I Can Do Hard Things

47:20....slowwwwwww

5 easy miles on the home TM. Ughhhh....I'm not a fan of the TM.

3x

Walking lunges

Single leg hamstring lift

Squats

Side to side lunges

Push ups

Dips

It's been awhile since I've done weight lifting. It felt much harder than it should've. I can tell that I need to do it...my body is creaky in certain spots. Hopefully I can do it at least once a week until Ogden.

Long stretch and foam roll.

TT: 1:04

I wasn't interested in running in the blizzard outside, so I ran downstairs tonight. I really got into watching Nashville, so my run went by fast.

Jay Johnson had a great post on his blog about spending 15 minutes everyday doing his lunge matrix or GSM. He said that if all runners did that, they would be injured a lot less. I'm a believer.

Once before and once after run:

Dynamic calf stretch

Lunge matrix

Donkey kicks

Plank

Hip swings

Stretch and foam roll

I went to see Dr Rich today. There was edema on the X-ray around the achy part of my shin. It wasn't a stress fracture yet, but the area was stressed out. He put me in a boot to wear when I'm not running. I can resume my training, but if it starts to feel worse, I need to cut back/stop.

Because I've had so many SF, he decided to do a Dexa scan and check my vitamin D, calcium, feritin levels. Waiting to hear the results.

I just need to hang on for 6 weeks.

60 minutes-7.5 miles on the stair mill at the gym.

15 minutes PT

45 min-5.75 miles on stair mill

TT: 1:40:04

AP: 8:21

9:22, 8:53, 8:32, 8:32, 8:21, 8:20......8:15, 8:01, 8:03, 7:59, 7:54, 7:44,

Dark and early. It's been 4 days since my last run and I was wondering if my legs remembered how to run. Legs were heavy and had a hard time picking up speed. My inside shin was definitely achy today.

20 min PT, stretch and foam roll

I kinda had a freak out moment last night.  I am usually even tempered and don't get stressed, but this "marathon/maybe injury" has put me into a tail-spin.  I've invested a whole year into 100% focused training and I don't want it to all be for naught.  

Thank YOU FRBers who talked/texted me off the ledge last night.  And my husband thanks you too.  Balance and perspective goes a long ways.

My "current plan" for the moment is to do Ogden, but add more cross training days less running days.  It is subject to change though!

20 hard push on bike

lunge matrix

cross over drill

push ups

step downs

leg swings

row

fly

10 min hard push on bike

1 set of above

10 min hard push on bike

1 set of above

I didn't take any rests in between and my heart rate was up the whole time.

Long stretch and foam roll.  Calf/lower leg scrapped....ouch

TT: 1:26

AP: 8:45 (I think this is way off....satellite had a hard time connecting)

10:47(I was down a huge hill....way off), 8:42, 8:44, 8:16, 8:15, 8:24, 8:02, 8:26, 8:23, 8:35

We are in St George for spring break. I hopped on a trail and just started to run. The destination for the turn around point was only 2.5 miles instead of 5 miles. So I was a bit miffed and had to come up with plan B.

I really like how many parks/drinking fountains they have. BUT holy hills!!!!!

My Garmin had a hard time connecting to the satellite, so my pace was a bit off. My shin was a bit achy achy to start, but felt alright by the end.

It was very tired after all our hiking today. But I sat in the chilly hotel pool for awhile and it mellowed out.

My husband likes to ski in the winter (so do I, but I'm not quite as crazy as he is) and I like to hike in the summer. So we decided to hike Snow canyon today. My kids just had a unit at school about the national parks in UT and about the rock cycle. They were telling us crazy facts during our hike today. They loved it!

No running or cross training. 100% rest We hiked all around Zion's National Park today. I didn't wear my boot because most of the trails were sand or mud. We sure live in a beautiful place!

I got a call from Dr. Rich with all my test results.  My Dexa scan came back normal.  All my blood work came back normal except my vitiman D level was a bit high....so I need to cut back.  

Since my bones are working and my blood work is clean, I need to figure out my "sweet spot" regarding mileage.  How much can my body handle?  

TT: 46:51

AP: 9:18

9:39, 9:18, 9:12, 8:53, 9:26

My last day running around SG. I took the run very slow and easy today. Goodbye hills!

TT:  2:50:00

AP:  8:30

Murdock Canal

9:24, 9:01, 8:32, 8:37, 8:25, 8:26, 8:15, 8:22, 8:21, 8:26, 8:31, 8:22, 8:17, 8:30, 8:28, 8:25, 8:26, 8:36, 8:23, 8:03

Hmmmm....what a run! Getting to the 10 mile turn around point seemed to take forever. I ran this one alone and listened to my audio book.  Gold by Chris Cleave is super good.  It is about two women Olympic cyclists. 

I'm thinking I did this run a bit too fast because it felt hard.  My legs were heavy and my breathing labored.  My shin felt alright, but my calves were cramping near the end.  

When I got home, I laid on our living room floor under the ceiling fan.  When my husband saw me, he thought something was wrong and freaked out a bit.  Ha ha....just crampy calves and tired.

As a reference to other 20+ mile long runs:

3/29/14 - 20 mile - AP:  8:51

4/14/12 - 20 mile - AP:  9:45

4/28/12 - 22 mile - AP:  9:42

I attended the temple tonight for a recovering alcoholic woman whom I visit taught.  She's been working hard to get her life back together and she did IT!  We can all do hard things!

Mental health day

Easy 6.0 mph run on the home TM. Everything is going to be slow this week to help my shin chill out and taper for the SL Half.

Lunge matrix

Crossovers

Plank

LLL

Long stretch and foam roll

3x

Walking lunges

Single leg hamstring lift

Side to side lunges

Squats

Overhead press

Butterfly

Skull crushers

Row

Fly

1 mile run

I've had the hardest time getting up in the morning lately. Lazy bum :). I worked out while my daughter was at kindergarten. Calves tight today. Lots of stretch and foam rolling.

Easy run tomorrow and rest on Friday. Be kind SL.

I had to take my 6 year old to get a few worts frozen off her fingers. Unfortunately, I had tons of worts as a kids and she has inheritated that trait from me. Poor kid....it was quite traumatic. But a treat from the gas station seemed to make life a bit better. And showing her cool band aides to her kindergarten class.

Easy TM run at home. Lots of stretching and foam rolling.

Salt Lake Half Marathon Death March 

There was nothing beautiful or lovely about this race. It was a 13.3 mile suffer fest.  

I've been really nervous about this race.  I knew that if I ran a 1:44 at the race today, I would be close to my BQ plan for the Ogden Marathon.  I guess the anxiety of that 1:44 goal put me over the edge.  And I wasn't sure how my body would hold up.  It's getting worn out and semi-broken and I still have 4 weeks to go.

I left home at 5:00 am and found a great parking spot close to the finish area.  I took Trax to the starting area.  I found a few friendly faces, Josse, Ericka, Paul, Tiffany, and Allie.

 I found the 1:45 pacer and had plans to hang with him for awhile. The gun went off and immediately, I knew this race was going to hurt.  

The race started uphill and was followed by several more rolling hills.  My heart rate was already going crazy and my breathing labored.  My stomach felt sick with anxiety. I still had a LONG time to suffer through the streets of Salt Lake.

I hung with the 1:45 pacer for awhile but eventually left him during the Memory Grove down hill.  I was able to pick up some speed during this section, but felt like I was still putting forth a lot of effort.  

Tim and the kids were waiting for me at mile 5.  It was SO wonderful to see friendly faces with a big sign!

Eventually, I saw the 3:25 marathon pacer and ran with them for several miles until they split off at mile 9. I still felt like I was exerting a lot of energy and had a long ways to go.

After the pacer turned off onto the marathon course, I tried to stay with the half marathoners that were with that group.  My wheels started to rapidly fall off at mile 10.  I felt like I kept pushing the gas pedal harder and harder, but the speed was not coming.  

My calves were cramping and my mental mojo was trickling away.  I was in shuffle mode and was just trying to hang on for dear life. The numbers on my watch kept getting slower and slower and my stomach was growing angrier by the second.  

I kept thinking to myself, "This is SO hard.  This isn't fun.  My body is going to start revolting."  I felt like I was going to burst into tears.  This desperation was not part of my race plan.

I knew I only had less than a half mile to go.  I turned the street corner and could see the finish line.  But the more I pushed the pace, the further away the finish line got.  It took forever to complete that last .5 miles.  There was no euphoria or singing angels when I finally reached the balloon arch.  I stepped off to the side right in front of the camera man and tried to keep my breakfast together.  Tears started to form in my eyes....I have never had a race experience like that before.

My body hurt in ways I didn't know was possible.  I had exerted so much mental and physical energy that I didn't care about anything else.  Pain was the only word in my post race vocabulary.

But then I saw my beautiful family.  My kids were cheering and the pain subsided momentarily.  I was so glad they were there.  I wanted to make them proud.  I told them I ran the race in a very horrible 1:44:01....which was exactly my goal.  A 7 minute course PR (the race director changed the course and it was way more difficult than last year in my opinion).

I said a quick goodbye to my beautifuls and all my grumpies returned.  I left the race shortly thereafter to get home for a soccer game and egg hunt.

(Good to see Ericka at the finish line....she totally rocked her race!)

I was hoping to have a mental boost from running this half marathon today for my big race in May.  But I'm unsure of what to think of the situation.  I'm not sure I can handle that kind of excruciating nonsense for another 2 hours in a marathon.  I felt like the harder I tried push the pace, the more I mentally and physically hurt.  There was no adrenaline to take off the edge.  

I hit my goal today so I'm not sure why I'm so hesitant and not feeling the "high".  I may have entered into that next level of physical discomfort.  

And it is really painful. 

TT:  1:44:01

AP:  7:52 7:59, 8:00, 7:21, 7:37, 7:20, 7:57, 7:49, 8:12, 7:58, 7:52, 7:43, 8:26, 7:57, 1:46

This was a mighty slow run! I think my first two miles were a 10:43/mm. I couldn't move any faster than that :). I finally got the pace down to 10/mm. My calves loosened up a bitt by the end of the run, but a still tight. Everything feels a bit creaky :)

Lots of stretching and foam rolling.

We worked in our yard all night. It always feels good to do the spring clean up!

TT:74

Another slow run on the home treadmill.  Less soreness today and hopefully it will continue to go away.

Quick stretch and foam roll

TT: 1:27:33-9 miles

AP: 9:43

TT: 27:38-3 miles

AP: 9:12

Early morning on the home TM. I was not interested in running in the wind and rain this morning. Another slow run-that is going to be the plan for the rest of the week. My calves and all other niggles are really feeling better.

I soaked my lower legs in the kitchen sink this morning with ice. Brrr...it really helped.

TT: 3:17:12

AP: 8:58

Canal

9:16, 9:05, 8:54, 8:55, 8:49, 8:46, 8:46, 8:43, 8:45, 8:45, 8:44, 8:50, 8:35, 8:45, 8:49, 8:54, 9:04, 9:15, 9:03, 9:26, 9:29, 9:20

After looking at Saturday's rainy forecast, I decided to do my long run today. One of my main goals for this run was to keep it slower. I raced hard last weekend and had already run a lot if miles this week. I wanted to be safe and not stupid.

As I started my run, the iPod that has my audiobook froze. I didn't want to take the time to mess with it. I was grateful I also grabbed my small shuffle. So I listened to music the whole way. I was really looking forward to my new book.

My first 11 miles were great. I ran all the way to Orem....that's a long ways to go :). I was super excited to see the water fountains turned on. I also enjoyed seeing the various blooming orchards, large gardens, chicken coops, and blooming lilac bushes. AF, PG, Lindon and Orem residents along the canal do a good job in those areas!

When I turned around, I started to struggle. I had 6 miles (mile 17) till my bathroom landmark and my body was starting to hurt. I finally got to the bathroom (5 miles till home) and my times started to slow way down. It was certainly a mental battle.

The wind started going crazy during the last 3 miles and I had dirt/sand pelting me sideways in the face. It wasn't fun.

I got home and laid on my bedroom floor for awhile and tried to convince myself that run was fun. As I was getting my ice bath ready, I started to cry in the bathroom to my husband. "I don't think I can run a marathon". My episode only lasted 5 minutes and I'm already feeling better about life. I've got 3 weeks to get my mental state back on track.

Time to taper.

5 really slow shake out miles on the home TM. Hips and tops of my feet are still a bit sore from yesterday, but everything else feels good.

Lots of foam rolling

I'm taking tomorrow off and will probably cross train on Monday.

3x

Walking lunges

Single leg hamstring lift

Side to side lunges

60/60/60 planks

Hip swings

Long stretch and foam roll

4 easy miles on the home treadmill.

Stretch and foam roll

TT: 1:29:11

AP: 8:06

8:59, 8:38, 8:16, 8:10, 7:57, 7:58, 8:00, 8:14, 8:07, 7:29, 7:13

Murdock Canal

I was TOO lazy to run at dark o'clock this morning, so I went this afternoon when my kindergartner went to school. My plan was to run this a bit faster. I haven't done anything really fast since the SL Half.

My mile 1 split is the fastest that I've ever charged up temple hill. Looking at the splits, I started way too fast. I had the wind at my back and felt great.

As soon as I turned around, I realized how crazy windy it really was. I almost lost my visor a few times. I felt like I was working 10x harder to just maintain my pace. I stopped at a few water fountains so I could get a rest from the wind.

Once I got off the canal (I had 1.7 miles to home), I had the wind at my back again and really tried to push the pace. Thankfully, this time I got faster :)

Long stretch and foam roll. Hammies very tight.