinking that I would sleep the whole way to Vegas. Unfortunately, all the food is by my feet since we are crammed in here like sardines and being on food duty means zero sleep! ;-)

Amazing you can blog while on the road and feeding the trouble makers! Just pass out the bags of food to Sophie and let her be the food patrol. Put some sleepy tunes on and take a power nap! :)

I can only blog using Ry's phone because mine has horrible reception out here. And sadly, there is zero room by the kids. Seriously, we are squished! We should have taken the time to put the luggage on top, but we just threw it in here. Oh well! Lesson learned. :-)

Looks like a good workout Teena. Have a great family trip in Vegas.

You are all such tiny people...I can imagine the huge amount of luggage and fun gear smothering everyone. Looks like Ry has the easiest duty! :)

does this mean your going to give yourself an unscheduled break and get over the sniffles?

Thanks Rhett!

SSF - Either Ry really likes to drive or he doesn't trust my driving because he almost always drives on our trips. :-)

Slick- I am hoping to mountain bike my sniffles away! :-)

Just play smart....get all those bugs out of your system....Bostons 32 days away!

Don't party too hard in Vegas :) Good workout today, just take it easy the next couple of days and you'll be back on track!

T NA NA - place a beg on yourself in vegas - 6 mile mile pace for 400s, speedy legs - I hope you can stay healthy this year, I expect some PRs with your workout dedication. By the way, when to you start your tempo runs? Your next race? It seems you have the speed, get some more speed endurace - "sweet homee cooking" T NA NA will have the "looking" as she flys by oh by.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

29 days till Boston - Hey, has anybody set up to be tour director. Are we all going to meet for a POST boston marathon dinner?

great race, teena! congrats on the PR. :)

great little tune up race for Boston! Sometimes getting those 2 seconds shaved off your finish time is an up hill battle. Congrats on a great 10k!!! Now it's 28 days till Boston!!!

Thanks Allie and Slick! :-)

(I can't believe Boston is so close! Time is flying!)

very nice Teena!

PRs are wonderful!! way to breath thru the race ; D.

T NA NA - 500 commando points for the PR, keep it up, expect a great year for you.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out

I almost caught you! :) Next time I'll be a little mentally tougher when you pass me at mile 5.5 and stick with you then out sprint YOU at the finish. HA! whatever. I loved having you there Teena and running a couple of your cool down with you and Annie. I'm so glad you had an awesome race and fought for that hardware - I just about stole it for you! :)

Thanks Tim, Julie, Brent and Rachel! :)

Rachel~ I have no doubt that you could out sprint me at the end of any race! (And I mean that.) :)

Way to go, Teena. You did great!!! I kept wishing Amy and I were down there running it.

Thanks Dale! I am not a huge fan of 10Ks, but as far as 10Ks go, it was fun! How is Amy feeling?

NICE RACE!!!!! And 8 miles after, impressive!

SSF ~ HUGE CONGRATZ on your PR, AG placement and high overall standing! AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!! :) You have been training so hard and smart! Can't wait to see how you do at Boston! :)

Thanks for letting me use your inhaler. It saved my race! You're the BEST!!!! LLL LLL LLL LLL :)

Way to go Teena, way to go!!! (clap clap)

I second that Teena - outstanding

Way to go Teena, way to go!!! (clap clap)

You boys make me laugh! :)

That is awesome! My parents asked me the same thing last year. Then they asked why I'm racing if I already know I won't win.

Teena, I think you have a great shot at winning!!! :)

Looks like your training is going great. Keep it up. Running right after you cycle is so smart to prepare for your tri. You're going to rock it.

Rattletrap~~ SO FUNNY!!! :)

Rhett~~ :) :) :)

My internet has been on the fritz...am finally catching up on blogging! Holy Cow! I come to your blog and am totally blown away by your impressiveness! :)

Anyway, your am and pm workoutS have been SO AWESOME!!! :) :) :) :) I am not one bit surprised that that guy was in awe of your running. You totally fit in the elites corral! I second Rhett...with your 11611 bib...you are sure to win it! :) :) :)

Can't wait to see what your pm workout's gonna be!

SSF~

He was not in awe. Really, he did not know anything about running. He made me laugh. (There are not any real fast runners at my gym other than Fonz. So he had very little to compare it with. He just assumed I was booking it because I was so sweaty and stinky!!!!)

Woweeee! Very AWESOME pm workout!

I am 100% certain that I cannot do ecen ONE pull up!

And your pushups! Holy!!! I did 10 yesterday and collapsed in a pathetic heap of jello flabby mess! :)

Check out that 17" box jump! I can may be jump on a phone book! Haha!!!

No worries if you don't win the Boston, the Spartan Beast trophy has your name written all over it!

Great training this week! Maybe Rob and I will see you in Boston. passing us.

SSF~

The Spartan has me scared out of my mind!!! Really!!! And now it looks like Fonz will not be competing. :(

Steve~

The extra umph in my week has got to be a result of the Easter Peeps widely available at present!!! :) :) :) So ... speaking of Boston: What are your and Rob's goals there anyhow? I think we should have a one hour bet!! You beat me by more than one hour and I will send a great big pack of Peeps (bunnies OR chickadees)your direction. :)

Teena, I still want to do the Spartan, but it scares me, too....Also, the price is scary. Not sure I want to shell out $157

Can't resist the Peeps idea! But an hour? I counter offer 20 minutes.

We are on a team hoping for the masters team title. All of us FRB, old guys. Rob, Walter, Jeff, me and maybe one more.

Steve~

20 minutes WHATEVER!!!! How about 57.5?

Master team title!!!!! Now that would be something to hang on the wall for sure!!!! :) :) :) Seriously, that is AWESOME!!!! Go get it!!!

excellent work Teena! You are recovering well from Spectrum, my quads are still not as happy as I'd like them to be! I love your post from yesterday, totally made me laugh. The best part: I can see you winning it! You've got the heart and the legs!!

I need some of your motivation and energy! I'm not even in PT school and I can't find the energy to get my mileage up where I want it!

I think Hermione let Teena borrow the watch so she can be in two places at once. That's the only explanation.

WOW!!! :)

Rachel~

Sorry about your quads -- hopefully they will be as good as new tomorrow! :)

Annie~

You are doing GREAT!!! In fact, you are by far the best runner I know who is also a PTA president!!!! Love you, Sis!!! :)

Dale~

Pathetically I had to look up who Hermione was!!! You make me laugh! :)

SSF~

LOVE YOU!

Teena, I probably would have had to look it up, too, but every Sunday we've been watching the movies. I think we have three more to get caught up.

SWEET TM workout! I love this and I will have to try it next week. There are ZERO hills in Texas.

Way to go on your miles. Do you rest??? Dang girl. I want to see a big Boston PR. Way to keep it up.

You did great on the Spectrum 10k. I read your report, just didn't comment.

Nice Newton Hills simulator! :)

Check out your mileage! WOW!!! :) You are going to PR at Boston! :)

Bec and SSF~

I just looked at the race time predictor: It says a 3:27:01 at Boston is equivalent to a 3:19:15 at SG. In other words ~ THERE IS NO STINKIN' WAY I AM GOING TO PR AT BOSTON!!! But I am totally okay with that since that is not my goal!!! :) :) :)

Wow, look at you go! I came over to see how you were doing and it looks like you are killing it with the workouts. I bet you are getting pretty psyched for Boston.

I don't know Teena, you are on fire! You could be under 3:20, and I am not just saying that! You have sea level at your advantage. That course is gentle until the last few hills and you are ready for those. I believe in you. :)

T NA NA - enjoy bean town, kiss the girls at Wellsy - well maybe not, was good for me. Have fun and enjoy, greate experience.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rool sout

Hey Teena, looks like you got your MoJo on and your ready to smoke Boston.

outstanding mileage week! Now it's taper time for Boston. You are going to rock the Boston!!!!! Stay well and healthy!

WOW!! Fantastic run!! Nothing but fun times ahead with BOSTON coming. Great Job:)

Awesome Teena! I love when my daughter wants to run, makes me happy.

Great mileage week! let the confidence carry you into Boston. Our minds create the amazing environment to perform well. You can do it!

Slick, Mike and Lily~

Thank you so much for the confidence boosting words!!! Boston should be a lot of fun! Now if I could only figure out a way to stomach a snickers during the last handful of miles during the race like you, Lily. Now that would be something special!!! :) :) :)

Thanks again guys! :)

Snickers mini's! They are small, just pack like 3, and chew one or 2 around mile 18-19. I swear it helped me Teena. ha ha. It sounds funny but I swear....

Another amazing week. Do you promise to say hi when you pass me in Boston?

excellent run and weekly mileage! nice job, teena.

Awesome blossom!!!

Lily~

I am not skilled enough to run with mini-snickers without making a GIANT mess!!! :)

Andy~

Whatever Mr. Wave #1!!!! :)

Allie and Dale~

Many many thanks!! :) :) :)

amazing Teena, simply amazing! I love that you always have a little extra left for the wonderful kids in your life too. Those kids have a great mom!!

wow! Great week of running. You will be able to run Boston with your eyes closed.

wow! outstanding mileage!

Rachel~

Thanks! This mom has GREAT kids!!! :)

Fritz~

Then why do I feel so nervous about it?

Tim~

We will see if the extra mileage helped (or just made me tired)come Boston. :)

you'll get all rest during taper and then be ready to rock Boston!

FREAK OUT!! 80+ miles!!! I have yet to go over 75 and that was a long time ago x 1. Congrats!!

Julie~

And yet I am WAY WAY WAY slower than you!!! Go figure!!! :) :) :)

that AM up there is just begging for a follow up PM... :)

Nice miles Teena!

Haha, yah, I want to see the PM. :) I'm still in awe of last week's efforts, great job!

Rachel and Brooke~

Nothing exciting as far as exercise today. Just one of those blah Mondays. Oh well. :)

I actually JUST logged on here (waiting for hubby to finish cleaning out his work closet) and almost posted that I STILL didn't see a PM to your AM! :)

Glad you got it in despite the Monday blues.

Rachel~

Yes, I am glad I got it in. I think this week at school has me a bit stressed since I got very little studying done over the weekend. Stink! ;)

Nice workout! Sometimes you just gotta get them done :) Your spring will come back, don't worry!

Are you starting to taper now?

Andrea~

Yes, taper has begun. Even though it doesn't really feel like a taper much! :(

Tell me what you think:

80% max mileage this week.

65% max mileage next week.

25% max mileage week of race (not including race).

Thoughts?

I'm sure your gait is as flawless as your writing! Everybody looks different doing their optimal gait--that's my profession opinion as a...um...piano teacher. But nevermind! You are awesome! That's the important part.

Yes that looks like a great plan. The last week is usually so dependent on the person - basically whatever amount of mileage that makes you feel sharp and ready to race!

And it will really feel like a taper next week! Dialing in marathon pace is the key for the last few weeks :)

Good job, Teena.

It is Tuesday, but it feels much later in the week, considering how tired I feel.

Lybi~

My running gait is far from flawless ... but thank you for the wonderful thought!! :) :) :) Just looked at your blog. I absolutely LOVE your long term running goal! :)

Andrea~

Thank you for the advice. I definitely need to zone in on marathon pace! :)

Dale~

Yes it does!!! :)

I am in AWE of your training! You sure put in a lot of quality miles and superb running!!! :) LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL

Teena, weve got dinners set up for saturday and monday nights...go over to the forum Flyers for more details....

Sat. - Chinese dinner with Smooth.

Sun. - Boston Pasta Dinner....

Mon. - Durgin Park, 2 shifts.

Awesome workout. Bean town is coming up fast.

Thanks SSF! I am going to take it down a notch though since my body is starting to feel a bit worn down. Good thing it is taper time. :)

Slick~

I hope I can make either Saturday or Sunday. We are going out to dinner one night with Lacy (she was our foster daughter years ago) and her boyfriend (who happens to play for the Patriots) and then we are flying out right after I cross the finish line (since I have a final on Tuesday). So time is going to be tricky. I really really really want to see everyone though. :) :) :)

Mark~

Yes it is! :)

Ya girly girl, get into the taper! Lets not get an over use injury this close to the Boston. Get some extra sleepy time and train really smart through taper time. You are 110% ready for Boston, you're gunna rock it!!!!!!

Thanks Slick!!! :) :) :)

GREAT advice!!! :) :) :)

Awesome workout today!! What is your goal time for Boston? I feel like we run very very similar paces. We should meet up and try to run together and pace each other. I am shooting for between 3:20-3:23 at Boston.

Anyway let me know if you are interested. I am glad I found your blog. :) You have such a great attitude and your workouts are very impressive!

Rachelle~

I just looked at some of your race times!!! There is zero chance that I could keep up with you. I am flattered that you think it is even a possibility!!! But in all seriousness, you are MUCH too fast for me!!! :) :) :)

Oh yeah, one more thing Rachelle: I noticed you are pacing at Riverton tomorrow. Come by and see me!!! I am running the race but afterwards will be staffing the U of U Physical Therapy booth that will be under the tent. :)

wow, you've had an awesome week Teena! Nice work. Glad you've got a little taper going for the half! I'll see you in the morning...after the race :)

Your an animal Ms. Teena. The Riverton Half should be a great final MLR before Boston. Be careful and Run Smart. Don't blow something up this close to the Boston!!!!

Excited to see how the half went! :) And REALLY excited for Boston!

Rachel~

It wasn't a planned taper ... just a crazy Friday. But good thing it was because the race today kicked my butt!!!

Slick~

I am glad I ran the race but am also glad that it is over. :)

Brooke~

Don't get too excited, it was not bad but not stellar either. Oh well. :)

Good race, good placement, now get ready for the Boston!!!

Slick~

I thought you said that I was ready! STINK! What do I still need to do????

Don't second guess - that's a tough course in perfect weather conditions, let alone a windy day like this! Its natural to feel a little "off" right now, you have a lot of training behind you and your body needs the taper to soak it in a bit. You don't want to run your best half-marathon 2 weeks before a marathon. You'll be fine in Boston - be confident in what you have done up to and including today.

YOU DID GREAT! It was less than an ideal day to run a race and Riverton 1/2 is one of the hardest races to choose from (this is why chicken me never races it!) It is crazy hard and the wind and heat just made it harder!

It is also difficult when you have no one around you, there is nowhere to find motivation to push ESPECIALLY when the conditions are less than stellar.

Love that your kids ran in with you, that is a good feeling!

Rest up and BOSTON is going to be GREAT. I need your number so i can get updates! I will be at work so I can not track online, but I will be carrying my phone no matter what. Honestly, I am considering taking that day off so I cant rack!!!

Jake~

Thank you SO much for your comment and advice. I often look at your stuff (both your blog and the articles) and am in awe of both you and Andrea. Okay, even though there is a big part of me that wants to second guess my Boston intentions I am going to consciously choose to go with your experience instead! Seriously, thank you. :)

Kel~

I wish so badly that you were going to be in Boston! Who is Ryan going to buy icecream for now? Okay, my bib number is 11611. I am pretty sure that it is a very lucky number. :) :) :) Also, thank you so much for the chats. They always seem to come when I need them the most. Thank you! :)

OH, I like what Jake says. ;o)

Um, Ryan can buy me ice cream in Utah. I will take it!

A young man by the name of Atsedu Tsegay ran the half-marathon in 58:47 this morning in Prague, #4 all-time. He is running the Paris marathon in 2 weeks. The immediate reaction on the web was "amazing race, but he has no chance in Paris now." Unfortunately, its probably true. Not even the best of the elites can bust out a fantastic half-marathon so close to their goal marathon. Most of the time its really hard to run much faster than marathon pace for 13.1 this close to the marathon. You have to have faith in what you have done and that it will "click" on race day. If you look at today as a really good workout that accomplished the goal of building you up even more towards the marathon (as opposed to breaking you down), then you'll be good to go... stick to the original goal - you can do it!

HOLY CRUD! Is that some kind of record? What is the fastest half ever run?

58:23 is the world record - that's 4:27 pace on a non-aided, loop course. Its almost ridiculous to even think about.

Teena - you've had a great buildup for Boston. Don't worry about today being less than expected. You will rock Boston.

Jake~

You have no idea how much your insight has helped me today. I no longer feel discouraged but hopeful that my body is doing what it has been training to do.

Tim~

Thanks!!! :)

Excellent run this morning Teena!! I'm so amazed at how well you bust out these races! 1:55 was a perfect pace for me today :) Congrats on an awesome wagon wheel!!!

Since I struggled holding marathon pace today I'm going to say that Riverton is a good predictor of Boston MP. You did very well today as is shown by your placing.

Despite the hills and conditions you still ran a great race. And you learned a lot, right? :) The fortune cookie idea is my favorite.

Believe in the fortune cookie!! Awesome job today, it was much less than perfect conditions you ran it just right.

Rachel~

You are being too nice! So ... did you find out who your twin was?

Andy~

Who knows. BUT, no matter what ... WE are all going to have fun in Boston!!! :) :) :)

Fritz and Prlman~

I whole-heartedly agree. The fortune cookie (and its words of wisdom and vague prophecies) is certainly an untapped resource to runners that we may want to further explore. :)

way to go, teena! you did great today and you are definitely ready for boston.

i taped a fortune to the back of my bib for TOU 2010: the longer the journey, the greater the reward.

I totally agree with what Jake & Kelli and everyone else said. It really is a tough course and the headwind was just nasty. I really think you are 100% capable of running the pace you ran yesterday or even faster at Boston.

You really should stick with me at Boston (7:45 pace) you are totally capable. And by the way it was so so fun to meet you in person. You are so cute and I am sorry I didn't get to talk to you longer. :)

Teena--- wise advice so all I have to add is-- no worries!! your number looks and feels lucky to me!! and glad you learned a valuable lesson of eating fast food late at night before a race. I think you will be pleasantly surprised as I forecast a tail wind in to the city!! GREAT JOB and glad you placed!! Those wheels were cool!!!

Good race. Running a hilly and windy half two weeks before your marathon at MP? Sounds perfect. All I would add to any of the above is that you've done some hard training, don't forget that affect. I've run some slow races this year because of distance training I was doing. Your taper will bring some speed.

Don't skip it. Been there, done that. A few times. You will then be running your marathon on the same legs.

Teena - Get into your taper and don't do anything stupid that could cause an injury.....like running another race this close to Boston. Other than that I still think your ready to rock Boston. PPPPPP!!!!!!

Allie~

I may need to give that trick a try! :)

Rachelle~

Only if I am on roller-blades! :)

Julie~

Do whatever you need to (shrine, sacrifice, whatever) to bring your predicted forecast to pass! :)

Steve~

Question: How do I balance that? i.e., Fresh legs but without a fitness loss?

Slick~

Got it ... nothing stupid! :)

Cut mileage, but add some fast workouts. The best person in the country to ask for a quick schedule for your two week taper would be Rob Murphy. Send him a note

Steve~

Just sent Rob a note!! :)

Great job on the race. Rode my bike past you guys. Well the slower guys on my ride. Crazy course and it was sure windy for you guys. Way to get it done.

AWESOME race!! 9th overall and 3rd in age group...so cool! :) :) Way to push through even though it was hard, you are awesome. I love your picture on FB that someone tagged you on. :)

Teena, congrats on the 3rd place finish! I'm sure that after a taper for Boston you will feel great and do very well.

Nicely done, Teena. I knew you'd do well. I've heard that is a tough curse and you ran it well even in strong winds.

I'm no taper expert, but it looks good to me!

I think you are doing it right. Good call on mixing in some faster (MP) running, that will hopefully help you legs from getting that "stale" feeling. Do workouts that you are good at and make you feel confident. You can't really make any big fitness gains at this point. Its more about getting sharp (physically AND mentally).

I can't believe it is already taper time for Boston. It is just starting to hit me that I'm not going this year. Hopefully it won't bum me out too much. I'm way excited to follow you guys on line though and read your amazing reports.

Thanks you guys! :)

Maybe tapering could actually be fun. I like the idea of doing the workouts that make me feel confident and strong.

(I'm bummed that you and Doone won't be there, Rhett.)

Sounds like you're doing everything right! Best of luck in Boston! (I'm a little sad I'll miss the festivities this year, but I'll be watching all of my buddies -- especially you!)

you can definitely attribute that to taper madness -- it will all go away at the starting line :)

nice workout today, teena.

Hey Teena, 13 days till the Boston Marathon. . I've been following your training pretty close and I'm certainly excited to see how well you do this year

Teena, I added you to the Women's Open FRB team at Boston, I hope that is ok. Another fun way to participate in the big event!

Great tempo workout Teena! And yes all the aches and pains always seem to show up during the taper. It is completely normal. :)

Thanks everyone!!! Tapering has NEVER been my strong point. Blah!

Jeff~

If you think it a good idea then I do as well!! Hee Hee. In all honesty though, I really don't know what that means!!! :) :) :)

Can't wait to see you PR at Boston! :)

SSF~

I really do not think I will PR since Sasha's calculator says a 3:27:01 at Boston would be equivalent to a 3:19:15 in SG. BUT I really am okay with that. I would love to run a sub 3:30:00 but will be happy with whatever time I get if I am able to run it feeling strong. :)

The past couple of weeks we have had guest speakers in my neuro class. These speakers were dealing with severe impairments from either stroke, brain tumors, Parkinson's or spinal cord injuries. Furthermore I have spent many hours in the MS clinic that is in our building out of concern for my sister. And, of course, you already know about my mom and dad. Anyway, what I am trying to say is that truly I am just happy to be running and healthy right now. Of course I would LOVE a PR (who doesn't love them) but that really is not my focus (at least not this time).

I love you. Thank you so much for having so much confidence in me!!!! You are the bestest SSF ever ever ever ever!!! :)

Smart kid! You may need to add a consequence for selling/bartering the consequence sheet. Or you could profit as well and split the proceeds. Hope your taper or soon to be taper goes well.

Trust your training...NOT Sasha's calculator! And don't forget that on April 16 your biorhythm is on triple HIGH!!! :)

Laughing so hard about THAT CHILD'S ingenuity!!! may be you guys need to have your consequence charts copy-righted! I'll bet your neighbors got a good chuckle! Seriously, with your cute trouble makers chenanagence you can write a book on parenting! :)

Nice job on the run.

That is way too funny!!! Can I get a copy of that chart? lol

It's always a bummer to get the "I'm not gonna make it" text in the morning. Glad you were able to round up some company anyway.

My wife's little brother sold garbage to a priest when he was about 5. The priest at the church nextdoor told the little kids in the neighborhood that he would pay them a nickel for each piece of garbage they picked up. Stephen ran home to get the kitchen garbage while the other kids scoured the parking lot. When his mom asked what he was doing, he said that man over there is buying garbage :)

Cute story, some pretty famous people in history were/are thumb suckers!

I love you attitude towards your upcoming Boston Marathon....But like Smooth said, ditch the Sasha junk and run with your whole heart, body and mind! You are capable and ready to do a PR at Boston in 11 days!!!! Get your MoJo started it's almost game on time. And remember, if you stumble I'll be running by you and if I get that chance ther will be a flank slap involved!!!

ha ha loving the story. Your kids sound absolutely adorable and I absolutely love your positive attitude Teena. I think like Smooth said that you will really suprise yourself at Boston. :D

Fritz and Dale~

I would definitely have to increase the price substantially to make it worth it!! ;)

SSF~

I can only imagine the horror stories our kids are going to tell their kids when they become parents: "Well, when I was little it was WAY worse ... your Grandma and Grandpa were absolute nut jobs!!!" :)

Rattletrap~

You brother in law sounds HILARIOUS!!! :)

Slick~

I will have to tell her about the famous thumb suckers. Who are they? I will do a google search. :)

Rachel~

Well considering my only other experience at Boston included running injured, going out WAY too fast and swallowing my own puke I think the chances of enjoying the race are in my favor. :) :) :) You, however, are going to have a STELLAR race!!! :) :) :)

You are ready for Boston!

Yes your training has been pretty flawless! You guys have a great team for Boston too.

I see no flaws in your training. You have been consistently running a high amount of miles and have stayed injury free (these are the most important things). You have mixed a very good amount of speed work and cross training (these give you the extra edge you need for the last 10k of a marathon).

I ditto what Andy said! CONGRATULATIONS! ;)

Hey there Benn!! Nice to hear from you! :)

Thanks Andrea, Andy and Smooth! Hope all goes well!!! :)

Great job Teena! I think you've been doing great and I also think Boston will be great! Can't wait! (PS - the 30's are treating me well, I think I will like my 30's better than my 20's like you said. :) )

Brooke~

The 30s rule!! :)

It's pay day in 10 days Ms. Teena!

That is SO AWESOME!!!! :). Happy Good Friday to you! :)

How many are you running tomorrow? Are you running with JohnV?

SSF~

Yes. I have plans to run with JohnnyV and Dave. Are you looking for someone to run with? I know Annie is running a 17-miler. :)

How are you dealing with your taper madness.....and what do the remaining days of your taper schedule look like.

I'll bet that it would be just fine to run the Brooks Flow at Boston. I can't imagine that running 20 miles in them well tell you any more than 12.2! Why dont you run in them the rest of the week and make that judgement after you've got a few mor miles on them. How many total miles do you have on these Brooks Flows?

Slick~

158.75 total miles on them. :)

Totally good to go on those shoes in my opinion. :)

I agree. If you can run 15 miles in those shoes and you've worn them for numerous other runs without problems, you can run the marathon in them. Glad you had nice runs today!

For what its worth, I didn't do a run longer than 15 miles in my Fastwitches before Philadelphia, and they were fine. You can usually tell how a shoe is going to work on a 13-15 mile run.

Sounds like such an amazing day Teena and so so fun that your kids ran with you this afternoon! Yay for your daughters PR. :):) And I definitely agree with Jake. Infact the shoes I am planning to wear for Boston I haven't even worn yet. (exact same style/brand I always wear). I better get them out tomorrow. :)

So happy you had an awesome run, breakfast and time with the fam.! :)

Thanks everyone. Especially for the advice on the shoes. :)

158 miles on them, there ready to go do Boston with you!

Wear the ones that make you feel fast!

Welcome to taper week. Everything hurts worse, your training feels insufficient and you start second guessing yourself.

Relax, you will do fine! If you find a chill pill...let me know too!

This is totally normal Teena. I am going through all of the same sort of emotions. Be confident in your training and eat some easter candy to calm the nerves. :)

Same here - I even had a mini-mental breakdown on Saturday morning... just started thinking about it too much... and for me, nothing good comes out of that. Then I went out, ran my workout, and that completely reset my barometer.

Its totally normal to still feel a bit "off". We still have a week. As long as you have some major bounce in your step NEXT Monday, you'll be good to go!

Lots of stretching and iceing and stay loose this week! Stay loose mentally too - its gonna be fun!!!

Is you find that chill pill let me know! Have a great time not worrying about getting those workouts in this week with school. YOU CAN DO THIS! Your training and prep doesn't lie! How does it feel to be headed to Boston with no major breakdown?!? :)

I have access to some, but I would probably get fired....:-) I hate tapering, too. You will do SO great. I agree with Rachel... how cool is it that you are heading to Boston healthy! You go girl!

Thanks for the words of encouragement everybody. I just think it is absolutely nuts that I feel worse these last couple of weeks than I did during the high mileage weeks. I have presently told my body that it can complain for two more days ... THEN THAT IS IT!!!! :)

That sounds like the perfect solution Teena. Nice work! :)

I find the hot tub especially relaxing :).

Don't worry about your legs feeling a little "off". It's the taper phenomenon...weird aches and pains, heavy legs, etc. It happens to everyone! The most important thing is keeping your confidence HIGH - just look over all your training and workouts leading up to this point. You are ready. Try not to think about the race too much - maybe an hour or two a day max. It'll only get your nervous and drive you crazy!!

I agree Teena. Swimming days are quickly becoming my favorite workout days.

very nice!

nice job chilling in the water.

Very nice! Love you! :)

Rachelle~

It felt great!

Andrea~

I failed to mention that I did, in fact, get in the hot tub after the swim!!! The best part of it was listening to a group of older gentleman talk about their grandkids. It was AWESOME!! Seriously, very relaxing and just happy-filled! :)

Rhett~

There is just something about being weightless and gliding through water that is very ... what's the word ... ummmm ... AWESOME!!!! :) :) :)

Tim~

Thanks! So good to hear from you!

Allie~

Chillin' in the water is definitely one of my faves. I need to make the time to do it more often! :)

SSF~

Thank you thank you!!! LLL LLL LLL

JUST RIGHT!!! :)

TAPER! Just easy runs from here on out. Is there a plan to meet for the bus ride on Monday?

Hi SSF!! :)

Andy~

We usually meet in the lobby of the Radisson Hotel but I cannot remember what time. We will DEFINITELY figure it all out. Smooth may already know. :) :) :)

Okay -- easy peasy mac 'n cheesy from here on out. :)

Have fun in Boston. Eat some clam chowder for me....or maybe some lobster....or both.

excellent final workout! I can't wait to see your Boston report!!!

Teena, good luck in Boston. Say hi to the city for me. I'll miss you guys.

Hey Baby Girl, Lets hear from you in Boston. Take care, do well and enjoy the ride!!!!!

It was so GREAT to see you tonight! Did your fortune cookie said you're going to run so fast that you will have plenty of time to shower and get all dolled up before catching the flight home? :) :) :)

No, it's going to be 87.

Ugh.

good luck Teena!

Congratulations on your awesome 3:29:51

SUB 3:30 in a Boston sauna is INCREDIBLE!!

great job Teena! very well done