I Can Do Hard Things

Spring break this week.  Hubby was home today, so I got to sleep in until 7:00am.  Heavenly! 

EASY 3 miles today.  I forced myself to keep a 10mm.  It felt great to shake out all the aches.  I saw all the local elite out this morning.  Made me feel even slower.

2 houses of lunges

2xLLL

Modge podge of fire hydrants and one leg bridges

Foam roll and LONG stretching session

10 easy miles on the TM.  I split them up into 2x5mile runs.

1-  5 miles in 47 minutes (6.4mph)

GU -reset TM

2 - 5 miles in 46 minutes (6.4mph until the last mile...then I was sick of running)

Legs felt good.  Shins still a bit achy.

Hubby had to go out of town last minute, so my running schedule is at the mercy of babysitters this week (hooray for spring break).  I definitely have my sitter for Saturday's 20 miler though.....

Off to keep the troops occupied!

Hooray for babysitters who will get up early during spring break!

Somebody was on *my* TM this morning so I had to find a different one!  That totally bugs!  The *new* TM felt way faster than *my* TM.  Maybe is was just in my head, but I sure felt my leg turnover spinning along!

1 mile warm up - 6.4 mph

10x400

1-1:42 (8.9mph)

2-1:42 (8.9mph)

3-1:42 (8.9mph)

4-1:40 (9.0mph)

5-1:40 (9.0mph)

6-1:40 (9.0mph)

7-1:40 (9.0mph)

8-1:39 (9.1mph)

9-1:39 (9.1mph)

10-1:39 (9.1mph)

.25 mile cool down/walk

50 minutes total time

I felt good, but it was hard workout.  I was breathing hard, but not at puke zone (except for the last one which was at puke and *runs* zone).  Legs felt good...they got tired near the end as to be expected.  I hope all this speed stuff pays off.

We spent all yesterday at Classic Skating.  It makes me feel old when I go to places like that.  Too many young girls trying to be older.  But they did have some good music.  Cousins are gone now and we need to clean up our house after the sleepovers.  Piles of laundry are lingering too.  Ohhh...we don't have any food.  Time to be productive!

It has been nice to sleep in this week (spring break, hubby gone and babysitters who don't want to get up at the crack of dawn to watch my kids while I run).  Two weeks ago when I had a heavy training week, we were in the West Indies and I got to sleep a lot.  Sleep certainly helps with recovery. 

Easy 5 miles outside.  It smelled so clean and fresh after yesterday's rain.  I kept the pace super slow to recovery from yesterday's speed and tomorrow's long run (20 miler...yikes!).  I saw the AFHS track team out running.

48:35

AP:  9:42

9:56, 9:45, 9:42, 9:38, 9:29 - nice and slow

I'm nervous for tomorrow's 20 miler.  My two 20 milers I did for SGM were horrible.  I've logged a lot more miles since last summer and I kinda know what to expect, but I really don't want a BUST!  Positive thoughts, slow mile splits and great company will hopefully make the nerves go away!

So my main goal for today's run was to feel good.  My 20 milers for SGM  were so horrible.  Not enough water, fuel, hot weather, lack of experience, and poor pacing on my part.

So today, I just wanted to feel good - no matter the pace.

RAD, Karen and Chad met at the JRP.  I texted RAD last night and told her to bring her rain jacket.  Thankfully, we didn't need it.  The weather was absolutely perfect...I couldn't have asked for anything more!

We headed north first and climbed mountains (they called them hills, but I'm calling them mountains).  We saw a beautiful herd of deer.  I was definitely the caboose of the group today and it didn't hurt my ego.   I honestly didn't care about my pace today.  I just needed the mental confidence that I could finish this run.

We had wonderful conversations and I was so grateful for the company.  Today, RAD  was on fire.  She made the mountains and miles seem effortless.  I was so proud of her! Big things are coming her way.

We turned around after 6 miles.  Took a GU.  I totally messed up my Garmin today.  I kept forgetting to start it.  It totally ticked me off :)

Once we reached the parking lot, I refilled my water bottles, took off my rain jacket (lots of blue skies), took another GU, and headed off for another 8 miles.

We ran into a group of Army fellows doing a time trial.  They look pretty darn.  RAD decided to race an 11 year old scout.  We got a GREAT laugh!

Chad left a goodie bag for us and I will forever be grateful for those orange slices.  Manna from heaven.  Since my Garmin was all messed up, I had no idea how far we had gone.  Then suddenly, it was time to turn around.  Hooray!

Rachel and Chad took off for some speedy miles and I chatted with Karen.  She gave me some wonderful spiritual thoughts for the day.  Thanks Karen!

Around mile 18/19 my right hip started to hurt a bit like at SGM.  Since I've been super faithful with my hip exercises, I'm wondering if it might be hip bursitis again.  It it does it again after my next 20, I'm going to have to have it checked out.

Finally, we finished.  What a great sense of accomplishment! Though I was very slow, I felt a lot better than previous 20 milers.  I can worry about speed on the track.  This was a HUGE confidence booster for me.  Maybe I can finish Ogden in one piece. 

Thanks friends for a wonderful morning!

I stretched for a minute and headed home.  I picked up two 8 lbs of ice.

I took an ice bath and about froze.  Ate lunch at In and Out and spent the afternoon playing with cousins before they head back to CA.

**I think I ran about 3:15:00 - 9:45 pace

**Now that is has been several hours, my lower legs are very sore.  I've been wearing my compression socks all day.  I'm taking tomorrow and maybe Monday off.